Mary Balogh's introspective new romance, Someone to Wed, is the third book in her series about the aristocratic Westcotts. The family is thrown into turmoil when their late patriarch's marriage is revealed to be illegitimate, making their distant cousin Alexander the new heir. Saddled with a crumbling estate, Alex embarks on a quest to marry into a fortune—even if that means he must court the cold, complicated heiress next door. We talked to Balogh about marriages of convenience, how to write a romance between two very practical people and how she dove into the psychology of her heroine.

Describe your latest book in a sentence.
Alexander Westcott, Earl of Riverdale knows he must marry rich in order to restore his newly inherited estate, yet finds himself shocked when a wealthy woman, who is willing to use her money to buy a husband, proposes marriage to him—and has to ask himself why?

Why do you think a marriage of convenience is such an enduring trope in romance?
I think it is at least partly because the couple has to cope almost from the start with the intimacies of marriage, even if they hold off on the sex, while gradually building a friendship and, of course, falling in love. Everything is happening at once and the story is likely to be full of emotion and passion with a new couple in close contact with each other all the time. And it is always lovely to see a relationship that seems so unpromising at the start blossom into an enduring love story.

The main obstacle in Someone to Wed is Wren's psychological damage from her birthmark, not the birthmark itself. When in the writing process did you make that decision and why?
The birthmark itself as an obstacle would have seemed too trivial. It is true that it was large and noticeable, and would always have made her self-conscious and made some people shy away from her. But at some point, readers would justifiably be mumbling that it was time this woman, this heroine, got over herself. The obstacle had to be much bigger than just that. If as a child she had been made to feel monstrous and worthless because of the birthmark, for example, and if she had been shut away from other people so that she would not disgust them, then she is going to have believably huge problems as an adult. As the heroine of a romance, Wren has gigantic hurdles to jump. That is the sort of challenge I enjoy as a writer.

There's a lot of discussion early on in the novel about how Wren does and does not conform to gender stereotypes of the era, and whether she is "womanly" or not.
Wren is independently wealthy and runs her own business, both of which were very unusual for a Regency lady. I had to set up her backstory to make it seem possible that it might really have happened. She is unusually tall and aloof, and of course she has the facial blemish that has made her a recluse all her life. Each of these facts attack the Regency ideal of femininity. Yet, she is a woman whose inner femininity is ageless. She yearns for marriage and even sex. They are important enough to her that she is willing to use her fortune to buy them. She has a hard time fitting into Regency society, but she makes the effort because she does not want to be a freak all her life and—ultimately—because she falls in love.

I absolutely adored the character of Alexander. He's kind but self-possessed, clear about what he wants without being overtly aggressive. To me, he seemed the perfect blend of the so-called alpha and beta character types for men in romance. What do you think about that distinction? Would you say Alexander is firmly in either of those categories?
Yes, I think that is a fair assessment. He is a take-charge sort of man. He likes to think he knows best and he likes to protect those he loves, sometimes to the point of being over-protective. His motives are always benign, but he can be a pain to the women in his life. It is one source of friction between him and the very independent Wren. However, this is where the beta side of his character kicks in and prevents him (I hope) from being in any way unlikable. He recognizes his tendency to be overbearing and learns to rein it in so that he and Wren can be co-equals in their marriage. He is no softie, though. He is capable of great firmness, even violence, in the defense of his loved ones—another alpha trait.

Both Alexander and Wren view marriage as something that can be marked by respect and affection at best, and don't expect anything more from a possible relationship between the two of them. How did you balance staying true to those characters while also delivering all the emotion and sensuality romance readers want?
Well, there always is the difference between what the two of them expect and are prepared to settle for, and what in their heart of hearts they want. Alexander has a romantic soul. He spent years getting his own estate in order so that at last he could turn his attention to his own happiness as he searched for a woman he could love. Then he inherits a title and a vast, impoverished estate, and has little choice but to give up his dream in order to marry someone with money. Even then, he will not marry just anyone. She has to be someone he can like and respect. But he is a man born to love. It would always have been virtually impossible for him just to like and respect his wife without also falling in love with her.

