I never tire of Regina’s historical adventures! This is book 4 in a wonderful London, England
Regency series. Lydia Villers is strong and admirable, but feeling a tad
unsettled over this new position with someone who has spurned her previously. I
must admit that I didn’t know what to think of Lydia in book 3. I even disliked
her at times! In book 4, I found Meredith Thorn and Fortune the cat at their
best when introducing Lydia to Frederick, Viscount Worthington. When a lady
loves science she will even put up with the discomfort of a past acquaintance
who would otherwise have caused her to—run. An imperfect but excellent choice
of a hero keeps the tension and questions coming. There is a pleasing thread of
mystery throughout this 1812 tale.
Who doesn’t love a mystery? I know that I do!
Regina kept my attention through the entire story and
I felt fully entertained and engaged in both the plot and the characters. I
love that NEVER VIE FOR A VISCOUNT is set in this wonderful time period. This
novel made me smile! Well done, Regina. Also, Regina’s beautiful website http://www.reginascott.com/
includes announcements and her blog page includes interesting tidbits of
historical facts.
I did receive this novel for free and I’m thrilled and
excited to share this honest and informative review. I love clean, historical
fiction with engaging characters who are caught in the whirlwind of
difficulties and challenges.
Questions for Regina:
How did you come up with the room spaces used
for the scientific experiments?
For Lydia to be able to get easily back and
forth to her new position, I knew Worth’s laboratory needed to be located near
Miss Thorn’s home on Clarendon Square, which is mostly populated by townhouses.
Like most condominiums today, they were narrow and had relatively few rooms.
So, I had Worth purchase the adjoining townhouse to his as his base of
operations. Using an architectural plan of one such house from the Regency
period, I mapped out which rooms might serve for what purpose. For example,
Worth’s experiments require access to heat and water, so I gave him the kitchen
of the second house. One of his colleagues, Miss Pankhurst, needs more space to
store and spread out the textiles she is researching, so I allotted her the old
dining room with it built-in cabinets. I also had Worth remove most of the
things that might burn—like padded furniture, draperies, and doilies—from all
his research rooms to prevent a fire should an experiment go awry.
If you were to rewrite a character in this
story, who would it be and what would you add or take away?
I might rewrite John Curtis, Worth’s rival
natural philosopher, to give him a bit more of a backstory
Or maybe I’ll save
that for another book. 
What was the most fun historical aspect to
study in this novel?
The ballooning! It is always surprising to me
to learn what was available during the Regency period, and what wasn’t. Now we
take sandbags and pull cords for granted in a hot air balloon, but those were
just starting to be tested in Worth and Lydia’s time. They couldn’t isolate
oxygen easily, and helium had yet to be discovered as an element, so their
choices for lifting gasses were pretty small. The French had experimented with
hydrogen, with sometimes disastrous results!
What would you like to share about your
adventures writing this novel or the history you discovered in your research?
Napoleon wanted to conquer England so badly,
but England’s might at sea kept him from crossing the Channel easily. So, he
started his own air force—of balloons—and the head of it was a woman! Alas,
Madame Sophie Blanchard was killed when her balloon caught fire and crashed,
before she could make plans for invading England from the air.
What is the take-away that you would love your
readers to benefit from reading this story?
Don’t let anyone tell you who you are.
God gave you talents, dreams. Embrace them, and benefit the world. That’s what
Lydia learns to do.
Will there be a book 5?
Yes, there will! Never
Kneel to Knight, featuring Worth’s sister Charlotte, releases in mid-March.
When the thoroughly poised Charlotte Worthington requests that Miss Thorn
and her cat Fortune find her a position, she never dreamed the savvy employment
agency owner would reunite her with Matthew Bateman, her brother's former
bodyguard. Matthew is about to be knighted for an act of valor, and he and his
sisters could use some polishing if they're to enter Society after his
elevation. Yet how can Charlotte maintain her calm, cool demeanor as their
sponsor when she harbors a secret love for him? Matthew Bateman cannot forget
the beauty who is miles out of his league. Once a boxer called the Beast of
Birmingham, Matthew would like nothing better than to be worthy of Charlotte's
hand. As old enemies and new ones attempt to bring him low, can Matthew prove
to Charlotte that their love is meant to be?
How do you want your readers to contact you?
