"Island of the Swans" and "Wicked Company"

These novels by Ciji Ware are set in the 18th century:

Jane Maxwell, the Fourth Duchess of Gordon, was one of the most influential women of her time—a patroness of poet Robert Burns, advisor to King George III and friend to Queen Charlotte, the mastermind behind her husband’s political success, and a rival of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.

Rich in historical detail, passion, and intrigue, Ciji Ware’s Island of the Swans paints a fascinating portrait of one of the most celebrated and controversial beauties of the eighteenth century England. Spirited and charming, Jane captured the heart of her childhood sweetheart, Thomas Fraser, while her beauty caught the eye of his rival, Alexander, Duke of Gordon. Torn between duty and love, Jane is thrust into a lifelong love triangle that would threaten to destroy all she holds dear.

In 18th century London the glamorous Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres were all the rage, beckoning every young actor, actress, playwright, and performer with the lure of fame and fortune.

But competition and back-biting between theatre owners, patrons, actors, and writers left aspiring playwrights with their work stolen, profits withheld, and reputations on the line. For a woman, things were harder still, as the chances of a "petticoat playwright" getting past the government censor were slim.

In this exciting and cutthroat world, Sophie McGan, a young woman with a talent for writing and an ambition to see her work performed, could rise to glory, or could lose all in the blink of an eye...

In Ciji Ware's signature style, real-life characters of the day create a backdrop for a portrait of a glittering era, a love story, and a compelling glimpse into what life was like for a strong and independent-minded woman in an emphatically man's world.