Never Envy an Earl by Regina Scott, Fortune’s Brides Series, Book Three

Yvette De Maupassant needs a place to hide! Well, shouldn’t any worthy and exposed English spy melt into obscurity—away from French spies bent on taking revenge? This story takes place in Surrey, England in April of 1812, when exciting interactions between England and Napoleon’s France take place. Meredith Thorn and her cat, Fortune, have their own difficulties to overcome and decisions to make, but that doesn’t stop Meredith from placing Yvette with a snug and secure family of means. 

Gregory, Earl of Carrolton, cannot hide his thoughts, yet now he has to hide a spy that the French deem an excellent catch. This is an entertaining novel, which is an excellent read. The heroin, Yvette, was an absolute favorite character of mine from the previous novel and I was thrilled to see Regina give her a story to tell in Never Envy an Earl. There were other fun re-visited characters that the reader could view with a different perspective. I enjoyed this switch-up and expanded view of those who were not as well known in a previous novel.

If you are looking for a clean read and a make me feel good to my toes novel- Never Envy an Earl is a great choice! But don’t stop there for it is more fun to read the series! I was given this novel and this is my honest opinion of these pages. Regina’s stories have always given me a smile and “I think this author is so clever” enjoyment!  This is a highly recommend novel! 

Questions for Regina:
What fantastic fun-fact about Napoleon can you tell us? (One you wanted to share in the novel but couldn’t.)  
Napoleon was such a character! He once imprisoned the Pope and held him for ransom. When people tried to rescue the poor fellow, Napoleon kept moving him around Europe. Can you imagine?

The way you wrote Yvette’s story was as though you’d crawled inside her head and looked through her eyeballs. How did you do that?
A very good imagination? Ha! I guess it’s like method acting. When I’m writing a tense scene, my shoulders get tight. I sigh when the heroine sighs. I always have to smile when I realize what I’m doing. Maybe that’s why I don’t usually write in the point of view of the villains. I don’t like getting too close to all that darkness.

I love the Grecian style home you described. Here is a quote: “The warm stone of the rest of the building made the entrance look like a pearl in a gold setting.” Have you seen a home like this one or just photos?
I have an ever-growing list of places I want to see when I go to England. One of those is Osterley Park, a beautiful estate not far from London. I haven’t been there, but I used it as the basis for Carrolton Park in the book. You can read more about it here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/osterley-park-and-house.

If you could spend a day with one of these characters, who would it be and what is the first question you would ask?
Strangely enough, I think I’d like to spend a day with Marbury, the butler. He started as a footman in the household then worked his way up to butler. I’d like to ask him how things have changed since Gregory ascended to the title. The answer might surprise Yvette, and Gregory.

What theme, laced in your book, would you wish to have your readers benefit from?
That the past doesn’t have to define you. You may have had a terrible childhood. You may have made mistakes. You may have let “the one” get away. But there’s always hope, always a chance for something better, if you’re brave enough to grasp it and believe.

What was your favorite costume you described in this novel?
I don’t have an entire costume, but I am very pleased with the hats Yvette, the countess, and her daughter purchase to attend a wedding. I wanted something befitting each of them. The countess gets a showy turban with enough bling to resemble a crown, just right for a lady of her station and disposition. Her daughter Lilith gets something tall and elegant, with a touch of military swagger. Lilith is all about control, so that fits hers nicely. Yvette gets a lovely velvet bonnet with a spray of pink silk roses, classic with a touch of fun, very much in tune with her character.

Is there anything else you would like to share about this or upcoming novels?
Thank you to all those who have read and reviewed the books. Your kind words warm my heart. Those who have been following the series may enjoy “Always Kiss at Christmas,” a novella in the Timeless Regency Collection coming in October, which tells the story of how Fortune’s mistress, Meredith Thorn, fell in love as a girl. The next full-length book in the series, Never Vie for a Viscount, is due out the end of November.

How do you wish your readers to contact you?
Readers can reach me via:
 www.reginascott.com,
www.facebook.com/authorreginascott, 
www.pinterest.com/reginascottpins, 
www.goodreads.com/reginascott.
If you want to know when the next book is out or on sale, please sign up for a free e-mail alert at http://eepurl.com/baqwVT.
 
Thank you Regina for an excellent interview and the Osterley link! You have such a wonderful WEB site!  :)

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