Greetings friends! I’m so happy to share a new cover reveal with you today!
This one is for Barry S. Richman and his upcoming release with Quills and Quartos called The Scarred Duchess! 📕
Today’s cover has a lot to catch your eye! I am all admiration for the artistry of it! 👀
And the book description and excerpt depicts a very original and intriguing storyline! 😮
We hope you enjoy! 🤗
~ From the Author ~
Meredith, thank you so much for having me again, this time for the cover reveal of The Scarred Duchess, designed by the talented Josephine Blake at Covers & Cupcakes.
My love of Pride and Prejudice variations was born on the ‘what ifs’ that canon did not address. In The Scarred Duchess, I asked myself: If Jane Bennet was so beautiful, how was it that her beauty was known only in her small market town? Tradesmen, labourers, coach drivers, etc, would have seen her and talked of her! Men banter in alehouses; women gossip in letters and in parlours. Her looks would not have been dismissed. So, I ran with that premise, that her beauty was recognized, envied, and desired by all—and the intrigue ran away with itself. Surrounding it with Darcy and Elizabeth and their romance resulted in parallel love stories that our protagonists had to fight for to see their happily-ever-afters.
~ Book Description ~
Her Majesty has made me the enemy of every young lady seeking a husband and the target of every rake seeking a conquest.
FOLLOWING A DISTINGUISHED STINT IN THE REGULARS, Thomas Bennet finds himself the unexpected master of Longbourn. He is determined not to repeat the mistakes of his grandfather who made enemies that cost his daughter her life. Thomas’s own his responsibilities number five more than his ancestor had. How is a father to protect his beloved daughter Jane when the man she loves is the target of men willing to shed blood to achieve their nefarious goals? How can he save her from the jealousy and spite inspired by her own beauty, or the consequences of his own past dealings?
JANE AND ELIZABETH BENNET ARE TRAVELLING to town to shop for Jane’s wedding to an eligible young earl when an altered seating arrangement leads to grievous injury for one sister and unceasing self-recrimination for the other. Once the envy of the neighbourhood, Jane is now a pitiable object of scorn, shunned and ridiculed by those she once thought her friends. Releasing her suitor from his attachment to her, Jane hides away for years, believing that all hope of happiness is lost.
WILL HER HEALING, both of body and spirt, ever be complete enough to allow her to love again? Will her attachment to Lord Lambrook survive the obstacles presented to them and allow them a second chance at life and love? And will Thomas Bennet ever be able to forgive himself for failing to keep her from harm?
The Scarred Duchess is a Pride and Prejudice reimagining, a multi-generational saga telling how love and devotion triumph over vengeance and villainy to shape the destinies of two families in Georgian England.
~ An Excerpt from The Scarred Duchess ~
The Bennets’ carriage arrived on Gracechurch Street early one October afternoon. Aunt Gardiner pointed Mr Legget to the servant’s entrance and ushered her nieces inside and up the stairs. Once Jane and Elizabeth had changed attire, they joined her in the parlour for tea, where the three spent an enjoyable hour catching up on the news in each household.
As usual, Elizabeth led the conversation while Jane added details here and there. “Our mother and father send their thanks.” She lifted a mischievous eyebrow. “Papa is especially pleased to have reduced the number of females at Longbourn to a more tolerable level.”
Mrs Gardiner pretended shock. “Surely you exaggerate.”
Elizabeth smiled. “Mary, Kitty, and Lydia send hugs for all.”
“Especially the children,” added Jane.
“And you may deliver them after we finish our tea.” Mrs Gardiner leant in. “Jane, your mother has informed me Mr Smyth—Lord Lambrook—seeks to reconnect with you.”
Jane blushed and looked at her hands. “Indeed, he does,” she declared. Elizabeth lightly touched her sister’s arm, a gesture that warmed Mrs Gardiner.
“He sends a posey every week. He is a most constant attendant.”
“That is good of him.” Mrs Gardiner laid a calming hand upon Jane’s forearm. “Pray allow me to caution both of you in one regard. Town is not the country; you must be cautious in your wording. That which is wit and admired in Hertfordshire will be fodder for gossip during the Season.”
It was obvious Elizabeth understood such advice was meant mostly for her. “Of course,” she said. “I shall be cautious in future conversation.”
“Excellent. Now, you two may give your sisters’ wishes to your cousins while I pen some notes.”
As her nieces danced up the stairs to the nursery, Mrs Gardiner sent notes to her cousins, Lady Matlock and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She looked forward to introducing the girls to their sponsors and letting the pairs become comfortable with each other. She knew the ladies had excursions planned that fit the tastes of each—Lady Matlock would escort Jane to Kew; Elizabeth would lose herself and Lady Catherine for an hour or two at Hatchard’s. Mrs Gardiner thought the pairings exceptionally fortuitous.
And without further ado….here is the big reveal!!!
(expected release date: June 24th)
Simply divine! I love the rich and royal colors – the uniform, her dress, the lush flowers – all are so striking! 💜
I love this split-style design – seeing the woman from behind, the beautiful scenery surrounding her, and just the bottom half of the man’s face…swoon! 😍
Sounds like this will be a strong and unique story for Jane! 🙎🏼♀️
I have so many questions! Who is Lord Lambrock? What is Mrs. Gardiner’s connections to Lady Matlock and Lady Catherine? How does Mr. Darcy figure in all of this… ❓
What do you think, friends? 🤔
~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!
The lovely people at Quills and Quartos are offering 3️⃣ ebook copies of The Scarred Duchess to 3️⃣ lucky readers who comment on today’s post!
To enter this giveaway leave a question, comment, or some love for Barry below.
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Quills and Quartos!
- This giveaway ends June 5th.
You can preorder The Scarred Duchess now!
My sincere gratitude to Barry and the wonderful people at Quills and Quartos for putting this special post together!
Unexpected! I can’t wait to read it!
Thank you. It was fun to write.
A vibrant cover. The colors initially takes one’s breath away.
I wonder who is the character in the uniform?
Congratulations on your 2nd publication!!
Thank you. It has been anything but a labour of love.
Wow! Beautiful cover (very striking!) And what an intriguing scenario you’ve teased us with. I can’t wait to read the entire book! Well done!
I am thrilled to see Jane actually live up to Mrs Bennet’s claims.
I love the colours in the cover! The premise is very interesting, and I can’t wait to read it! Congratulations, Barry!
Thank you, Lucy. I am such a fan of yours!
Congratulations on the new book! I agree with the other comments, the cover is spectacular! And the content inside sounds just as intriguing!
I loved the cover draft when first presented. The framing is everything I had hoped for.
The colors are beautiful. It sounds like it will be a wonderful story I can’t wait to read this book
Thank you. The romance is unique.
Can’t wait to read it. The cover is fantastic! Thank you for the chance to win a copy.
Elaine
Our pleasure. Good luck with the drawing.
All Bennet girls certainly love a man in a red coat! The red on the cover is very striking. I am intrigued by the premise of this book. Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway. My Gardiner is a cousins to Lady Matlock and Lady Catherine – not that changes the narrative!
In the AU I am establishing, Mrs GArdiner was already a cousin to Lady Matlock. I am being consistent with this and my next, now a WIP.
Whew! This is definitely not an angst-free story. I may need to fuel up on some chocolate as I read it.
Thank you for sharing your talent.
I recommend a layered chocolate with a sweet filling… I hope The Scarred Duchess suits your tastes.
A lovely cover- such vibrant colors!
It is spectacular … the young lady is enhanced in such a dazzling setting
Oh my! First off love the premise of discovering the Jane Bennet beneath the beauty, as defined by her mother. And as for the cover, I love the rich reds. Jane in red, live it. And a new Lord? Can’t wait to read this! . Congrats Barry,
oops… I mean “love it!”
Thank you. Jane is spectacular in this story, much on par with Elizabeth.
Congratulations! Been waiting patiently for your next book and it looks very intriguing, cover and all! I actually have checked Amazon every day to see if the paperback has been published yet. Yesterday, it came up, and I ordered it immediately! So looking forward to immersing myself in it. I love these outside-the-box ‘what ifs’!
You are the reader I love to entertain. Enjoy The Scarred Duchess. I promise to keep writing.
A truly beautiful cover! The colors are amazing and the people shown are mysterious. I am so impressed at the premise for this story. I had never thought about Jane becoming notorious for her beauty in such a very common way, but it makes perfect sense. I’ll be anxiously waiting to read this tale!
Thank you. We usually remember Jane through Elizabeth’s eyes. And the lesser depth of Mrs Bennet’s. My ‘What If’ question was always how the kingdom viewed Jane. Enjoy.
Congratulations on the new addition to your book family! I can’t wait to read it. Love the vibrant colors of the cover. The blurb definitely has me excited to see what happens.
Thank you, Michelle. I value your continued support.
I very much enjoyed Doubt Not, Cousin, so I am looking forward to reading this book. And the cover looks wonderful.
Thank you, Cara. You will love TSD as much, or more, than DNC.
Love the cover art
Thank you. I, too, think it is spectacular.
