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Writing unlikeable heroines

If you haven’t already read my blog about writing unlikeable heroes, make sure you scroll back to find it!

You might be thinking that this blog topic is far too similar – and in a way, you’d be right. Writing unlikeable heroes and writing unlikeable heroines should be pretty much the same.

But it’s not.

For some reason, we as a society are far harsher on female characters than male characters. If a male character does something cruel, he’s unlikeable. If a female character does something cruel, she’s automatically the villain.

It’s a hugely challenging thing to face as a creative, because I want to both read and write complicated women! People are complicated, there is no truly good in every circumstance person. It matters to me that we have a variety of types of people in my books, and that includes heroines who don’t always make the best decisions.

So…I have tried to push myself. Not all of my heroines are perfect – in fact, I would argue that none of them are.

But a few of them are truly unlikeable: possessed of characteristics which are unpleasant, and yet you still want to root for them.

If you’re looking for those sorts of books, I would recommend Jemima in Twelve Drummers Drumming, Lilianna in Not a Chance in Hell, and Giselle in Peril with a Prince.

Let me know what you think in the comments – do you like reading unlikeable heroines?

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Have you checked out my Patreon?

If you have never heard of Patreon, you are not alone. Not everyone has! I hope this short blog will give you an idea of how you can support me in a new and exciting way.

So first off, what is Patreon?

Patreon is a website where anyone can sign up to support a creative person for just a few dollars a month, in exchange for rewards. It is a modern re-imagining of the medieval and renaissance idea of a ‘patron’, a wealthy person who pays the salary of an artist, creative, or engineer, so that they can get the prestige of being their supporter.

But thanks to Patreon, you don’t need to be rich to be a Patreon supporter, and you’ll still get a whole ton of rewards!

On my Patreon page, which you can find here, there are three different levels of support. Each level costs a different amount a month, and as you would expect, the higher the financial support, the more rewards.

I’d really encourage you, if you want exclusive insights, behind the scenes, early access to chapters, and free books, my Patreon is the place to be.

Please check out my Patreon and consider whether you’d like to take your support of me to the next level!

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Christmas in July boxset!

Happy Christmas in July!

If you’ve never celebrated this, it’s a wonderful chance to escape the heat (or snuggle up, if you’re Down Under!), and lose yourself in a wonderful Christmas historical romance.

I’m celebrating by launching not one, not two, but three Christmas Regency novellas in one steamy boxset. Make sure you grab it now – or read for free in Kindle Unlimited!

Plunge into the fourth boxset of Regency romances in Emily Murdoch’s bestselling Ravishing Regencies series – Christmas edition! Each of these books has spice at its heart and a heart ready to lose, heroes in pain and heroines acting out of the ordinary. There are no ballrooms here… This collected stories promises hours and hours of steamy hot reading…

Kidnapped with a Knight
A man disowned by his family and a woman with absolutely no interest in him – and their kidnappers have left them all alone…

Christmas with a Czar
A man who claims to be a prince and a woman forced to play along – but the real secret must be revealed before Christmas Day…

Advent with an Archduke
A man who disappeared a year ago – and the woman forced to welcome a stranger at Christmas…

These books are steamy forced proximity Regency romances with happily ever afters, no cliffhangers, and are a series that can be read in any order. It’s time to get ravished…

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OUT NOW: An Eye for the Chance

She’s here! I adored writing this book, and I really hope that you enjoy reading it! Make sure to let me know what you think…

Lady Evelyn Chance, daughter of the Earl of Lindow, is too busy scandalizing the ton one portrait at a time to care about her marital prospects.

She is an artist: and like any true artist, she is determined to paint from a model…except she can hardly turn up at the Royal Academy of Art. So she does what any self-respecting aristocrat does when she needs a servant.

She advertises.

The man who answers that advertisement is tall, handsome, rough round the edges, far too perceptive, and refuses to take his clothes off. It’s not precisely what Evelyn had in mind, but she couldn’t deny he made a fascinating subject.

He is also Richard, Viscount Sempill. But Evelyn doesn’t know that.

Desperate to keep the man a blank canvas for her paintings, Richard agrees to keep everything about him a secret: his name, his title (not that she knows he has one), his wealth, everything.

Before long, late night painting leads to late night kissing, and just when Richard is ready to abandon his romantic reticence and make declarations…

Disaster happens.

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes include: secret identity, mistaken identity, bluestocking, heroine artist, only one bed, and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

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Join my mailing list – get a free book!

You know what’s great about joining my mailing list?