Similarly, Wren's life experiences have led her to believe that she is unmarriageable, even though through her teen years and early adulthood she had the unconditional love of her uncle and aunt. She is prepared to use her fortune to purchase a husband, but, as with Alexander, not just anyone will do. He must be someone she can respect. Neither of them expects love, but both are open and ready for it when it offers itself—in the form of each other.

The trauma from events in Wren's childhood felt incredibly visceral. Did you do any research specifically for it?
I didn't. I very rarely do for the terrible trauma my characters may have suffered. I have had a blind hero, a deaf mute heroine, a heroine who suffered dreadful childhood trauma (this book), a talented painter who lost both his right arm and an eye to torture and so on. I do it all imaginatively. I climb right inside these characters. I live their lives with them, even their past, and I feel what it is like to live this life. When I imaginatively became the blind hero, for example, I felt a claustrophobic panic attack coming on, and I incorporated several such attacks into his book. I am always relieved when a reader who has suffered the same trauma tells me I got it right.

What has changed the most in the romance genre since you started writing?
Probably the amalgamation of many publishing houses so that there are not too many options left for writers trying to get published. On the other hand, online publishing and indie publishing give all sorts of opportunity for writers to get their work out there. This is also great for long-established writers whose backlists have been long out of print. As a reader, I know how wonderful it is these days to be able to get my hands on all the books of writers I have only recently discovered.

As for any changes in the content of the genre, I am probably the wrong person to ask. I read very little romance. It was a conscious decision I made soon after being published. I don't want to follow trends or be influenced by what other people are doing. I want to follow my own vision of what makes a love story. I am a prolific reader, but I read other genres most of the time. Of course I often cheat, but when I do read romance, it is usually contemporary while I write historical.

What's next for you?
Someone to Wed is book three of what is projected to be an eight-part series about the Westcott family. The fourth book in the Westcott family series, Someone to Care, is written and ready to be published in May 2018. It is Viola Kingsley's story. Book five, Someone to Trust, is Lady Elizabeth Overfield's story. It is currently in the works and has been scheduled for November 2018.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our review of Someone to Wed.

(Author photo by Sharon Pelletier.)

Leonie Charnock, the heroine of Cathy Maxwell’s If Ever I Should Love You, doesn’t believe she has a problem. It’s been years since the traumatic event that caused her and her family to leave their post in India for England, and despite her impending spinsterhood, Leonie has dear friends and stands to inherit a fortune. But she has to take an occasional sip of brandy to get through the day . . . sometimes more than one. When Leonie marries Roman Gilchrist and leaves her neglectful parents behind, she begins to realize that her habit is indicative of a far deeper problem—one she must face if she is ever to find true happiness.

We talked to Maxwell about writing a heroine who struggles with alcohol, the beauty of flawed characters and how the story would be different if the couple lived in the modern day.

Describe your latest book in a sentence.
Love does not require flawlessness because if it did, we’d all be in trouble.

Roman is often stubborn and arrogant, but he's also caring, devoted to his family and protective of his new bride. How did you strike that balance? Was there a moment that unlocked his character for you?
This is great! I love your description of Roman because doesn’t that describe any of us when we are desperate enough to do what we must to survive? He is actually disgusted with Leonie. Years ago, she chose the wrong man who wasn’t him. And now he gets to prove that she was wrong by marrying her. How is that for twisted logic?

I found his bitter insistence masked a wounded heart. He never forgot her. Think about it—he jumps at a chance to see her again.

How did I strike the balance? Love. Even when he is angry, his actions are motivated by love.

The people we love can make us a bit crazy, no?

