Hullo, there, friends. Did you read Grace and enjoy it? If so, send me a picture of yourself reading or holding the book, or just a picture of the book in your favorite reading spot and I’ll post it here! C’mon … let’s see your beautiful faces and places!
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Order on Amazon.com or at dorchesterpub.com
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SHE WOULDN’T
The institution of marriage held no attraction for Grace Ackerly. The world, she had noticed, expected nothing more from women than that they be submissive, demure brood mares, allowed absolutely no rights or even opinions of their own. And yet, at twenty, an age at which most of Society considered her well past her prime, she need only wait a little longer to be safe. No—she was fairly comfortable declaring—she would never marry, no matter the temptation set before her.
HE WOULD
With a flashing green gaze potently combining warmth, humor and seductive promise, Trevor Christian Caldwell was resisted by few women. When one factored in the earldom of Huntwick and his legendary charm, his conquests became all the more indubitable. But never had there been a woman he truly respected. Not until now. Here, in Pelthamshire, a spirited redhead forced a decision he had never before considered: He would marry Grace Ackerly, no matter what protestations, no matter what travails.It was yet to be seen who would prevail. And how.
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Reviews:
Nominated by Romantic Times reviewers for Best First Historical Romance of 2007!
“Nicely written and with a bunch of lively characters, debut author Clark’s tale engages the reader in a merry chase between a charming English lord and a spirited young woman in the game of matrimony.”
–Romantic Times
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“GRACE is a sparkling debut by a talented new author. The characters are eminently likeable, the plot-rapid paced, the dialogue catchy and the action sometimes moving and always captivating….If you like romance with lots of sexual tension, a pursued hero becoming the pursuer, and deep emotions masquerading as antagonism in a heroine, you’ll love Trevor and Grace…and GRACE.”
–Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today
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“The cast especially the lead couple make for a fine Regency romance as Trevor chases after Grace, who seems immune to his charm and not care about his wealth. The secondary characters also feel fully developed as they enhance the enjoyable marriage go round story line.”
–Harriet Klausner, The Best Reviews
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“The writing style is crisp and brisk – the story never drags or sags.” (This is not the best review … but I appreciate it, and from such things, we learn, yes?)
-Ellen Micheletti, All About Romance
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The cover of the Dutch translation of "Grace."
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Pics of friends and fans reading Grace
Karen
Missy Louise
Hello I’m a new fan I signed up for dorchester book club and your book made me glad I did. I just finished reading Grace and I loved it and can not wait for your next book. Are you going to write about the other sisters?
thanks for taking the time to read this
sincerely
your new fan
amanda larsen
Amanda,
Thank you so much and I am happy you enjoyed Grace! I am currently working on Faith’s story, and have plans to write stories for the twins and for Mercy, before turning my attention to a series about the ancestors of the men in the series.
I do love to hear from my readers — and you have the distinction of being the first. Check back often, please.
Best,
Deneane Clark
I just finished reading the book Grace and I loved it! i can’t wait until you finissh the book about Faith, but I really want to read the one about Mercy. I do so hope that she gets her duke (Sebastian).
Your fan,
Kristy
Kristy,
Thank you so very much, and I am so happy you loved Grace. I know how you feel about Mercy. She’s pretty near and dear to my heart, too.
Do stay in touch — I love hearing from readers.
deneane elise clark
Deneane,
I have to say I was thoroughly impressed, especially if this is your first publication! I was drawn into the story, I love the way you write, you remind me immensly of Judith McNaught, especially with the way you write, and envoke the characters emotions.
Hope to see more from a fellow Southern LA lady, I’m from southwest LA! I will be looking for the twins, Faith, and especially MERCY, I’ll bet she is going to be a handful.
Thanks for the engrossing reading
Trish
Trish,
Thank you so very much! And such high praise, to be compared with Judith McNaught…wow.
I’m working on Faith’s story now, which will be followed by the twins. Mercy is tugging at me (she’s always been my favorite,) but she must wait her turn…
Keep checking back, please. I love to hear from and interact with readers. I hope this finds you well.
