NEW RELEASE

A new historical romance from the bestselling author of the Regency Goddesses Series.

When heiress Miss Daphne Jones finds herself married to the wrong brother – the black-sheep son of the Duke of Burlington – she has little idea that her groom will promptly disappear after the wedding, or worse, that she'll become a duchess and a widow before her seventeenth birthday.

Seven years later, the young and somewhat eccentric duchess has found contentment in taking care of her younger sisters, her absentminded brother-in-law, and an ever-growing menagerie of pets. The only thing missing from her life is a child of her own; but as she has finally accepted one of the proposals to come her way, she feels confident this small detail will soon take care of itself.

However, when her husband is deposited on her doorstep, unconscious but very much alive, her life (and heart!) spirals out of her control, and she is faced with a seemingly insurmountable problem: how does one go about seducing a man who seems determined to treat one with avuncular detachment and is set on an annulment?

#2 Amazon Best Seller, Christmas Holiday Romance

Sometimes we need to slow down to allow destiny to catch up with us.

World-famous classical pianist, Gabriela Baxtor-Huntington, is exhausted after years of prioritising her career. All she wants is some time to herself, away from the limelight and her commitments. But when her PA persuades her to run off to London for a holiday – incognito – what ensues is more than she bargained on. And though rest is finally on the agenda, peace is another matter.

Notorious and crusty Scottish Earl, Murdoch Barclay Buchanan, has learnt the hard way to keep a low profile when it comes to the English press. These days, he likes to keep his life simple and his mind on his work, dealing with the Buchanan family’s numerous business interests. The last thing he wants is to spend time babysitting his sister’s friend from Australia. But what starts off as a begrudging duty soon turns into something as unexpected as it is complicated.

With secrets on both sides, can two people from different worlds discover a love to overcome all obstacles?

#4 Kindle Store Best Seller (all genres)

#1 Amazon Best Seller, Regency Historical Romance

#1 Amazon Best Seller, British Historical Literature

"You forget yourself, your lordship. You have no rights to allow or disallow anything I may choose to do. You have, in fact, no claim over me whatsoever – a circumstance for which I thank the Lord on a daily basis! I am neither your ward nor your dependent, and I will not allow you to talk to me in that odiously overbearing fashion!"

High-spirited Artemisia Grantley, niece to the Duke of Wentworth, has never made any attempt to conform to the feminine ideal expected of a lady of quality; nor has she ever had the benefit of an unfavourable opinion formed against her. However, when the Marquess of Chysm enters her life, it seems to her that his lordship is always at hand to witness her shortcomings and bring them to her attention.  

As she reluctantly embarks upon her first London Season, a scandalous family secret and a conspiracy that stretches all the way to Napoleonic France threaten to entangle her with the one person she could happily throttle.

#6 Kindle Store Best Seller (all genres)

#1 Amazon Best Seller, Regency Historical Romance
#1 Amazon Best Seller, British Humor & Satire

“I fail to see why you expect me to put up with your acerbic charm? Others of your acquaintance might be inclined to do so, but I, strange creature that I am, will not!”

When the beautiful Miss April Hartwood arrives in London to be introduced to Regency high society, she hopes for some fun and frivolity after a life spent in rural obscurity in Cornwall. Unfortunately for her, her grandmother has other ideas...marriage. Lively and strong-willed, April does not appreciate being compelled to catch a husband. Yet, before long, she finds herself courting the affections of the Duke of Claredon, while struggling with a wholly inappropriate attraction to the insufferable Mr Royce.  

In the lead up to Christmas, in the year 1820, a delightfully devious campaign is orchestrated to bring together two people destined for one another, regardless of the obstacles to be overcome and the inconvenient tendency on the part of the protagonists to resist their attraction...until they are finally brought to realise they cannot escape fate, or the meddling of one determined grandmother!

#5 Kindle Store Best Seller (all genres) 

#1 Amazon Best Seller, Historical Romance 

#1 Amazon Best Seller, Regency Historical Romance 

#1 Amazon Best Seller, British Humor & Satire

“I think the women of your acquaintance have done you a great disservice by allowing you to continue in your deceit. Perhaps next time you meet a lady you will not be so quick to think she is only interested in fortune and matrimony!” 

Miss Aurora Wesley is a lady who never allows a seemingly insurmountable problem to overwhelm her. Blessed with irrepressible optimism and ingenuity, she knows how to set about achieving her goals without the burden of excessive scruples. Whether it is establishing a brother to his rightful place in society, rescuing a young heiress from the clutches of her guardian, or match-making for a reticent spinster, Aurora has her hands full sorting out other people’s lives, with little thought for her own.  

Until, after one extraordinary encounter, she discovers an overmastering desire to amuse herself by provoking the formidable Duke of Rothworth, and turning his well-ordered, respectable existence on its head.

Brought to you by Manor House Books, this classic novel has been adapted for a modern readership by bestselling romance author D.G. Rampton.

Set in Victorian England, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell was first published in 1854. This adaptation stays true to the dramatic social commentary of the original, while bringing into greater prominence the love story at its core, which is reminiscent of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Uprooted from her idyllic existence in the South of England, Margaret Hale moves with her family to an industrial town in the North, where she develops a passionate sense of social justice upon witnessing the hardships suffered by the local mill workers. Her views often bring her into conflict with wealthy mill-owner John Thornton, who befriends her family. But their turbulent relationship masks a deep attraction that cannot be subdued, and a bond that only strengthens when tested by the vagaries of fate.

What readers are saying:

"Never having read the original, I was motivated to read this due to my respect for Rampton’s talent. So glad I did! So much more than a romance, but a social critique of the hardships of the newer industrial society in the Victorian era, many of which are totally relevant today."

"I read North and South years ago, and found it over wordy ... Ms Rampton has done a really excellent job in making the book readable for a modern audience, without losing the essentials of the plot...I really recommend the revised book."

Foreword by D.G. Rampton:

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell was first published in 1854 as a serialised novel, in Charles Dickens’ magazine Household Words. It is considered to be a social novel, as it deals with themes of justice and inequality in Victorian England. It also touches upon religious philosophy, and it is poignant to reflect on Gaskell’s writing in the context of her own life, for, like her heroine, Gaskell also suffered hardships and grieved over untimely deaths.

The social and philosophical facets of the novel elevate it above the commonplace, but – as I am a romance author! – it will come as no surprise that my favourite parts focus on the intense, passionate relationship between Margaret Hale and Mr Thornton. Some of you may recognise parallels with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, however, there is a darkness to North and South that gives the romance a more complex flavour.

Why meddle with such a classic, you may well ask. Many have enjoyed the original version, that is true, but many others have never discovered the beauty of Gaskell’s words, as they prefer to watch the BBC series rather than attempt to navigate her dense, meandering prose. Her editor, Charles Dickens himself, is purported to have complained about her “intractability” for resisting his requests for her to be more concise.

Please be aware, this adaptation is for the romantic, not the classics scholar! I have vigorously abridged the novel (almost 50% has been edited out), while staying true to each storyline and character. And I have brought the romance into greater focus, giving it more room to breathe, as in the original it is often buried beneath other themes.

So make yourself your favourite beverage, find a cosy reading nook, and settle down to enjoy a captivating story that will take you on a ride of emotions, before reaching its gloriously happy conclusion.