Happy Valentine’s Day, My Dear Sweet Rogue!

Happy Valentine’s Day, my dears! Today is a very popular day, now and in the nineteenth century, when postal carriers groaned under the weight of missives from those in love. And it’s special day to me this year because my 21st book officially debuts today. The Rogue’s Reform is the first in a miniseries, as my publisher calls it, about the Everard Legacy. Three handsome cousins set out to claim their inheritance, and find love is their greatest reward. Here’s a summary:

Jerome Everard expected to inherit his wayward uncle’s estate. Instead, all has gone to a daughter his uncle never bothered to mention! Only by disproving his young cousin’s claim can Jerome save the family’s legacy from a schemer. So why would he find himself drawn to the girl’s lovely governess, Adele Walcott, the woman who holds the key to all his uncle’s secrets?

With Adele’s family fortune, and her marriage prospects, long gone, her goal in life is to secure her charge’s happiness, even if that means taking on her new cousin. Jerome is surely a rogue like his uncle, for he seems intent on charming her, and making her dream of love again. When she learns his true motives, will she be able to forgive his past and reform his heart, to make it hers forever?

As you can tell, my hero, Jerome Everard, is a bit of a charmer. He’s used his gilded tongue to get himself out of any number of scrapes over the years and win people around to his way of thinking, just like the early Valentine writers tried to sway their loves. So, in his honor, we’re having a Valentine contest!

Below are two examples of Valentine poems from the nineteenth century. Compose a poem of your own (even a couple of lines!) and post it in the comments, and you will be entered to win an autographed copy of The Rogue’s Reform.

“Soft Spring returns with all her Train,
To crown with Joy the happy Plain;
The Nymphs and Swains to Love incline,
To welcome in St. Valentine.”

“Our fortunes I believe are equal.
Let’s join to make a pleasing sequel.
At least such is my fond design
If you’ll consent, dear Valentine.”

Come back on Friday for another way to win, when we interview the cause of Jerome’s troubles, his newly discovered cousin, Samantha Everard.

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