I love the red dress and especially the lush lavender along the path. Mrs Gardiner cousin to Lady Matlock AND Lady Catherine? Wow! I do hope Lady C is not still expecting marriage between Darcy and her daughter, especially as she’s taking Elizabeth about town.
I’m fascinated to see what happened to Jane and why, in fact I’m fascinated by this book and so look forward to reading it. I’m hoping it isn’t too angsty but my curiosity is definitely roused so……..
I believe you will find a satisfying amount of angst, proportional to the intrigue my books offer readers.
Sounds intriguing! Can’t wait to read it!
Thank you. It is quite the adventure.
I am not commenting to enter, simply to say I was lucky enough to have pre-read this book. It is excellent as all of Barry’s books are. I relish his plot and the dialogue is masterful. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I already pre-ordered it, too, and love this cover!!!!
Thank you, Virginia. Your support keeps my hopes high that I will continue writing and be accepted into our JAFF community.
What a beautiful cover! Congratulations on your new book.
Thank you, Brenda.
Looking forward to reading this exciting P&P variation. Thank you for giving us another view of our beloved story.
Becky, it is my pleasure to offer a little variation on those characters we love to read of.
I love the purple flowers and the red dress on the cover it is very vibrant! I look forward to reading this variation – what a unique concept.
I agree that the book’s premise is unique and, once you begin, hard to put down.
The cover has a snap and pop to it – very strong and vibrant. Perhaps like the duchess??
Best of luck with this new offering. I’m looking forward to reading it.
I will leave you to decide if the duchess is as the cover leads you to believe.
Barry I am so delighted with this cover and so very excited your new book is nearly here. I fell in love with Doubt not Cousin, being a ex serving member myself I have reread Doubt not Cousin 9 times and find something different each time. You are without doubt my favourite Author I am proud to say my review at Amazon.com.au (Australia) still #1. Please pick me for a copy of The scared Duchess the wait for this book has been so terribly long lol.
I aim to write one book a year, one in which each sister is prominent and the romance parallels ODC. The first was Kitty in DNC. This is Jane in TSD. My current WIP is Follow The Drum, with Mary getting much attention.
This is a great cover, and the blurb/excerpt is so intriguing! I loved Barry’s first book, and I’ve read it more than once, so I’m very excited to read this. Thanks for the giveaway.
Thank you, Jennie. I hope you find TSD as entertaining as DNC and read my second many more times, too.
Stunning cover, Barry. Congratulations on your second book! I’m sure everyone will love it.
The cover is stunning and the story is very very intriguing! I look forward to read about Jane having her happy ever after!
Jane’s HEA is a great story, as is ODC’s.
Thank you, Ree. I love the cover, too.
Thank you, Ree.
The cover is beautiful. Barry’s last book was really intense, and I am really looking forward to this one. Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway. Congrats and best wishes on the new release!
I promise that TSD is less intense than DNC but no less interesting. Good luck.
After listening to Barry read intriguing excerpts from this new book during two of the monthly JAFF Writer/Reader Get Together Work-in-Progress Zoom sessions, I’m all excitement to know it will be available soon! Stunning cover!
Thank you, Sandra. The cover, the story, all the parts of this journey have been positive and memorable.
Can’t wait to read it, Barry!
Thank you, Tina. You were a huge part of the success of DNC.
I am counting the days until I can read this!
T-25 and counting, I believe.
This sound excellent. Looking forward to see what happens, and the cover is lovely.
Thank you, Lynn
I love the bold and beautiful cover. I love it when the Bennets are more equal to Darcy with their connections. Can’t wait for the barbs to fly!
Thomas Bennet is quite the unexpected hero. The cover is very true to the story.
I would love an early copy of this! It looks soooo good.
Good luck with the drawing.
I can’t wait to read this – and I’m realizing I don’t think I read Barry’s first book!
The Scarred Duchess is a stand-alone book, but I recommend reading Doubt Not, Cousin to enjoy P&P variations written from a military man’s perspective.
Seems interesting though for me, Jane is someone I don’t care about and typically seems annoying, hypocritical, and selfish. I would rather have the focus solely on Elizabeth and for her to have more recognition for all her amazing kindness and selflessness. She should shine and the rest of her family should be made to pay for their selfish attitude and nastiness towards Lizzy.
I have read many variations that support your opinion regarding Elizabeth and her relationship with her sisters. The Scarred Duchess differs much from those types.
The blurb tells what happens. I loved it. There were many similarities to ‘Doubt Not Cousin’ and I loved every single one. Maybe my blood-lust was up. I wanted to smash something and this story satisfied my shock and awe lust. In person, I’m a gentle peace-loving person… that is until my dander gets up or I encounter atrocities. This book had all that and more. What a story!
