Monday, March 30, 2015

Author Notes on LORD DARVER’S MATCH

The premise for LORD DARVER’S MATCH, my popular Regency time travel romance, began one dark morning with me snuggling next to my husband. My eyes were closed and his arm held me against him. Suddenly, an idea for a new Regency popped into my head. What if a married woman realized that the arm curved around her wasn’t her husband’s? How would she react? Would she scream? Yell for help? Start pummeling the man? And then, here’s the kicker: what if somehow, she’d been transported back into the past... now vulnerable and alone and at the mercy of this stranger?

This idea developed into Hillary Logan’s plight... transporting her back to England in the early nineteenth century and the Marquess of Darver’s bed!

AN INNOCENT WISH--Little did modern day Hillary Logan realize when she made her innocent wish for a happy marriage, that she’d be waking up in bed next to a handsome nobleman--in 1815. Struggling to adjust to Regency England, she teaches the dashing marquess a thing or two about love and “a woman’s place.”

A PLEASANT DIVERSION--Seeking a diversion from the ongoing horrors of the Napoleonic Wares, Simon Altmont, looks forward to a liaison with the attractive woman in his bed. She would make a perfect new mistress! He soon learns just how different his mysterious Mrs. Logan really is. Has the Marquess of Darver finally met his match?


LORD DARVER’S MATCH was great fun to write. And to read! LIONHEARTED PUBLISHING offered me a contract and made this novel one of the first in their new publishing line.

What if a woman woke up next to a man who was not her husband?

A flurry of 5 star reviews soon followed including from Affaire de Coeur Magazine, Sime-Gen Reviews, and Amazon.com, along with a Love Romances Golden Rose Nominee for Best Regency.


LORD DARVER’S MATCH became a reader favorite and achieved best-seller status! When the contract expired, I arranged my book to be available at Amazon.com along with other internet sites.

What happens when a modern woman’s wish for a happy marriage lands her back in time, in bed with a handsome nobleman?

As I’ve written previously, I enjoy using bits and pieces from real life to add realism and inspiration to my novels. So in addition to the genesis of the book as an experience from my life, I also had an “incident” with a rowboat. Happily for me, my rowboat didn’t overturn as Hillary and Simon’s did. The following passage describes what almost happened to me!

Feeling Simon’s hands on hers, Hillary jerked away and started rowing. Her spencer jacket ripped under the arms. Great. How had such a lovely day turned into such a disaster?
“Hillary, I apologize. Here, let me have the oars.”
Well, she could be stubborn, too. Concentrating on her strokes, she avoided looking at him.
“M’dear, the boat is going in circles. Let me....” He leaned over to her.
“No! You’ve done enough.”
To evade him, she thrust her weight to the side. Wrong move. The boat lurched. She just had time to cry, “Simon!”
The rowboat overturned, and dumped her and Simon into the cold waters of the Serpentine.

Under a magic moon, two hearts can become as one, as Lord Darver finds out as he meets his match!

I hope you enjoy Hillary and Simon’s story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight
Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!