Hello Lovely Readers,

Today we are excited to chat with Madeline Martin in celebration of the release The Rake’s Convenient Bride, book two in the Wedding a Wallflower series.

Welcome! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what got you into writing?

I’ve been writing for almost twenty years and have been published since 2015 (with my debut Deception of a Highlander). I live in Florida with my two daughters, two cats, and a man so wonderful, he’s been dubbed Mr. Awesome. I write historical romance and historical fiction (my recent release, The Booklover’s Library, recently came in fourth in the Goodreads Choice Awards for Favorite Historical Fiction).

I’ve always really enjoyed writing and wrote random chapters, short stories, and random plots for books my whole life, but I didn’t start writing a full-length book until after my first daughter was born. I read Outlander on maternity leave and enjoyed it so much, I thought I’d try my hand at the Highlander/Englishwoman combo and had a lot of fun with it.

What inspired you to write historical romance?

I started reading romance probably younger than I should have been (like most of us LOL) and really enjoyed love stories. As stated above, I was really inspired by Outlander to start writing my own romances with a tough, brawny Scotsman and a feisty Englishwoman. As I write, I’ve learned I’m a huge enemies to lovers fan and love a good tortured hero.

What is your favorite part about writing historical romance and what is your least favorite?

My favorite part is writing about two flawed people who grow together and make one another whole. There’s something really beautiful about finding ‘your person’ and I love recreating that with my stories. I will say the hardest part can sometimes be writing the love scenes, especially if it’s 4:30 in the morning LOL

What inspired this series in particular?

I enjoy reading about wallflowers and thought writing a whole series on them would be a lot of fun, especially ones who happened to make a pact never to marry when they were younger. What better way to spin that concept on its head than by introducing men these women just can’t resist?

What is your favorite aspect of protagonist Lady Elizabeth Ashbrook’s character?

Poor Lady Elizabeth Ashbrook is a total klutz. Just like me LOL I am forever tripping, spilling, dropping, etc. Writing a character with that attribute made her feel so real to me, especially in her fears of anxiety with being in the spotlight for fear of when she might stumble next.

What is your favorite aspect of male protagonist Lord Darington’s character?

I love a good misunderstood rake. Without going into this too much and giving away some spoilers, I’ll just say that Darington isn’t all he appears and I really liked that about him.

What can readers look forward to next from you?

Next in the series will be The Duke’s Arrangement where Jillian’s vehement opposition to marriage comes back to haunt her in the most unexpected of ways… You can add it to your Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60599290-the-duke-s-arrangement

What are some books you are enjoying reading right now? Do you have any recommendations?

I recently read Mimi Matthew’s upcoming book Rules of Ruin, a Victorian cat-and-mouse type of romance that was filled with great twists!! It’s coming out in May 2025 and was just so good! Definitely one to pre-order!

Want to learn more about The Rake’s Convenient Bride?

Lady Elizabeth Ashbrook is something of a klutz. Only this time the quiet, bookish young lady has literally fallen directly into the path of none other than the notoriously rakish Earl of Darington.

When an accidental encounter appears rather compromising, Lady Elizabeth does what any sensible young lady would, and declares they are engaged.

Even rakes can act the gentleman when necessary and Lord Darington does so by allowing her lie to stand, thus saving her reputation with the ridiculous claim. After all, they only need to be “betrothed” for a few weeks before calling their engagement off.

And it will be called off. Lord Darington is enticing, smooth-talking, and as sure in his footing as he is in his own confidence. That is to say, he is everything Lady Elizabeth is not and the kind of gentleman that should make any lady guard her heart.

In all possible ways, they are entirely ill-suited for one another…aren’t they?

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty different languages.

She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions), two incredibly spoiled cats and a man so wonderful he’s been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she’s not writing, researching or ‘moming’, you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves research and travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany.

Check out her website for book club visits, reader guides for her historical fiction, upcoming events, book news and more.

You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook, X, and BookBub.