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Wednesday, 6 May 2026

My Coffee Pot Book Tour Guest: Sarah Mallory Rescued by the Rakish Lord



Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through worlds real and fictional,
meet interesting people, visit exciting places
and find good books to enjoy along the way!



About the Book
Book Title: Rescued by the Rakish Lord

Author Name: Sarah Mallory

Publication Date: 23rd April 2026

Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon

Pages: 276 (print length)

Genre: Historical Romance

Any Triggers: mildly sexy, mild threat

A man of such dubious reputation…

that he was called Devil Blackbourne!

When Lord Deveril Blackbourne meets Selina Wynter, he is intrigued. For she has all the accomplishments of a lady, but the fiery temper and spirit of a tavern maid! Then she is abducted by a dastardly suitor, and Deveril—for all his roguish reputation— can’t stand idly by…

Lord Deveril is Selina’s least likely rescuer, but when they’re stranded together in a snowstorm and her reputation is at risk, he surprises her with a gallant proposal! Deveril’s no honourable suitor, yet his actions say otherwise…

Just who is the real Devil Blackbourne? Selina’s determined to find out!

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RE7wx


 Author Bio

Sarah Mallory is an award-winning author who has published more than 40 historical romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon. She loves history, especially the Georgian and Regency. She won the prestigious RoNA Rose Award from the Romantic Novelists Association in 2012 and 2013 and nominated in 2022. She also won the RNA’s Romantic Historical Novel Award in 2024 for The Night She Met the Duke.

Sarah also writes romantic historical adventures as Melinda Hammond. She was born in the West Country but lived for many years on the Yorkshire Pennines, taking inspiration from the wild and rugged moors. Then in 2018 she fell in love with Scotland and ran away to live on the rugged North West Coast, which is proving even more inspiring!

Author links

Websites: 

www.sarahmallory.com / www.melindahammond.com

Twitter / X:   

https://x.com/SarahMRomance

Facebook:  

  https://www.facebook.com/melinda.hammond.77

Instagram:  

https://www.instagram.com/sarahmallory21/

Bluesky:  

 https://bsky.app/profile/sarahmallory.bsky.social

Amazon Author Page:  

https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Sarah-Mallory/author/B0034OAJ3W

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1415302.Sarah_Mallory


read an excerpt

Excerpt 3:

Snowbound at the inn

Selina’s neighbour, Clifford Fremington, has abducted her with a view to making her marry him. A snowstorm prevents them reaching his secluded hunting lodge and they have taken shelter at an inn, where Deveril has caught up with them. The landlady is heavily pregnant and Selina steps in to help her…

It was not long before Selina reappeared and Deveril enquired after the landlady.

‘Aye, is the child born yet?’ asked Fremington, jumping up and offering her his chair beside the fire.

‘It could be some hours yet,’ she said, sitting down. ‘It might even be the morning before the baby comes. Mrs Jennock is presently pacing the floor. Her husband and maid are with her, so she is well looked after. I have told them to fetch me if I am needed.’

‘There is no need for you to put yourself out, Selina,’ Fremington told her. ‘These are country folk and will manage very well without you.’

‘If we could fetch a doctor or midwife I would agree, but snowed in as we are, I am more than ready to help, if I can.’

He waved an airy hand. ‘Pho, what use could you be?’

‘More use than you,’ she retorted. ‘I have delivered more than one litter of puppies, and helped a cow to calve, which cannot be all that different can it?’

She turned her head to look at Deveril, who quickly raised his hands. ‘Pray acquit me, ma’am, I have no experience at all in that quarter.’

‘No, of course not, but one must do something. Mildy is not yet sixteen, and although she is a sensible girl and a hard worker, she is little more than a child herself. There is no other female here, so I shall do what I can to help.’

‘If you will take my advice, you will stay well out of it,’ said Clifford. ‘It’s bad enough we are stuck in this place with so few servants, there is no need for you to play midwife as well! For heaven’s sake, let be, Selina. The Jennocks will manage very well on their own.’

She made no response to that, but Deveril knew enough of the lady by now to guess that when the time came, she would be ready to assist in whatever way she could.

Clifford, however, took her silence for agreement and smiled.

‘Now, Selina, allow me to pour you a glass of brandy.’

‘What I should really like,’ she said, ‘is Madeira.’

Deveril saw Fremington glance towards the single decanter on the table as Selina went on.

‘I noticed a carboy of Madeira wine in the cellar when I was exploring earlier,’ she said. ‘You will find clean decanters there, too.’

‘Oh. Ah. Yes…well, I will go and fetch some.’

Fremington lounged away and, as the door closed behind him, Selina turned to Deveril, her face alight with puzzled amusement.

‘Goodness, that is a surprise! What on earth has come over Clifford?’

‘He is, er, trying to win your favour.’

‘Dear me, is he?’ She laughed. ‘It will take more than a glass of Madeira to do that! Why on earth should he think it?’

‘Because he told you that his coachman could make himself useful and you considered it a splendid notion.’

She looked blank for a moment, then she shook her head.

