Guest Post | Pantaloons and Petticoats by Ellie Thomas

November 12, 2023November 10, 2023 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

Today we have the lovely Ellie Thomas back on the blog. Keep on reading to learn more about her most recent release, Pantaloon and Petticoats. And as always, welcome Ellie, it’s a pleasure to have you here 😊

Pantaloons and Petticoats Promo 1

Thanks, lovely Ofelia, for having me as your guest again! I’m Ellie, I write MM Historical Romance novellas. I’m here today to chat about my new story, Pantaloons and Petticoats, currently in the 20% new release sale at JMS Book until November 17th.

In Town Bronze, the first book in this three-part series, my MC Jasper discovered a surprising propensity for spanking with older gentleman, Sir Mortimer Cleverly. During Petticoats and Pantaloons, Barney Marshall meets his match in Rose and gets a surprise during their first intimate encounter. In the daytime, Rose must dispense with their nighttime petticoats to become Ross, a banking clerk.

Ross may have been born male, but identifies as female, embracing that identity whenever possible at night in the playground of Covent Garden and the shelter of their landlady Grace’s house in nearby Soho.

Although it was fun to return to Barney, who appeared as Jasper’s London roommate in Town Bronze, Rose’s character intrigued me while I was writing Petticoats and Pantaloons. I admired how they juggle a double life, enduring male attire at work to become Rose in the evenings.

In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, cross-dressing was far from uncommon, particularly in the molly houses of Covent Garden, the equivalent of modern gay clubs. Despite the stringent laws and frequent raids, in the molly houses, bagnios, taverns and even Covent Garden Piazza, the gay community was vibrant and even defiant.

Rose might have friends and passing lovers but doesn’t expect to find love until meeting Barney. It was a joy to write how Rose finds all the respect and acceptance they richly deserve. Barney might be initially attracted to them for superficial appearances, but he falls in love with Rose as a person, however they choose to appear.

Pantaloons and Petticoats

Sequel to Town Bronze

pantaloonsandpetticoats Barney Marshall, the son of a wealthy manufacturer, is tolerated by London high society for his great wealth. In the autumn of 1812, Barney relishes all the high living and low indulgences of a young man about town in the fleshpots of Covent Garden.

In one of the many surrounding taverns, he encounters Rose. They spend a memorable night together despite Barney’s initial surprise that Rose is not all she seems.

Rose leads a double life as Ross, a respectable clerk at Coutts Bank. When Barney comes across Ross in his work setting and recognises him, complications abound.

Can these two find their way through the twist and turns on the path to true love?

Excerpt:

Barney steered Ross towards St. James’ Park, hoping that green space away from the crowded streets would convey his friendly intentions and give them a semblance of privacy. Even when they reached more leafy environs, Ross did not unbend. His gaze stayed firmly ahead and his cheeks, still smooth by late afternoon, were pale.

Once they were on a less populous path Barney began tentatively.

“It must have been a bit of a shock to come across me in the bank this morning. I assure you that it was pure coincidence. I only entered the bank to withdraw funds. It was a complete surprise to come across you.”

At least Ross was listening and showed no signs of fleeing. Bolstered, Barney continued, “Although seeing you was unexpected, it was fortuitous. I had hoped to bump into you, I mean Rose, in the tavern where we met, without any luck. If I hadn’t found you today, I was even considering braving the Dean Street house over the next few days.”

Ross still looked straight ahead, but his shoulders dropped a few notches at that declaration.

“Believe me,” Barney insisted, “I had no idea that you were employed at Coutts. If I had been aware, I wouldn’t have dreamed of accosting you at your place of work.”

They walked amongst the greenery in silence while Ross digested Barney’s attempt at reassurance. Covertly, Barney examined the subtle but distinct differences between Ross and Rose. In male apparel, Ross was on the short side, his features even but unremarkable, showing none of Rose’s spirit. That distinguishing factor was reflected in his drab office wear, his tamed curls appearing more brown than red and his hands bearing recent ink stains from his daily labours.

“I thought you’d followed me,” Ross said very quietly.

“Good God, no. You have my word on that. I couldn’t find you in Covent Garden so it would never have occurred to me to search for you on the Strand.”

The tension was easing from Ross’ slight frame. Encouraged, Barney said, “I’m sorry if I gave you a fright, but I’m glad I’ve caught you now so I could explain and ease any concerns you might have. I mean you no ill will.”

Ross risked a sideways glance at Barney as he continued, “I have to admit that I very much wanted to see you again.” He was rewarded by a flicker of warmth in those wary brown eyes, a glimpse of Rose peeping through.

“You can always leave a note in Soho with Grace for Rose any time. She’ll make sure it’s delivered safely.”

Distracted by the completely unfitting name for the dragon of the doorway, Barney missed the distinction that Ross had drawn between himself and Rose.

