So little time...: The Inns of Devonshire: Timeless Regency Collection ~ Blog Tour ~ Excerpt

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are all doing well! Today I have a delightful excerpt from one of the stories in The Inns of Devonshire! This is the 18th book in the Timeless Regency Collection.

The Inns of Devonshire

Timeless Regency Collections, Bk 18

by Sally Britton, Annette Lyon, and Deborah M. Hathaway

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Three novellas, three times the romance, and three times the love . . . in this brand new Timeless Regency Collection

The Seventh Star Inn, by Sally Britton

After years of looking after one another, Susan Baxter and her mother view their neighbors in Totnes as family. When a new landlord inherits the leases on their homes and businesses alike, Susan dreads knowing her world could change at the whim of a stranger. But when she meets Collin Stonecroft and his inquisitive daughter, her feelings shift quickly from cautionary to hopeful. Collin has lived in the confines of London boarding houses all his life, and he’s determined to give his daughter more. They check into the Seventh Star Inn with plans to return to London as soon as possible, but both find Miss Baxter and her local history lessons far too enchanting to leave behind. When Susan learns of Collin’s proposed changes to her beloved neighborhood, will she be able to help hLeigh’sthat some things are perfect the way they are?

The Truth about Mr. Blackmore, by Annette Lyon

Leigh’s life at the Old Grey Inn is drudgery broken by flights of fancy thanks in part to novels by Simon Blackmore. When Mattias McGrady comes to the inn for a fortnight, Leigh captures his attention. A relationship develops, and she dreads the end of his stay, which will mean a return to an unhappy life. An urgent letter to Mattias leads to him inviting Leigh to an event that stands to change both of their lives forever. If all goes well, Leigh will have a life of her choosing after all. But half-truths and lies have a way of complicating matters. When their plans go awry, Leigh loses her reputation and Mattias almost surely loses his career. Can either of them find happiness?

The Coachman’s Choice, by Deborah M. Hathaway

Ever-reliable Mary Thorne has helped her widowed mother run The Golden Mermaid Inn for years. She spends her days greeting guests, ensuring the inn runs smoothly—and dodging flirtatious remarks from passing coachmen. But she’s far too busy to pay any attention to such men, even the enticingly attractive Mr. Northcott. Known far and wide for his horsemanship, punctuality, and dallying reputation, Robert Northcott relishes his life as a coachman, especially his freedom to flirt with numerous women from inn to inn, all without the messy details of commitment. There’s just one woman who’s immune to his charms: the lovely, single landlady of The Golden Mermaid. Robert is determined to win Mary over, just as heartily as she is determined to keep her distance from him. But his carefree life is threatened when his pursual of Mary becomes more than just a game...

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Excerpt from The Truth About Mr. Blackmore, by Annette Lyon

Mattias found his room without any trouble—number seventeen. Was that good luck? According to biblical scholars, seven was lucky, holy, or some such. But what about seventeen? He unlocked the door and pushed it open, the hinges squeaking slightly. He stepped inside the room—clean and modest, with plenty of space for one man.

The room held a bed, a chest of drawers with a basin and pitcher atop, and a mirror on the wall above that. He walked about the room, noting its details—an extra blanket folded at the foot of the bed, the smell of a newly sanded floor, a mug and brush hidden behind the pitcher. His eyes landed on a coat rack beside the door. He removed his coat and hat and settled them there. They’d done their job well, but the cold had gotten into his boots. Hopefully the servants would be up soon with his trunk, and one would light a fire.

His quarters had a window and small table and chair—a must for his work. He’d forgotten to ensure his room had a writing table. He’d been flustered after being left in an unfamiliar village during a rainstorm. Then Miss Cutler’s appearance had taken any room his mind would have had for such matters, and she continued to be in his thoughts.

What fortune it was she’d passed by and was the kind of woman willing to help a stranger. That itself was no small thing. Without a chaperone, many women would avoid speaking to a man they didn’t know. She’d been eager to help another despite social rules.

During their brief encounter, she hadn’t seemed to mind the rain, though she’d clutched a book of sorts she’d protected from getting wet. He understood that quite well. He sensed she’d been returning from an outing, perhaps from reading whatever book she’d carried. If she enjoyed the outdoors and clean air as much as he did—a welcome respite from the polluted miasma of London—perhaps they’d enjoy some of those things together during his stay.

