Publication day looms

In just a few days, on 1 September, The 16th Earl’s Only Love (book 2 in the Aucourte series) will finally step out into the world.

Here in my Cornish cottage, the excitement is building as always happens before a book launch. It’s a mixture of nerves, anticipation, and the joy of knowing that a story I’ve lived with for so long is about to be out in the world.

No more time to twiddle with attempts at perfection, and if it's not good enough, well there's nothing to be done now. The date is set.

If you’re planning to read Book 2, launch day orders make a real difference.

They help Amazon recognise that readers are interested, and that little nudge can influence how widely the book is shown to other readers.

And if you enjoy the story, a verified purchaser review is one of the most powerful gifts you can give an author. Not asking ... just saying. But I have added some helpful links in this post.

For those who prefer Amazon US, the largest of all the markets, you’ll find the link below in the book title. If you’d rather choose your own retailer, the image at the bottom of this post will take you to a page where you can pick whichever store suits you best. The 16th Earl's Only Love.

Who Is the “Only Love”?

One of the most enjoyable parts of preparing for this launch has been listening or reading readers speculate about the identity of the “only love” in the title. And in true free‑writer fashion, I’ll admit something: I didn’t know who she was myself until several chapters were already written. Sometimes characters reveal themselves only when they’re ready.

I won’t spoil her identity here. Not even for my most loyal readers. But I will say this: the ending of Book 2 is not a traditional happy‑ever‑after. The loving couple are together, but not completely. Their story continues, and the threads of their lives will weave through future books.

Richard Aucourte and his love will be included in the series for the foreseeable future. Likewise, Tom and Alice from Book 1 will continue to walk alongside them.

What Lies Ahead for the Aucourtes

The series has always been shaped to some extent by real historical events, and the coming books will continue in that style, carrying the family through some extraordinary moments in history:

• the death of a queen

• a king's succession… and then another not long after

• the sinking of the Titanic

• the suffragette movement

• a long‑awaited wedding

• and the shadow of World War I

These events won’t simply be backdrops. They will influence the characters’ choices, their relationships, and the paths they take.

A Glimpse of Book 3

And now, a small teaser for what comes next.

Victoria Aucourte will be our heroine in Book 3. It would be impossible not to turn to her next, given how Book 2 ends. Her story is already unfolding in my mind, bright, determined, and threaded with the challenges of her era and like the rest of her siblings she is willing to go against the conventions or her time.

While Richard Aucourte is known for being reckless, his younger sister Vicky is inquisitive to the point of intrusion. Will her curiosity prove a problem in book 3 ... will that be what leads her into jeopardy, or will it be something entirely different?

I can't tell you yet. The story is only just beginning.

I hope to see you again on launch day.