In Reckless in Red, I wanted to write about a female artist struggling to make her way in London’s art market. I based my heroine, Lena Frost, on successful nineteenth-century women artists like Mary Moser, portrait and flower painter, and Angelica Kaufmann, history painter, who were both founding members of the Royal Academy of Arts. But I also wanted to explore the nineteenth-century’s interest in monumental panoramic paintings. Depicting historical scenes or cityscapes, panoramic paintings were hung in the round and rose several stories high. They were designed to be immersive experiences, making visitors feel is if they were part of the scene. The British especially liked battle scenes, whether battles at sea or land battles fought during the Napoleonic wars. Henry Aston Barker’s 1826 Battle of Waterloo, for example, was so successful that he was able to retire on the profits.
My heroine, Lena Frost, a classically trained artist, is weeks away from opening the exhibition that will make her fame. To create interest, she and her partner have kept the painting’s subject matter a secret. When the book opens, Lena discovers that her partner has stolen their remaining funds and left her a one-word note: “run.” But she can’t run no matter how dangerous staying will be. If she doesn’t open the exhibition, she will have to repay the subscribers who have funded her project. Desperate to keep secret that her money is gone, Lena reluctantly accepts the help of Lord Clive Somerville, an investigator for the Home Office. Publishers Weekly says that Reckless in Red “captivates with clever prose and an unconventional heroine.”
Reckless in Red was a finalist in the Holt Medallion contest for historical romance and first place winner for novels in the National Federation of Press Women’s Communication contest.
About the Author
Rachael Miles writes ‘cozily scrumptious’ historical romances set in the British Regency. Her books have been positively reviewed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, which praised her ‘impeccably researched and beautifully crafted’ novels, comparing her works to those of Jo Beverly and Mary Jo Putney. Her novel, Reckless in Red, won first place in adult fiction: novels in the National Federation of Press Women’s writing contest. A native Texan, Miles is a former professor of book history and nineteenth-century literature. She lives in upstate New York with her indulgent husband, three rescued dogs, and all the squirrels, chipmunks, and deer who eat at her bird feeders.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: rachaelmiles.com
Twitter Address: http://www.twitter.com/rachael_miles1
About the Book
Lena Frost is a force to be reckoned with. A woman who has made her way in society without family or fortune, she’s about to realize her first big success as an artist. . . . Until her business partner makes off
with her money, leaving her with little more than her hopes—and a dead body in her studio. Now Lena is at the mercy of a strikingly handsome stranger demanding answers she dare not reveal . . .
Is it her seductive eyes, or his suspicion that she’s up to no good that have Clive Somerville shadowing Lena’s every move? Either way, his secret investigation for the Home Office has him determined to uncover Lena’s hidden agenda. But the closer he gets to her, the more he longs to be her protector. Is she a victim of circumstance? Or a dark force in a conspiracy that could destroy everything Clive holds dear? Discovering the truth could have dire consequences, not only for Lena, but for his heart . . .
Reckless in Red was a 2019 finalist for the Holt Medallion in Historical Fiction and a first-place winner in the 2020 National Federation of Press Women’s communications contests in the category Fiction for Adult Readers: Novels.
Praise for Reckless in Red
An artist preparing a huge exhibition is disheartened when her business partner absconds with her money, but the event introduces her to an aristocrat who ultimately becomes her greatest ally against a shadowy enemy.
Artist Lena Frost is a survivor. She’s survived a weak father and a difficult stepmother. She survived in France during Napoleon’s war. She’s even rebounded from her lost career when she finally had to flee France after having been betrayed. Now she’s spent three years preparing a huge exhibition, which is the talk of London. So when her trusted business partner disappears with all her funds just two weeks before the gala opening, she’s nearly defeated. Especially when he leaves her an enigmatic message implying she’s in danger. But she can’t give up: “She would have to reinvent herself again. The very thought of it made her almost weak with despair.” Fearing she’s being followed, she winds up at The African’s Daughter, a bookshop owned by her Anglo African friend Constance Equiano, who introduces her to the Muses, a group of aristocratic ladies who meet monthly at the shop. Through them, she meets Lord Clive Somerville, brother of the Duke of Forster and the Regency equivalent of a forensic pathologist. When it becomes clear that someone is trying to kill Lena and more than one of her exhibition artists has disappeared mysteriously, Clive vows to keep her safe, help her open the exhibition, and discover who’s behind the threats. Author Miles continues her smart, intriguing Muses Salon series (Jilting the Duke, 2016, etc.) with another bright, accomplished heroine who fights for her happiness with an unexpected perfect match.
A unique storyline, a dose of suspense, and a circle of intelligent female friends enhance a successful romance.
Kirkus Reviews
The suspenseful fourth in Miles’s Muses’ Salon series (after
Tempting the Earl) captivates with clever prose and an unconventional
heroine. In 1820 London, painter Lena
Frost drifts on the fringes of society due to her checkered past, but
she hopes that her upcoming exhibition will catapult her into artistic
fame. Her hopes are dashed when her business partner disappears with all
of their money. Then several people, all with some connection to Lena,
are murdered. Enter Clive Somerville, who is the younger brother of a
duke and is a surgeon who serves among the Home Office’s investigative
ranks. His inquiries into the rash of killings lead him straight to Lena’s doorstep. His fascination with Lena
blurs the lines between suspicion and desire, and his urge to question
her quickly transforms into a need to protect her. The only flaw in this
intricately crafted historical romance is the unbelievable speed at
which the connection between the protagonists develops. Readers looking
for a change from Regencies will find this witty Victorian tale
refreshing.
Publishers Weekly
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