Do you like historical romance? Do you like your romance steamy? If your answer to both is YES, I highly recommend you check out Tracy Sumner! I discovered her earlier in the year when I started reading ARCs through the site, BookSirens, and she’s quickly become one of my favorite go-to authors. I know that when I pick up one of her books, I will be transported to another world. Her words create vivid imagery in my head, the chemistry between her characters jumps out of the page at me, and I get sucked into each and every one of her stories!
As a part of her ARC/Street Team, Tracy sent me her backlist that so far, I’ve read 6 of her 16 books. When thinking of which stories of hers is my favorite, right now it would have to be The Wicked Wallflower (The Duchess Society, #3). We met the hero and heroine in The Scandalous Vixen (The Duchess Society, #2) as Philippa (the heroine) is the sister of Roan Darlington (the hero in TSV) and Xander (the hero) is Roan’s best friend. I love a forbidden, brother’s best friend story and this story was full of tension and steamy moments! I’ll post links to this review where you can read more about why I loved this story (and others of her stories that I’ve read and reviewed) down below.
In addition to her work as an author, she is an incredible human being who I’ve gotten to know over social media.
Interview with Tracy
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I started writing when I was 15/16 – after becoming obsessed with The Outsiders. I was already a huge reader (lots of Stephen King at that time that I recall). I didn’t even know what I was doing. I just wanted to write. Crazy, right?
Why romance? What’s your favorite part about writing in the romance genre?
I started getting hooked on the romance genre when I was 19. College beach trip. I picked up a copy of LyVyrle Spencer’s Vows. She was a master of sexual tension. That was it for me. I love the emotions and the beauty of the stories about true love. I know in this world perhaps that’s idealistic – but not in our novels! Soulmates exist!
What’s your writing process? Are you a plotter, pantser? Do you wait until your characters speak to you or do you have a set schedule?
Oh, boy, I think about this all the time. I think I’m somewhere in between. Great answer, I know. I actually plot out the books with what I guess I’d call a “scenes” list. I put those in order and in that scene, if there is some dialogue or even a character trait or trope point I want to capture, I place it there. Then I don’t worry about it until I get to that scene. But I don’t fully plot, from my understanding of those who do. I have the characters down quite a bit when I start but they change during the story – or at least the story shifts to accommodate them. That is a magical part of writing. It changes with the movement of the novel.
When you’re not writing, what’s your go-to favorite authors? Favorite books?
Love Tessa Dare. Lisa Kleypas. Julie Anne Long. Nora Roberts is a go-to. Sarah MacLean. Tabetha Waite. Charlie Lane. Kate Bateman. I’m currently reading Shannon Gilmore, an indie author I’m friends with and loving her writing! I’m a HUGE romance reader. Favorites? I guess my FAV author and books of all time are Judith Ivory. Love, love, love her! I’m so sorry she is not writing anymore/retired.
Do you have a favorite book you wrote? Favorite character?
Well, Tides of Love was a fav of mine. The hero–Noah Garrett–is a marine biologist and a very, very sexy geek. (Turn of the century Outer Banks.) Readers loved his brother, Zach, the most. And that is about the hottest book I’ve ever written. More recent releases, I guess I’d say Tobias Streeter and Xander Macauley (The Brazen Bluestocking and The Wicked Wallflower). I loved all my heroes from The League of Lords – which is a super passion project of mine!
Can you share a little bit about what you are working on now?
I’m in desperate deadline mode for the next in the Duchess Society series – working title: One Wedding and an Earl. ;) It’s Ollie, the Earl of Stanford’s story. And I can’t wait to tell it! Next after that is: Two Scandals and a Scot – Dash and Theo’s love story!
If that short interview doesn’t get you interested in reading her books, maybe reading some of my reviews of her books will help! Below you will find reviews that I’ve written for her Duchess Society series. Except for The Brazen Bluestocking (The Duchess Society, #2). I still have not read that one yet 😲. To find more reviews of her books that I’ve written, click on ‘Book Reviews by Author’ in the Menu and scroll down to and click on ‘Tracy Sumner’.
The Ice Duchess (The Duchess Society, #0.5)
The Scandalous Vixen (The Duchess Society, #2)
The Wicked Wallflower (The Duchess Society, #3)
The Governess Gamble (The Duchess Society, #3.5)
Let me know if this has helped you discover a new author to read!