Good Afternoon everyone,
Today is my turn to host one of the authors of Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues, and I’m very, very happy to tell you that I’m hosting Katie Oliver with an excerpt of her story which is about Austen’s most infamous rogue: George Wickham!!!
That’s right, today the stage goes to the most hated rake we know of, and I’m kind of hoping that your feelings towards him will change a little…just a little, we can’t love Wickham after all, can we?…Hum…Maybe we can, what do you think?
I hope you enjoy the excerpt and I’m looking forward to know your thoughts on “A Wicked Game” 🙂
“One has all the goodness, and the other all the appearance of it.” —Jane Austen
Jane Austen’s masterpieces are littered with unsuitable gentlemen—Willoughby, Wickham, Churchill, Crawford, Tilney, Elliot, et al.—adding color and depth to her plots but often barely sketched. Have you never wondered about the pasts of her rakes, rattles, and gentlemen rogues? Surely, there’s more than one side to their stories.
It is a universal truth, we are captivated by smoldering looks, daring charms … a happy-go-lucky, cool confidence. All the while, our loyal confidants are shouting on deaf ears: “He is a cad—a brute—all wrong!” But is that not how tender hearts are broken…by loving the undeserving? How did they become the men Jane Austen created? In this romance anthology, eleven Austenesque authors expose the histories of Austen’s anti-heroes.
Dangerous to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues is a titillating collection of Georgian era short stories—a backstory or parallel tale off-stage of canon—whilst remaining steadfast to the characters we recognize in Austen’s great works.
What say you? Everyone may be attracted to a bad boy…even temporarily…but heaven help us if we marry one.
KATIE OLIVER is the author of nine novels, including the Amazon bestseller Prada and Prejudice, as well as the Dating Mr. Darcy, Marrying Mr. Darcy, and Jane Austen Factor series. She resides in South Florida with her husband (where she goes to the beach far less often than she’d like) and is working on a new series. Katie began writing as a child and has a box crammed with half-finished stories to prove it. After raising two sons, she decided to get serious and get published.
She is convinced that there is no greater pleasure than reading a Jane Austen novel.
Katie Oliver’s novels:
“A Wicked Game” by Katie Oliver
The hour was late when at last we bid each other good night and headed upstairs. Our candle flames danced and flickered, casting shadows on the wallpaper, rendering Pemberley’s dark corners even darker.
“Good night, monsieurs,” Lady Harlow called out as she, along with the other ladies, turned to follow Reynolds to their rooms in the east wing.
“Good night,” Darcy’s father replied. “I shall see you ladies in the morning. If there is anything you or the others require, you have only to let Mrs. Reynolds know.”
“Thank you.” As he left, she inclined her head to Lieutenant Fitzwilliam and me. “Bonne nuit.”
Though I searched her candlelit face, there was no hint of the coquette who had flirted with me so boldly earlier that evening. Her expression was composed and polite. Nothing more.
Fitzwilliam bowed, and I did the same. “Sleep well, ladies.”
I followed Darcy and his cousin down the hallway that led to the family wing and bid them a good night as I went, at last, into my room. I shut the door behind me and leaned back against it. At once, I regarded the four-poster bed.
Would I possibly share it tonight with Clémence Harlow? The thought left me half mad with desire … and aroused no small amount of apprehension within me at the same time.
I could not help but wonder if I would make a fool of myself. Would I know what to do, what to say? Would she laugh at me? Mock my ineptitude? Why had she behaved with such polite indifference just now? Had I only imagined her earlier interest?
Unsure of the answers, my self-doubt increased. I shrugged my frockcoat off, untied my cravat with unsteady fingers, and tossed it aside. I would wait. After all, I had little choice. I was at Lady Harlow’s mercy.
I flung myself back across the bed and stared moodily at the blue silk overhead. Of course, I reminded myself, the two of us must be discreet. We could hardly allow Darcy, or his cousin, or indeed any of the others, to suspect our attraction for one other. It would not do to give the game away so easily.
Silence settled over the great house as I lay on the bed and waited, listening for the sound of the doorknob turning. But there was nothing, only the crackling of flames licking the logs in the fireplace. I yawned. I had consumed several glasses of brandy after dinner, and now heaviness tugged at my eyes. I would close them, I decided, just for a moment.
As I drifted between wakefulness and sleep, I imagined I held her in my arms, nestled close against me, with her heart beating against mine like a tiny, wild bird.
Deep in the night, I sat up with a start. Somewhere nearby I heard a door open and close. Whispers, followed by hushed, angry words. Then silence.
I waited, my heart flailing, and listened with the preternatural hearing one has in the darkness, but the sounds were not repeated, and I could only suppose I had imagined them. With a mutter and a sigh, I lay back down and slept.