‘But he only wanted Merton to wait upon him!’ She drew in a breath and exclaimed wrathfully, ‘First he runs off with me in the most outrageous manner and then thinks a few small gestures will make everything right. What a silly gudgeon!’

‘Yes, he is, isn’t he?’ Deveril agreed affably.

‘I have very little experience of the matter,’ she went on, frowning, ‘but I cannot believe abduction is the best way to go about seducing anyone. I should think one would be obliged to exert a great deal more charm, is that not so?’

She was looking at him quite innocently and Deveril waited for the moment when she realised just what she was implying. It did not take long. A fiery blush stained her cheeks and she put her hands to her mouth.

‘Oh dear, I beg your pardon,’ she said, between mortification and mirth. ‘This is not a conversation we should be having is it, my lord?’

He grinned. ‘I am very happy with it.’

She choked back a laugh, shaking her head, and Deveril waited, eager to know what she would say next.

He was to be disappointed. There was a hasty knock on the door and the maid came in.

‘Beggin your pardon, Miss Wynter, but Master Jennock says please can you come to the bedchamber? The mistress is fretting fit to burst!’

‘Oh dear!’ Selina jumped to her feet. ‘Yes, of course I will come with you, Mildy.’

She hesitated, glancing uncertainly at Deveril, who nodded.

‘Go on now. And if there is anything I can do you must tell me. I will help you if I can.’

She had reached the door but stopped and looked back at him, an arrested look in her eyes.

‘Thank you,’ she said slowly, ‘I believe you would.’



Follow the tour:

Twitter Handle: @SarahMRomance @cathiedunn

Instagram Handle: @sarahmallory21 @thecoffeepotbookclub

Hashtags: #HistoricalRomance #RomanticAdventure 

#BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub

Tour Schedule Page: 

https://thecoffeepotbookclub.blogspot.com/2026/04/blog-tour-rescued-by-the-rakish-lord-by-sarah-mallory..html


via https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/


scroll down to leave a comment...

You might also like books written by Helen Hollick 


cosy mysteries : historical fiction
nautical supernatural adventure 
 
1066 : King Arthur
ghosts : non-fiction
 anthologies

2025 annual award winner

THANK YOU!

Tuesday, 5 May 2026

My Coffee Pot Book Tour Guest: Sarah's Destiny by Vicky Adin




Welcome to my Blog!
Wander through worlds real and fictional,
meet interesting people, visit exciting places
and find good books to enjoy along the way!







About the Book
Book Title: Sarah’s Destiny
Series: The Ancestors
Author Name: Vicky Adin
Publication Date: April 2025
Publisher: AM Publishing NZ 
Pages: 354
Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Historical Fiction, 

Any Triggers: Grief, abuse, attempted rape (gentle)

Young Sarah Daniels is the heart, soul and future of The White Hart Inn on the Welsh Back. Alongside the quay and wharves on Bristol’s floating harbour, she dreams of finding love, and a destiny where she can escape the drudgery and tragedy that life usually delivers Victorian women. But dreams are free, and few share her ideals. When reality strikes, and Sarah learns the hard way that life is unkind, one man offers her hope.

Through many decades of heart-aching loss, false promises and broken dreams, the young widow clings to that one hope. With six children to care for, she takes risks few others would consider. She breaks conventions and makes sacrifices to keep that hope alive.

Will her wishes come true, or is she destined to be another unfortunate in the sea of many?


Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/3LPag7 

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.



Author Bio:

Like the characters in her books, Vicky has a passion for family history and a love of old photos, antiques, and treasures from the past. After researching the history of the time and place, and realising the hardships many people suffered, Vicky knew she wanted to write their stories. Tales of love and loss, and triumph over adversity. Her latest release, Sarah’s Destiny, Book 1 of The Ancestors series, is inspired by a true love story set in Bristol.

Vicky particularly enjoys writing inter-generational sagas, inspired by true stories of early immigrants to New Zealand, linked by journals, letters, photographs, and heirlooms.

She’s an avid reader of historical novels, family sagas and women’s stories and loves to travel when she can. She has a MA(Hons) in English and Education. Her story of Gwenna won gold in The Coffee Pot Book Club Women’s Historical Fiction Book of Year in 2022 and several of her books carry the gold B.R.A.G medallion.

Author Links:

Website: 
Facebook: 
Pinterest: 
Book Bub: 
Amazon Author Page:


read an excerpt

1862

Even though she was expecting it, and – she thought – prepared herself for the inevitable, she hadn’t expected the intensity of the sorrow that surged through her. Neither could she hold back the wail that escaped as she tried to push air into her lungs to release the pain. “Daaaa! Oh, Da. Nooooo!”

Mary held her sister close while Sarah’s shoulders shook, and her hands covered her face hoping to block out the image of her ashen-faced father lying on his bed, his skin the colour of the freshly laundered pillowslip under his head.

“Shh. Sarah, my love. Don’t weep,” murmured Mary. “He’s gone to a better place, where there’ll be no more pain.”

Sarah rested her tear-soaked face and red-rimmed eyes on her sister’s breast, trying to regain control of her breathing. “I know. I do know, but oh, Mary, I’m gonna miss ’im so much,” she said between hiccoughs.

