We’re thrilled to be joined on our blog by the wonderful Lara Temple. Lara’s new historical romance, The Earl She Should Never Desire is out on April 28th and is all about forbidden love!

Lara talks about the inspiration behind the new book and six reasons that make this book an exceptional read!

*

I loved, loved, love writing The Earl She Should Never Desire. Not just because of my amazing hero Marcus (Ah, Marcus… More on him in just a bit), but because this book began as a labour of both love and pain.

Too many of my friends are battling breast cancer and their courage is both inspiring and humbling. I often feel helpless and I wanted to do something, so three years ago I began writing short stories for the New Romance Café breast cancer research anthologies. Last year I wrote about a hero who finds the perfect fiancée only to fall in love with her far less perfect sister. Luckily the perfect sister is in love with someone else, and they all live happily ever after. Phew…

That should have been the end of that, but as I was working hard on another book, my hero and heroine kept getting in the way. I knew Marcus and Lily wouldn’t leave me until I wrote their story from painful start to joyous end.

I’m so glad I did, because their story is stuffed to the gills with elements that are my absolute catnip:

Strong Softies! Marcus is strong and smart, but with a wicked sense of humour and heaps of kindness and compassion empathy behind his protective façade. Troubled people are drawn to him— from feisty/softy heroine Lily, to his sweet, timid dog Ombra, to his best friend Lord Wrexham (the delectable hero of my next book). Marcus is also very twisty about getting what he wants, thank goodness!

Banter! Marcus and Lily have their own wonderful brand of banter. Lily’s concern for her sister clashes with Marcus’s decision to find the perfect wife, and their encounters are tense and funny and over time they develop respect and mutual appreciation (and fall in love, of course). One of my favourite scenes is when Lily must tell Marcus that her sister wants out of their engagement. Their exchange was a joy to write. I won’t tattle, but suffice it to say that Marcus is a very good negotiator.

Suffering galore! I love making my heroes and heroine suffer through impossible situations. During Marcus and Lily’s journey to fall in love they discover their depths and flaws and ultimately find acceptance in each other. I loved watching Marcus agonize as he fought against his feelings so as not to hurt his innocent fiancée (I admit I really enjoyed making him suffer—yes; I have an evil side! Mwahahah!).

Kicking my characters off emotional cliffs! I love when my hero and heroine are knocked over by love—against their wills, against their judgement, fulfilling deep inner needs they often don’t even realize. There was so much scope in this book for my evil enjoyment of their agony. Falling off emotional cliffs also provides great opportunities for sexy times. Which brings me to another thing I love…

Hot midsummer kisses and more! One of my absolute favourite scenes was when Marcus negotiates “three midsummer kisses” from Lily after he is jilted by her sister. This scene and the hot kissing scenes that followed were a joy to write: the uncertainty before, the tension and pleasure during, then the realization that three kisses were nowhere near enough… In short, I had a blast with getting Marcus and Lily into hotter and hotter water.

Climaxes! Yes, there are some of those, too, but in this case I mean the scenes where Marcus and Lily push through all their defenses and admit their love and need. I made them work real hard for these climaxes, so I make certain they’re worth it.

I wrote the initial story for a cause very close to my heart, for my wonderful much-loved friends like Nina and Neta who are true heroines. So I’m all the happier that I followed my own heart and let Marcus and Lily’s story grow so I could watch them find their way to each other through all the obstacles I set before them. I hope you feel the love and hope that went into their story and that it brightens your day.

Lara x

*

The Earl She Should Never Desire by Lara Temple

War widow Lily Walsh has left her aristocratic family behind, but she can’t deny her younger sister’s request to come to London to meet her fiancé. Though not a love match, Lord Sherborne is kind, amusing and ideal for her sister on paper. But as Lily gets to know him, she’s finding him alarmingly attractive! And the forbidden look in the Earl’s eye shows the feeling is mutual…

By Lauren Gardiner