Vanessa Riley


In Stores Now: A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby

When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune--and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child--until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son's nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving  honor--and unexpected passion . . .


A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin's dangerous financial dealings for Lionel's sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust--but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

 

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Praise for the Series

View her Current Tour/ Event Schedule

New Series:
Rogue and Remarkable Women

 

Praise for An Earl, The Girl, and A Toddler:

An Oprah Mag.com Most Anticipated Romance of 2021
Bibliolifestyle Most Anticipated Romance of 2021
A PopSugar Best Romance of April
A Publishers Weekly Top 10 Romance of Spring 2021
 
"Elaborate storytelling . . . a more diverse Regency world than is traditionally found. Well-researched, with a fascinating author's note at the end . . . A historical romance of impressive heft." --Kirkus Reviews
 
"Fans of Shonda Rhimes" adaptation of Julia Quinn"s Bridgerton books will devour this series." --Booklist STARRED REVIEW
 
"Move over, Bridgertons. There's a new set of scandalous aristocrats waiting to take London society by storm." --Library Journal

 

Praise for A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby:

"Riley is at her best when she lets her Gothic impulses out to play...[readers] will not want to miss this." --New York Times
 
"Mystery and simmering passion unite to keep you turning pages until the duke, lady and baby find their happy ever after." --NPR
 
"Vanessa Riley gifts readers a sparkling love story with deep wells of faith and feeling with A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby." --Entertainment Weekly
 
"Riley's light, lilting tone is all Austen, but she probes questions of madness and race like a Bronte sister. Patience could easily become Jane Eyre's Bertha, an Afro-Caribbean woman declared mad by greedy, racist men." --Entertainment Weekly
 
"At its heart, The Duke, The Lady, and A Baby is about overcoming trauma, a testament to love forged in adversity -- a love that both leaves space for and hastens healing. Riley knows how to spin a yarn built on faith and trust, that lilts along with the gentility and reserve of her characters." --Entertainment Weekly
 
A Duke, the Lady, and A Baby, the first novel in Vanessa Riley's Rogues and Remarkable Women series of Regency romances, is a one-stop reading experience. It delivers extraordinary storytelling with pleasing amounts of passionate kisses, winsome characters, mystery and intrigue, humor, and coconut bread (yes, a recipe is included). --All About Romance
 
A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby is a brilliantly crafted Regency romance that is a must-read for #histrom fans. Readers who support women's resistance and fans of iconic nanny-employer musical romance Sound of Music will appreciate Vanessa Riley's nods to both. I am all-in on the Rogues and Remarkable Women series and eagerly await book two, which based on the teaser, should prove to be another engrossing read. --All About Romance
 
"There's enough camp in this story to house an army, but debuter Riley delivers a fine first outing in what looks to be a promising new series, welcoming a determined West Indian heroine to the Regency subgenre." --Library Journal
 
"If you have certain preconceived notions about African-American historical romance, A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby will blow them out of the water. With brilliant pacing, memorable characters, and witty dialogue, the premise elevated beyond our expectations. A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby portrays black people in a beautiful way that makes us relatable and takes us out of the stereotypical maid and slave roles. We definitely give this novel a strong five out of five stars." --AAMBC Review
 
"Smart and witty... the perfect historical read." --Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author
 
"Riveting from the sentence to the last. Vanessa Riley's lyrical voice shimmers in this emotional, uplifting tour de force. One of the best historicals I've read in years." Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author
 
"With strong heroines, swoon-worthy heroes and deeply emotional stories, Vanessa Riley is a magnificent voice in historical romance--one not to be missed!"  Sarah MacLean, New York Times bestselling author

It Begins With A Secret Society...

Created by a shrewd countess, The Widow's Grace is a secret society with a mission: to help ill-treated widows regain their status, their families, and even find true love 

again--or perhaps for the very first time . . .

 

Publisher: Kensington

Imprint: Zebra

Trade Paperback

Release: 6/2020

Lists Made:
12 Romances for Your TBR in the Second Half of 2020 by KELLY GALLUCCI, We Are Bookish
30 Must-Read Black Romance Novels That You'll Love - McKenzie Jean-Philippe, Oprah Magazine
 
Interviews:
By Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly - Dec. 6, 2019
By Savanna Walker, Bookpage - June 30, 2020

 

Bridgerton. Looking for Diversity and Regency Romance. These are the stories for you.

