2024 in Review

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Deborah Cooke

It’s time to have a look at the year that’s finishing up, then peek into the one that’s about to start.

new editions of the Blood Brothers series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix, in hard cover and trade paperback, launched at Kickstarter

In 2024, I created new print editions of my Blood Brothers series of medieval romances, in both trade paperback and hard cover, with new illustrations of the couples. I launched those editions with a Kickstarter campaign.

I published three new books this year:

The Stolen Bride, book three of the Brides of Inverfyre series of medieval Scottish romances by Claire Delacroix

The Hellion’s Heart, book four of The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction series of Regency romances by Claire Delacroix

The Bluestocking's Bargain, book five in The Ladies' Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction Regency romance series by Claire Delacroix

First, I (finally) wrote and published The Stolen Bride, Evangeline and Duncan’s story and book #3 of the Brides of Inverfyre series. That wrapped up my To Write list for Ravensmuir, Inverfyre and Kinfairlie. Will there be more stories set in that world? Probably, but I wanted to get to a good resting point and we’re there now.

I also wrote and published the next two stories in my Regency romance series, The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction. Both The Hellion’s Heart and The Bluestocking’s Bargain are now available in ebook and print.

I published some translations this year, too.

A Aposta da Viúva is the Portuguese edition of The Widow's Wager, book three of the Regency romance series The Ladies' Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction by Claire Delacroix

O Coração de uma Diabrete is the Portuguese edition of The Hellion's Heart, a Regency romance by Claire Delacroix

The Widow’s Wager and The Hellion’s Heart are now available in Portuguese.

La canaglia is the Italian translation of The Rogue, book one of the Rogues of Ravensmuir series of medieval Scottish romances by Claire Delacroix

Ladro di cuore is the Italian edition of The Scoundrel, book two of the Rogues of Ravensmuir series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix

Il cacciatore e l’ereditiera is the Italian edition of The Hunter & the Heiress, book two of the Blood Brothers series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix

Al mio unico desiderio is the Italian edition of The Stolen Bride, book 3 of the Brides of Inverfyre series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix

Un cuore dall' inferno is the Italian edition of The Hellion's Heart, a Regency romance by Claire Delacroix

Il drago e la fanciulla is the Italian edition of The Dragon & the Damsel, book #3 of the Blood Brothers series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix

The Rogue, The Scoundrel, The Hunter & the Heiress, The Stolen Bride and The Hellion’s Heart are available in Italian. I’ve just received the Italian translation for The Dragon & the Damsel and have that to format and publish, too.

El corazón del granuja is the Spanish edition of The Hellion's Heart, a Regency romance by Claire Delacroix

The Wolf & the Witch and The Hellion’s Heart are both available in Spanish.

Die schon Braut, The Beauty Bride book one of the Jewels of Kinfairlie series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix in its German edition

La leggenda della Rosa Rosso, The Rose Red Bride, book two of the Jewels of Kinfairlie series of medieval Scottish romances by Claire Delacroix in Italian

The Beauty Bride, book one of the Jewels of Kinfairlie series of medieval romances by Claire Delacroix, Portuguese edition

I’ve also had the rights to some translations revert to me, so have been making them available in new editions. The Beauty Bride in German was one of those books, and it’s now a free series starter at the portals. The Rose Red Bride in Italian is now available in my edition, as is The Beauty Bride in Portuguese. There are a lot more of these reversions coming in 2025 – once I have all four titles in the Jewels of Kinfairlie series available in any language, I’ll make The Beauty Bride a free read in that language.

Kickstarter campaign for the 25th anniversary of Love Potion #9 by Claire Delacroix writing as Claire Cross

I have a Kickstarter campaign planned for January to launch the new editions of my time travel romances. The featured title in the campaign is Love Potion #9, but all four of those books (originally published under the pseudonym Claire Cross) will be available in special paperback editions in that campaign.

Love Potion #9, a time travel romance by Claire Delacroix writing as Claire Cross, new cover

Once Upon a Kiss, a time travel romance by Claire Delacroix writing as Claire Cross, new cover

The Moonstone, a time travel romance by Claire Delacroix writing as Claire Cross, new cover

The Last Highlander, a time travel romance by Claire Delacroix writing as Claire Cross, 2022 edition

The new versions with these covers will be available from retailers in October. You can get your copy signed at Kickstarter, as well as early, with some fun swag. Follow the campaign here to be notified at launch.

