Cover Reveal + Giveaway for An Unexpected Love!!!

Greetings, friends! Are you ready to see an exciting and new cover reveal today? I am once again excited about this cover reveal because it is for a new author and their debut release with Quills and Quartos! And it just so happens that this new release is one of my favorite types of premises – a forced marriage scenario! 🎩👰🏻‍♀️

I’m so happy to extend a welcome to author Lily Bernard who is visiting Austenesque Reviews today to share the cover reveal of her upcoming release – An Unexpected Love!  We hope you enjoy! 🤗

~ From the Author ~

Thank you so much for hosting me. This is my first experience with your blog, and I am very excited to be here. I was inspired to write this book when I realized I had not read anything quite like it before.  In all the FMS (forced marriage scenarios) I have read (and I have read many); Darcy is in love with Elizabeth or already has some affection and admiration for her before their wedding.  I thought I would explore a story from the point of view that they were literally thrown together as complete strangers and were both equally unhappy and resentful about being forced to marry.
Darcy feels humiliated and ashamed to be in a position where he must marry the daughter of an indolent country gentleman, a woman with no social connexions, dowry, or formal education. Elizabeth hates the idea of being married to such an arrogant, proud man but will do so to save her sisters from being disgraced.

Over their months together at Pemberley and observing the loving friendship that develops between Elizabeth and Georgiana, Darcy sees his wife in a different light. The arrival of old friends who have other plans for Darcy spoil what could have been an attempt to restart their marriage based on their developing affection for each other. I truly hope the readers will enjoy my take on this type of JAFF variation!

~ Book Description ~

I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.

AN EARLY MORNING WALK AND A MEETING with Mr Darcy have disastrous consequences for Elizabeth Bennet. Caught in what seemed like a compromising position, Elizabeth finds herself forced to marry a man she barely knows and certainly does not like.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY IS ANGRY to find himself entrapped by an unsuitable young lady but it is not long before he begins to feel some danger where she is concerned. His wife is pretty and charming, and Darcy soon realises that she is exactly the sort of lady who can make him happy. As the summer days pass at Pemberley, Darcy and Elizabeth find more common ground than either of them ever expected…and love begins to bloom.

JUST AS HAPPINESS IN MARRIAGE BEGINS to seem possible, old acquaintances arrive with their own plans and schemes for the newly married couple. Lady Henrietta Bartlesbee is beautiful, wealthy, and accomplished, and not accustomed to being denied what she wants. And what she wants is Elizabeth’s husband.

AN UNEXPECTED LOVE is a forced marriage scenario, Pride and Prejudice Variation for fans of the works of Jane Austen.

And without further ado….here is the big reveal!!!

(expected release date: July 25th)

In love with the purple! 💜

I love the scene of this cover, I can just imagine Elizabeth going for a ramble to work through her thoughts and emotions, and pausing to gaze about wistfully. 👒

Ooo ho ho! This is my favorite type of premise! I can’t wait to see how their relationship develops! 💗

Who the heck is this Lady Henrietta Bartlesbee? I smell trouble! 🫣 

What do you think, friends? 🤔

~~~

~ About Lily~

Lily Bernard grew up in the Desert Southwest and now resides on the East Coast. She is a retired speech pathologist who loves to travel, cook, read and all things Jane Austen. After reading many, many Pride and Prejudice variations, Lily thought she would write one herself. An Invisible Thread was her first novel. 

~~~

GIVEAWAY TIME!

The lovely people at Quills and Quartos are offering  3️⃣ ebook copies of An Unexpected Love to  3️⃣ lucky readers who comment on today’s post!

  To enter this giveaway leave a question, comment, or some love for Lily below.

