Julie Anne Long and Maya Rodale: Welcome! And SHHHH!! You've just stumbled into a surprise party in honor of Between the Devil and Ian Eversea and Wallflower Gone Wild. Our heroes and heroines are about to get the shock of their lives. But it's for their own good, of course.
Julie: You know, things just seem to happen to Everseas (and if we're being honest, because of Everseas). After all, in The Perils of Pleasure, Ian watched his brother Colin disappear from the gallows in a puff of smoke; in What I Did for a Duke, Ian was ushered naked out an upper-story window by the pistol-wielding Duke of Falconbridge. And just ask the Redmond family what they think of Ian's sister Olivia—she allegedly broke golden boy and heir Lyon Redmond's heart, which is why he disappeared. But Ian is a war hero and he has the scars to prove it. He can handle just about anything with equanimity, whether it's taking a bayonet in the gut or walking home at midnight through the Sussex countryside naked, in just one boot, but there are two things he knows with unshakeable certainty: he can seduce any woman he chooses, and there isn't a woman alive who can convince him to become leg-shackled in marriage. Oh, Ian. If you only knew what was in store for you...
Maya: The hero of Wallflower Gone Wild, Phinneas Cole—formally known as Baron Radcliff, and popularly known as The Mad Baron, though he preferred to be called Phinn—actually wants to be leg-shackled, caught in the parson’s mousetrap, become a tenant for life, etc, etc. But he has an unfortunate talent for attracting women prone to outrageous behavior. For example, his late wife was a veritable she-devil whose untimely demise was unfairly blamed on him. Or, more to the point, consider his betrothed, Lady Olivia Archer, known as London’s Least Likely To Cause A Scandal, who is determined to deter The Mad Baron from his plans to marry her by breaking every rule governing the behavior of proper young ladies. Which she does. Which results in all kinds of trouble. Which he nobly and gallantly rescues her from. Which only leads to some very romantic complications.
Julie: Poor Phinneas. Or should I say, lucky Phinneas? He goes out of the way to avoid surprises, and he's about to get the biggest surprise of his life! And so is Ian Eversea, for very similar reasons. Being naked with a woman is one thing (and Ian might be a little too comfortable with that), but being stripped emotionally naked by a woman—for the first time ever— is another thing altogether. As far as he's concerned, the Duke of Falconbridge's ward, Titania "Tansy" Danforth as too young, too innocent, too American, too all of the things a renowned jade like Ian finds dull. But when this "innocent" cuts a swath through Sussex, stealing hearts and beaux, he calls her on her game—only to have the tables turned on him. It takes a rogue to know one, and Tansy sees right through him.
Maya: "It takes a rogue to know one." Brilliant! Neither Phinn or Olivia are by nature very rogue-ish and I found it absolutely hysterical to write two characters acting so very out of character. Olivia takes her well-worn etiquette book and endeavors to do the opposite of what it says. Phinn takes The Worst Romantic Advice Ever from his friend, the ridiculously rakish Lord Rogan. But somehow...in breaking all the rules they end up revealing their true selves and falling madly, improperly and eternally in love.
Julie and Maya: Ah, love—the best surprise of all. We hope you'll all stay for the party.