Writing my award-winning
Regency romance, THE CONTRARY CONTESSA, was a labor of love for me. I wanted to
have a different setting for this Regency, so the first part of the book is set
in Sicily, with the latter taking place in York, England, which, as a side
note, has the reputation of being the most haunted city in Europe.
I’ve
never been to Italy or Sicily, so getting the flavor of the land and
surroundings was the most difficult part. I do have an Italian and English
background, and I was happy to combine both heritages in this lively Regency!
This
novel deals with one man's prejudice against his own family. He has a ready
dislike of anything or anyone non-English, and when his father marries a lady
from Sicily... well, Robert Weston is seriously displeased. Too bad, says his
stepsister, Lexia Cappello, the Contessa di Fabrianni. Unaware of the Sicilian
tradition of "Fortuna"--true love--Robert gave
Lexia the four colors of roses--red, white, yellow, and pink. She and he are
destined to marry, no matter what he thinks!
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Because
of the Sicilian tradition of “Fortuna”, Lexia Cappello believes she is
destined to marry her stepbrother, the Marquess of Rutherford. Robert Weston,
however, has a ready dislike of anything or anyone non-English. Can she
convince this obstinate lord that his ignoble prejudice stands in the way of
his future happiness?
ALL IN THE FAMILY: At first
Robert Weston is annoyed, then intrigued by his new-found Sicilian stepsister.
The more he resists her, the more he finds he yearns to possess her. Can he
overcome his pride to admit the error of his ways and win the Contrary
Contessa’s heart?
Artist’s concept cover
I
truly enjoyed “living” in Lexia Cappello’s character. Out of all the heroines
in my books, I’d say she is the one most unlike me. What a saucy minx! As
you’ll find out, she has Robert Weston, the Marquess of Rutherford, wrapped
around her feminine, little finger. :))
Lord Rutherford has no interest in marrying a
non-English matron, but how can he resist his captivating... and contrary
stepsister?
THE CONTRARY CONTESSA is
published by at Awe-Struck Books
(Mundania Press) and has garnered an impressive list of awards and reviews.
This book was chosen as finalist in the prestigious EPIC Awards (now EPIC eBook
Award) for Best Historical Romance.
Also,
it was a Romance Reader at Heart Top Pick Award Winner, in addition to being a #1 best seller at Fictionwise.com and earning 5 stars
at The Romance Studio and Romance Junkies.
This is Lexia as a Cosmo
Girl, using Cosmopolitan's Virtual Makeover software. She’s perfect, don’t you
think?!
Here’s an excerpt from THE
CONTRARY CONTESSA that was inspired from real life. As a child, I learned that
it was a “sin” for food to grow cold. When called to dinner, you didn’t dawdle
in taking your place at the table. And so, this book is dedicated to my mother
“who knows pasta must always be served hot!”
In the scene below, Robert
and his friend James Dutton, have just arrived in Sicily to bring Robert’s half
siblings back to England. Robert is unaware that his hostess for dinner is not
only the Contessa di Fabrianni, but also his stepsister, Lexia.
The combination of aromas tantalized his senses, caressing him as a lover might, after a long abstinence. Robert instinctively licked his lips.
“Ah, the signori are hungry, yes?”
To the side of him, poised by a larger painting of the Venetian canals was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. As she turned from the picture to face him, he drank in the sight of her. Dressed in the finest French silk, the woman looked like the queen that he had only minutes before made fun of. Her dark, shiny hair curled in ringlets, was piled high on her head, and was set off with a gold star bandeau. A pert nose, high cheekbones, and the largest, luminous eyes in the world, the woman fluidly made her way to his side. The motion caused the soft, rounded mounds of her breasts as revealed by her modestly cut décolletage to quiver ever so slightly.
Faith, his mouth suddenly went dry. Dutton was also affected, for he too remained owl-eyed and silent.
“Does no one speak? Is the conversation all up to me?” She dimpled a smile at him.
That smile. Good Lord! She was the Contessa! Somehow she had transformed her ragtag self into a Madonna worthy of every man’s reverent worship. His wits gone begging, he struggled to hide his obvious astonishment. “With all due respect, Contessa, you are...you are...so different.”
“Ah, Marquess, what sharp eyes you have.”
Damn it all, but Dutton laughed. Leaning over, he whispered into Robert’s ear. “Street urchin, hey?”
The Contessa curved her lips into a Mona Lisa smile, evidently overhearing. “Urchin, eh? That is not what the Marquess called me earlier.”
Blast! Remembering his behavior in the kitchen, Robert flushed. This girl/woman was sharp on the uptake, as sharp as a rapier’s point, while he had displayed the rag manners of a bovine Cit. He could not blame his conduct on the wine. His boorishness was his responsibility. His alone.
With an elegant motion of her long-sleeved arm, she gestured toward Dutton. “You are Signore Dutton, yes?”
His friend made a stately bow. “James Dutton, at your service, ma’am. Thank you for your hospitality on such short notice.”
For the first time, her saucy smile seemed to reach her eyes. She glided over to the table, her assurance evident in every step. “Let us sit, signori. The pasta, it grows cold. In Sicily, there is no worse fate.”
The
love of family and the love of food are very important in Lexia’s world, and I
like to say this Regency is sprinkled with Sicilian cooking, giving it a
special twist! If you love Regency romance, this book’s for you! I hope you
enjoy Lexia and Robert’s story.
Happy
reading,
Susanne
Marie Knight
Read
outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!
