Please welcome Ella Quinn back to the Nook with #6 in her Marriage Game series. A Pirate in the Most Unlikely Character I’m so pleased to be back on Miss Ivy’s Book Nook! My new release, Enticing Miss Eugenie Villaret, takes place in the West Indies, not the most common setting for a post war Regency. The reason most likely is that by 1816 there was only one active pirate operating, and he spent most of his time in the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately for me, because I really needed a pirate, he did make the occasional foray to the Caribbean. Although, with the British Navy patrolling the area, he didn’t stay long, but that was fine with me, I just needed him to attack one ship and leave. What I did find while researching pirates at the time was an English clergyman called the Pirate Priest. He allegedly lived on Tortola in the British West Indies. This information prompted me to call the Tortola historian who verified the Pirate Priest actually existed. Unfortunately, his name is lost to history. Nevertheless, how can one call herself a romance author and not make use of a pirate priest? Naturally she cannot! Here is an excerpt where my hero William, Viscount Wivenly and my heroine, Miss Eugénie Villaret discover the existence of our Pirate Priest.

“Excuse me.” The woman, the same one the deacon had been speaking to earlier, glanced over her shoulder toward the church, as if she was afraid of being seen. Eugénie stopped. “Good afternoon, ma’am, can we help you?” “Are you looking to be married?” the woman asked. “We are.” “You didn’t hear it from me, but there is another vicar on island. He is a Mr. Petherick.” Will closed his eyes and gave his head a shake. “Why would Mr. Stewart lie?” She looked around again, and said in a low voice, “He’s at St. Michael’s. On the north side near Great Carot Bay. It’s up on the hill.” “That still,” Will said with clenched teeth, “doesn’t answer my question.” A door closed, and the woman moved away. “The older Mr. Stewart don’t like Mr. Petherick. He’s called the pirate priest. I must go.” She lifted her skirts and ran to the small building to the left of the church. “The pirate priest?” Cicely and Eugénie said in unison. “I don’t know if this . . .” Whitecliff’s voice petered out as his daughter glared at him. Cicely put her hands on her hips. “Andrew and I are marrying, Papa. As long as he is legally able to perform the service, I don’t care what he’s called.” Andrew cleared his throat. “I must agree with Cicely, sir. To my mind, we’ve waited long enough.” “That is what I think as well,” Eugénie chimed in. Whitecliff glanced over at Will. “I’m with them, sir.” The older man nodded. “Very well then, but not a word to your mothers about his moniker. We’d never hear the end of it.”

William, Viscount Wivenly, plans to remain the most eligible of bachelors. He refuses to surrender to the schemes of husband-hunting ladies and matchmaking mamas. Fleeing the pressure of the ton, he’s bent on finding refuge in the West Indies. What he finds instead is a fascinating stranger, a woman so unlike those of his society that he can’t resist such a beguiling distraction… Determined to let nothing complicate her mission to protect her family’s livelihood while covertly rescuing orphaned slave children, Miss Eugénie Villaret does her best to evade suitors. But when dashing William lures her down a path of forbidden adventure and delicious danger, she may be convinced that business can indeed be mixed with pleasure—and persuaded to add passion to her priorities... a Rafflecopter giveaway Barnes & Nobel and Amazon bestselling author Ella Quinn’s studies and other jobs have always been on the serious side. Reading historical romances, especially Regencies, were her escape. Eventually her love of historical novels led her to start writing them. She is married to her wonderful husband of twenty-nine years. They have a son and granddaughter, Great Dane and a Chartreux. After living in the South Pacific, Central America, North Africa, England and Europe, she and her husband decided to make St. Thomas, VI home. Ella is a member of the Romance Writers of American, The Beau Monde and Hearts Through History. She is represented by Elizabeth Pomada of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency, and published by Kensington. Her debut novel The Seduction of Lady Phoebe, released in September 2013. Website: (Up soon) www.ellaquinnauthor.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/EllaQuinnAuthor Twitter www.twitter.com/ellaquinnauthor Blog http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpresscom