Review & Interview: A Wedding in Springtime by Amanda Forester

Please welcome author, Amanda Forester.  She is promoting her latest book, A Wedding in Springtime.  Enjoy her interview after my thoughts on the book.

Publisher: Sourcebooks
Date of Publication: May 7, 2013

Five minutes into Miss Eugenia Talbot's presentation at court, notorious rogue Mr. William Grant made her laugh, ruining her debut. To hush up the scandal, Eugenia's aunt hires a matchmaker to quickly find a suitor— anyone except the infamous William Grant—to help restore Eugenia's reputation. But amiable Eugenia shows a disturbing tendency to follow her heart, and is again caught in the company of notorious Grant. When a traitor creeps closer, threatening to ruin more than just Eugenia's reputation, her kindheartedness may be her ultimate undoing...

A Wedding in Springtime is the first book by Ms. Forester that I have read.  For the most part, I enjoyed the book.  It's a sweet romance with likable characters.  There is even a little intrigue thrown into the mix. 

I always have a love/hate relationship with Regency romances.  I love them because they are usually very romantic with sigh worthy heroes (as this one does).  I hate them because the time in which they take place often frustrates me.  Their ideas of what is proper and what isn't just fascinates me.  I often wonder if I could survive in a time like that.  I think I would find it stifling.

With that said, I felt badly for Eugenia.  Because of one minor mistake, she is treated horribly in society.  I liked her because she is able to stay true to herself despite this treatment.  I also liked William.  Their fall into love developed slowly and they have a wonderful HEA.  I loved his surprise for her in the end.  

As I said, for the most part, I liked the book.    I felt at times like that Will and Eugenia weren't enough of the focal point of the book as I expected.  This made it drag in a few places for me.  I think lovers of Regency Romance will enjoy this book.  Make sure to check it out when it releases on May 7!

Amanda:  Hello!  Thank you for inviting me here today!

Kari & Autumn: What inspired you to become a writer?

Amanda:  I started writing during a difficult time in my life.  My life was turned upside down several years ago when my husband (a reservist in the Army) was called to active duty in Iraq.  I suddenly found myself the single parent of two babies, working two jobs, and worrying if I would ever see my husband again.  I was stressed!  I started reading and then writing romance as a way to escape.  I needed to go to a different place where despite all the trials and difficulties there was always a happy ending.  Basically, it was write or take up drink.  I chose writing!  Fortunately, my husband came back home and I had a book published!

Kari & Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Amanda:  I have storylines and characters running amuck in my brain all the time.  Sometimes it is harder to focus on the "real world" than on my imaginary friends (ok, that sounds just plain odd).  I also love to read historical fiction.  The more I read, the more I want to write!

Kari & Autumn: What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?

Amanda:  A Wedding in Springtime is the first in a new Marriage Mart Regency series.  This series follows the couples drawn together by a matchmaker to London society.  The next in the series, Midsummer Bride, will be released in November.  I am also excited to do some cross-over novellas between my medieval Highlander books and my Regencies.  Three Campbell sisters (whom readers met in A Highlander's Heart) will marry three knights, who happen to be the ancestors of the three Regency heroes in the Marriage Mart series.  This is the first cross-over I have attempted and I am having fun weaving connections and details between the books.  The first one, The Highland Bride's Choice will be release as an e-book in October.

Kari & Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?

Amanda:  I must go back to my first romance and the reason I write Regencies, Mr. Darcy.  From the moment I first read Austen's Pride and Prejudice I was hooked.  My favorite scene is when Elizabeth turns him down the first time he proposes.  She has determination, poise, and guts and it forced him to really see her, respect her, and try to win her hand.  Love it!

Kari & Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Amanda:  A cat.  One thing about trying to piece together being a mommy and working and trying to write is that sleep becomes a precious commodity.  Since my cat does little other than sleep, it sounds like  a pretty good deal!

About the author:

Amanda Forester holds a PhD in clinical psychology and a Masters degree in theology. As a psychologist, she has worked as a clinical researcher and a university instructor (what they call you when they don’t want to give you tenure). None of which has anything to do with writing romance novels. After trying for many years to stop the internal storylines floating around her head, she finally gave up and wrote one down. Now when she is caught daydreaming and talking to herself she can just say, “I’m plotting a scene for my next novel,” which sounds so much better than, “I’m hallucinating and responding to internal stimuli.”

Amanda lives in the Pacific Northwest with her officer and a gentleman husband and their two remarkably active, naturally brilliant children. They share their home with two fiendishly destructive cats and one lazy dog. 

http://www.amandaforester.com/index.html