Hello lovely readers!

I love coffee. I hated it at first. My father drank it like water. But it wasn't until I began coaching gymnastics meets all weekend long, sun up to sun down, that I really acquired the taste. And it took lots of that liquid sugar coffeemate creamer. LOTS OF IT.

Anyway, my next release, Kiss or Dare, book 3 in the Debutante Dares series for Wolf, has a ton of coffee in it. We all think of tea when we think of the Regency, but coffee was a big deal, too. The Regency marked a decline in the booming coffeehouse culture of the 18th century, but there were still almost as many coffeehouses in London as there are starbucks now. I have a number somewhere in a book or source. I'll have to try to find it and post it to the blog.

And in Kiss or Dare, my hero has set his eye on acquiring one. All on his own, only using the money he can earn with his wit and his brawn even though (and actually because) he's the younger brother of a wealthy duke. He's an independent sort. This is all threatened when he finds himself in a compromising position with the heroine. Marriage requires money, after all, and marriage to this woman requires respectability. Needless to say lust, as often happens in these cases, has put him in a bind, and not the sexy kind. :)

I did some interesting research on coffee for this book and found out that the percolator was invented, for the first time, during the Regency (I say first time because some other dude invented another one totally independently of the first guy later, and the second inventor dude is more well-known than the first).

My blog has some links to my sources. Even though this percolator apparently made the coffee taste rather metallic, I found it inspirational, and gave this invention to my hero. I've taken no other inspiration from the inventor of the percolator except his invention. In character, background, aspirations, they share nothing that I know of.

But for any of you who read A Dare Too Far and remember the scene where Lord Devon valiantly defends coffee, none of this will come as any surprise.

A hero who valiantly defends coffee... why am I like this? 🤣 Geez, Charlie, the people want Broody MacScotsman and what do you give them? Cheerful Lord Coffee Lover. Ah well. Que sera sera.

What's your go-to drink?

Ready for some great book recommendations?

I know you are! Dive in below.

First, I've teamed up with seven other amazing historical romance authors to create a first-in-series collection. Try new authors, new books, and dive head first into a new series you might love!

Hey look... this amazing collection is available today! Snag your copy! Look at all those great authors! And with this collection of series starters, you might not just find your next favorite story, but your next favorite series as well!

I can't go a month without recommending Michelle's books. SUCH a good writer and storyteller. This is sure to scratch that Scottish itch we all have.

Rosie Chapel always has a lovely cover. Let's try The Unconvential Duchess this month!

If you've not yet read Melanie Rose Clarke's Escaping the Duke, do!

As you may remember from my last correspondence (and this one as well. Who am I kidding?)... I love nice guys. Here's an entire collection of romance featuring nice guys! Just for me... ah... I mean you... Nice guys for everyone!

And some freebies!

Do you love binging an entire series? Me too! Here are some box sets to help you do so.

I've had odd difficulties with links lately. Sigh. So if any of these links do not work for you, let me know!

Happy reading,

Charlie Lane