Friday, March 16, 2018

Serious About Series - The Glass Slipper Chronicles by Deborah Hale

Discovering a new romance series is always exciting, and in this Serious about Series feature, we’re happy to introduce award winning author: Deborah Hale’s series, The Glass Slipper Chronicles.
Deborah is sharing the inside scoop on The Glass Slipper Chronicles, where you’ll find historical, regency romances highlighting Cinderella fairy tales. The Glass Slipper Chronicles were originally published several years ago by Love Inspired Historical, but have been reissued independently as sweet Regencies with Christian themes.

The Nobleman’s Governess Bride – December 29, 2017 (Originally issued in June of 2011& 2012 as “Much Ado About Nuptials” in The Wedding Season and The Baron’s Governess Bride)
The Earl’s Honorable Intentions – January 12, 2018 (Originally issued in June 2013)
The Duke’s Marriage Mission – January 26, 2018 (Originally issued in November 2013)
The Gentleman’s Bride Search – February 9, 2018 (Originally issued in June 2014)

Deborah found the inspiration for this series from her love of writing familiar plots with a twist. “One I had never tried as Cinderella,” Deborah said. “I thought having governess heroines really lent themselves to that traditional plot.” Deborah also loved Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, so she thought about having the heroines of her stories be connected through their childhood at a charity school. This theme allowed the stories to be connected, but allows each story stand on its own.

“I wanted to have (mostly) aristocratic heroes and I know Regency readers love heroes with titles,” Deborah said. So she submitted long lists of titles to the LIH editors and they chose the one that worked best for the story and the line. However, Deborah believes in the case of The Earl’s Honorable Intentions, the editors came up with the title.

Deborah’s theme of the series is best summed up by her tag line: Jane Eyre Meets Prince Charming. “The governesses have suffered hardships in the past,” Deborah said. “Then they fall in love with the aristocratic heroes.”

The Glass Slipper Chronicles takes place in various parts of England in the early 1800s – Kent, the Cotswolds, Berkshire, Dorset and The Lake District. You’ll discover the beauty of an English countryside. “Like Downton Abbey,” Deborah said. “English country houses, which are rural mansions with extensive grounds and gardens.”

Each story in The Glass Slipper Chronicles stands on its own quite well. However, Deborah explained the last two stories involve a plan to establish a new, better-run school, so other orphaned girls will have a better childhood. 

Some of the characters you’ll meet in The Glass Slipper Chronicles are:

The Nobleman’s Governess Bride: “The Viscount Meets His Match”
Sebastian Stanhope Viscount Benedict is forceful, somewhat embittered. He wants to protect his younger brother from making a mistake in marriage, as he did. Rebecca Beaton is loyal and clever. She disapproves of Sebastian’s efforts to break up a romance between his brother and her former pupil.

The Nobleman’s Governess Bride: The Baron’s Governess Bride
Rupert Kendrick, Lord Steadwell is a devoted family man, still grieving his late wife. He knows he must remarry and sire a male heir to secure the future of his three daughters. Grace Ellerby is gentle and nurturing. She disguises her beauty to protect herself from the unwanted male attention, which she received in previous households where she was employed.

The Earl’s Honorable Intentions
Colonel Gavin Romney, Earl of Hawkehurst is a career soldier, man of action. Wounded at Waterloo, he’s determined to see Napoleon Bonaparte brought to justice. Hannah Fletcher is capable and caring. She wants Gavin to leave the military and devote himself to his motherless children.

The Duke’s Marriage Mission
Hayden Latimer, Duke of Northam is a caring father and anxious to protect his disabled son. Leah Shaw is exuberant and eager to see the world. She’s determined to help the duke’s son have more freedom.

The Gentleman’s Bride Search
Jasper Chase is the Mill-owner and a social reformer. He wants to keep his children’s capable governess with the family, so he can devote himself to his work. Evangeline Fairfax is spirited and independent. She tries to find a wife for her employer, so she can leave to start a new charity school, a project she believes is her mission in life.

“The heroines and their families recur as secondary characters or are mentioned in the other stories.” Deborah said. “In the later stories, they are working to establish a new charity school.”

The only villains you’ll find in The Glass Slipper Chronicles are in the past – some of the strict teachers and bullying older girls from the charity school who made the heroines doubt themselves.

Deborah explained the three key elements in her series are that the books are traditional Regencies - suitable for all ages, they have subtly spiritual themes, and they are reminiscent of classic novels by Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Elizabeth Gaskell (North and South).

In The Glass Slipper Chronicles you’ll find a warm, positive feeling that complicated relationships of all kinds can be strengthened with love, honesty, and kindness.

Deborah doesn’t foresee writing any more books for this series, though she said there is one more book to which the original publisher still holds the rights, which she may re-integrate into the series when the rights revert to her.

To learn more about Deborah and her books, visit:
www.deborahhale.com
@RomanceRegency

Here’s more enticement of The Glass Slipper Chronicles by Deborah Hale…

The Nobleman’s Governess Bride: (2-in-1 Novella and Novel)
Loyal Rebecca Beaton stands up to formidable Sebastian Stanhope Viscount Benedict when he opposes an engagement between his younger brother and her former pupil. Sebastian soon discovers the gallant governess is a match for him…perhaps a perfect love match! Rebecca’s friend, Grace Ellerby is desperate to hide her golden beauty, which has brought her nothing but trouble. In her dowdy disguise, Grace is the perfect governess for Lord Steadwell’s daughters, who were heartbroken when their last governess eloped. But when Rupert is in danger of making a loveless marriage and saddling his daughters with a dreaded stepmother, Grace must risk everything to prevent it. Will a midnight kiss at a masked ball lead to scandal and ruin or will two wary hearts find their happily ever after at last?

The Earl’s Honorable Intentions:
When Colonel Gavin Romney returns home wounded from Waterloo, his children’s governess, Hannah Fletcher, is determined to help him recover and persuade him that he can be a loving father to his little ones. Though the earl vowed a fallen comrade that he would see Napoleon captured, his growing attachment to his children and their capable, caring governess threatens his resolve. Can a wounded warrior become the devoted family man his children and Hannah need?

The Duke’s Marriage Mission:
Irrepressible Leah Shaw arrives at Renforth Abbey to teach the Duke of Northam's invalid son for one year, the longest she ever stays in one position. At first His Grace, Hayden Latimer does not want Leah to stay for a single day, fearing she will endanger the boy by allowing him too much freedom. But when Kit grows healthier and happier thanks to Leah's care, Hayden changes his mind and desperately seeks to keep her at Renforth Abbey. Marriage might be a solution, but Leah is not tempted by the duke's title or fortune. Her hard-won independence means more to her that anything...except perhaps love? Leah fears her heart may be entrapped by her growing feelings for Hayden and Kit. Or will she be free to find love at last?

The Gentleman’s Bride Search:
The time has come for strong-willed Evangeline Fairfax to leave her position as governess to the Chase children so she can oversee the founding of a new charity school. But the children’s father, mill-owner Jasper Chase has made no effort to hire a replacement. Evangeline takes matters into her own hands by trying to find her employer a wife. Jasper is livid when he discovers Evangeline has organized a house party and invited several eligible women. He only agrees to cooperate with her matchmaking efforts if she will give him lessons in courting. Jasper proves a promising pupil, but his lessons with Evangeline soon persuade him there is only one woman he wants to marry!

Purchase The Glass Slipper Chronicles at the following site:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078YC7Q5K

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