New Release!

This is why we should WAIT before making any sweeping changes to a publishing plan. After a minor panic attack about not being able to follow through with Victorian Villains Saga via the serial format (due to a shoulder injury) --- NEWS FLASH --- the shoulder healed and Catherine Lloyd wanted to keep going with the "Penny Dreadful" style of release:

"The tone of gothic romance is suited to the cliffhanger narrative. I like the novella format to compact a tight, breathless romance with suspense. The shoulder is feeling better and publishing a novella every 2 or 3 weeks suits my lifestyle at the moment with children coming and going. So, I am back at it!"

Kicking off the third trilogy in Catherine Lloyd's Victorian Villains Saga is LOVE TORN ~ The Master of Cliff House Trilogy ~ Available for purchase on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited.

“What is bred in the bone will come out in the flesh...”

Jenny Raine, the bookish 19-year-old widow of Sir Richard Raine, is shattered to learn that a distant cousin, Jackson Zephyr, has inherited Cliff House. Jenny was engaged as Sir Richard’s secretary before their marriage and will be homeless if she is evicted from the estate. But the handsome new master is unmoved by her plight. Zephyr is a career thief who has his eye on one prize: stolen gold from a long-ago heist that was hidden on the property. When his predecessor’s beautiful, strange widow thwarts his plans, Jackson applies pressure to break Jenny’s will and she is forced to reveal a shameful secret. The knowledge gives him power over the young woman until a sinister threat arises that pushes them into a passionate alliance.

Love Torn is the first novella in The Master of Cliff House Trilogy, launching the third installment of Catherine Lloyd’s Victorian Villains Saga. Four villainous fathers drowned at sea curse their four sons with greed, murder, lust and pride. Set in 1867 England, this steamy, suspenseful saga is written in the classic gothic romance tradition of Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. The novellas will be released in installments like the “penny dreadful” of the Age. Each episode ends in a cliff-hanger. Love Torn contains scenes, language and themes written for a mature audience.

Why do we love romance novels?

It's a regular question that comes up in the book industry and it really, really bugs us. Why does no one ask why Penthouse is popular? Or where did Hustler find its market? Or what's up with all those military thrillers?

What is the big deal if millions and millions of women love to read romance novels? And we're just as bad, enabling the unspoken criticism by making excuses to justify our reading habits. "I don't want to think after a hard day." "I just like a good story." "I have enough worries, I want to live a fantasy for awhile."

You know what? This is the only answer anyone needs to hear: WE LIKE IT. We read it because we like it. As a literary genre, it is a way of understanding our world, our relationships and ourselves. Romance can be a safe place to delve into some dark issues and see there is light at the end of the tunnel. Falling in love is fun and terrible. It is endlessly fascinating as a theme. Oh, and we like happy endings! We could go on and on but the short answer is: WE LIKE IT. Now let's put a fork in that query and get back to reading what we love.

Glory, August is HOT! Bundled Releases in Victorian Villains Saga coming at you just in time for the dog days of summer. 

 WINDEMERE HALL

Shy, stammering Clara Hamilton is shocked when her father announces her betrothal to a cousin she barely knows. Her uncle’s stepson, Branson Hamilton is handsome, avaricious and rumoured to be unstable. Nineteen-year-old Clara, anxious for her father’s approval, agrees to the union unaware of what is at stake. A sinister family secret surfaces and Clara soon discovers that master of Windemere Hall has a dark revenge in store when she enters into his power.

Windemere Hall launches Catherine Lloyd’s Victorian Villains Saga. Four villainous men, cursed by their fathers, follow their legacy of greed, murder, lust and pride. Set in 1867 England, the saga is written in the classic gothic romance tradition of Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Originally released as a novella trilogy (“Betrothed” “Betrayed” “Beguiled”), the novel, Windemere Hall contains scenes, language and themes written for a mature audience.

Available in Kindle Unlimited and in Print

MARK OF CAINE

Laura Mayhew is the only witness to a sex scandal at Windsor Castle and is committed to Gateshead Insane Asylum to discredit her story. Tanner Caine, a cold, solitary and emotionally damaged ex-naval officer is tasked with silencing the girl permanently. Laura has the gift of second sight and she has been expecting an assassin for months but Tanner insists he’s only there to help. Haunted in her dreams by a baby’s cries, Laura decides to trust the dangerous Mr. Caine to escape the asylum and find the missing royal infant. When she is compelled into marriage to obtain her release, Laura discovers Tanner Caine is the one man whose thoughts she cannot read. And it is possible she has married her assassin.

Mark of Caine is the second novel in Catherine Lloyd’s Victorian Villains Saga. Four villainous men, cursed by their fathers, follow their legacy of greed, murder, lust and pride. Set in 1867 England, the saga is written in the classic gothic romance tradition of Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Originally published as a novella trilogy (“Hidden in the Shadows” “Whispers in the Fog” “Revealed in the Mist”) Mark of Caine contains scenes, language and themes written for a mature audience.

Available in Kindle Unlimited and in Print

Early Bird Special: Preorder Book Launch!

Windemere Hall by Catherine Lloyd

Preorder your copy of the full-length novel until July 27 at the Early Bird Special price of $2.99 $0.99 (reg $3.99) Gothic Victorian Romance that grabs the reader and does not let go until the last page. 

Shy, stammering Clara Hamilton is shocked when her father announces her betrothal to a cousin she barely knows. Her uncle’s stepson, Branson Hamilton is handsome, avaricious and rumoured to be unstable. Nineteen-year-old Clara, anxious for her father’s approval, agrees to the union unaware of what is at stake. A sinister family secret surfaces and Clara soon discovers that master of Windemere Hall has a dark revenge in store when she enters into his power.

