Interview with Sophie Barnes, Author of Mr. Grier and The Governess

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Mr. Grier and The Governess?

I began developing the Brazen Beauties trilogy when some of my readers requested historical romance novels with older couples. And since I wanted my three leading ladies to stand out from each other, each needed a different reason for being unmarried when they met their match. With this in mind, I worked on their positions within society first, making one a divorcee, one a spinster, and one a widow. The next step was working out how these three women would come into contact with their future husbands.

In Mr. Grier and The Governess, it made sense for Olivia to seek a position once her father died. With no one to support her, she had no choice but to try and make it on her own. And since I wanted to give her a chance to spread her wings and experience more than she’d ever been able to experience before – to live a little, as it were – I thought up the bucket list for her to follow. The rest of the story developed from there.

If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Mr. Grier and The Governess, what would they be?

I’m just going to pick one song for the book as a whole: Only You by Yazoo.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre is historical fiction which pairs well with historical romance. Some of my favorite books include The Pillars of The Earth and The Physician.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

I’m currently working my way through C.S. Harris’s St. Cyr series.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

The nighttime picnic on the roof. It’s the part where Olivia acknowledges her love for Grayson – what everything else has been leading toward.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

I don’t know if this counts, but I don’t just write on my computer. I also write on my phone a lot, mostly in Google docs, then copy and paste everything into Word later.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Perseverance leads to achievement.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

Life is fleeting. Make as many wonderful memories as you can.

Sophie Barnes is the author of the new book Mr. Grier and The Governess

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