Guest Author Beverley Kendall

Please join me in giving a warm welcome to guest author Beverley Kendall, whose debut novel, Sinful Surrender, hit the shelves last week.

Millicent “Missy” Armstrong is entering her fourth London Season, but not for lack of suitors. Since her debut three years ago, Missy has received twenty marriage proposals. But she is interested in only one man—her brother’s best friend, James Rutherford. As a child, Missy looked up to James. As a grown up, her admiration has blossomed into the longings of a beautiful, sensuous woman—and she won’t rest until James admits his love—and desire—for her…

James Rutherford rues the day he let his physical weaknesses get the better of him by kissing Missy. His best friend has made it clear that Missy is off limits, and though he’s avoided her for three years, he hasn’t forgotten the feel of her soft lips pressed against his—and it seems neither has she. For no matter how much James tries to discourage Missy, he keeps winding up in her arms, sharing heated caresses that promise the most delirious pleasure...

Below Beverley shares her thoughts on the allure of the Victorian era. She'll be giving away copies of Sinful Surrender to two lucky commenters, so do join in the discussion!

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Why lure of the Victorian era?

There are several reasons I decided to write in the Victorian era. The first spans 1837-1901, the reign of Queen Victoria. I really like having all these years to play with. The second reason was that it wasn't the Regency period. Don't get me wrong, most of the historicals I read are set during the Regency, but there is that whole matter of industrial advancement that period lacked. I wanted to write in a time when lighting, plumbing, and the sewage system were more advanced. I wanted to write about a time when suffragettes were really beginning to come into play. When women could own property and file for divorce. All of these advancements took place during the Victorian period.

Well then why not write during the twentieth century? Because for some odd reason I believe remaining in the nineteenth century makes it more historical to me. The time isn't so advanced as to lose that je ne sais quoi that makes a story feel like I'm reading about another time, another era, and indeed another century.

But all is not easy in the Victorian era. There are things I'm definitely not fond of. One, and the most significant, has to be the clothing. Oh dear, why does there have to be so much of it, and why can't the skirt of a dress fit through a regular door? Even in the latter years, there was that bustle, although I admit, I'd rather the bustle than those whale-boned cages.

And did you know that the Victorians were even more repressed than their counterparts in the Regency? Apparently, the Regency era was like the roaring 1920s, which then caused severe social repression as we also saw in the 1950s. But it also birthed the traditional family and Christmas as we now celebrate it.

Sinful Surrender and the subsequent books in my Reformed Rakes trilogy takes place from 1852-1868 and I was happy to see my characters learn and adapt to the changes of their time. I'm especially looking forward to a time I can get my poor heroines out of their clothes without the equivalent to an act of Parliament.

What about you? What is your favourite historical era? Is there anything in particular that makes it your favourite?