Tag Archives: Alissa Baxter

Spotlight On Regency Romance — The Baron And The Lady Chemist

10 Aug

The Baron and the Lady Chemist JustRead Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Baron and the Lady Chemist by Alissa Baxter, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

The Baron and the Lady Chemist

Title: The Baron and the Lady Chemist
Series: The Grantham Girls #2
Author: Alissa Baxter
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Release Date: August 3, 2023
Genre: Regency Romance (Sweet/Clean)

Their chemistry creates a chain reaction . . . but will love be the final result?

Dorothea Grantham has always been fascinated by chemistry and spends most days conducting experiments in her laboratory at Grantham Place, staining silk with gold, silver, and other metals using chemical processes.

Thea embroiders the beautiful gold and silver silk shawls she creates and enjoys wearing them, but her grandmother, Lady Longmore, advises her not to reveal to anyone outside the family circle that she has created the fashion items herself, concerned her granddaughter might be seen as an oddity.

When Thea enters Society, her shawls attract a great deal of attention and become the talk of the town. James, Lord Castleroy, takes a particular interest in her work, having inherited a share in his grandfather’s silk mill in Macclesfield.

Eager to invest in the ailing silk industry, the baron studies Miss Grantham’s silks with an admiring—and increasingly suspicious—eye, believing the fabrics to be smuggled imported silk. As he spends more time with the enterprising young lady, however, his interest in her quickly extends beyond his business affairs to engulf his guarded heart.

But Lord Castleroy isn’t the only person in London interested in Thea’s exquisite creations. And when a silken web of intrigue entangles her in real danger, Thea must trust the devotion of a man she never expected—or intended—to fall in love with.

Read Free in Kindle Unlimited!

Note: This series is part of Dragonblade’s Sweet Dreams line, so this is a sweet, wholesome Historical Romance where passion beyond the bedroom door is left to the reader’s imagination.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

Excerpt

“Merciful heavens!” Dorothea Grantham gazed in horror at her blazing hemline. Somehow the glass phial containing the phosphorus had burst, dropping onto the edge of her gown, setting it alight.

The air was too hot. Phosphorous was dangerous to work with when the temperature reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit. How foolish of her to forget that. She froze for only a moment, and then, with acrid smoke billowing around her, she raced to the wooden door and flung it open.

As Thea dashed outside, something hard and warm stopped her dead. She staggered backward, tilting her head to meet the gaze of a brown-haired, blue-eyed gentleman dressed in buckskin breeches and a wool hunt coat. 

He glanced at her burning skirts and, in one swift motion, pulled her down onto the ground and began to stamp it out. But the fire kept springing back to life. 

“Get some dirt to smother it.” She gasped. “It’s a phosphorous fire.”

 The gentleman grunted before plunging his gloved hands into the nearby vegetable patch and tossing some soil onto her skirts. Then, pressing down hard with his boots, he eventually doused the flames.

“Thank you.” She released a shaky breath. “I’m in your debt.”

A scowl descended upon his brow. “What the blazes were you doing in there?”

“Starting a blaze?” Her lips curved into a weak smile as she rose to her feet. He extended his hand, and she grasped it as she rose to her full height.



More Books in This Series


About The Author

Alissa Baxter wrote her first Regency romance during her long university holidays. After travelling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency novel, which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England. Alissa then published two chick lit novels before returning to her favourite era with her Linfield Ladies Series, a trio of Regency romances that feature women in trend-setting roles who fall in love with men who embrace their trailblazing ways… at least eventually. Her new Dragonblade trilogy, The Grantham Girls, continues this inspiring theme.

Alissa currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons.

Connect with Alissa by visiting alissabaxter.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.


Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a $30 Amazon Gift Card!

The Baron and the Lady Chemist JustRead Tours giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 8, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 15, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

Top 10 Tuesday — Nature Covers

11 May

This week Top 10 Tuesday posts are featuring book covers that depict nature. As I was looking for books to include, I was surprised that I could find as many as I did. Most covers feature people. I chose books that depict a setting or key element of the story (some have people, others not). They span genres too.

Do you like book covers that feature nature?