  • This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Quills and Quartos
  • This giveaway ends July 1st.

~~~

You can preorder An Unexpected Love now!

My sincere gratitude to Lily Bernard and the wonderful people at Quills and Quartos for putting this special post together! 

70 comments

  1. Oh yay! I like the idea of Elizabeth and Darcy never having met, and I also like the forced marriage scenarios. It’ll be interesting to see how they both make the best of the situation. Looking forward to it!

  2. Lovely cover! The colours are beautiful and it gives me the image of Elizabeth and her unladylike ramblings. Looking forward to reading this book and wishing you the best in your writing adventure! Congratulations!

  3. I do love the early marriage but it seems to get very angsty? I may have to assure myself of a happy ending before reading about the problems faced by Darcy and Elizabeth!
    I too love the purple on the cover!

  4. I will enjoy reading a different perspective on the forced marriage scenario. Congratulations to Lily on the publication of her first book!

  5. Very exciting! I love a good FMS myself, but you’re right, they usually have history with each other before they marry. This will be an interestinf perspective. I also love it when Georgiana is a prominent character because she is so important to Darcy!

  6. This is a favourite trope so I definitely look forward to reading it. The cover is lovely. Very wise decision to join Q&Q! Wishing you every success!

  7. Lily, your premise sounds so interesting, and your cover is lovely. I look forward to reading every page…even if I might have to skip to the end first, just so my nerves don’t go into overdrive! Congratulations!

  8. I like it when the premises are all twisted, only the prejudices of two strangers thrown together.
    Lovely cover.
    Do not enter me as I already have a copy.

  9. The cover is quite pretty, and FMS is one of my favorites. I cannot wait to read this story. I feel the need for some angst!!!

  10. The purple is a beautiful, bright, eye catcher, and the cover is very pretty. That excerpt has me dying to rest!

  11. What a lovely cover! Congratulations on publishing your first book! I look forward to reading it. 🙂

  12. Lovely cover and I love the FMS with the lurking other woman. Lily, best wishes with your new release and Meredith thanks for featuring here.

  13. The cover is beautiful, and I also like the FMS trope. I am looking forward to reading this. Thank you for the cover reveal and giveaway. Congrats and best wishes on the new release!

  14. Don’t include me in the drawing as I am reading an ARC. Oh, I love that cover. The purple in the hat and on the dress just pops on the page. I want that hat. Seriously. What a scene. I love the FMS stories. They are so varied that you never get bored with the different variations. I wish Lily all manner of success. Blessings and good luck to all in the drawing.

  15. Another book coming to read!!! Yeah!!! Loved this blurb and I’ll be buying as soon as it comes out

  16. I do plan to read this when it is released. Put it on my Wish List. Thanks for sharing. Lovely cover.

  17. Oooo very intriguing! A new character too! I love reading FF when there’s the slow burn and to watch D and E learn to love. Can’t wait, can’t wait! The cover is lovely and definitely after with the purple! Lavender!

  18. Such a beautiful cover and intriguing storyline! Luckily the release date is during my vacation so I can read it right away

  19. The cover is lovely with beautiful colors. I especially like the bonnet and the way the ribbons are positioned. Will Lady Bartlesbee act as we would expect Caroline Bingley to act? Hum…

  20. I like forced marriage P&P too! It seems like a new cunning lady will try to compromise Darcy even though he is married. If Caroline Bingley is also there, trouble will be compounded. Thank you for the giveaway.

  21. Finding Elizabeth distance from the house with a far away look a perfect for the start of this story. A lady against EB, what a great challenge for our heroine.

  22. Oooo, I do love a forced marriage situation! The cover is beautiful. I think the purple really pops. Thanks for the chance to win a copy! Congratulations, Lily!

  23. Such a beautiful book cover and I love the “forced marriage” premise. This book sounds delightful, and I look forward to reading. Congratulations on this new release and thanks for the giveaway. –Leslie

  24. Congratulations, Lily! (You have half my name….) The cover is great, and the premise works for me – can’t wait to read it.

  25. Purple is my favorite color, so I am already drawn to the book. I also really enjoy forced marriage scenarios, so I am looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for the introduction,

  26. First, congratulations on the new book! It sounds delicious. Second, congratulations on your first visit to Meredith’s blog and I sincerely hope it will be the first of many. I do enjoy the FMS trope and this one sounds romantic with them slowly coming to admire one another. I especially love it when Georgiana is portrayed as the sweet and lovable sister and she and Elizabeth become fast friends. I’m looking forward to reading this book with the lovely cover!

  27. What a beautiful and lovely cover! Q&Q certainly knows which designer to choose because all their covers have been splendid including this one. I look forward to the release of An Unexpected Love.

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