I was fascinated by your exploration of alcoholism in the Regency period. When did that element of the story emerge and why did you decide to incorporate it into the rest of the novel?
What is the saying? That we are only as sick as our secrets? Leonie carries a heavy burden of guilt. She unknowingly orchestrated the incident that destroyed her sense of trust. And since that time, she has been struggling to reclaim that piece of her soul. Alcohol can make life bearable, but it also claims a heavy cost.

Writing the story, I knew what had happened to Leonie. I knew it had impacted her deeply and I believed her to be resilient. But for a long time during the writing, her character was flat and inauthentic. Then she took a nip out of one the many decanters in her family home, and the tension inside of her eased. Her character became real. From that point on, I followed the trail of the story.

Leonie has survived some deeply traumatic events. How did you approach writing those memories and the emotional repercussions of them?
I wrote a compartmentalized person. I believe that is how many of us handle trauma. We partition it away, focus on what is expected of us or easier feelings, and pretend with all our might the horror is not there. However, there is always a trigger and a reckoning.

Leonie is in control—or so she thinks. Then Roman reappears in her life with his cold honesty. His presence serves as the trigger. Her initial reaction is panic, but here is the interesting thing—by bringing everything into the light, by creating a situation where she must face her demons, Leonie begins to heal. She takes the doors off of those compartments; instead of bottling the pain, she can use it to help her become the person she believes she is.

How you do you think Roman and Leonie’s story would be different if it was set in the present day?
Roman would be a sneaker-wearing bicycle messenger with a dream of building his own company and Leonie would be an administrative assistant with a super stressful job and a wish to do something meaningful. Plus, the book would be made into a movie with a rocking soundtrack.

No, that isn’t correct. I know what you asking. The truth is, the book would translate well to present day because it is about finding one’s place in the world. Leonie has given up on being loved for herself. She can’t trust her judgment and she is too strong a personality to turn the decisions over to others. She is trying to make sense in a world that is filled with meaningless activities and frivolous people. In other words, she is fed up with online dating.

Meanwhile, Roman is on the hunt for the second chance he needs to succeed. Now cue the rocking soundtrack.

What do you read outside of the romance genre?
I read everything. I’m always looking for a good story—fiction or nonfiction. Right now I’m reading a book on curanderismo that is firing up my imagination in many different directions.

You’ve enjoyed a very long career in historical romance. Is there any time period or type of story you’d like to try that you haven’t yet?
I’ve been blessed to write exactly what I want to write. I enjoy the veneer of history. It makes storytelling fun.

The cover art for If Ever I Should Love You is really striking and a bit darker in tone than the norm for historicals. What notes did you give the marketing team on how it should look?
The cover was synchronicity. I don’t consider the book a dark one. I admire Leonie’s spirit to not only survive but to thrive. The cover does give the feeling of a woman ready to take on a great change in her life.

What's next for you?
I’m picking up the story thread of Leonie’s friend Cassandra Holwell. An heiress, Cassandra is determined to marry a duke. She has even found “the one.”

And then another “one,” the one she doesn’t want, steps into her path and turns her plans inside out. A Match Made in Bed will be out April 17, 2018.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our review of If Ever I Should Love You.

The cool, calm and collected Dr. Garett Gibson has been a scene-stealing supporting character in Lisa Kleypas’ Ravenels books. So much so that when Kleypas announced Garrett would be the heroine of her fourth novel in the series, Hello Stranger, feverish speculation and spirited debate erupted as to who her love interest would be. Kleypas surprised many by picking Ethan Ransom, a mysterious government agent who’s been lurking on the sidelines during all the Ravenel family drama and romance. We asked Kleypas to tell us about why Ethan and Garrett work so well together, the joys of Victorian street food and her biggest sex-scene pet peeve.

Describe your latest book in a sentence.
England’s only female physician, Garrett Gibson, is drawn into a world of danger and desire when she falls in love with government agent Ethan Ransom.