Deneane
Deneane,
Yep, loved Faith in the story too, so will definitely be looking forward to her story. I have no idea if it is b/c I loved the duke’s character so much, or Mercy herself but I hope that she gets her duke, b/c I cannot wait to see the full story between the two of them!! :)
I’m doing good actually, it is the weekend of course! LOL, so that helps!
Hope your weekend goes great too! I plan to shop tomorrow and write as much as possible when I cannot walk anymore!!
Ciao
Trish
Sebastian is rather a compelling character to me. He’ll make appearances throughout the series, as will Mercy.
I hope your shopping trip is wonderfully productive, and that your writing is, as well. Care to tell me what you write, please?
Warm regards,
deneane
What a surprise to see you on Judith’s site, and please come back and chat with us when you have time!! Always nice to “see” new faces there! :)
I’m sure glad that you are such an understanding person, I would have hated myself if you would have been upset over our discussion, I had to share the fab news that there was actually a book out there that I had never read, and it was so much like Whitney that it amazed me.
I had a mostly productive day shopping, but still have to buy a few more!
I write romances, of course, I’m addicted to reading them, always have been. I have been writing since I was around 24, and I’m 30 now, so for awhile now. I’m not published, but that is my goal, to be published before I’m 35.
I’m on my second book that I have ever written, but the first book that I plan to be a trilogy set in Texas.
Was a little skeptical to post so much personal stuff here, but oh well! :)
Have some great influences to draw from, a friend of mine is published,her name is Patrice Michelle, she has just begun a new series with the NOCTURNE line. And I remember when she wasn’t published yet. Another friend is Pamela Britton, have been reading her since she started writing. Very nice lady. Both of these women are my standards to which I would like to place myself someday, driven, smart, and very fan interactive.
Hope your week is going well!
Trish
Trish,
Thank you for the kind invitation. I really just joined to comment, and because I was a little concerned at the line of discussion, of course.
I’m not sure I’m as much an understanding person as I am a cautious one. Regardless, I certainly see no reason to hate anyone. I reread Whitney, My Love last night — (yes, I read oddly fast.) I don’t know that Grace is that much like it. Rather, I see my first book as a hodgepodge of the various writers who influenced and inspired me to write the genre and the period all those years ago. Still, I do hope the voice that shines through is inherently mine.
Please do keep writing. It takes tenacity, you know. *Laughing* After all, I wrote Grace in a couple spiral-bound notebooks in 1994.
Lovely to hear from you again.
Deneane Clark
Hello!
I just read Grace, picked it up on a whim at Barnes and Noble, and enjoyed it so much that I looked for your name on Google. I was hoping to find your next publication date, and hope it’s for Patience, as she has my utmost sympathy raising all the sisters.
I would prefer Sebastian for her – as their ages would be compatible and he could become the much older brother to Mercy that he should be. He’s 30 something, I believe. Can you tell that I really dislike old guy/young girl romances? 13 and 30? UGH!
Anyway, congratulations on a very entertaining first novel, and best wishes for your new career. I’ll keep looking for the next installment of the Ackerly sisters.
Vicki
Vicki,
Thank you so so so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed Grace. Patience, hmm? *smile* She’s really a character who does catch at my heart.
Sebastian is not quite as old as you might think — we’ll just have to see what happens there….
i hope your holiday season is wondrous…and thank you again.
warm regards,
deneane clark
Vicki, well that is a new way to look at it, I never thought of Sebastian and Patience, but you never know!
Now that you mention it, it sounds like an interesting pairing!
WOW, Deneane, you actually wrote all of that on a spiral notebook?? Or more than one?? I’m so glad I have a laptop, and a PC, but I actually sneak a notepad from work when we are not busy and jot down interesting things there, SHH!! :)
I’m more stoked about this story (the one I’m writing now) than I was about the first one I started on, I think it is b/c there was a lot of emotional stuff going on in my life at the time.
Anyhow, I started a synopsis of my second in the series, so I feel like I’m moving at a good rate. Hopefully!
Ciao
Trish
Excellent, Trish. Keep writing!
deneane
Deneane,
I really enjoyed Grace. I am anxiously awaiting Mercy’s story, but hope that Patience gets a chance at a story, also. I would love to see the “spinster” sister get her man. Thanks so much bor the wonderful writing, and I will be waiting for your next one anxiously. God Bless, and Merry Christmas!
