Sarah Ferguson’s steamy debut Mills & Boon novel focuses on the forbidden, passionate romance of a flame-haired heroine who is keen to wed her Scottish lover Donald Cameron – regardless of her father’s disapproval.
The ebook – Her Heart for a Compass – is a fictional account of the lifetime of the Duchess of York’s great-great-aunt, Girl Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott.
Set within the coronary heart of the Victorian period, it sees 18-year-old Girl Margaret evoke the ire of her mother and father – the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, shut mates of Queen Victoria – by rejecting the suitor they selected for her, Lord Rufus Ponsonby, the Earl of Killin, leading to her being banished from well mannered society.
Girl Margaret, who hails from Dalkeith in Scotland and loves horses, then falls head over heels in love with a priest and, later, an older diplomat – an acquaintance of her father’s – earlier than making a profession for herself as a author.
And the hotly-anticipated novel is crammed with racy particulars, such because the second when the protagonist first units eyes on her previous pal Donald ‘astride a strapping gray’ and so they discover themselves in a passionate embrace.
In an extract supplied solely to FEAMAIL, the novelist tells of the second Girl Margaret ‘learn his intention clearly in his eyes as he reached for her, and he or she made no try and evade him as he pulled her into his arms.’
Sarah Ferguson’s hotly anticipated debut Mills & Boon novel hits the cabinets right this moment – and its flame-haired heroine is greater than just a bit acquainted
The ebook – Her Coronary heart for a Compass, left – is a fictional account of the lifetime of the Duchess of York’s great-great-aunt, Girl Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott (proper)
And in a second passage: ‘She lifted her hand to his cheek and felt his sharp consumption of breath at her contact. ‘Margaret,’ he stated, his voice each tough and mild on the identical time.’
It goes on to say how ‘the roaring of the waterfall grew to become a roaring in her ears as their lips met.’
In actual life, Girl Margaret married Donald Cameron of Lochiel – who was an MP and twenty fourth chief of Clan Cameron, in 1875. They went on to have 4 sons, who’ve believed to have fought in WWII.
Grounded in in depth historic analysis, the novel is a narrative of obligation, household, love, and a lady’s craving for freedom and independence in a strict, controlling society.
The Duchess joined forces along with her ‘collaborator and mentor’ Marguerite Kaye – who has written greater than 50 novels for Mills & Boon set throughout the ages and her books and novellas have bought greater than 1.5 million copies in over 20 international locations.
All through Her Coronary heart for a Compass, Girl Margaret’s rising confidence leads her to pursue a brand new life exterior of the confines of her aristocratic household seat, and ultimately comply with her coronary heart.
Fergie, 61, who has penned many bestselling youngsters’s books and several other works of non-fiction, stated it is a ‘dream come true’ to be a first-time novelist on the age of 61.
‘Lockdown gave me the time and area to inform a narrative that I’ve wished to write down for 15 years,’ she defined. ‘When like everybody else I used to be locked down with my household, it gave me the time to buckle down and write the ebook.
Sarah Ferguson was noticed leaving the BBC after showing on The One Present final evening to advertise her ebook
The Duchess of York appeared radiant following her TV look final evening
‘I believe folks will see the parallels between me and my heroine Girl Margaret – she’s a redhead, she’s robust willed and he or she’s led by her coronary heart. She attracts the eye of the press and he or she makes a profession in writing. However in the end, this can be a work of fiction and never an autobiography.
‘It is a coming of age story charting the journey of a powerful lady who strains towards the confines of 1860s society, when girls have been so managed. I believe the challenges Margaret faces will resonate with right this moment’s readers.’
Talking on The One Present final evening, the Duchess defined: ‘My center title is Margaret and there are specific parallels between my life and this extraordinary, resilient, brave, robust, red-headed Girl Margaret.
‘After I appeared into the DNA of my family, I discovered this woman that did not have a voice, an actual life woman, Girl Margaret.
‘Nobody knew what she’d achieved, so I made it fiction, and naturally it’s fiction, however it’s my grandmother and my household and it is Scotland, London, Eire, after which in fact she did charity work in America.
‘And so in fact there’s many experiences and experimenting with experiences that Girl Margaret does that I can converse of from my very own experiences.’
Sarah added that the concept for the novel got here to her after I was requested to do the BBC programme Who Do You Suppose You Are?.
‘I did not find yourself going forward with that, but it surely began me off on a quest to look into the robust, artistic Scottish and Irish girls in my lineage,’ she defined. ‘I grew to become significantly fascinated with my great-great-aunt, Girl Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott, and the story grew from there.
‘What struck me was how small a mark Margaret had made on the historical past of such an influential household – I may discover out virtually nothing about her. What sort of individual was she? Why had she married so comparatively late? She was roughly a clean canvas.
‘With actual historic occasions and details at hand, my creativeness took over. I invented a historical past for her that included actual folks and occasions. I used to be decided to deliver her to life and to point out that researching and telling the tales of robust girls in historical past of significant significance.’