For more Top Ten Tuesday fun, head over to That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top 10 Book Covers Featuring Nature

Blackberry Beach by Irene Hannon

Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill

The Earl’s Lady Geologist by Alissa Baxter

The Escape by Lisa Harris

For The Love of Joy by Janet Ferguson

Mountain Laurel by Lori Benton

The Nature of Small Birds by Susie Finkbeiner

Present Danger by Elizabeth Goddard

Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz

Under a Turquoise Sky by Lisa Carter

Book Review: The Earl’s Lady Geologist

11 Mar

Cassandra Linfield is a lady fossil collector who declares she will never marry as no man will ever take her studies seriously. When circumstances force her to travel to Town for the Season, Cassy infiltrates the hallowed portals of the Geological Society from which she has been banned. She is horrified when she comes face to face with her nemesis, the infuriating Earl of Rothbury.

Lord Rothbury is a gentleman-geologist with a turbulent romantic past. After a youthful disappointment he vows never to fall in love again, and makes the decision, instead, to seek out a convenient wife when he returns to England from his geological travels abroad.

Brought together by their close family ties, Cassy and Rothbury collaborate on a geological paper and discover a powerful attraction. Marriage, however, is the one subject they cannot agree upon. But when Cassy’s life is threatened, the two realize that love matters more than their objections.

Alissa Baxter wrote her first Regency romance, The Dashing Debutante, during her long university holidays. After travelling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency romance, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England. A Marchioness Below Stairs, her third Regency romance, is the sequel to Lord Fenmore’s Wager.

Alissa’s Regency romance, The Earl’s Lady Geologist (#1 in the Linfield Ladies Series) was released by Vinspire Publishing in February 2021.

Also the author of two chick lit novels, The Truth About Clicking Send and Receive (previously published as Send and Receive) and The Truth About Cats and Bees (previously published as The Blog Affair), Alissa currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons.

 

My Impressions:

The Earl’s Lady Geologist, book 1 in the Linfield Ladies series, combines all you’ve come to expect from a Regency romance — debutante balls, fine ladies and gentlemen, and grand country estates — with something a bit unique. Alissa Baxter’s heroine is not your run-of-the mill deb looking to hook a husband. She is well-educated, decidedly independent, and definitely not looking to marry, and a geologist to boot! Geology was a man’s field in those days, reserved for the wealthy class to study and report on. Cassy is a fun character with fears, doubts, and a good awareness of her own shortcomings. Paired with the handsome and sometimes arrogant Lord Rothbury, she comes into her own. The settings of Lyme Regis and London provide a good contrast between country and city society and expectations of the time. The position of women in early 19th century is eye-opening. I found all of the women in the novel to be engaging and enterprising in each of their social stations. Baxter also mixes in some mystery and danger — a good way to add depth to the romance. The faith thread is developed in a natural way, as well, highlighting the struggles we all face.

If you are a fan of the Regency genre, then give The Earl’s Lady Geologist a try. More books are promised in this series, and I am anxious to see where Baxter will take the other Linfield ladies.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

 

Happy Release Day! — The Earl’s Lady Geologist

28 Feb

Unconventional is how I would describe Alissa Baxter’s main character, Cassandra Linfield, in her newest Regency romance, The Earl’s Lady Geologist. If you like this genre and want a fresh take, then check it out! All the details below.

 

Cassandra Linfield is a lady fossil collector who declares she will never marry as no man will ever take her studies seriously. When circumstances force her to travel to Town for the Season, Cassy infiltrates the hallowed portals of the Geological Society from which she has been banned. She is horrified when she comes face to face with her nemesis, the infuriating Earl of Rothbury.

Lord Rothbury is a gentleman-geologist with a turbulent romantic past. After a youthful disappointment he vows never to fall in love again, and makes the decision, instead, to seek out a convenient wife when he returns to England from his geological travels abroad.

Brought together by their close family ties, Cassy and Rothbury collaborate on a geological paper and discover a powerful attraction. Marriage, however, is the one subject they cannot agree upon. But when Cassy’s life is threatened, the two realize that love matters more than their objections.

Alissa Baxter wrote her first Regency romance, The Dashing Debutante, during her long university holidays. After travelling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency romance, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England. A Marchioness Below Stairs, her third Regency romance, is the sequel to Lord Fenmore’s Wager.

Alissa’s upcoming Regency romance, The Earl’s Lady Geologist (#1 in the Linfield Ladies Series) will be released by Vinspire Publishing in February 2021.

