Authors Interviewing Characters: Lindsay Lovise

About the book

NEVER BLOW A KISS

In this delightfully witty Victorian romance, a governess spy running away from her past falls for an ex-soldier turned railroad magnate—perfect for fans of Manda Collins and Bridgerton!

The utterly charming Emily Leverton has a dark past and is determined to leave it behind in her respectable new role as a governess. But when she is recruited by a secret network of governesses who spy on the ton, it may just be a way to redeem the dark secrets of her past.

Straddling the worlds of the ton and the working class, as an ex-solider turned railroad magnate, Zach hunts killers for the Metropolitan Police by day and dutifully attends balls at night. In neither world has he met a woman with the brazenness to mock him. So when a saucy governess blows him a kiss he is determined to catch her, never expecting that when he does he will find an intelligent, quirky woman hiding more than her true name. As Zach peels back the layers of Emily’s lies, he falls for the street-wise woman who handles a dagger like a pro and kisses like a mistress. But when his affair with Emily intertwines with his hunt for a killer, he discovers Emily is hiding an explosive secret—one that could destroy them both.

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Lindsay Lovise’s Interview with Miss Emily Leverton and Mr. Zachariah Denholm 

LL: I appreciate you joining me, Miss Leverton and Mr. Denholm.

Emily: Please, call us Emily and Zach.

LL: Thank you, I will. My first question is for you, Emily. Readers are interested in your transition from dirt-poor thief to governess. How ever did you manage it?

Emily: I suppose I utilized some of my less savory skills to get where I am. One day I saw an ad posted for a governess position in the window of a shop, and I thought to myself, I can do that. I secured the appointment with a letter of recommendation from the Baroness Rosigan. Alas, she is unaware that she “wrote” such a letter. 

Zach: I quite enjoy your unsavory skills.

Emily: Zach!

LL: Emily, are you saying you forged the letter?

Emily: Oh goodness, I did not realize the late hour. I shall have to return to my duties shortly. Do you have any other questions for me?

LL: I see evasion is one of your many skills. What did you think of Detective Constable Zachariah Denholm when you first saw him?

Zach: Yes, what did you think of him?

Emily: I noticed him immediately. I was delivering a fan to my young charge, and when I was slipping along the outskirts of the ballroom he caught my attention—and not only because he was being harangued by a marriage-minded mama. There was something different about him: it was like he didn’t belong with all the other people in the room born to wealth and privilege. He seemed more alert, more causal, earthier. I wanted to know more about him. 

LL: Is that why you blew him a kiss across the crowded ballroom?

Emily: That was a mistake. I shouldn’t have done that. 

Zach: It was not a mistake. 

LL: The kiss—mistake or not—resulted in the two of you meeting, correct? 

Emily: Correct. He wanted to find the woman who blew him a kiss, so he chased after me. 

LL: Zach, did you catch her?

Zach: You could say that. 

LL: Zach, you’re a detective constable and you’ve been tasked with catching the Evangelist, a murderer who’s been targeting street workers in Bethnal Green. Are you worried you won’t catch him? Is there anything you can share with us about the investigation?

Zach: Of course I am worried I will not catch him. He is a monster terrorizing women who are already in a vulnerable position. I am going to do everything in my power to stop him. As for the details of the investigation, you shall have to read the paper along with the rest of London.   

LL: Fair enough. Emily, did you ever think you would become a governess? Or that you would use your position as—oh, Zach, would you please pardon us for this question? All right, he’s left the room for the moment. Emily, did you ever think you would use your position as a governess to spy on the ton and hold them accountable for their crimes? 

Emily: Never. When I was younger there were a few years where I thought I might have a shot at living a life of comfort, but that did not happen. It wasn’t until my former husband disappeared at the bottom of the Indian Ocean that I realized no one was going to give me the life I desired; I was going to have to take it. I was struggling in my first governess placement when the Dove found me, recruited me, and trained me. Not only did she give me job security, but she gave me greater purpose. I have many wrongs to atone for, and helping others who have been victimized by the ton is a good place to start.    

LL: You have spoken of wrongs you have committed. What is something you regret, or something you wish you could do all over again?

Emily: There are too many to recount. I have done many things that I am not proud of in order to survive. But perhaps the biggest miscalculation I made was trusting a person among the nobility who I thought had honor. That is a mistake I will never make again. 

LL: Zach, you may come back in. I apologize for that, but there are certain delicate matters that must remain between Emily and me at present. Can you tell us why you work for the Metropolitan Police even though you’ve made a fortune in railroad investments?

Zach: I’ve always worked. I was born the son of a butcher, and then I spent ten years fighting abroad for the crown. I tried idle leisure once I made my fortune, but the boredom nearly sent me to my grave, so now I lend my skills to the Metropolitan Police. 

LL: Emily, what is your favorite thing about being a governess?

Emily: Aside from being safe and having clean clothes and consistent meals? The children are a joy—for the most part—and I’ve enjoyed getting to know other governesses, such as Frankie Turner. She is quite odd, but I do like her very much, and I think she may be a genius with her mathematics abilities. 

LL: Emily, where do you see your relationship with Zach going?

Emily: I am not sure it is wise to speculate— 

Zach: I see her marrying me.

LL: Whew, did it get hot in here? Someone open a window. Emily, for our final question, we are dying to know what your Big Secret is. Put us out of our misery.

Zach: Yes, for heaven’s sake, put us out of our misery!

Emily: I am sorry. That is a secret I will have to take with me to the end of the book. 

BUY HERE

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Lindsay writes historical and paranormal romances with brave heroines and a dash of mystery. Although she earned degrees in English and teaching, she always knew she wanted to write stories about love.

When she’s not writing, Lindsay is reading (probably romance), drinking coffee, and avoiding laundry. She currently lives in New York, but was born and raised in Maine where the winters make for perfect reading weather.

Lindsay is represented by Emily Sylvan Kim at Prospect Agency.

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Interviews, On Writing