I love the men in this book. They were my heroes. Having read ‘Doubt Not Cousin’ I was pleased to see similarities. There were so many things I loved in that book. I read this as an ARC from Q&Q and this was 5 ++ stars from me. I wish you all manner of success on the launch of this book. Well done. Keep those military men coming. Blessings.
Thank you, JW. I enjoy writing P&P variations in my AU where men protect their women and those women are forces unto themselves.
This sounds so intriguing! I can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
Good luck with the drawing.
What a beautiful cover! And I love the excerpt. Congrats on a wonderful new book, and thank you so much for the opportunity!
Thank you. Good luck with the drawing
With such an intriguing premise and beautiful cover, this is a must read fir me. I look forward to it!
Thank you, Gail. It was a ‘must write’ for me.
Congratulations on the new book. I love how the colors pop on the cover & the split in the cover giving us a peak at more than one thing. Oh and the tidbit about how Aunt Gardiner is related to the Matlock family!!!
Thank you, Glory. Mrs Gardiner, being a cousin to Lady Matlock, is a staple in my AU P&P universe.
Barry, you have a lovely excerpt, a wonderful premise, and a vibrant, beautiful cover. Wishing you all the best for this release! Cheers!
Thank you, Susan (a SA shout-out!) … swoon.
Congratulations on your new book! I really enjoyed reading DNC, and this new book has an intriguing premise – looking forward to reading it!
You will reconnect with some of the characters from DNC and learn of their backstories. Thank you.
Lovely cover! I am sure this book will be as excellent as your first one. Really looking forward to reading it!
Thank you, Linda. TSD, in my opinion, is as entertaining as DNC and just as multi-layered.
Congratulations Barry, on your new publication. I’ve been looking forward to this ever since I knew you were working on it, the title alone is compelling. I’m so eager to read this. Yes, the cover is gorgeous. I too loved DNC, have read, reread, and listened to it and it is just brilliant. I’m so glad the writing bug got to you and you answered that call.
Thank you, Michelle. I am positive you will enjoy TSD as you did DNC.
Congratulations on your second book, Barry! I love this cover! The vibrant purples and reds offset each other perfectly. And I love the way the gentleman’s face is only partly shown. We don’t even see his eyes. He’s a mystery, which is perfect for a book in which Jane has an unexpected suitor. This man is no Bingley, that we can see!
You are 100% correct. The man is NO Bingley … and I believe you will love the memorable impact of the Bingleys in TSD.
This sounds wonderful and I love second chance at love stories.
Glad you like second chances, as this is an amazing second chance love story.
Sounds great, Barry!
Thank you, Amanda.
Beautiful cover. Intriguing excerpt. Congratulations and thank you for the giveaway
Thank you. Good luck with the drawing
The excerpt is certainly intriguing. How is Aunt Gardiner related to the titled ladies? Who is the scarred duchess? Who is Jane’s admirer? Will Darcy and Elizabeth have some meaningful scenes? I’m looking forward to reading this story. Congratulations on publishing another book?
Thank you, Jeanette. You are asking all the right questions to enjoy TSD.
I am unfamiliar with this author, but I admit to being intrigued by the storyline!! Jane’s beauty always felt like a bit of a disservice to her, like that was all she was expected to be. I’m looking forward to experiencing this Jane, who has known tragedy & disappoint, and seeing her growth from it!! The cover itself is so rich & inviting all on its own… who could resist such a novel?!
Thank you. I hope you choose to become familiar with all my work.
This sounds like a fun read! Great job on the cover design, it really pulls me in and makes me want to read the book.
Thank you. The cover is spectaculor
Excellent! Doubt Not, Cousin is my favorite depiction of Colonel Fitzwilliam. Richman has such an intriguing take in that book. I am curious hat he will do with Jane in this book. And seeing a strong Mr Bennet is always nice. so I look forward to seeing what happens in this book.
Thank you, Shannon. I believe you will LOVE my version of Jane and her love interest.
With so many comments as are already here, I’m sure I haven’t a chance at winning, but I have to try — gotta get this one someday to go with my copy of Barry’s first book!
Thak you, Christina. Good luck with the drawing and I appreciate your support.
I am probably to late for the giveaway but this is definitely on my to read list.
Thank you, Leslie. I enjoyed wiritng it.
the cover looks very different full of colour the story sounds full of excitment want to read it now..
TSD is a very exciting story. The definition of an intrigue gift wrapped in romance.
the cover looks very different .would like to start reading it now