Also the author of two chick lit novels, The Truth About Clicking Send and Receive (previously published as Send and Receive) and The Truth About Cats and Bees (previously published as The Blog Affair), Alissa currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons.

 

Top Ten Tuesday — Winter TBR

15 Dec

Baby, it’s cold outside! At least for middle Georgia, that is. I know many of you have already had snow and really, really cold temperatures, but in the sunny South it is officially winter when we have to put on a coat. 😉 All that to say — welcome Winter and the Winter TBR! This week I am featuring books that I want to get read in the next few months. Some are book club selections, others are awaiting reviews, and some are just because. There are a variety of genres too — historical, suspense, Regency, romance — something for everyone. I hope you find one from my list that you will love too.

For more fun TBR lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

 

 

Top 10 Books on The Winter TBR

 

Cold Case Pursuit by Dana Mentink

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark

The Earl’s Lady Geologist by Alissa Baxter

 

For The Love of Joy by Janet W. Ferguson

Illusion by Ginny Yttrup

Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman

Lethal Intent by Cara Putman

 

The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill

Tidewater Bride by Laura Frantz

Book Review: A Marchioness Below Stairs

28 Aug

Escaping from Bath and the news that her former love is about to marry another, Isabel, the young widowed Marchioness of Axbridge, accepts an invitation to her cousin’s house party. Yet, instead of finding respite, she stumbles into a domestic crisis of majestic proportions: The kitchen servants have succumbed to the influenza.

If that weren’t bad enough, her former sweetheart arrives with his fiancée, seeking shelter from the increasingly hazardous snow storm. Trapped inside Chernock Hall with a volatile mix of house guests, including abolitionists and slave owners, Isabel wishes she could hide below stairs for the duration. But, alas, she cannot. While helping in the kitchen, Isabel is cornered by her cousin’s disreputable friend, Marcus Bateman, who challenges and provokes her at every turn.

At last, the storm subsides. However, the avalanche of repercussions cannot be undone. Caught in the grip of the terrible winter of 1813, will Isabel’s greatest threat come from the weather, her abolitionist views, or from falling in love again?

Alissa Baxter wrote her first Regency romance, The Dashing Debutante, during her long university holidays. After traveling the world, she settled down to write her second Regency romance, Lord Fenmore’s Wager, which was inspired by her time living on a country estate in England. A Marchioness Below Stairs, her third Regency romance, is the sequel to Lord Fenmore’s Wager. Also the author of two contemporary romances, Send And Receive and The Blog Affair, Alissa is a member of RWA as well as ROSA (Romance Writers Organisation of South Africa). Alissa currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband and two sons.

My Impressions:

On the surface, A Marchioness Below Stairs seems like a typical Regency novel with the emphasis on manners and romance. That’s partly true, however, this novel has more — more insight into the status of women and other vulnerable members of the early 19th century society. Alissa Baxter has penned a novel that will appeal to the Regency fan, but also to those who want a bit of depth to their historical reading. Recommended.

A Marchioness Below Stairs does indeed open with the scandalous activity of a lady cooking with the help of a gentleman. While modern readers may shrug and think what’s the big deal?, this just wasn’t done in the strict class system of Regency England. The early part of the novel is an interesting look at the manners of the gentry and titled, but the real core of the novel begins when the main character, Isabel, moves to London for the Season. Isabel is an interesting character who wants to keep her hard won independence rather than being trapped by matrimony. Her views on women’s rights and abolition of slavery are heavily influenced by the writings of Mary Wollestencraft and William Wilberforce. I loved learning about the stirrings of independence for those kept vulnerable and enslaved. What modern readers take for granted was new, unique, and controversial in the early 1800s. There is plenty of Regency elements to keep fans satisfied, but I liked the historical and political framework the author uses. Romance, intrigue, mystery, and suspense are also strong elements in this novel. The author gives the characters a moral compass and a faith in God that informs their actions and motives — this will appeal to inspirational fiction readers too. I liked just about everything in this novel — the characters, the setting, the historical details, and the sweet and tender romance. The novel also made me hungry! From white soup to savory curry dishes, cuisine is a big part of the book. Yum!

So if you like Regency romance with a dash of suspense and a glimpse into real life behind the balls and country parties, A Marchioness Below Stairs is for you!

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

To purchase, click HERE. (It’s only $3.99 on Kindle)

(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)