“We can’t be selfish about these things. He were ready, and we have to carry on with his memory lookin’ over our shoulders.”

Sarah nodded as Mary continued talking. Suddenly feeling more like a child than a woman approaching thirty, she let her big sister take charge.

“I’ve given Ma some extra laudanum. It’ll help her sleep, but she’ll be in a dark place when she wakes up, between the effects of that stuff and the realisation that Da’s gone. It’s funny, I never really thought of them much as a couple. They were just Ma and Da, but they’ve been together for well over fifty years. They shared in the loss of four of their children and kept home and hearth together for the rest of us. Makes ya think differently somehow.”

“Aye, it does, I suppose. Never thought of it that way.”

She listened to Mary as she moved around the room, closing the curtains and covering the mirrors. “I’ve arranged for a wreath to be hung at the door. I’m sure all Da’s customers will want to know of his passing and to raise a toast to him.”

“Will Ma want to wash the body alone or should we do it together?” asked Sarah dolefully, thinking she should have stopped the grandfather clock downstairs before she came up. “And we’ll need to move him into the parlour for those who wish to say their farewells.”

Sarah would regret not being beside her father, holding his hand, at the moment of his death, but that wasn’t her destiny. That moment had belonged to her ma.

“Once the doctor’s been, Sarah, we shall, but for now can ya get me as much black crape as ya can find to hang over the mirrors and swags for the doors? Since the three of us wear black anyway, there’s little immediate need for more suitable clothes. I’ll need lots of ostrich feathers. Are you listening, Sarah?”

Sarah pulled her eyes from her father’s body. “What? Oh, yes, Mary, I heard ya. Are we sure he’s gone? I wouldn’t want him waking up in the coffin like we’ve heard of happening afore?”

Mary slipped her arm around Sarah once more. “I’m sure. And the doctor will confirm it. I promise. Unfortunately, Da won’t be one to be saved by the bell.”

Sarah offered Mary a weak smile, remembering how some of the more superstitious families tied a rope around the deceased’s hand and attached it to a bell sitting above ground in case the person woke up and needed to alert someone.

“Can you also arrange for the notice in the newspaper? It doesn’t have to be much, but it’s important these days; oh, and Ma wants to have black-edged handkerchiefs made, but I might be able to sew some up.”

“I can help with those,” said Sarah.

Over the following three days, Da’s body lay under the constant eye of Ma and Aunt Nettie, who came for her sister’s sake, or Mary, herself and Ted, depending on the demands of the taproom and kitchen. Their sister Harriet remained in the valleys of Wales, with her new husband and brood of youngsters, still in mourning for her ten-year-old son.

Streams of people paid their respects to Jacob, some pithy, some eloquent, some meaningful. Nearly all brought tears to the mourners’ eyes, despite the Victorian traditional of silent, respectful mourning.

“Will you hire mutes?” asked Sarah of her mother who was being anything but stoic. She shuddered while waiting for her mother’s response and took deeper breathes to calm her nerves. She hated the mutes, who always made her feel inadequate with their soundless scrutiny.

“I don’t want them silent, solemn-faced numpties anywhere near my Jacob,” said Betsey close to anger. “They’ll do no good.”

Eventually, the wake was over. The undertaker called to remove the body, feet first through the door, so the spirits wouldn’t call anyone else to death. The hearse, pulled by two bay horses and adorned with the almost regulatory ostrich feathers, made its way to the Holy Trinity of St Philip church on the hill above, where her father was laid to rest.

A memory seared on her brain forevermore.

“Goodbye, Da. I don’t know what I’ll do without ya.”

My thoughts

Anyone who likes character-led stories, or stories set during the Victorian age will like this one. Sarah is an interesting woman, 'part of the furniture' in a Bristol inn, where life is set out as it is expected to be for a Victorian woman - although Sarah dreams are for more than just being Sarah who delivers pints of beer to various sailors. 

She is a family-led young lady, and it is, mostly, her tie within the family which drives this story.

The author depicts Victorian Bristol very well (I know Bristol and found it easy to picture various scenes and 'feel' like I was there watching, like the proverbial fly on the wall.)

However, I must admit I found this one a little depressing at times - which, I also have to be honest, for me sums up the entire Victorian era (Dickens, I find, is depressing as well!) So this impression is purely personal - I'm just not a fan of Victorian. BUT... anyone who knows Bristol, loves the Victorians and enjoys meeting new characters will find this title absorbing so in all fairness to the author - a good read for the right person!
**** 4 stars 



Follow the tour:
Twitter Handle: @cathiedunn
Instagram Handle: @thecoffeepotbookclub.com

Hashtags: #HistoricalFiction #VictorianWomen #workingclasswomen #enduringlove #Bristol #widows #BlogTour #TheCoffeePotBookClub 

Tour Schedule Page:



via https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.com/


scroll down to leave a comment...

You might also like books written by Helen Hollick 


cosy mysteries : historical fiction
nautical supernatural adventure 
 
1066 : King Arthur
ghosts : non-fiction
 anthologies

2025 annual award winner

THANK YOU!