You based Garrett on Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, a female doctor in Victorian England. How did you first learn about Anderson? How did her story turn out?
I first learned about Elizabeth Garrett Anderson while I was writing Marrying Winterborne. In one scene, the hero was injured by debris falling from a collapsing building, and I wanted to bring in a doctor as a minor character. Then I thought, “Wouldn’t it be interesting if the doctor was a woman?” But when I researched female physicians in England at the time, I learned there was only one, Dr. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. She earned a medical degree in France at the Sorbonne, and managed to obtain a British medical license through a loophole (which was quickly closed afterward). For almost 20 years, she was the only female member of the British Medical Association.

Dr. Anderson was extraordinary—she eventually became the dean of a British medical school, and later was elected as the first female mayor in England, in Aldeburgh. She was active in the suffrage movement, and on top of all that, she was happily married and had three children.

I was so fascinated and inspired that I named my fictional doctor Garrett in honor of her. I had to fight to keep Garrett from stealing every scene she was in! In the next book, Devil in Spring, I needed a doctor again, so I brought Garrett back, and there was that same zing of crisp energy every time she made an appearance. So I knew she had to have her own book—she practically demanded it.

There’s a really charming scene where Ethan and Garrett walk through a street market together, and you get to describe all these fascinating Victorian street foods. How do you research that kind of detail? And how did you decide what type of foods your characters would or would not enjoy?
It was so much fun looking up what people would eat at those markets! I went to Google Books and read several books and periodicals written at the time, and found terrific descriptions of street food. A surprising variety of food was available, including sandwiches (called “trotters”), roasted potatoes and clams, pastries and fresh produce. (Unfortunately it wasn’t all that hygienic, since the tin dishware was sometimes reused without washing in-between!) Henry Mayhew wrote a book titled London Labor and the London Poor with extensive descriptions of the markets, especially in the wonderfully titled chapter “Street-Sellers of Eatables and Drinkables.” When I read that Italian street-sellers were introducing spaghetti around that time (made with cream sauce instead of tomato sauce), I couldn’t help imagining Garrett’s reaction when she first sees it. I think it turned out to be one of the funnier moments in the book, because she’s usually such a composed and no-nonsense person.

Garrett has been a fan favorite character in the Ravenels series, and many fans theorized she might end up with West Ravenel or Tom Severin. Why did you choose to have Garrett fall in love with Ethan Ransom instead?
I think Tom Severin is too detached and self-contained to be a good match for her. Garrett’s feet are planted so firmly on the ground that only a thoroughly dashing and romantic man could sweep her off them. West was a strong possibility—he’s charming and smart, and he could provide some of the fun and balance she needs in a partner.

But no one is as perfect for Garrett as Ethan Ransom. I thought there was something electric when they meet in both Winterborne and Devil in Spring. There was a scene near the end of Devil in Spring when Ransom’s gaze lingers on her for an extra second as she walks away—it was just one of those spontaneous things your brain comes up with while writing. But later I could see an entire story in that moment!

I decided that Ransom has been secretly in love with Garrett for two years, and has been watching over her from a distance to keep her safe. He has no expectation of ever being with her, especially since his own life is in danger. So every second with Garrett is precious to Ransom, and I think that gives their scenes more immediacy and intensity than any other novel I’ve written.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a scene in a historical romance novel where a woman used a contraceptive sponge! Was that form of contraception common in the Victorian era? Or is Garrett slightly ahead of her time, being a trailblazing female doctor and all?
Isn’t it fascinating that something that seems so modern was done back then? This was totally a thing in the Victorian Era, and in fact lemon juice was used for centuries as a spermicide! The sponge method was described in detail in a few different publications, including an 1823 pamphlet by Richard Carlile titled “Every Woman’s Book.” Methods of preventing conception such as douches, suppositories, condoms and the withdrawal method were also explained in the pamphlet, which demonstrated a surprisingly uncritical view of women’s desire and fulfillment.

