Tired of Regency Rakes

Can a man be innocent and still be sexy? That was the challenge I chose to accept in Le Chevalier.

I adore regency romances. However, as diverse as the heroes can be: Duke, Marquis, Earl etc.. the one thing they often have in common is a checkered past. Their vices might vary, involving issues with gambling or spending sprees, but they invariably involve women—lots of women. I call these heroes the “regency rakes.”

I wanted to write historical, but I couldn’t write regencies for two reasons. First, I am an American, and I’m just not bred to keep all those titles straight. But more importantly, I don’t find a man who couldn’t count the number of women he’s slept with on two hands all that appealing.


I can set aside my aversion when reading some of my favorite authors. It helps that their stories are so well-crafted and their characters so charming. However, writing a book often means living with these characters for more than a year. Le Chevalier took almost two years to write, and I would bet I’ve been through the story more than twenty-five times. I needed to have a male lead that I felt comfortable being around.

Enter le Chevalier de Mont Trignon. Is he a virgin – well, no. I wasn’t ready to go that far! After all, it would have been hard to explain his knowledge of what to do in the bedroom if he had no experience.

But to understand who he is, its help to understand that “chevalier” and “chivalry” have the same root. In essence, le Chevalier is the French embodiment of the English legend of the “Knight in Shining Armour.”  (That’s purposefully the English spelling. After all, it is their legend.)

I hope you enjoy reading Le Chevalier as much as I did while writing it. I’m eager to hear if you find his mix of innocence and manliness as appealing as I do.

MJ

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