I’m delighted to be joining other book bloggers in celebrating the gorgeous new paperback editions of Katy Moran’s historical romance series – Game of Hearts, Wicked by Design and Scandalous Alchemy – published by Head of Zeus on 3rd February 2022. My thanks to Amy at Head of Zeus for inviting me to take part.
I’ve read all three books and can heartily recommend their combination of exciting adventure and delicious romance. In case you need further encouragement, here are ten reasons I loved the books:
1) The imaginative premise that the Duke of Wellington was defeated, not victorious, at the Battle of Waterloo and that this defeat resulted in the removal of the English Royal Family and the occupation of England by the French.
2) Hester Harewood, the spirited, resourceful and fearless heroine of the first book (originally published as False Lights) who finds herself alone and defenceless following the dramatic events of the book’s opening scenes.
3) The Earl of Lamorna (or Crow to his friends), the troubled, brooding and sultry hero – ‘sailor, soldier, spy, tattooed ployglot, expert liar’ – haunted by traumatic memories of the sights he witnessed and his own actions on the battlefield.
4) The crackling sexual tension between Hester and Crow, not surprising considering the references to the latter’s precise knowledge of how to leave a woman ‘in his power and wanting more’.
5) Kit Helford, Crow’s younger brother, who has a habit of getting himself into scrapes but also a way with the ladies that definitely runs in the family.
6) The settings which include the Scilly Isles, the rugged coast of Cornwall (ideal for those pining the absence of Ross and Demelza Poldark from their lives), the French city of Fontainbleau and the salons of St. Petersburg.
7) The storylines encompassing personal and political intrigue, betrayal and revenge plus a generous helping of spice. Georgette Heyer meets John le Carré, if you will.
8) The luscious period detail of food, clothing and interior decor such as this description of the preparations for a post-hunt picnic at Fontainebleau. ‘Hot-house peaches and necatarines were piled in shining pewter, and preserved Seville oranges arranged in honeyed slices on platters of chinaware. There were great heaps of glistening pastries too, sugar-dusted and dotted with caramelised nuts, covered for now with muslin cloths. Not far away, a quartet of violins and a harpist practised unfashionable Beethoven with bored competence.’
9) The vividly depicted action scenes – hand-to-hand combat, unexpected ambushes and hair-raising escapes under cover of darkness that make the books race along like a golden Turkoman mare galloping across the steppes.
10) A bonus for Crow fans – ‘He’d crouched at the water’s edge to shave himself with a cut-throat razor, stripped to the waist, revealing the extraordinary collection of tattoos on his back, writhing blue-black patterns that ran from shoulder to shoulder, from neck to lower spine.’ Sold to the reader over there having a hot flush…
Any one of the books would make the perfect Valentine’s Day read so, go on, treat yourself.
Purchase from your favourite bookseller via the following links
Game of Hearts
Wicked by Design
Scandalous Alchemy
About the Author
Katy Moran is the author of Game of Hearts, Wicked by Design and Scandalous Alchemy. After a career in publishing, Katy now lives with her husband and three children in a ramshackle Georgian house in the Welsh borders. She is passionate about history, and is involved with multiple projects including Waterloo Uncovered and The Women of Waterloo.
Connect with Katy
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On What Cathy Read Next last week
What Cathy Read Next... 