What happens when an independent young lady falls in love with a man who does not meet the approval of her grandparents? Louise faces this situation in Peggy Lovelace Ellis’s new Regency novel. Will she bend to their will? Will she cast caution to the wind and follow her dream?

Peggy, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about The Merry Heart.

The Merry Heart by Peggy Lovelace Ellis

Genre Traditional Regency
Book heat level (based on movie ratings) G

They should have noticed her red hair…

How can an independent young lady, who is accustomed to the freedom of the middle class, bend to the will of 1812 Society?

After growing up in an orphanage as Louise Tracy, Louise resided in London with her best friend, Rebecca Black, and their companion, Mrs. Amelia Peters. An accomplished pianist, Louise earned money teaching piano to merchants’ daughters and enjoyed life within the middle class, with no concern for the upper-class restrictions.

Now, much to her dismay, she learns she is a member of the upper class: Louise Mansfield, the granddaughter of the Marquis of Granville who proudly states his ancestors welcomed William of Normandy to England in 1066.

What happens when an independent young lady falls in love with a man who does not meet the approval of her grandparents? Major George Stafford is eligible in the eyes of everyone except the family-proud Granvilles. Louise knows the major is the man for her. He is handsome, manly, a war hero, and possessor of a reasonable fortune. More importantly, they laugh at the same things.

Music has always been a large part of Louise’s life. She views her life as either in major key—the good times or in minor key—the not-so-good times. Whether in the confines of Mansfield Park in Somerset or learning Society’s rules in London, Louise lives her life on her own terms.

From the Author

In 1774, three ten-year-old girls living in Somerset, England, made a decision which had a far-reaching effect on their lives. They declared that, when they grew up, they would each have a daughter and give her all three of their names but in different orders. They would be best friends just as their mothers were. Rebecca Marie Louise Black and Louise Rebecca Marie Tracy meet in an orphanage in Hampshire, England, in the year 1800. Because of the similarity of names, they vow to be best friends forever, as only six-year-olds can. This friendship continues until, in 1812 at the age of 18, they leave the orphanage to pursue life in London with a chaperone. Both Rebecca and Louise believe there is a third girl who shares their names. This is the basis of my Heart Series, written over a five-year period, all to be published this summer and fall.

A Merry Heart takes place a few days after Louise learns she is not the person she believed herself to be, as we read in, Book One, The Uncertain Heart.

How difficult can it be for an independent, working-class girl to adjust to the restricted life of the Regency upper classes? Louise Tracy learns the answer when she discovers that, far from being a common orphan, she is actually Louise Rebecca Marie Mansfield, granddaughter of the arrogant Marquess of Granville, who disowned his only son for making a misalliance when he married the vicar’s daughter.

And what happens when this independent young lady falls in love with a man who does not meet the approval of her top-lofty grandparents? Major George Stafford is eligible in the eyes of everyone except the family-proud Granvilles, and Louise knows he is the man for her. He is handsome, manly, a war hero, and possessor of a reasonable fortune. More importantly, he laughs at the same things as she.

Cover Design: SelfPubBookCovers.com/dianecostanzastudio

Where to buy The Merry Heart

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Merry-Heart-Book-Louises-Story/dp/B0C7JJ9NPR
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-merry-heart-peggy-lovelace-ellis/1143664539

Peggy Lovelace Ellis Social Media

Growing up on a small farm near Asheville, North Carolina, Peggy Ellis loved to read for as long as she can remember. “I loved reading from early childhood,” she recalls. “I really enjoyed The Bobbsey Twins, and the Five Little Peppers enthralled me. From there it was on to Louisa Mae Alcott’s books, followed by Nancy Drew and even The Hardy Boys.”
Peggy considered the characters in those books as her friends, and she looked forward to the monthly visit from the bookmobile. “Mom allowed us to borrow as many books as we could carry. Weight was never an issue when I cradled precious books in my arms on the mile-long trek, mostly uphill, on a gravel road. By the time the month passed, I had practically memorized the books and vowed that, someday, I would write books like those I loved.”
This year marks her 51st anniversary as a freelance writer and editor, and she enjoys using her gift of creative communication to help others. A devout Christian, Peggy has been married for over 54 years. Her byline has appeared in nationally distributed magazines, ezines, and anthologies over the past three decades.
Many writers and authors struggle with confidence, but that isn’t the case with Peggy. “I didn’t have a confidence problem with writing. My problem was that I simply could not write fiction. I had no problem with researched writing, only fiction.” She recalls receiving “lots” of rejections as a freelance writer. “I threatened to wallpaper one wall of our den with my rejection slips.”
Peggy received some wise advice when someone told her to see rejections as positive, because they show she’s working at her craft. “An attitude adjustment can make all of the difference in the world for a writer!”
Every author has their favorite books they have written, and Peggy is no different. Challenges on the Home Front, World War II, is an anthology of first-person stories from women in eight countries on their lives during the war. “I found their stories fascinating, all different yet all the same. Challenges also contains my mother’s story as I observed her, and my researched work on the equality of women in the workplace which came to a head at the end of the war, leading to the Equal Rights Movement of the seventies. It is still selling well in its second edition.”
Another favorite book she has written is Silver Shadows, Stories of Life in a Small Town. “These eight stories originated as sketches for secondary characters in cozy mysteries. However, the characters convinced me they’re real people and each had a story to tell beyond the obvious basic identity information. They didn’t give me any peace of mind until I wrote their stories.” These people became the secondary people in a doppelgänger romantic suspense which Peggy expects to publish in early 2024.
In addition to Challenges on the Home Front, World War II, Peggy compiled and published two other anthologies: Lest the Colors Fade and A Beautiful Life and Other Stories.
Peggy’s current release is The Uncertain Heart, the first volume of her three-book Heart Series of traditional Regency novels. She will publish the other two this summer or early fall.”
Peggy has some advice for anyone who is thinking about becoming an author. “Read, read, and read some more,” she says with passion. “Research your chosen genre as thoroughly as you possibly can, and then research some more.” And she knows the importance of connecting with other writers. “Attend conferences and workshops and learn from those who have gone before you,” she said.
And finally, Peggy said that you should start your day with this statement: “I am a writer. I AM a writer. I am A writer. I am a WRITER!”
Website https://www.peggyellis.com
Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/stores/Peggy-Ellis/author/B0848V4VB9
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggy-lovelace-ellis-972b42178/

Cover Art www.SelfPubBookCovers.com/dianecostanzastudio