Michelle
Michelle,
Thank you so very much! Patience has been weighing heavily on my mind, of late. I’m not sure there’s an entire novel there, but … well, she’s been nudging me. And, truly, with all that she has done for her family, she has certainly lived up to her name, yes?
Again, thank you for reading and especially for commenting. I love interaction! Have a beautiful Christmas.
deneane
Deneane,
Hope you and yours have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!
Don’t eat too much!!! :)
LOL
Ciao
Trish
Trish,
Thank you. I hope your holiday is wonderful, as well.
deneane
Do you have a date when your next book will be out???? I can’t wait to read it! If the next one is half as good as your first, I am sure it will be another great one.
Jill,
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you enjoyed Grace. Faith is well underway and I have a deadline for getting it to my editor by the end of this month. As soon as I have a clue about a release date, I promise I’ll post it here.
I hope this finds you well, and that you have an amazing 2008!
Best,
deneane clark
Hi Deneane!
I just finished reading Grace…for the 2nd time. LOL! Obviously the first was not enough. I picked the book up on a whim while out shopping and I am so glad that I did. I enjoyed the romantic chase between Trevor and Grace immensely! I cannot wait for your next book and will definitely be checking back for a publication date. I eagerly await to read what you have in store for Faith, and the rest of the sisters. :)
–Jen
Jen,
Goodness, thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed it enough to read it again! I’m plugging away on Faith…send me good wishes, please. Looming deadlines — oy!
Do keep in touch. I love hearing from readers.
Best,
Deneane
I can’t wait till Faith’s story comes out, as well as the other sisters. The book that I am anxiously waiting for is Mercy’s story. I know she has to wait her turn, but hopefully it won’t be too long a wait. In the end though, Mercy and Sebastian will hopefully be togther.
Kristy,
Thanks! I’m plugging away at Faith — but I know what you mean about Mercy. I’m anxious to write about her, too. I often end up thinking of my characters as real people (this may be a sign that I’m nuts…haha) and I tell myself to be patient, because she has to grow up!
I have her story plotted, though. So I think I know what will happen. Sometimes these things change in the middle of writing.
So good to hear from you…I hope this finds you well.
Best,
Deneane Clark
I just read Grace again, and I can hardly wait to read Faith…. do you have a clue as to when we might? Is there a chance you might give us a sneak peek? I look forward to reading all your books!
Jill,
You darling thing! No date on Faith, yet. Sorry! I promise you blog readers will be the first to know, outside my adoring family.
Love y’all!
Deneane
Hi Deneane
I picked up your book at the Library here in England and I loved it! You are GLOBAL!! Lol.
I dont want to sound like a broken record and I am sure you are sick of getting asked when your next book is out…so I won’t ask, lol, I will keep an eye on your blog page and wait with a little bit of patience though I am not know for it. All I can say is don’t leave us all hanging for too long.
Trace
Tracey,
Thank you so much for the comment, and for enjoying Grace. Global! How unutterably amazing! LOL.
You don’t sound like a broken record … on the contrary. I’m terribly flattered. Faith is completed, though not yet published. I’ve kept your email address and added you to the list of people I’ll contact when I hear. After that, I intend to write about the twins, then about Mercy.
I apologize for leaving the blog hanging for so long. Would you believe I lost the password and wasn’t able to update at all? Happy holidays, and I hope this finds you well.
Deneane Elise Clark
i hope that the other personalities of the other sisters will be present in the next book because i only really like mercy and faith and grace… i didnt think much about the others ….
Chels,
Thank you so much! I love this sort of feedback. The next book is slated to be about Faith, then there should be one about the twins, and finally about Mercy. Keep your fingers crossed. I’ve kept your email address and will let you know of any updates! I hope this finds you well, and that your holiday is splendid.
Deneane Elise Clark
I just downloaded Grace from the Barnes & Noble Free Fridays and I am so excited to read it.
Thank you SO much, Eden. I hope you enjoy. : ) Have a beautiful day!