I dreamt of the warmth of Lady Harlow’s skin against mine. I dreamt of her mouth, so soft and sweet and yielding, as our lips clung together for the first time. She tasted of apricots. She smelled of summer and sunshine. I dreamt I touched her. Possessed her.
When I awoke, sunlight streamed into my room through a gap in the drapes, and I blinked. I found myself sprawled across the bed, still clothed, still lying atop the covers… alone.
Only in my dreams had Lady Harlow come to my room.
Don’t forget to follow the blog tour to know more about the other authors and stories, Wickham may be the most famous rogues, but the others are certainly as interesting as he is 🙂
Monday, November 6: REVIEW: Margie’s Must Reads, https://margiesmustreads.com
Thursday, November 9: REVIEW, Obsessed with Mr. Darcy, https://obsessedwithmrdarcy.wordpress.com
Monday, November 13: REVIEW, Austenesque Reviews, http://austenesquereviews.com
Tuesday, November 14: REVIEW, Olga of ROSIE AMBER team, http://www.authortranslatorolga.com/
Wednesday, November 15: (release day) REVIEW, Just Jane 1813, http://justjane1813.com
Thursday, November 16: REVIEW, Diary of an Eccentric, https://diaryofaneccentric.wordpress.com
Monday, November 20: FEATURE w/Katie Oliver (George Wickham), From Pemberley to Milton, https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com
Wednesday, November 22: FEATURE w/Joana Starnes (Willoughby), Babblings of a Bookworm, http://babblingsofabookworm.blogspot.com
Friday, November 24: FEATURE w/Sophia Rose, (General Tilney), Herding Cats & Burning Soup, http://www.herdingcats-burningsoup.com
Monday, November 27: FEATURE w/Amy D’Orazio (Captain Tilney), My Jane Austen Book Club, http://thesecretunderstandingofthehearts.blogspot.com
Wednesday, November 29: FEATURE w/Brooke West (Henry Crawford), VVB32 Reads, https://vvb32reads.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 30: FEATURE w/Lona Manning (Tom Bertram), Lit 4 Ladies, http://lit4ladies.com
Friday, December 1: REVIEW, Lit 4 Ladies, http://lit4ladies.com
Monday, December 4: FEATURE w/Beau North (Colonel Fitzwilliam), Obsessed with Mr. Darcy, https://obsessedwithmrdarcy.wordpress.com
Thursday, December 7: FEATURE w/J. Marie Croft (John Thorpe), Harry Rodell blog/ROSIE AMBER team, https://harryrodell.wordpress.com/author/rodellh
Friday, December 8: REVIEW, From Pemberley to Milton, https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpress.com
Monday, December 11: FEATURE w/Jenetta James Hannah McSorley (William Elliot), Austenesque Reviews, http://austenesquereviews.com
Thursday, December 14: FEATURE w/Karen M Cox (Frank Churchill), Darcyholic Diversions, http://darcyholic.blogspot.com
Monday, December 17: FEATURE w/Christina Morland (Sir Walter Elliot), Of Pens & Pages, http://www.ofpensandpages.com
And the other giveaway is for a collection of items called #RakesAndGentlemenRogues Pleasures Prize Pack, and this prize pack includes:
- Bingley’s Teas (Willoughby and The Colonel)
- ‘The Compleat Housewife’ Notecards set
- Jane Austen Playing Cards
- 6 Jane Austen Postcards
- A Pride and Prejudice Print autographed by Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle
To enter this giveaway all you need to do is leave a comment on the blogs hosting the tour
From Pemberley to Milton 
I’ve just read this book Rita and yes I admit I did have sympathy for some of the rogues in these stories. I admit Colonel Fitzwilliam was my very favourite character but some of the others came out well with some reason for their behaviour. Other characters not so much as obviously they were the comedy element. Another great Christina book.
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Thank you for your thoughtful review on Amazon! Reviews are everything in this new age of publishing. So appreciated. Glad you liked it so well!
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I would like to read this book! I see some of the books on the giveaway that I haven’t read yet. Would love to win!
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I own all these books–and yet, I would still love all these autographed books too! (Christina Morland’s is the only one not in print though.)
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This is on my too read list. It sounds very interesting.
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Hope you read it sooner than later. If you have kindle it is promo priced for the blog tour at $2.99US. Thanks! Let us know how you like it!
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I want to give a shout out and a big thank you to who ever changed the Rafflecopter so those of us who don’t Tweet or Facebook can have [our say in the conversation] and an opportunity to participate in the drawings. Well done. Thank you so much.
