THE KING’S COLOURS SERIES
Third Chances
When is a gentlewoman not a gentlewoman? Recently widowed Eloise Denham is about to learn that without money or family, she is losing her status bit by bit. On the coach north to take up a position as governess to a little girl, Eloise discovers just how much farther she can fall when she meets a man who will stop at nothing to prevent Eloise from telling what she has seen.
Ian Kerr’s wife left him five years ago and took their daughter. As a widower with a child he barely knows, he needs help. He is certain Mrs. Denham is the teacher he wants for his daughter, but when he arrives to meet her at the coaching inn, he learns that she is in jail awaiting trial on an improbable charge of robbery.
Ian sets to work to prove her innocence, but discovers the villain has connections in high places. So does Ian, but his clan will not act except for a member of the family. He feels duty bound to propose marriage. Eloise, forced to decide between the gallows and a loveless marriage, accepts reluctantly. In spite of the family’s best efforts, the couple’s troubles have barely begun. A vengeful magistrate, a dangerous criminal and their own doubts about each other combine to send them onto a path of danger. Can these two wounded souls save each other and their daughter and overcome the brutal start to their marriage? Will they succeed at this third chance for love?
A Horseman for Harriet
Whoever marries Harriet Turner is going to be a very rich man. Lord Hargreaves believes his title is fair compensation for Harriet’s fortune, even if Harriet’s brother demands his cut of the proceeds to cover disastrous gambling debts. Nobody seems very interested in what Harriet wants, which is primarily not to marry Lord Hargreaves. One night, her brother sets her up to be compromised by the earl, but his plan backfires when…
Sir Henry Lovett, ex-cavalry, horse breeder, successful business man and happy bachelor hears a woman scream and rides to the rescue, only to find that the woman was running from her own brother and was in no real danger. Against his better judgment, Henry finds himself drawn to this young woman whose talents and interests so eerily complement his own. He is about to propose marriage when he learns that she has been pressured into accepting Lord Hargreaves.
Henry does not accept defeat. He knows Harriet loves him. He feels Hargreaves is no good. He turns to an old friend from Scotland who helps him discover what he needs to stop the wedding. Will Henry be in time?
Saving Wolf
In a defeated town in northern Portugal during the Peninsular War, Suzette de Bertille finds a starving youth, wolf-like, with strange golden eyes and a thousand-mile stare. She alone knows how to help the man she assumes to be a Portuguese prisoner of war, although she has no idea of the depth of suffering that caused his illness. As Napoleon’s incursion into Portugal progresses, they strike up a friendship that deepens into love. The French forces approach Porto, and the lovers must part as conflicting loyalties and duties force them apart. When British Lieutenant Ranulf Haldane, Suzette’s “Wolf”, reveals his true identity, she is shocked and angry that she has been deceived into a relationship with an enemy of France.
As the fortunes of war shift, and Suzette and her mother must take refuge in Britain, Suzette and Ranulf cross paths again. Love is rekindled though the barriers of nationality and war remain. In Britain, Ranulf struggles with his mental health while Suzette and her mother anxiously wait for news of Colonel de Bertille, Suzette’s father, still fighting in Spain.
Both must learn and change and challenge previous assumptions if they are to find a path to a shared future.
Good Reads Review
“The historical romance Third Chances by D.S. Weber is a book of exceptional quality. It is well written, shows meticulous research throughout all 29 chapters and has an exciting plot with complex characters that keep the reader interested. The Scottish Borders anno 1800 provides the setting for adventure and mystery.
The central story is not surprisingly about a couple who struggles to meet on level ground in loving union, but circumstances and personal secrets give rise to numerous interconnected subplots, keeping the reader in suspense.
To me the characterization of Ian Kerr and Eloise Denham is the most compelling part of the romance where neither hero nor heroine is a gendered stereotype. The two of them are in their thirties with plenty of life experience and emotional baggage, and in their striving for a happy marriage they exhibit traits that defy the received ideas of masculinity and femininity. She is patient and caring and treats her young stepdaughter with motherly affection, but she also intelligent and brave with a strong sense of agency especially when faced with the couple’s nemesis Jonathan Planchett in the second half of the novel. Ian, a gorgeous male specimen with a military background and a reputation for cavorting with ladies in the colonies, shows an emotional and fragile side of himself once Eloise manages to open up for his pent-up feelings of guilt and shame. Ian has even a genuine interest in clothes and fabric, and when he in chapter 26 drapes his beloved in raspberry pink tissue silk from India and thus brings out her natural beauty, most women readers would understand how special this man is.
Taming tigers is what it is all about,” writes romance writer Daphne Clair, to which I would add that bringing to light the partner’s hidden qualities through compassion is what makes Third Chances so appealing.”
Marina Allemano
Canada
Amazon Reviews
“Third Chances by DS Weber starts off slowly, but by the second chapter I was totally invested in Eloise’s predicament. While romance novels are not my usual read, the historical aspect, the well-researched details and the excellent descriptions and dialogue kept me engaged.
Ian, the male lead, gives Jamie Fraser a run for his money as the perfect Scottish lover. He’s everything a woman could want in a man – masculine; take charge; respectful; sensitive. (I feel like young men who follow certain Instagram influencers should maybe start reading romance novels instead. They would learn more.)
In these troubled and complex times, reading a romance novel that doesn’t gloss over real world difficulties but provides a happy and satisfying ending is exactly the balm for the soul I needed.
Looking forward to future installments in this series!”
Rebecca Lippiatt
Canada
“My interest was piqued on page one. It’s a fast-paced, action-filled story. The characters are well-developed. I cared about the characters and if they could rise above the restrictions put on them at the end of the 18th century/ early 19th century. The characters and the countryside seemed very natural; I was pulled into the story. And I considered how I might respond in similar circumstances.”
M Armstrong
Canada
“D.S. Weber is an erudite writer. The research done to create the characters, scenarios, geography etc. was well done and most appreciated as was this very compelling story of Eloise and Ian. Put this on your summer reading list. You’ll enjoy it.”
Marilyn Hoper
Canada
“Third Chances is a delicious and captivating read. Weber has sculpted unique, engaging characters and set them amongst a scenic backdrop that totally envelops the reader and arouses all the senses. Amidst the swirl of palpitating romance, the author shines a unique light on the joys and tribulations of the lives of women in Georgian society in the England/Scottish border region.”
LA
Canada
“Romance. Love. Intrigue. Adventure. Danger. Engaging characters – and you wonder: will they get together in the end? (Of course, they do. It’s a romance). A gripping storyline set in the Scottish Borderlands in the 18th century. Meticulous research into locations, fashion, and customs of the time. D.S. Weber spins a captivating tale that will keep you entertained and looking forward to the next book in the series.”
Regina M. Landeck
Canada
D. S. Weber 