The Duke's Desire, book six in The Ladies' Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction Regency romance series by Claire Delacroix

I also have a Kickstarter campaign in preview for hardcover editions of The Champions of St. Euphemia, which I hope to launch later in 2025. You can follow the campaign here to be notified at launch.

And now, let’s talk about new stories. First up in 2025 will be The Duke’s Desire, the sixth book in my Regency romance series. The pre-order is up at the portals now.

I’m so looking forward to 2025!

The Hellion’s Heart in Portuguese

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Deborah Cooke

My Regency romance, The Hellion’s Heart, is now available in a Portuguese edition!

Helena Emerson anseia por romance e aventura, e sonha em se casar com um duque por amor. Ela sabe que nunca conseguiria suportar um casamento com o sério Visconde de Addersley, não importa o quão bonito ele seja. Consumido pela lógica e pelo bom senso, o homem poderia muito bem ser uma estátua. Ele nem dança! Ela recusa o pedido de casamento, para grande indignação da família, determinada a se casar feliz ou nem se casar.

Todavia, Joshua Hargood, o sétimo visconde de Addersley, não é o homem que Helena supõe que ele seja. Ele deixou de lado o comportamento libertino há uma década, culpando-se pelo acidente que ceifou sua noiva. No entanto, ele nunca se viu capaz de resistir a um desafio caso a recompensa fosse digna, e o desafio de minar as suposições de Helena é uma enorme tentação. Ele se disfarça, planejando agir como um apenas com a dama com quem deseja se casar, convencido de que é uma vantagem em decorrência de seu passado escandaloso. Helena fica cativada pelo misterioso pretendente e logo desmascara o disfarce, apenas para descobrir que o visconde perdeu uma noiva anos antes, será que o coração dele está disponível para ser reivindicado?

Assim que Joshua se convence do sucesso de suas investidas, o notório irmão dele, que acreditava-se ter sido morto em Waterloo, retorna para exigir o que lhe é devido. Joshua percebe que o irmão amargurado só ficará satisfeito quando a própria Addersley for destruída, junto da felicidade e perspectivas de Joshua. Ele está condenado a ver a tragédia do passado se repetir, ou Joshua conseguirá salvar seu legado e sua amada Helena?

The Widow’s Wager in Spanish

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Deborah Cooke

My Regency romance, The Widow’s Wager, is now available in a Spanish edition!

La apuesta de la viuda is the Spanish edition of The Widow's Wager by Claire Delacroix

Se casó una vez por deber, pero sólo se volverá a casar por amor…

Desde que tiene memoria, el corazón de Eliza North ha estado en posesión del mejor amigo de su hermano mayor, Nicholas Emerson. Pero él siempre ha sido ajeno a ella, y cuando compró una comisión y marchó a la guerra, ella se casó en su lugar. De regreso a casa de su hermano como viuda, se reencuentra con el capitán Emerson y se da cuenta de que ninguno de sus sentimientos había cambiado. Acepta la petición de este de ser la acompañante de su hermana menor, Helena, con la esperanza de poder ganarse su atención, sobre todo con la ayuda de los misteriosos consejos de la señora Oliver y su guía de seducción.

Nicholas Emerson nunca podría aspirar a casarse con la hija de un duque, especialmente con una tan pragmática como Eliza. Que se casara por amor le hace preguntarse hasta qué punto conocía a la joven después de todo. Ella seguía siendo la única mujer que captaba su atención, pero él sabe que sus heridas significan que nunca podrá casarse con ella. Aun así, no puede resistirse a la oportunidad de solicitar la ayuda de Eliza para la segunda temporada de Helena y la oportunidad, gracias a eso, de estar en su compañía.

Ninguno de los dos prevé el comportamiento salvaje de Helena, ni su necesaria alianza para defender su reputación. Eliza confía en el manuscrito de la señora Oliver para seducirlo y, para asombro de Nicholas, pone en prácticas sus consejos. ¿Cómo puede rechazar a la mujer que ama, aun sabiendo que nunca podrá asegurar su felicidad? Atrapado entre el honor y el amor, Nicholas deberá aceptar las consecuencias que le ha dejado la guerra para asegurar su futuro con la mujer que ama; ¿será Eliza la mujer que cure sus heridas para siempre?

BookFunnel Historical Holiday Romance Promotions

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Deborah Cooke

Here’s another chance to load up your e-reader with historical holiday romances. I’m participating in two multi-author promotions at BookFunnel. You’ll find my three sale titles (The Christmas Conquest, The Mercenary’s Bride and The Snow White Bride) among the offerings and many more books, too.

