I'll be the first to admit I was born two hundred years too late. I would have loved to be a part of early America, to go west on a covered wagon, to interact with native Americans, to visit a gold field, to become a spy during the Revolutionary War. Never mind that I'd have to go to the outhouse to do my business, or haul wood into the house in order to cook, or take care of the sick and injured rather than run to the emergency room. I prefer to think of American history in the best light. That's why I write about it.
The Cotillion Ball series began as a "light-bulb moment" in 2011. While I love to read about the Regency period in England, and the fancy dresses and balls where men and women connected and fell in love, I wanted to stay in America. And I thought, surely, the Cotillion was introduced to the country at some point, since several of my friends participated in it when they were in their teens. Some digging into the background of the ball later, I realized I had the setting for my series. It would take place in New York City, in 1855, a year after the ball concept was introduced to the city's high society.
But, of course, my nine Fitzpatrick children could not stay put in New York, not when there was a big new world to explore. Each of the nine books features one of the children as they come of age and figure out where they belong. And figure out who they belong with. Let me tell you a bit about each one.
The Reluctant Debutante kicks off the series with Ginger, an outspoken suffragette, who finds love with a half-Ojibwa Indian.
The Abolitionist's Secret features Heather, who gets thrust into the role of being a freedom fighter but yet falls for a slave owner.
Banking on Temperance is the first book to feature a Fitzpatrick son. Basil moves west, to St. Louis, to open a branch of the family banking business and runs headlong into a woman who is bound and determined to get her family to Oregon.
The Tempestuous Debutante is about Jasmine, Heather's twin sister. She wants the balls, and an aristocrat husband, but finds herself drawn instead to the stableboy on the aristocrat's land.
Blinded By Grace features another brother, Halwyn. He's been working in his father's bank for years, and has no time for marriage until one of his friends needs a husband in order to claim her trust.
The Duplicitous Debutante is all about Rosemary, the quiet, studious one in this rowdy family. She has for years used a pen name for her western books, which everyone thinks are written by a man. She's fine with the anonymity, until a new publisher takes over the helm.
Expressly Yours, Samantha is all about the Pony Express and the youngest brother, Valerian, who rides for them. One of his fellow workers on the Express is a girl masquerading as a man, until Valerian unmasks her.
A Widow's Salvation features the oldest daughter, Pepper. Her husband died in the first battle of the Civil War, leaving her with three young boys to raise on her own. She begins volunteering at the Army hospital, tending those who also fought in battle, and meets an unhappy, overworked doctor.
The Forgotten Debutante is about the youngest daughter, Saffron, who is only seven when the series begins. She reaches adulthood during the height of the Civil War, and has to wait for the conflict to end completely before she can reconnect with the man who gave her the first kiss of her life.
As an added bonus in this collection, An Unconventional Courtship, the novella about how the parents of this lively brood, Charlotte and George, met and married is included in the bundle.
Ten books in one neat and tidy bundle, for your reading pleasure, and at one low price. How can you go wrong? Here's the link to the bundle, available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cotillion-Ball-Saga-Becky-Lower-ebook/dp/B01MXCL8V1/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1480291278&sr=8-4&keywords=becky+lower
And, if you haven't already done so, please sign up to receive my newsletter. I send it out a couple times a year only, when I have a new book. Each time I do, I offer gift copies to the first five or ten people who contact me. It's your chance to win a book, and it's absolutely free. The form's on the right side, at the very top of the page.
I love this period in history as well, but I enjoy modern conveniences way to well to want to go back. Really appreciate reading books where the authors have researched the era, so I applaud you on a job well done. Best wishes and congratulations.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amity. I have to admit finding those little tempting tidbits of history were what made the journey so worthwhile.
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