I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of Elizabeth Everett‘s A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE and I’m here for the feminism. I’m here for the ladies in STEM. I’m *here* for the *steamy* bodyguard romance. I’m here for this delightful Victorian romcom.
Guest Blogger: Elizabeth Everett
Smash the Patriarchy!
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I’m Elizabeth Everett and I write historical romance. I’m a great believer in the power of love to change the world, and I like nothing better than to write books that celebrate that power. I’m from Upstate New York, more specifically the Finger Lakes region. I love experiencing all four seasons and I’m big booster of Finger Lakes food, wines, and spirits. And by booster, I mean I eat and drink a lot. My debut novel is entitled A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE and it is the first in a series, The Secret Scientists of London. It is inspired by my admiration for rule breakers and belief in the power of love to change the world. A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE is on sale Feb 9, 2021 from Berkley Romance. It is available from Amazon and in multiple formats (ebook, audio book, and trade paperback) from many fantastic booksellers. |
What is a Victorian lady’s formula for love? Mix one brilliant noblewoman and her enigmatic protection officer. Add in a measure of danger and attraction. Heat over the warmth of humor and friendship, and the result is more than simple chemistry–it’s elemental.
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A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVEA LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE tells the story of a brilliant chemist, Lady Violet Greycliff, who has created a secret club for women scientists. Tasked by the government to come up with an antidote to a chemical weapon, Violet and her friends have come under threat. Enter Arthur Kneland, a recently retired counter-assassin, who is assigned to protect Violet until the antidote can be found. A taciturn, lonely man, Arthur has never encountered a woman like Violet. She is generous of her time, funds, and when she falls in love, generous with her heart. Arthur made the mistake of letting down his guard while on a mission once before and the consequences were fatal. He cannot afford to make the same mistake twice, especially not when it’s Violet’s life at stake. Will Arthur overcome a lifetime of loneliness and put his heart before his duty? And can Violet choose between her beloved club and a man who sees her as no one ever has before? |
Everett‘s debut, A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE, is smart, sassy, sexy, and sweet. If you demand smart characters, laugh-out-loud humor, and sharp wit in your historical romance, this is the book for you. – Goodreads reviewer
DID SOMEONE SAY A HISTORICAL BODYGUARD ROMANCE??? – Goodreads reviewer
This book’s got everything. Bodyguard romance. Feminism. Smart ladies practicing science. Feminism. A deliciously steamy relationship. Feminism. I’m starting to sense a theme here. How does this play out in the book?
In A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE, Lady Phoebe, one of the first members of the Secret Scientists of London, is a woman who fights to be heard in a society that values a woman for her body rather than her mind. Not much has changed in this regard since the 1840’s.
A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE is a love story. A romance. A romcom, really, as it is quite hilarious at times, with the lab accidents and the quirky secret science society members and the absurd expectations of London high society. To bring up the elephant in the room, there’s a perception that steamy romance/erotic fiction is, well, porn. What are your thoughts on the romance genre?
I love writing romance for lots of reasons. So many folks look down on the genre because of outdated stereotypes about purple prose and old-fashioned attitudes about intimacy. As far as I am concerned, the romance genre is home to some of the freshest, most progressive writing out there today. The stories that stay in our collective consciousness, the ones we tell each other and our children, the ones that move us to action – those are love stories. The love may not be romantic love, it may be love of self, love of others, even love of God, but it is love that pulls us in and changes us forever.
Romance celebrates and centers love, especially romantic love. There isn’t anything silly or vacuous about romantic love. What we as human beings do in pursuit of such love has changed the course of our world over and over again.
Sometimes I get comments from people who question why I would write romance, and they grimace or lift their eyebrows up and down, as if to convey that they find the genre prurient. There are others who label it “mommy porn.” The ignorance and internalized sexism in such comments always rankle me. Pornography is the use of visual mediums to sexually stimulate without reference to intimacy and is an industry that is inherently exploitative of women.
The physical intimacy in romance is there to serve the story of two people who need to make a connection – as we all do. Wherever you are on the spectrum of sexuality, ethnicity, gender, neurodiversity or age, there is a romance out there for you. I encourage you to read broadly to find a happily ever after that speaks to you.
Where can we find you and your books?
- Come visit me at my website, elizabetheverettauthor.com and find out the latest news and announcements about giveaways and contests.
- Follow me on Instagram and Facebook – I’m pretty entertaining (most of the time) and I like to throw out a few science facts as well as highlight women scientist throughout history!
- You can also sign up for my newsletter
- If you add me to your to-read shelf in Goodreads, you’ll get notified when my book goes on sale (February 9, 2021!) and I also post reviews on BookBub
- Pre-order A LADY’S FORMULA FOR LOVE!
