Guest Author Monday

Please welcome today’s Guest Author — Becky Lower

In 1859, ladies of New York society were expected to do three things well: find a husband, organize a smooth-running household, and have children.

Rosemary Fitzpatrick’s agenda is very different. As the author of the popular Harry Hawk dime novels, she must hide her true identity from her new publisher, who assumes the person behind the F. P. Elliott pen name is male. She must pose as his secretary in order to ensure the continuation of her series. And in the midst of all this subterfuge, her mother is insisting that she become a debutante this year.

Henry Cooper is not the typical Boston Brahmin. Nor is he a typical publisher. He’s entranced by Mr. Elliott’s secretary the moment they meet, and wonders how his traditional-thinking father will react when he brings a working class woman into the family. Because his intentions are to marry her, regardless.

Rosemary’s deception begins to unravel at the Cotillion ball, when Henry recognizes her. The secretarial mask must come off, now that he knows she is a member of New York society. But she can’t yet confess who she truly is until she knows if Henry will accept her as F. P. Elliott.

The more time they spend together, the closer they become. But when Rosemary reveals her true identity to him, will Henry be able to forgive her or has her deceit cost her the man she loves?

Excerpt: “He, uh, kissed me.” Just thinking about their encounter in the coat closet made her body hum with pleasure.

“In public? At the theatre? I see.”

Rosemary finally raised her eyes to her mother, and was surprised to find the beginnings of a smile on her face rather than the scowl she expected.

“What do you see? You can’t tell me you approve of such scandalous behavior on his part. What shall I do, Mother?”

“Well, such outrageous behavior in a public place means only one thing. You can’t be left alone with him anymore. I’ll need to chaperone you, or one of the maids will, every time you are to meet. You shall continue to see him, invite him to dinners here, you can even continue your fencing lessons with him, accompanied, of course, at all times. But what needs to happen is for him to fall in love with you, to be so eager to get you alone again, he’ll propose to you. So that means he can no longer sample your kisses or do more than hold your hand. It will drive him mad with desire. Then, and only then, when he offers the world to you on a silver platter, you can tell him you are truly the mastermind behind F.P. Elliott. The man will not be able to turn you away once his heart is engaged.”

Rosemary gave her mother a speculative stare. “Mother, you should be the one writing the dime novels, not me. Both you and Dorcas believe I should maneuver Henry to fall in love with me, and I’ve been trying to do so. But every time I’m with him, I feel reckless and out of control. Do you really think it will work?”

“Your father can deny me nothing, correct?”

Buy Link: http://amzn.to/1sGJQbq

Becky Lower has traveled the country looking for great settings for her novels. She loves to write about two people finding each other and falling in love, amid the backdrop of a great setting, be it on a covered wagon headed west in the 1850s or present day middle America. Historical and contemporary romances are her specialty. Becky is a PAN member of RWA and is a member of the Historic and Contemporary RWA chapters. She has a degree in English and Journalism from Bowling Green State University, and lives in an eclectic college town in Ohio with her puppy-mill rescue dog, Mary. She loves to hear from her readers atbeckylowerauthor@gmail.com. Visit her website at www.beckylowerauthor.com