Nope, not that you’ll hear from me and discover what I’m working on.

Nope, not that you’ll get heads up on discounts from me and my author friends.

Yup – it’s that you’ll get a free book!

All you have to do is sign up here 🥰

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The summer is (finally!) here!

I don’t know about you, but after the last eighteen months, I have really needed summer. I wanted warm mornings with bright sunshine, lazy humid afternoons sipping a gin and tonic in the shade, and balmy evenings around a BBQ with friends and family.

And readers: we are finally there!

I don’t want to jinx it, because I know how quickly English summers can suddenly become downpours, but I think we can finally enjoy some warm weather.

Which means we have some big decisions to make: what book to read next?

No matter how long your To Be Read (TBR) list is, I hope you’ll give one of my books a try. Whether you like steamy (look for Emily E K Murdoch) or sweet (read Emily Murdoch), there’s always a Murdoch romance for you.

Check out my full backlist here!

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What’s your favourite summer read?

Well, it’s officially the height of summer, and I don’t know about you but I have so many fond memories of reading in this season.

When I was a child, my family would bundle everything up in our car and head to Enid Blyton country in the south of England. When I say I had idyllic holidays there, I mean it. Hiking, art galleries, cricket on the beach and ice creams on the banks of medieval castles.

Yup. Pretty great.

What made them absolutely perfect was that every morning I would wake up to glorious sunlight (okay, maybe that’s where the nostalgia seeps in…) and there would be a new book by my bed.

Every morning.

Looking back, I can see that my parents didn’t spend a bunch of money on them – and I’m glad they didn’t, because those books were dragged from soggy bench to sandy beach, all over the countryside.

Absolutely an incredible way to experience holidays, but the only problem is…I now feel like a summer isn’t a summer unless I have new books pouring out of my bookcases!

SO: this is where I turn it over to you. What is your go-to book for the summer? I need to fill my Kindle!

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PRE-ORDER NOW: An Eye for the Chance

I don’t think I have ever written an artist before, and Lady Evelyn Chance gave me a huge challenge as someone who is artistically challenged – although I am the daughter of an artist! I took inspiration from my mother’s impressive skills to write this book…which you can now pre-order for 0.99!

Lady Evelyn Chance, daughter of the Earl of Lindow, is too busy scandalizing the ton one portrait at a time to care about her marital prospects.

She is an artist: and like any true artist, she is determined to paint from a model…except she can hardly turn up at the Royal Academy of Art. So she does what any self-respecting aristocrat does when she needs a servant.

She advertises.

The man who answers that advertisement is tall, handsome, rough round the edges, far too perceptive, and refuses to take his clothes off. It’s not precisely what Evelyn had in mind, but she couldn’t deny he made a fascinating subject.

He is also Richard, Viscount Sempill. But Evelyn doesn’t know that.

Desperate to keep the man a blank canvas for her paintings, Richard agrees to keep everything about him a secret: his name, his title (not that she knows he has one), his wealth, everything.

Before long, late night painting leads to late night kissing, and just when Richard is ready to abandon his romantic reticence and make declarations…

Disaster happens.

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes include: secret identity, mistaken identity, bluestocking, heroine artist, only one bed, and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

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Take one of my courses!

I adore teaching. I love breaking down something complicated, teaching it to someone else, and seeing them get it – and then apply it themselves!

I used to teach a lot of workshops, speak at events, and mentor, and I’ve spent some time working out how I can bring those elements into my writing career.

One of the things I really miss about my old day jobs was the amount of teaching that they included.

So I decided to do something about that! After all, I’m an entrepreneur – an authorpreneur if you will. First off, I’ve created two writing courses specifically for authors, based on my skills. You can find them here.

Secondly, I teach courses through the RWF throughout the year, based on my historical and craft specialties. You can always seen what courses are coming up here.

And thirdly, I offer developmental and line editing (separately and together!) for authors who want to up their game. Get in touch to talk with me about this, if this sounds interesting.

Thank you for reading!

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I’ll be writing for Penguin!

Well, here’s the news I have been teasing for MONTHS…

I have signed a two book contract to write contemporary romance for Puffin, an imprint of Penguin! 

YUP. 

Penguin RandomHouse, one of the biggest and most respected publishers in the world…and me. 

Squeeee! 

This news has been so hard to keep to myself – and we’ve been in talks since February 2024…

Yup, that long! 

What does this mean?

It means that there’ll be even more romance books from me in the future! 