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Windemere Hall launches Catherine Lloyd’s Victorian Villains Saga. Four villainous men, cursed by their fathers, follow their legacy of greed, murder, lust and pride. Set in 1867 England, the saga is written in the classic gothic romance tradition of Victoria Holt and Phyllis A. Whitney. Originally released as a novella trilogy (“Betrothed” “Betrayed” “Beguiled”), the novel, Windemere Hall contains scenes, language and themes written for a mature audience.

Not your mother's historical romance.

Mark of Caine Book Three Released Today!

"Revealed in the Mist"

The third and final installment in the Mark of Caine Trilogy. 

In the misty month of October, Tanner Caine crosses paths with his abandoned bride, Laura Mayhew. Laura's feelings for Caine run deeper than ever and when she discovers he is in love with her, she defies fate to be with him. Tanner refuses to put her life at risk a second time but a new threat surfaces forcing him to act. Caine must beat the curse laid on him by his father or Laura will hang.

Buy it for 0.99 or Borrow it with Kindle Unlimited!

From the Author:

"Bring on summer! I'm ready for a mojito. Tanner and Laura really put me through the fire. In the middle of writing their story, my left shoulder became painfully useless and typing was impossible. While I told myself it was okay--lives were not lost--it felt like two lives hung in the balance waiting for the author to get writing again. Just as I was getting back into the swing, a family emergency arose. Again, nothing critical, but Tanner and Laura had to sit it out.

At last, I was able to sit down and dedicate time to writing their story and it was GREAT. I'm thrilled the final installment of their story is released today in time for the lazy days of summer! 

The experience made me realize it is too risky releasing in installments. So, the final two books in the Victorian Villains Saga will be full-length novels. Thank you for following along with the serial format since February. It was exciting as a writer to see where the story was going to twist next and I hope it was as much fun for you as it was for me." ~ Catherine Lloyd

Next in the series: The Master of Cliff House

Jackson Zephyr is the new master of Cliff House. Handsome and charming, he is a master thief who has stumbled across the haul of his career if he can only evict of the current occupant of Cliff House. Jennifer Raine is a beautiful girl with a dark secret and a mysterious past. She stands in the way of all that Jackson desires to possess--until he desires to possess her and discovers he cannot.

Anticipated Release: August 2016 

Mark of Caine Book Two Released!

Whispers in the Fog is the second book in the Mark of Caine Trilogy.

Haunted by a curse and a dark past, Tanner Caine struggles to control his growing feelings for his mark, Laura Mayhew. Meanwhile, Laura is plagued by dreams of a sobbing child sealed up behind a brick wall and remains determined to find him. Dangerously drawn to the mysterious man she was compelled to marry, Laura succumbs to a night of heated passion in his bed--a night that pushes Caine to the brink, forcing him to make a hellish decision. 

Buy it for 0.99 or Borrow it through Kindle Unlimited!

Revealed in the Mist,  the third and final book in the trilogy will be released in early June. 

Dear readers, Mark of Caine will end the serial format of Victorian Villains. It has been fun but Catherine's Lloyd's "frozen shoulder" injury scared the pants off of us, wondering if she would be mobile enough to finish the serial.

 

Victorian Villains Saga will continue in July and August with two new releases that will be full books. They'll be priced at 3.99 and available through Kindle Unlimited. 

Thank you for reading!

New Evelyn Ellis Gothic Romance Release!

Evelyn Ellis has started a brand new series centered on Dr. Jekyll and his evil alter-ego Mr. Hyde. The series is published as a Victorian Seduction and Surrender title but we wrestled with the category.

Erotica? No, this series doesn't contain erotica although there are steamy love scenes.
Romance? Well, yes, there is a romantic relationship developing between the governess, Molly Knight and her employer, Dr. Jekyll but it happens through his proxy, the nasty Mr. Hyde.
Paranormal? Well, he does transform after drinking a serum....
Confused? Welcome to our world. Sometimes romance just refuses to be boxed in. The heart wants what the heart wants. We decided to call it a Victorian Erotic Romance and leave it at that.

The Man of the House is launched! Available in Kindle Unlimited until August, 2016 or for purchase on Amazon for $2.99.

Set in 1879 London, England. The Man of the House is the first novella in a series about the wholesome Dr. Jekyll and his depraved alter-ego, Mr. Hyde. Orphaned at a young age and raised in workhouses and foundling homes, nineteen-year-old Molly Knight takes a position in the household of Dr. Jekyll and his wife, Felicity, as governess to their two young children. Molly senses something is not quite right in the Jekyll household and is soon drawn into a sensual forbidden relationship with the evil Mr. Hyde when she discovers Dr. Jekyll’s hidden laboratory. When Felicity Jekyll goes missing, Molly must choose between her secret love for Dr. Jekyll and the rescue of his wife.

More novellas in the series are forthcoming. Expect lots of heat, tension, danger, and yummy romance as Molly and Dr. Jekyll strive to maintain a professional relationship even as Mr. Hyde pushes for something more.

Mark of Caine - Hidden in the Shadows

Hey ladies! (and gents ... we know you're out there...)

We picked up a copy of Lost Island by Phyllis A. Whitney, published in 1970 in its original jacket from a used book sale. It now has a prominent place in the office to remind us of what we loved so much about this romance sub-genre. Good writing, skilled plotting and a breathtaking love story. She was the master!

The first installment of Mark of Caine hits the shelves on May 2nd. An Amazon exclusive! Do not let the length dismay you. It is about 2 chapters shorter than originally planned because Catherine Lloyd suffered a shoulder injury during the writing and was forced to shorten the first installment to do physiotherapy. 

BUT! We've read the next two episodes and they more than make up the difference. Trust us. This complex love story will keep you up at night. 

Buy it or Borrow it through Kindle Unlimited

Have a great May!