The parallels between the author and her protagonist are certainly putting; within the ebook her heroine speaks of her loathing for limitless formal events, and her want to have the ability to let her rebellious pink mop of hair ‘tumble wild and unfastened down her again’.
There are additionally quite a few references to the press, with the character creating a dislike for the Illustrated London Information – not dissimilar in its model to Girl Whistledown’s gossip-fuelled column within the Netflix drama Bridgerton.
‘Truthfully, you’d suppose they’d have extra essential matters to write down about than what robe I wore to what ball, who I danced with, and whether or not or not my dance card was full,’ Girl Margaret moans to her greatest pal Princess Louise, Queen Victoria’s sixth little one.
She later laments: ‘I’m heartily sick of being the topic of press hypothesis.’
The Duchess beforehand informed Folks journal that ‘the world’s press has written about my errors’ when discussing how she advises her daughters to behave.
The parallels between the author and her protagonist are certainly putting; within the ebook her heroine speaks of her loathing for limitless formal events, and her want to have the ability to let her rebellious’ pink mop of hair ‘tumble wild and unfastened down her again’
Girl Margaret additionally seems to share the novelist’s trademark deep curtsies – performing one to the Prince of Wales throughout a social engagement – and her ardour for telling youngsters’s tales, which ultimately results in her writing her personal.
Sarah has been studying youngsters’s books all through the pandemic on her YouTube channel, Storytime with Fergie and Mates.
The Duchess has devoted her new ebook to her ‘stunning women’ Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, whom she stated have ‘all of the energy and braveness of Girl Margaret’.
She wrote within the ebook’s foreword: ‘They too have adopted their hearts and stay life on their very own phrases. This ebook is for you, Beatrice and Eugenie, with all my love.’
The novel will not be wanting historic references; its opening scene is about at Montagu Home, a late Seventeenth-century mansion in Nice Russell Avenue within the Bloomsbury district of London, which grew to become the primary house of the British Museum.
The Duchess has devoted the ebook to her ‘stunning women’ Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, whom she stated have ‘all of the energy and braveness of Girl Margaret’, her heroine
It additionally options actual historic figures and occasions, providing a compelling take a look at Victorian England within the wake of Prince Albert’s loss of life.
The novel sweeps the reader from the drawing rooms of Queen Victoria’s courtroom and the grand nation homes of Scotland and Eire to the slums of London and the mercantile bustle of 1870s New York.
‘I’ve lengthy held a ardour for historic analysis and telling the tales of robust girls in historical past by means of movie and tv,’ Sarah stated. ‘I’m proud to deliver my private model of historic fiction to the publishing world.’
Sir Julian Fellowes, screenwriter of Gosford Park and creator of Downton Abbey, described Sarah’s ebook as a ‘story of daring and dedication, set towards the glamorous heights, and the tough restrictions of aristocratic society within the center years of the British nineteenth century’.
In the meantime Rosie Nixon, creator of Simply Between Mates and Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! Journal, branded it a ‘deliciously evocative romp by means of excessive society life’.
Sarah has already secured a second ebook with Mills & Boon and writer Harper Collins.
‘I am so excited to be diving into this new story, as soon as once more with Marguerite Kaye as my co-author,’ she stated. ‘I actually really feel this ebook marks a brand new part of my life and an entire new chapter for me.
‘I am able to embrace the alternatives and challenges of writing grownup fiction, and to construct on what I’ve discovered when writing Her Coronary heart for a Compass.
To advertise her work, Sarah was pictured in a Victorian-style floor-length outfit, full with high-necked shirt, jacket and gloves, sat on a stone bench gazing at a compass she held out in entrance of her
‘I am unable to reveal an excessive amount of in regards to the new ebook at this level, however will probably be one other interval drama, and can construct on the world which I’ve created for this primary ebook.’
To advertise her work, Sarah was pictured in a Victorian-style floor-length outfit, full with high-necked shirt, jacket and gloves, sat on a stone bench gazing at a compass she held out in entrance of her. One other shot confirmed her driving a horse carrying a prime hat and matching interval garb.
She additionally posed for a collection of studio photographs, donning a crisp white shirt along with her pink hair flowing in a mode her heroine would have authorised.
Mills & Boon – the UK’s primary writer of romantic fiction – was established in 1908. Its books – that are written by girls for ladies – vary from historic romance to rom-com and erotica, and one is bought each 10 seconds within the UK.
Government Writer for Mills & Boon Lisa Milton commented: ‘Throughout TV, movie and books, historical past continues to develop in reputation.
‘This sensible sweeping story is ideal for our present readers in addition to reaching followers of bestselling novelists corresponding to Philippa Gregory and Anne O’Brien.
‘Mills & Boon are honoured to publish the Duchess of York’s debut novel as we transfer into our subsequent century of publishing sensible books by girls for ladies.’
Her Coronary heart for a Compass, by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York (printed by Mills & Boon, HarperCollins Publishers) is out on August 3 priced at £14.99 hardback, £6.99 on eBook and £14.49 on audiobook. To purchase now click here.
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