Next, I want to thank Christina Boyd for this marvelous 5-star anthology. Wow!! It simply took my breath away. What a collection of Austen’s rakes, gentlemen and rogues.
Thanks to Rita for hosting this blog tour today. To Ms Oliver, I loved that opening to Wickham’s A Wicked Game. Wow… that was powerful. I would have liked for his story to have gone a bit deeper into the dark side. I didn’t feel his wickedness was quite deep enough or in keeping to match Austen’s discription. That would have made his crawl out of the pit and recovery that much more poignant. However, the ending was well done. I realize time constraints and available space [with 11 stories in all] hindered the authors in what they could do.
You know… it would be really neat if each author now took their story, expanded it and then published them as singles. Man, that would be awesome… wait… what have I signed up for… reading 11 books? Well… someone has to do it. Blessings on the launch of this anthology and blessings on your next ventures.
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Yes, glad you saw that amendment to the Rafflecopter. I even messaged you in one of three other blog stops (or two about the change;))
Thanks for your kind words!
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I think that this is a young Wickham who couldn’t hold his liquor and, thus, fell asleep. Thank you for the excerpt.
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Ha! Well, a rake has to start somewhere.
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Katie Oliver’s writing really made the situation and the setting and the characters come alive!
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I adored this story! Katie did the impossible and actually made Wickham a character I could sympathize (or at least empathize) with! It was smart, touching, and all kinds of sexy!
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Thank you, Rita, for hosting today’s first author feature on Katie Oliver and story excerpt for Austen’s most infamous rake, Wickham. Can’t wait to hear what you think of our anthology and look forward to your review on December 8. Thanks so much for supporting the tour so well!
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Loved this excerpt and Katie Oliver’s take on Wickham! Thanks for hosting the bad boys, Rita, and hope they behaved themselves :))
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Ah yes, this story had me thinking of two Willie Nelson songs ‘Always on My Mind’ and ‘Nothing I Can Do About It Now’. I so loved this story and wished for more!
So do I need to go back on those I commented on and do the Rafflecopter or just do it from here on in?
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Carole,
Re: rafflecopter. Just do it from here. It’s the same link at all the blog stops. You can do the FREE ENTRY once a day too. Thank you!
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Love this excerpt, thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to read this book. I hate to admit it, but I do love the rogues…
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Yes!!!!!! Please read and let us know how you like it! Thank you.
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I thought that Wickman’s story was very well done. He just could not resist. It was one of my faves.
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So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you.
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Merci pour cet extrait qui donne très envie de lire livre ! Un livre qu’il va faire partie de ma wish l Liste 🙂 !!!
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Merci 🙂
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Ha, yes, she really does make one sympathetic to her Wicked Wickham. 🙂
Thanks so much for hosting, Rita!
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George Wickham is a favorite rogue of mine. Love this thank you.
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Can’t wait to hear how you like the rest of our #RakesAndGentlemenRogues. Thank you.
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The author certainly makes a case for the reader to change opinions about this rogue in particular. I read this book and loved it. Thanks for sharing.
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Yes, not all of the rakes and rogues are redeemable. But maybe Wickham has a chance. Maybe.
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I have the ebook and am looking forward to reading it. Rogues can be so much fun.
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Can’t wait ginger your thought! Thank you.
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Or rather, can’t wait to HEAR your thoughts. (Fast thumbs error)
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Whicked Wickham sounds like a dream, dare I let him into my heart?…
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I think you should gamble on Wickham! Thanks for stopping by.
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I am intrigued! I wasn’t expecting the ending to that excerpt and now I’m wondering what Wickham’s wicked game might be.
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I can’t wait to hear how you like it, Ceri! Thank you for stopping by.
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What a way to end thd excerpt like this, I wonder what happens next. Seems like such a fun read!!
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I haven’t read it yet but I am looking forward! What an amazing giveaway! So many great authors!! 🙂
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This looks like a lovely read 🙂 I would be over the moon to receive any of these wonderful books and prizes. Thank you for the opportunity and congratulations!
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Smoldering, happy-go-lucky, and cool all at once?: that sounds like a chimera!
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Rita, Thank you for hosting this #RakesAndGentlemenRogues blog stop and supporting our anthology. The winner of the rafflecopter draw for all the books from the authors is Becky Cherrington. The winner for the blog tour comments (announced by a live draw on Facebook) for the Bingley’s Teas, assortment of notecards, postcards, and playing cards as well as the autographed Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle poster was dholcomb1 (Denise Holcomb). Congratulations! And thank you to all who supported “Dangerus to Know: Jane Austen’s Rakes & Gentlemen Rogues” blog tour. So appreciate!! You made it fun.
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