I am thrilled to announce that I have a new release coming this month! The Lady Behind the Masquerade will be released in paperback and ebook on July 25.
Here’s the backcover blurb:
The ton’s newest member
Is not all she seems…
Diplomat Marcus Wolfdon can’t forget the alluring woman he met in Paris, the passionate night they shared or that she stole his money and disappeared! A year later, Wolf meets Juliana again in Brighton, seemingly a member of the ton. She begs him to keep their former liaison secret, and the emotion in her eyes compels him to agree. Desire still flares between them, but first Wolf must uncover the lady behind the masquerade.
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
The Lady Behind the Masquerade is Book 2 in A Family of Scandals series. Marcus Wolfdon, “Wolf” to his friends and family, is the younger brother of Eliza, now the Marquess of Hale, and heir to their father’s baronetcy. Rather than deal with his parents’ drama, Wolf has dedicated himself to a diplomatic career, lately in Paris, where he has his unforgettable encounter with Juliana. His father’s near-fatal illness brings him back to England where he must face his family obligations–and Juliana, who now is not an alluring French woman, but a lovely lady, cousin to Wolf’s friend’s mother. Never sure precisely what Juliana’s truth is, he cannot resist both loving her and protecting her but never trusting her.
Book Three in my village of Little Macclow sweet Regency series, Her Perfect Gentleman, has taken me two years to wrestle into submission, but some books are like that! Characters don’t always cooperate, plotlines don’t always gel, and the fun twists and surprises can make you wait a long time to discover them. However, Her Perfect Gentleman has just gone up for pre-order on Amazon! It will release on December 15 at its full price, but if you read on Kindle, you can save by ordering now at the reduced pre-order price. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BMLQCLSW
Maybe one day the other distributors will get on board with this, but as far as I know that option isn’t available yet. The book will be “wide” (available in multiple formats at multiple distributors) once it releases.
She is the worst thing that could happen to him. He might be the best thing that could happen to her. How will two hearts on such opposite tracks find their way to true love?
The last thing Christopher Haslitt needs or wants is another involvement with a high-ranking lady. He is still trying to repair both his heart and his reputation after last season’s disaster left him branded as a fortune hunter. Five days in Little Macclow for his best friend’s wedding should be only a brief delay on his path. But he hasn’t counted on spending it with five unmarried daughters of earls, one of whom has her sights set firmly on him!
Lady Honoria deRaymond finds Mr. Haslitt more attractive and charming than any other gentleman of her acquaintance. What’s more, his perfect manners include overlooking her tendency to be impulsive and not always quite proper. She knows the rules; she just has trouble sticking to them. Marriage to a high-ranking peer, as her family expects for her, will mean a highly visible life of constant pressure to conform and behave properly. Could Mr. Haslitt, a baronet’s son, be her means to escape such a fate? Can she possibly win his heart in just five days? When she returns to London, her one chance to forge a different future may be gone.
Sweet with a little sizzle, the Tales of Little Macclow are linked by a common setting and recurring endearing characters. They follow a shared chronology and, while best read in order, they are complete stand alone romances that will warm your heart.
Little Macclow—a village tucked away and maybe touched by magic…at least the magic of love.
One passionate night A seven-year-old secret…
Widowed Lady Eliza Varden must endure one more ball before she can politely return to the country. Only her last dance brings her face-to-face with Nathaniel, the new Marquess of Hale. It’s been years since their steamy encounter, but the spark between them is as alive as ever. Yet Eliza knows it’s not just their mutual attraction that binds them now… But is she ready to risk her independence with the truth?
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
My latest, Secretly Bound to the Marquess, was released October 25 and had received some very nice reviews. Here’s a sample:
Gaston (Lord Grantwell’s Christmas Wish, 2021) puts her own deftly crafted spin on the popular secret-baby trope in her latest cleverly conceived Regency historical, and her insightful way with characterization will win over readers who like their romances served up with a generous measure of historical realism.— John Charles, Booklist
Five Stars! In her latest historical romance, Diane Gaston lets doubts and schemes repeatedly cause heartache for a woman and man who only want to be loved….. SECRETLY BOUND TO THE MARQUESS is packed with believable situations, very interesting characters, and a noteworthy storyline filled with colorful descriptions.— Amelia Richards,Goodreads
Four Stars! Diane Gaston, much to the delight of her readers, knows scandal. Once again, this wicked author has written a tale that kept me glued to the pages, wondering how the main characters would save face. (Reputation means everything in the Ton.) The story was worth losing sleep for. A lovely tale, villains to enjoy hating, a child to lighten moods and give you an occasional smile, and an unending love. What more could you ask for in a romance? And all of it unfolds in such a way that only Diane Gaston can tell. Excellent! — Detra Fitch, Huntress Reviews
What the reviews and back cover blurb do not tell is that this completely heterosexual reunion and secret baby romance also gives the reader a glimpse into what it must have been like to be gay during the Regency (even though the crucial gay characters never actually appear in the book). Homosexuality in the Regency was considered a sin and a crime punishable by hanging. Just a rumor of being gay could ruin a man and his family.