There’s a great article on Jezebel about Victorian birth control, and another one in National Geographic that mentions the history of lemon juice as a spermicide.

Incidentally, would you believe lemon juice is so acidic that it kills the HIV virus?

You took a break from historicals several years ago to write contemporary romance. Have you noticed any differences in your writing now that you've moved back to the genre?
Oh, definitely. Even though I’ve been lucky enough to have a long career doing something I love, I’m faced with the challenge of how to stay fresh and keep growing. Taking a break to try something new was scary but exciting, especially because I had to develop a few new skills to write contemporary romance. In a historical, obstacles to marriage can consist of differences in social position, religion, rigid ethics and family traditions, as well as personality differences. But in a contemporary romance, the conflicts tend to be far more internal and psychological, so it forced me to think deeply about the characters. I also had to change some of my habits in plotting, pacing and obviously language. So when I came back to historical romance, I felt refreshed and I also had more tools in my writing toolbox. I think there’s more depth and detail in my historical writing now, and a sharper mixture of humor and emotion. For example, in Hello Stranger, some of the most desperate and wrenching scenes also have some funny moments.

What was the hardest part of Hello Stranger to get right?
Medical research. Nothing was even a close second! I felt strongly that Garrett needed to be believable as a physician and surgeon, especially in light of a major plot development that requires her skill. However, as a highly squeamish and medically uninformed person, I had a lot to learn about Victorian medicine. I looked up information about surgical instruments, operating room lamps, antiseptic chemicals, etc. and I learned how they administered chloroform and performed blood transfusions. I tried to make all the terms and procedures as accurate as possible. Although some of it was gruesome, I was left with a profound admiration for the medical profession at that time—they were always innovating, analyzing, sharing information and doing whatever they could to advance science and help their patients. There’s a stereotype of Victorian doctors as arrogant, bloodletting meanies—in fact, the slang term for a doctor was “leech.” But the more you read their actual writing of the time, their questions and hopes and worries, the more you realize how compassionate and skilled they were.

A lot of romance readers have tropes they absolutely love. Do you have any you find yourself being drawn to again and again? Are there any you don’t like?
I love marriages of convenience. The notion of throwing two virtual strangers into proximity—and intimacy—will always seem fascinating and fun to me. I also adore antiheroes who have secret hearts of gold. I love road-trip plots and enemies-to-lovers plots.

However, I’m not especially fond of the friends-to-lovers trope because it’s so hard to do well. It seems like the chemistry is lacking when the hero and heroine have known each other a long time and haven’t felt physical attraction to each other before. And I don’t usually like the divorced-but-falling-in-love-again trope—if the HEA fell through the first time, how can I trust it now? But it always depends on the author.

This is more of a pet peeve than a trope, but I can’t stand it when the hero, who is supposed to be a bedroom virtuoso, makes love to the heroine with no foreplay at all, and she’s instantly in ecstasy. And even worse, when the hero commands her to come and she immediately climaxes. I’m sure we all wish it were that easy! But I prefer it when the hero goes through a little effort during the love scenes, and he gets even more points if he seems to be having fun. I think the perfect proportion of a great love scene is 90 percent foreplay and 10 percent “the act.”

What’s next for you?
West Ravenel’s story! Here’s how it starts:

Phoebe had never met West Ravenel, but she knew one thing for certain: He was a mean, rotten bully. She had known it since the age of eight, when her best friend Henry had started writing to her from boarding school.

Phoebe, Lady Clare, is a young widow with two small sons. Her beloved husband, Henry, her childhood sweetheart, is gone, and now she has to pick up the pieces of her life and start again. She has always despised West because long ago, he bullied Henry unmercifully in boarding school. Now Phoebe’s brother is marrying into the Ravenel family, and she’s attending the wedding. To her dismay, she’s finally going to have to meet West, the man she has hated since childhood. But it turns out that West isn’t quite what she expected!

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our review of Hello Stranger.

Author photo by Danielle Barnum Photography.