Mattias stared out the window. How long would the rain last? The driver had bemoaned the storm, worried he’d break a wheel or get stuck in the mud. Mattias did not envy those whose livelihoods depended upon elements outside their control.

He shot a bit of gratitude toward the heavens for his ability to pay for personal expenses and have a decent-sized amount saved as well. Born of Irish parents who’d been poor beyond comprehension, Mattias had learned early that the slightest unexpected expense could be devastating. Like the cost of the physician who examined Ma, bled her, and gave her medicine. Whatever concoction had been in the bottle only made her sicker. The cost was so great that his father had been sent to debtor’s prison when they couldn’t pay rent that month. ’Twas not Da’s first time there. Despite his comfortably deep pockets today, he’d never forget that life was uncertain.

Mattias turned from the window and his thoughts. While waiting for his trunk to be brought up, he might as well get his work things arranged. He considered starting a fire in the small fireplace but decided that might raise questions. Men of his supposed breeding did not know how to start a fire.

He propped the door open so the pages could bring in the trunk, then sat at the writing desk. From his satchel, he removed one of three corked inkwells as well as a tied leather wrap, which held his papers together. A tin holding several quills came last. Later, he’d sharpen each quill so he could work longer without having to stop. He could tell he’d want to have uninterrupted time, for though he’d been in town scarcely an hour, already he felt inspiration waking in his mind and the whisperings of a story itching to be told.

Perhaps he’d spin a tale about a young woman in the rain, holding her wrap close as she hurried through the square. With a fresh sheet of paper and a sharp quill in hand, he began scribbling ideas, which came faster than he could write them.

Sometime later—seconds, minutes or longer, he couldn’t have said—a knock sounded, followed by the door slamming open as two men carried the trunk between them. “Room seventeen?”

Pages 101-103

About the Authors

Sally Britton is a wife, mother, and author who loves the world of romance, received her BA in English from Brigham Young University, and reads voraciously. She started her writing journey at the tender age of fourteen on an electric typewriter, and she’s never looked back.

Sally primarily lives in Oklahoma with her husband, four children, and Izzie the Aussie Shepherd. She loves researching, hiking, and eating too much chocolate.

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Annette Lyon is a USA Today Bestselling author. She's won a Whitney Award (2010) and is an eight-time recipient of Utah's Best of State medal for fiction and short stories. She's the author of more than a dozen novels, even more novellas, a cookbook, a grammar guide, and some 120+ articles. She's worked as a professional editor for publishers and bestselling authors and graduated cum laude from BYU with a degree in English.

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Deborah M. Hathaway graduated from Utah State University with a BA in Creative Writing. As a young girl, she devoured Jane Austen's novels while watching and re-watching every adaptation she could. She finds inspiration for her novels during her travels with her English husband to the United Kingdom, where she draws on the beauty of the country in such places as Ireland, Yorkshire, and her beloved Cornwall. Be sure to sign up for Deborah's Newsletter to stay updated on new releases, free and discounted Clean Romance novels, and more!

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About the Series

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been publishing the Timeless Regency Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories set in early 19th century England. Featuring bestselling authors from the historical romance genre, the series has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.

About the Tour

Join the virtual book tour of THE INNS OF DEVONSHIRE, a collection of novellas by bestselling authors Sally Britton, Annette Lyon, & Deborah M. Hathaway, October 4-17, 2021. Thirty-five popular on-line influencers specializing in Regency romance, historical romance, and inspirational fiction will join in the celebration of the release of the 18th book in the bestselling Timeless Regency Collection with a spotlights, exclusive excerpts, and reviews of this new anthology set in Regency England.

Tour Schedule

Oct 04 Fire and Ice (Review)

Oct 04 Austenprose (Excerpt)

Oct 04 Timeless Novels (Review)

Oct 05 Lu Reviews Books (Review)

Oct 05 Beauty in the Binding (Spotlight)

Oct 05 For Where Your Treasure Is (Excerpt)

Oct 06 Probably at the Library (Review)

Oct 06 Our Book Confessions (Review)

Oct 06 Bookworm Lisa (Review)

Oct 07 Gwendalyn’sme Out (Review)

Oct 07 Reading with Emily (Review)