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/15-historical-romance-series-hollywood-173000388.html

https://ew.com/tv/historical-romance-series-hollywood-should-adapt/

https://press.barnesandnoble.com/bnpress-blog/historical-romance-novels-bridgerton/

https://www.lifesavvy.com/49645/9-romances-to-read-once-youve-binge-watched-bridgerton/

https://www.realsimple.com/syndication/bridgerton-novels-period-buy

https://hellogiggles.com/reviews-coverage/books/bridgerton-novels-period-buy/

https://sg.style.yahoo.com/where-buy-bridgerton-books-other-153158313.html

https://www.bookreviewsco.online/2021/01/best-historical-romance-novels-of-all.html

https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a35083112/bridgerton-race-historical-accuracy/

 

Book 1: A Duke, The Lady, and A Baby

When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune--and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child--until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son's nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving  honor--and unexpected passion . . .


A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin's dangerous financial dealings for Lionel's sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust--but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

 

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Praise About A Duke, The Lady, And A Baby

Contact Vanessa

View her Current Tour/ Event Schedule

Cover Reveal at Bookriot on 9/22

Book 2: An Earl, The Girl, and A Toddler

Surviving a shipwreck en route to London from Jamaica was just the start of Jemina St. Maur's nightmare. Suffering from amnesia, she was separated from anyone who might know her, and imprisoned in Bedlam. She was freed only because barrister Daniel Thackery, Lord Ashbrook, was convinced to betray the one thing he holds dear: the law. Desperate to unearth her true identity, Jemina's only chance is to purloin dangerous secrets with help from The Widow's Grace--which means staying steps ahead of the formidable Daniel, no matter how strongly she is drawn to him . . .

Married only by proxy, now widowed by shipwreck, Daniel is determined to protect his little stepdaughter, Hope, from his family's scandalous reputation. That's why he has dedicated himself not just to the law, but to remaining as proper, upstanding--and boring--as can be. But the closer he becomes to the mysterious, alluring Jemina, the more Daniel is tempted to break the very rule of law to which he's devoted his life. And as ruthless adversaries close in, will the truth require him, and Jemina, to sacrifice their one chance at happiness?

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Praise About A Duke, The Lady, And A Baby

Contact Vanessa

View her Current Tour/ Event Schedule

 

Book 3: A Duke, The Spy, An Artist, and A Lie

 

Critically acclaimed author Vanessa Riley infuses the ballroom settings of Regency England with Jamaican flair her Rogues & Remarkable Women series featuring a secret society of widows battling society to regain their money and a chance at love everlasting. In this sweeping, swoon-worthy final installment, an English spy must follow his neglected wife through the streets of London as she investigates her sister's death with the aid of the Widow's Grace. Can they find common ground and learn to work together? This vibrant and inclusive historical romance is perfect for Bridgerton binge-watcher!

Founded by the ton's most ingenious countess, the secret society The Widow's Grace comes to the aid of ill-treated widows and wives and helps them regain their fortunes, their families, and sometimes discover true love. . .

For adventurous heiress Cecilia Thomas, marrying charming military lieutenant Lord Gantry to save him from danger--and herself from mercenary suitors--was a painful mistake. Instead of a passionate life together, she's stranded at his chilly Mayfair mansion with his unaccepting family. Worse, she finds he is actually a spy dedicated to duty over wedlock--and secrets over trust. So when she hears her sister has been driven to her death, Cecilia is determined to expose the powerful man responsible. Assisted by The Widow's Grace, she flees to Covent Garden with a new identity. But can she elude her formidable husband--even as the desire between them continues to flare even hotter?

Always calm, forever controlled, Gantry has put everything aside to hunt down the traitor who nearly killed him. It's only when Cecilia leaves that he realizes his real duty should have been to her. As she continually outwits him through London's most perilous streets, Gantry realizes his wife is a resourceful, courageous woman he longs to truly know. But when her pursuit threatens influential enemies, will his and Cecilia's only chance to gain justice separate them once and for all?

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