“Now I have found you again, I don’t want to let you go too soon. If you have some time to spare, perhaps we could repair to Dean Street together. I don’t mind waiting for you to don your skirts,” he added with what he hoped was roguish charm, “Since that seems to entertain and titillate us both.”

Ross whirled around to face Barney, his features tight with anger. With his chin raised and eyes sparkling hotly with indignation, he bore no resemblance to the timid clerk Barney had accosted outside the bank.

“How dare you. I’m not one of your actresses to amuse you with a change of costume to incite your lust,” he hissed. “Or some toy to array in a gown for the sole purpose of your entertainment. In future, I request you treat me and Rose with greater respect. If you’ll excuse me, sir.”

Ross gave a stiff bow and stalked away, the picture of affronted dignity. Barney stared after him, wondering how the interview could have gone so disastrously wrong.

Book links:

JMS Books :: Amazon :: Boooks2Read :: Add to Goodreads :: Add to Bookbub

Bio

Ellie Thomas lives by the sea. She comes from a teaching background and goes for long seaside walks where she daydreams about history. She is a voracious reader especially about anything historical. She mainly writes historical gay romance.

Ellie also writes historical erotic romance as L. E. Thomas.

Website: https://elliethomasromance.wordpress.com/

Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/8308047409266947

Twitter: @e_thomas_author

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19835510.Ellie_Thomas

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/ellie-thomas

Cover Reveal | Winter Wonderland

November 2, 2023November 2, 2023 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ Leave a comment

We have a cover!!! On November 18th there will be a box set with four contemporary holiday stories. It’s called Winter Wonderland and will hopefully give you some Christmas cheer.

The stories are Turning Wood, 24 Dates, The Setup, and Once in a Snowstorm. They’re available in the shops on their own, but now you can grab them together for a reduced price 😊

I don’t have any links yet, but it doesn’t matter. Today, we’re only gazing upon the cover 😆 one thing at a time, right?

Winter Wonderland

winterwonderlandboxset

Winter Wonderland is a set of four contemporary small-town romances taking place during the most magical time of the year. Some of our characters do their best to escape the hustle and bustle of Christmas, others long for someone to share it with. Guaranteed is that things don’t go as planned. They never do when the snow is coming down hard and the presents are piling up under the tree.

Contains the stories:

Turning Wood: Otho Newcomer moved to the small village of Snowmelt to mend his broken heart in solitude. Mason Dager’s ex cleared out his bank account, sold his car and got him thrown out of his apartment. And he has no one to blame but himself. When Mason makes yet another stupid decision, Otho comes to the rescue, throwing the two men together during the most magical time of the year.

24 Dates: When Victor Hill bought a house with his boyfriend, Jian Kouri it was a dream come true. Now, two years later, instead of living their happily ever after, they hardly see the other awake, and Victor fears he and Jian have already drifted too far apart. The holiday season is a time for hope, but when Victor comes home to find Jian with a plan to woo him for Christmas, is it too little, too late?

The Setup: Dax doesn’t want to see anyone and isn’t pleased when a stranger turns in on his driveway, claiming he’s there for a date. Ellis risked his neck driving in the snow to meet his friend for a double date, but when Dax says he’s never agreed to a date, they realize they’ve been played. Since there’s a snowstorm, Dax invites Ellis to stay the night, but how to get their revenge for the setup?

Once in a Snowstorm: Daring a snowstorm might not be the smartest thing Aiden Evans has done, but with only a few days to Christmas, he doesn’t want to be alone. Tristan Gardner is looking forward to a quiet night, but instead, he has to save an idiot from freezing to death in his forest. Aiden is going crazy from Tristan’s attitude, but will a steamy night with the surly lumberjack change his mind about leaving?

Guest Post | The Monk’s Lair by Ellie Thomas

October 29, 2023October 24, 2023 ~ Ofelia Gränd ~ 2 Comments

The lovely Ellie Thomas is back on the blog to talk about her most recent release, The Monk’s Lair. Welcome Ellie!

The Monk's Lair Promo 3

Thanks, lovely Ofelia, for having me as your guest again! I’m Ellie, I write MM Historical Romance novellas, and I’m here today to chat about my new story, The Monk’s Lair, currently in the 20% new release sale at JMS Book until November 3rd.

It’s always fun to write about spooky themes for Halloween, but I have the additional challenge of writing historical stories because Halloween is a relatively recent festival. So this Halloween, for my Regency romance, The Monk’s Lair, I dipped into the rich resources of the Gothic novel where there is spookiness galore!

It’s really not possible to write a Gothic-inspired story without a sinister hooded monk popping up to threaten the central romantic couple. So I had to oblige and invent one! The setting for my story is the scenic area around Tintern Abbey in South East Wales. It’s a vista of thickly wooded hills soaring above the Wye Valley and very atmospheric for all kinds of Gothic goings-on.

Tintern Abbey was a monastic community founded in 1131 that thrived until its dissolution in 1536 and has been a picturesque ruin ever since. I discovered that in the 13th century, after the Black Death and massive population loss, many of Tintern’s monastic outposts or abbey granges were let to tenants.