  • I’ll absolutely still be writing historical romance with Dragonblade and Harlequin/HarperCollins. I love historical, and will never leave it! 
  • I will absolutely still be writing historical non-fiction, if another publisher will have me! I don’t think Regina will be my one and only historical non-fiction
  • My books with Puffin will be coming out in February 2026 and August 2026, so make sure you keep an eye out for those pre-orders…

I want to thank you so much for your continued support. One of the readers that publishers want to work with me is because my readerbase are just so fabulous and fantastic – and supportive. 

Keep an eye out for more Puffin news!

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Surprise! NEW 4 book series from Emily E K Murdoch!

Surprise! I’ve been keeping a secret from you all, and it’s this: I will be releasing a four book historical romance series over the next two months for you to binge!

Georgiana, Dowager Duchess of Cartice, is not a woman to underestimate.

And that’s exactly what he’s done. Fynn Monroe, investigative journalist, has decided that the gambling club I’ve founded with my three friends has to be stealing money from someone.

So what do I do? Hide away, pretend scandal won’t destroy us?

No. I’ve invited him to our country estate, where there are no secrets to find and just an irritatingly handsome journalist to entertain.

Precisely why I allowed him to make a bet—that he won’t find any scandal—I couldn’t say…

Only one person can win a bet with a duchess: and it’s got to be me. If I lose this bet, I’ll lose myself to Fynn Monroe…

Peregrine, Duke of Markham, is not a man to trust.

And that’s exactly what my friends have done. The other three members of the Gambling Dukes, they trusted me—and now I’m thrown out, lost, alone, and desperate.

So what do I do? Avoid the gossip sheets, hide from Society?

No. I’ve found a beautiful heiress, certain that I can trick her into marriage and save myself from financial ruin.

Precisely why I allowed Lady Briar Weatherford to get under my skin—and under my clothes—I couldn’t say…

When a duke risks it all, only one person can win: and it’s got to be me. If I risk everything and lose, I’ll lose myself to Lady Briar Weatherford…

Delilah, Dowager Duchess of Rotherwick, is not a woman to forgive.

And that’s exactly why when I see William Parry years after he betrayed me, there is absolutely no possibility of me allowing him back into my life.

So what do I do? Give him the Cut Direct, refuse to meet his eye at Almack’s?

No. I need his help to save the Gambling Dukes, the club I’ve formed with my three closest friends, and I’ll do anything—anything—to help my friends.

Precisely why I’m allowing William Parry back into my life—and my heart—I couldn’t say…

When a duchess accepts a wager, only one person can win: and it’s got to be me. If I lose the wager, I’ll lose myself to William Parry…

Alfred, Duke of Kineallen, never accepts defeat.

And that’s exactly why I need to find a woman to pretend to be courting—because the potential saviour of the Gambling Dukes requires a business partner who’s ready to settle down.

So what do I do? Find a placid debutante, perhaps speak to another duke and choose his daughter?

No. I literally run headfirst into a lady with no manners or sense, make her a proposition she can’t refuse, and move Miss Catherine Shenton into my house.

Precisely why I’m also finding her in my mind, my dreams—my longings—I couldn’t say…

Only one person can win a gamble on the duke: and it’s got to be me. If I lose this gamble, I’ll lose myself to Catherine Shenton…


I really hope you love this series!

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OUT NOW: Not a Chance in Hell

Honestly, writing passionate and yet direct female characters is perhaps my favourite thing to do – and that is exactly what I did in this book!

Lady Lilianna Chance, daughter of the Marquess of Aylesbury, has a high opinion of herself, her looks, her reputation, and her family, and plans to make a stupendous match. Falling into the arms of reprobates was not the plan.

Raised by her parents to be perfect, and to be the perfect wife, Lilianna is horrified to discover that the rogue who caught her immediately proposes.

Proposes! To her! Him!

Not a chance in hell.

But Arthur Nelson, Earl of Taernsby, is not a man to take no for an answer. He’s recently inherited the earldom from his brother and desperately needs an heir—or the title will disappear forever, and his goal of redeeming the family name will be ended.

So, it’s simple. Choose the best, brightest, and most beautiful woman in the ton. Marry her. Have six sons.

What he’s not prepared for is Lilianna’s passion, her spirit—her determination never to see him again.

A battle comments: a battle of wits, sharp remarks, and…thousands of flowers?

This novel continues the highly anticipated Chance family drama, with sixteen cousins and triple the problems. Tropes include: he falls first/she falls faster, instalove, ice queen, arrogant rogue, found family, and of course, Emily E K Murdoch’s tried and true method of sizzling, joyful romance.

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.