The Upcoming Release of “Lyon’s Obsession” from Dragonblade Publishing and How the 1797 Restriction Act Plays into the Plot

Lyon’s Obsession will release on 17 September 2025. It is the second of a five-books romantic suspense/mystery series that I am writing for Dragonblade Publishing. Books 2 and 3 are connected because the hero of book 2 is the brother of the heroine of book 3 is his sister.

I have set the series between early March 1812 and mid March 1813. The United Kingdom was facing several forms of upheaval beyond the War of 1812 with the United States. British maritime policies, including the impressment of sailors and restrictions on American trade, were major sources of tension with the United States, eventually contributing to the outbreak of the War of 1812. These policies also led to economic difficulties for the UK due to restrictions on trade with the United States. 

Another important turning point was the assassination of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval, which turned out to be a senseless act, for the shooter’s reasons were not directed at Perceval.

There were also the Luddites, a group of textile workers, who protested against the introduction of new machinery that threatened their jobs. They engaged in acts of sabotage, destroying machines and factories. This unrest led to increased government repression, including the “Frame-breaking Act”, which made machine-breaking a capital offense. 

Additionally, the UK was deeply involved in the Peninsular War, fighting alongside Portugal and Spain against Napoleon’s French forces. The war was a major drain on British resources and manpower, and it significantly impacted British foreign policy. 

As the characters in this series are all young lords who also serve a division of the Home Office, they are essentially serving the government’s interests, while carving out a life for themselves and the women who become their wives. That means they often are throwing all the balls in the air at the same time and praying they can catch them when they fall. I know many of you are always multitasking, so are my characters, they just did not have a name for it.

One of the major issues my heroes must conquer in this series is based on the 1797 Bank Restriction Act. Investopedia tells us: “The Bank Restriction Act of 1797 was an act passed by the British government to restrict the Bank of England from converting banknotes into gold. The act was passed in order to allow Parliament to print money to finance a war with France.”

Below is my attempt to explain the Restriction Act . . .

The Bank of England was originally a private cooperation offering cheap loans to finance the government expenses. It began in 1694, but in 1697, the Bank was also presented with the ability to issue bank notes and other such services as we think in our modern banking experience. All was good (though not perfect) for nearly a century, but as the English government took a more global approach to growth in those years, expenses rose, especially during the American confrontations and those with Europe. The government issued paper notes that the Bank of England was expected to convert into gold on demand.

Gold reserves were greatly reduced during that time and there was an accelerated demand on gold reserves on both the domestic and the foreign front. To avoid bankruptcy, the British government passed the Bank Restriction Act of 1797. Essentially the large number of paper bank notes greatly exceeded the amount of gold backing it up, obviously leading to a depreciation in the value of British currency.

One of the major problems of the time was there was essentially no standardization of the bank notes. Nowadays, we think of the thin wire in the paper and a standardized color of ink and style of writing on our bank notes, but so in the early 1800s For example, country banks might issue their own notes – own design – own size, etc. Moreover, the Bank of England considered foreign bank notes as legal currency. People began to hide away their coins for they did not trust the bank notes, which led to a shortage of coins passing through the banks. [On a side note, there are some fears that such could happen again soon, for many people do not carry money. Everything is done with a click of a mouse or an insertion of a debit card. Think upon it.]

There were so many people forging bank notes that it became a crime punishable by transportation to a penal colony, as did the act of “uttering” a bank note, which meant purposely passing off a forged note as legitimate.

• Transportation as an Alternative: To avoid the death penalty, a “plea bargain” was introduced in 1801, allowing those convicted of forgery to accept 14 years of transportation instead of facing a capital charge.
• Destination: Australia, specifically New South Wales and later other penal colonies like Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and Norfolk Island, became the primary destination for transported convicts after the American Revolution closed the option of sending them to America.
• Life in the Penal Colony: Convicts faced harsh conditions and forced labor, working long hours building infrastructure, farming, and providing essential services for the colony. They were subject to strict rules and punishments like whippings, leg irons, or solitary confinement.

Below is the information for Margaret Cunningham, a real life forger during 1812 who was conviction of forgery and sent to New South Wales [information from the Website Convict Records.]

If you are interested, Here Are Other Sources Listed in the Investopedia Article:

1. Bank of England. “Our History.”
2. Bank of England. “Bank of England – 1734-1984,” Pages 3-4.
3. The New York Times. “War Finance in England; The Bank Restriction Act of 1797—Suspension of Specie Payments for Twenty-four Years—How to Prevent Depreciation of the Currency.”
4. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. “British Financial Experience, 1790-1830,” Page 5.

Lyon’s Obsession: The Lyon’s Den Connected World

Short on temper. Long on pride. True to his word.

Lady Theodora Duncan, daughter and only child of Lord Macdonald Duncan, reluctantly embarks on a London season in hopes of making a suitable match. She had always thought she would marry Lord Alexander Dutton, 12th Earl Marksman. After all, they had been raised together in her father’s house since Duncan became Marksman’s guardian when his lordship was but twelve. Her father’s estate marches along with Marksman’s, and they had shared multiple words of devotion, as well as stolen moments and heated kisses. Yet…

Lord Alexander Dutton always planned to marry Lady Theodora Duncan, but not until he finds his family. His father, long before Robert Dutton became the heir to the Marksman’s peerage, had sold Alexander’s mother and younger sister to the captain of a sailing ship. Alexander has searched for them for some ten years, spending thousands of the Marksman fortune in his desire to reclaim them. He cannot think truly to know happiness until he can share his title and his wealth with them. Assuredly, Theodora understands why he has not made an offer of marriage. Yet, if she does, then why does he constantly find her on the arm of a Sardinian count? He never expected Theodora’s abandonment, but Alexander is finally so close to knowing his real family again.

Must he risk one dream to know another?

Tropes you’ll love:

✔️ Friends to lovers

✔️ Soul mates

✔️ Secret identity

✔️ Fish out of water

✔️ Unrequited love

✔️ Dark secret

✔️ Emotional scars

✔️ Marriage pact

✔️ Innocent cohabitation

✔️ Love interest vs. Missing family

✔️ Honorable marriage

✔️ Marriage pact

✔️ Emotional scars

Read in Kindle Unlimited!

Buy Links: 

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