Christmas Historical Romance promotion at BookFunnel

First, the Christmas Historical Romance feature. This is a very full landing page, with over 90 titles featured. Lots of Regencies and all Christmas stories, some in KU and some wide. 🙂 Visit the landing page.

Christmas Historical Romance BookFunnel Promotion

And a second Christmas Historical Romances feature. I see a lot of familiar names on this landing page. Again, the focus is on holiday historical romances, but this promo also allows time travels. Visit the landing page.

December Holiday Romance Sale

Posted on December 2, 2024 by Deborah Cooke

This month, three of my holiday romances are discounted so you can load up on Christmas romances.

First up, The Christmas Conquest is discounted to 99cents. This is also a series starter and book one of The Ladies’ Essential Guide to the Art of Seduction Regency romances.

The Christmas Conquest, a Regency romance novella by Claire Delacroix

Love was not part of the plan when this marriage was arranged…

Rhys Bettencourt, Baron Trevelaine, had every intention of avoiding his family’s curse. An arranged marriage to a plain bluestocking of fortune should have ensured the provision of at least one heir. After all, it was beloved Bettencourt wives who always died in childbirth. But practical Catherine undermined her husband’s scheme by stealing his heart. The only way for Rhys to protect her is to deny them both physical satisfaction, against his own desires. 

Catherine Carruthers was content to wed for practical considerations and accept an arranged marriage to please her family. Two years later, though, Catherine is certain that her dashing aristocrat of a husband regrets his choice and that her marriage will never be more. She accepts an invitation to Rockmorton Manor for Christmas to decide whether to leave Rhys and return to her father’s house. Upon arrival, though, Catherine discovers pages of sensual advice left in her room—as well as Rhys determined to convince her to stay. Can their marriage be saved? 

Armed with information and with little to lose, Catherine embarks upon a campaign of seduction that Rhys is powerless to resist—even as he fears for Catherine’s fate if he surrenders to temptation. Caught between love and the wretched curse, can Rhys find a way to keep his cherished wife safely by his side?

Buy the ebook:

Also, The Mercenary’s Bride is discounted to 99cents. This medieval romance novella is a series starter, too, and is book one of the Brides of Inverfyre series. Mhairi and Quentin’s story is a second chance romance with a wounded hero down on his luck. It’s also available in audio, narrated by Timothy Campbell.

The Mercenary's Bride, #1 of the Brides of Inverfyre series of medieval Scottish romances

Robbed of his possessions, wounded and left for dead, Quentin de Montgomerie has lost everything except his love for Mhairi, the daughter of the Hawk of Inverfyre—and he knows who is to blame for his fate. He vows to return to Inverfyre and take his vengeance from the Hawk, but arrives to discover that the fierce maiden in possession of his heart has blossomed into a beauty, and that her kiss has the power to give him hope for the future again. Can Quentin prove himself to the Hawk and win Mhairi—or will she spurn him for being less than once he was?

The Mercenary’s Bride is a Christmas Scottish medieval romance novella which was originally published in the Christmas 2017 anthology The Nutcracker Reimagined.

Buy The Mercenary’s Bride ebook:

Last but not least, The Snow White Bride is discounted to $2.99US or equivalent this month. Alexander and Eleanor’s marriage of convenience is book three of the Jewels of Kinfairlie series of medieval romances. It’s also available in audio, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld.

The Snow White Bride, #3 of the Jewels of Kinfairlie series of medieval Scottish romances by Claire Delacroix

The Laird of Kinfairlie has helped his sisters, each a gem in her own right, to find husbands. Now the laird himself seeks to wed, and pins his hopes on The Snow White Bride.

Lady Eleanor knows better than to dream of romance and love. Married twice to secure her father’s alliances, she has learned that she is desirable only for her fortune. When the Laird of Kinfairlie’s sisters ask her to wed their brother, Alexander, Eleanor agrees, expecting only to save herself from danger.

But Alexander is like no man she’s known before, a man more interested in courting her smile than her obedience, a man who values her counsel as much as her newly awakened passion…and a man unaware that Eleanor is the key to a fortune that could ensure the future of everything he holds dear.

Now, ruthless enemies will stop at nothing to secure Eleanor’s capture. Will she dare to trust her new husband before it’s too late for her, for Alexander, and for Kinfairlie?