One of these remote granges seemed the perfect place for a charismatic monk to terrify the local population with his evil ways and haunt the area for centuries in true Gothic fashion.

So when my MCs Christian and Sam stumble across the grange on a visit to Tintern Abbey, they inevitably reawaken this malevolent force. My two heroes make a great team, with Christian’s gifts of sensitivity and imagination added to Sam’s practical enthusiasm. Also, they manage to fall in love along the way. Hopefully, the combination of their talents and feelings for one another will banish the monk from his lair for good and all.

The Monk’s Lair

themonkslair

Christian Maxwell is used to being alone. A delicate and over-imaginative young man, he is abandoned to his own devices and company in his family’s Wiltshire country home. When his aunt, concerned for his well-being, insists on him accompanying her to the Welsh Borders for a country house party in the autumn of 1816, Christian is resigned to being surrounded by people for the duration.

One particular guest, Sam Gillespie, a handsome amateur scientist of a similar age to Christian, is determined to befriend him. When Sam persuades Christian to join him on an expedition to the scenic ruins of Tintern Abbey, they stumble across an isolated valley that contains a long-dead and sinister monastic force.

Their dreams are haunted by the spirit of the place, and so the pair band together to find out the valley’s dark history, kindling their romance along the way. But their ghostly foe is more tenacious than they could imagine. Can Christian and Sam manage to defeat the black monk and find lasting happiness?

Excerpt:

“I was informed that there are visible remains of the Elizabethan wireworks and marks of quarrying around these hills,” Sam said with zeal.

Christian was entertained by Sam’s constant thirst for knowledge. Rather than feeling diminished or drained by Sam’s more forceful character, he fancied his endless energy was a positive influence.

“Are you up to carrying on a while further?” The hope in Sam’s voice was irresistible. Christian was only glad of his regular rambles on his family’s land, although the South Wiltshire countryside was not as dramatic or steeply inclined as the Welsh borders.

They carried on until the road dwindled into a lane. Eventually, it forked, the upper reach climbing towards a collection of scattered cottages, while the other branch skirted the hill on a more even gradient. They decided on the more level option, walking until Sam espied a rough path leading downhill.

“I’m sure we’ll find something interesting around here,” he said, thrashing ahead through the undergrowth. “Harris informed me that there are several abbey granges hereabouts. But I reckon that by now, I can distinguish monastic medieval from industrial Tudor.”

Rambling with such purpose might not be Christian’s first choice of spending a clement afternoon. But it would be churlish to complain since Sam had shown him every consideration. He also found Sam’s brand of enthusiasm hard to resist, even when dampened with temporary frustration that his goal proved elusive.

Then there was Sam’s unfailing civility. Instead of forging ahead, he constantly paused to hold a branch to stop it from springing back into Christian’s face or warned him of an approaching patch of slippery ground.

As a result, Christian was disposed to enjoy their interlude. Venturing on a quest with a gallant young man was an activity he usually pursued between the pages of a book.

He was unable to pinpoint exactly when his optimism started to wane. They headed downhill on the increasingly overgrown path into a small cleft that Sam was convinced held buried treasure or at least the remains of past industry. At first, Christian enjoyed his surroundings. The dappled sunshine through the sheltering trees, their leaves still green and plentiful, was a welcome accompaniment to the faint breeze that cooled their progress.

Similar to a headache or nausea, the unease came gradually as they descended the slope, unremarkable until it became a definable presence. The equivalent of a whiff of something foul, a forewarning of a nearby corpse of a recently dead animal. Christian hesitated, wondering if his imagination was playing tricks. Then he became conscious of the unearthly silence around him. An ominous heaviness now filled the air, unalleviated by birdsong or a breath of wind.

Christian’s senses were on high alert, telling him to stop, to turn back, to leave this place at once. Not wanting to lose sight of Sam through the scarcely visible track, clogged by the summer’s growth of grass, nettles and brambles, he continued reluctantly until his premonition reached screaming pitch. Every instinct forbade him to trespass further.

“Sam, stop. I think we’re heading the wrong way,” he called urgently, hoping his voice didn’t betray the extent of his desperation.

Obediently, Sam came tramping back towards him, wiping his brow with his shirt sleeve. Christian was so occupied with his searing panic that he barely noted how dashing his companion appeared, his coat removed and tied by its arms around his slim waist, his sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms, lightly dusted with dark hair.

“You’re probably right,” Sam said. “I reckon we’ve come too far downhill. If there is anything to be discovered, it’s probably an outpost of the old abbey rather than anything worthwhile.”

Christian’s trepidation started to abate at Sam’s willingness to concede. Seizing the initiative, Christian led the way uphill. At least their advance was eased by the path they had already trampled.

Sam’s words lingered in his mind. They had instantly summoned an image of the disused grange in the depths of the small valley. Unlike Tintern, which had filled Christian with peace, this emanation held disquiet, even menace.