I must give credit to Louisa Cornell. It was her 2020 workshop given to the Regency Fiction Writers that inspired and informed the history in this book. I’ve told her her workshop was worthy of a college course!
What do you think? Is touching on the topic of the Gay Regency in a Regency Romance welcome or too much of a risk?
Over the years, I’ve been asked frequently if my books were available in audio, and to date I’ve always had to apologize and say no. Neither of my previous publishers ever issued my books in audio, even though they held the rights to do so.
Well, that changes today! After getting the rights back to my first books, I reissued them with fantastic new covers, and then I sold the audio rights to Scribd. Today the first one came out! It’s narrated by Dan Calley (who I think has an absolutely lovely voice), and I’m dying to know what readers think!!!
You can find Sin Incarnatehere. And they offer a 30 day free trial for those who want to check out everything that’s available. And yes, Scandal Incarnate and Temptation Incarnate are both on their way.
A charming village, a struggling hero, a woman who risks heartbreak for a second time….
Some stories write themselves. Some stories fight you. I posted about this back in April (here) as I struggled with reworking LORD OF HER HEART. Optimistically, I hoped then the book would be out in June. Ha. Even after I revised it, it still needed so much editing! Yikes, I began to think it would never make it out into the world. But as of today –it’s out!!
LORD OF HER HEART is the start of my new “Tales of Little Macclow” series. “Book Two” in the series is already out—my Christmastide holiday story, LORD OF MISRULE, inspired readers to ask for a series set in the fictional village where there may (or may not) be a bit of magic. The story actually takes place eight months after the action in the new book, so if you haven’t read LOM yet, I would say you’ll enjoy it even more if you read the new one first! The stories stand alone, but there is a continuing chronology that is going to link the series together.
Here is the blurb for LORD OF HER HEART:
An unexpected return. A new risk for old friends.
As Little Macclow prepares to celebrate May Day, Tom Hepston’s arrival stirs expectations and speculation. Tom left the village fourteen years ago. Now he is back, but he hasn’t come willingly and he has no plans to stay. While he’s proud of the naval career he has left behind, he believes the physical and mental wounds that ended it have made him a madman no woman could—or should—love. Can he leave again before everyone sees the broken man he has become?
Sally Royden’s young heart broke when Tom left the first time. After years of hoping for his return, she now leads a full life caring for her sister and serving as the village seamstress. Tom’s experiences have changed him. Can Sally dare hope for renewed friendship? Or more? Or will her heart be broken twice—by the same man?
Little Macclow—tucked away and maybe touched by magic…. Village tales of love’s triumphs.
I’ve done “wounded heroes” before and bad memories are necessarily a part of them. (If you love this trope, I hope you’ll love Tom Hepston!) But I’ve never attempted one struggling with true PTSD before, which is so much more and can be so complex. I took an entire course on PTSD and did a lot of additional research in order to attempt writing Tom’s character. I had to learn some of the ways it is treated now—so I could figure out ways Tom might recover in a time period when the disorder didn’t even have a name, never mind any sort of therapy. Part of the proceeds from sales of LORD OF HER HEART will be donated to the Wounded Warriors Project and other non-profit organizations that support those struggling with the challenges of PTSD.
Do you like the wounded warrior trope? How about second-chances, and friends-to-lovers? One thing that makes this book different is that the main characters are not aristocracy. They’re not even gentry. Are you willing to read about characters who aren’t wealthy, and never will be? Tom & Sally are at the opposite end from those millionaire dukes who are so popular. I hope you’ll see that their HEA future is just as solid as those earned by those wealthy, high-ranked kinds of characters. And I hope you’ll want to visit Little Macclow again for more books in the series!
The book is available for Kindle and in print through Amazon and in other ebook formats through Smashwords.
I am thrilled to announce that I have a new release coming this month! The Lady Behind the Masquerade will be released in paperback and ebook on July 25.
