Eva Devon Interview - The Spinster and the Rake ~ JeanBookNerd

Photo Content from Eva Devon

USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, Eva Devon, was raised on literary fiction, but quite accidentally and thankfully, she was introduced to romance one Christmas by Johanna Lindsey's Mallory Novella, The Present. A romance addict was born. She devoured every single Lindsey novel within a few months and moved on to contemporary and paranormal with gusto. Now, she loves to write her own roguish dukes, alpha males and the heroines who tame them. She loves to hear from her readers.

Where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born outside of Portland, Or and now I live in Omaha, Nebraska.

Tell us your most rewarding experience since being published.
Receiving letters from readers that let me know my books have helped them get through something hard or that my heroines have inspired them to believe in themselves. Those are powerful moments and I feel very lucky.

What inspired you to pen your first novel?
Johanna Lindsey and Julia Quinn! I fell in love with them as a teen. And I wrote my first Historical Romance when I was 18. I absolutely loved the banter and hilarity in the Mallory and Bridgerton novels!

Tell us your latest news.
Well, I am over the moon to have my first paperback book out this February! The Spinster and the Rake is everywhere and I can’t wait to see it on the shelves.

Can you tell us when you started THE SPINSTER AND THE RAKE, how that came about?
I started The Spinster and The Rake IMMEDIATELY after getting off the phone with my editor Elizabeth Pelletier in December 2019. We had the most AMAZING conversation. She posed a fun what if about the hero’s breaches? And boom, a book was born. I fell in love with Georgiana and Edward right away and had too much fun putting them in situations that drove them batty but led to love.

What do you hope for readers to be thinking when they read your novel?
That one should always be true to themselves, love themselves, and that people mightn’t be quite what they seem! Mostly, I hope to take my readers away and give them a few hours of happiness.

What was the most surprising thing you learned in creating characters?
How important it was for Edward to build up Georgiana even if he was furious that he had to marry her. I loved that about him. He absolutely wouldn’t leave her in the breach. And she met his help with a bold determination.

If you could introduce one of your characters to any character from another book, who would it be and why?
The Duke of Aston. He’s in just about ALL my Duke’s Club Series books because I adore him. He’s a hilarious fellow who loves to make merry, match make, and cause LOTS of trouble!

What was the single worst distraction that kept you from writing this book?
This must be terribly obvious but the pandemic. I suddenly had ALL my little boys at home and by the time bed time came I wasn’t prepared to write. . . My brain just wanted to shut off! And there was nowhere to GO write. My boys are all under six, quite noisy, and know when mommy is home! In the end, I took myself off and wrote in my Jeep.

What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives?
Believe in themselves completely. I think we all deserve this but it actually takes a lot of courage.

Best date you've ever had?
Salsa dancing with my husband. It’s how we met too!

If you could go back in time to one point in your life, where would you go?
Living in London as a student. I loved being surrounded by the history of that city.

Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew?
Yes. I think if we can, we should.

Which incident in your life totally changed the way you think today?
The death of my godmother. I had to learn to live without my last cheerleader. My parents had already died. And it was quite hard. But it also meant that I learned to cheer myself. The way I saw things altered because slowly, instead of looking to others, I’ve become a woman that people look to.

What is your most memorable travel experience?
My first trip to Scotland. It was so breathtaking I could hardly believe it.

Which would you choose, true love with a guarantee of a heart break or have never loved before?
I will always choose love.

TEN DREAM VACATION STOPS

The Wallace Collection
The Tower of London
Chatsworth House
Blenheim House
Hyde Park
Stratford Upon Avon
The British Museum
The George Coaching Inn
Kew Gardens
Cornwall

Your Favorite Quotes/Scenes from THE SPINSTER AND THE RAKE
"If you must train me to be a better duchess, I must train you to be a better man."

The whole story of Edward and Georgiana is that they’re both determined, cheeky, and refuse to back down. I love the fact that Edward insists she be the best duchess possible and I love that she insists he be the best man possible! Neither are willing to settle for less and best? They help each other get there. Both Edward and Georgiana build each other up rather than tear each other down, and I think that is so vital in a relationship. It’s easy to be cruel. And these two are above that. They spar verbally but they’re also fair fighters. But neither of them want to lose! So, watching these to wrestle with their feelings was so fun.

The marriage game is afoot in this clever blend of My Fair Lady meets Pride and Prejudice with a twist!

Edward Stanhope, the icy Duke of Thornfield, likes his life in a certain order. Give him a strong drink, a good book, and his dog for company, and he’s content. But when he goes to his library and finds a woman sitting in his chair, petting his dog, what starts as a request for her to leave quickly turns to a fiery battle of wits, leading to a steamy kiss that could ruin them both if they were caught.

So of course, damn it all, that’s when Edward’s aunt walks in, and thereafter announces Miss Georgiana Bly is the future Duchess of Thornfield.

Georgiana was content to be a spinster, spending her days reading and working to keep her family out of debt. But now her days are spent locked away with a growly duke, learning how to be the perfect duchess, and her nights spent fighting the undeniable attraction to a man who was never meant for her.

As their wedding day approaches, the attraction between them burns hot and fierce, but is it enough to melt the duke’s chilly facade?

You can purchase The Spinster and the Rakeat the following Retailers: