To Catch a Coronet by Grace Hitchcock

To Catch a Coronet by Grace Hitchcock

To Catch a Coronet

by Grace Hitchcock


Review:

I was blessed to read Grace Hitchcock’s debut Regency romance for endorsement last Thanksgiving. Here is my official endorsement:

With ingredients of romance, history, danger, and her signature humor, Grace Hitchcock has baked up a delectable treat with her debut Regency Romance. Long-time Regency fans will devour this fresh take on ballroom romance as eagerly as Captain Erik Draycott did Muriel Beau’s creations. Picking up this read won’t add to your waistline but it will leave you pleasantly satisfied and craving the next installment of Hitchcock’s take on Regency romance. ~ Crystal Caudill, Carol Award Finalist and author of Counterfeit Love

But that is not all I want to say about her book. After all, you’re only allowed so many words in an endorsement. This probably has to be my favorite Grace Hitchcock book so far. And that is saying something because I absolutely adored The White City, now renamed Miss Wylde in the White City.

Muriel’s baking history and insecurities were ones I could identify with. I cannot tell you how horrified I felt for her in the first chapter (you’ll just have to check out the preview HERE to see what I mean). And then her first meeting with Erik? Oh my goodness!! I was rolling with laughter. Without giving too much away, I was thrilled by the adventure and danger aspect of the romance story. You know me. There is nothing I like more than a good villain or two, and this one had me guessing until the reveal–although I did have my suspicions.

Believe me, this is a story you don’t want to miss. AND Grace included a scone recipe at the end!!! You better believe that I’ve cooked up a batch or two by now. You can learn more about the story below.


Genre: Regency Romance, England, 1813

Plot:

Sometimes the only way to outsmart a scandal is to find a crown big enough to silence it.

Muriel Beau, country baker turned heiress, can’t stop instigating outrage. She discards two arranged engagements, then further antagonizes in Kent society by publicly proposing to a baron at a ball. His rejection leaves her with no choice but to flee to the city and to secure a coronet so splendid that her peers will forget her debacles. The glitter of the London courts convinces Muriel that it’s possible to find the future she dreams of, until she finds herself entangled in yet another escapade–one that may cost her more than her crumbling reputation.

After years of serving as a privateer under an assumed name, Captain Erik Draycott, heir to Draycott Castle and soon to assume his uncle’s title of Earl, returns to his London home to find it in disrepair thanks to his longtime nemesis. A staunch bachelor intent on returning to his ship, the captain now finds himself in dire need of a wife.

But while his pauper status causes the potential London brides to turn their noses up at him, the Kent brides have no such qualms and are eager to fill his coffers with their fathers’ wealth. When he encounters the unconventional Muriel Beau and she becomes embroiled in his risky undertaking, Erik is torn between staying put to protect this enchanting country lady and heeding the call of the high seas.

Author Website: https://gracehitchcockbooks.com/

Purchase Link: Amazon |  Baker Book House  |  Barnes & Noble


What do you like most about a good Regency novel?

Meet Grace Hitchcock, Author of To Catch a Coronet

Meet Grace Hitchcock, Author of To Catch a Coronet

I have had the blessing of knowing Grace Hitchcock almost from the very beginning of my writing journey. I have loved her stories, from her novella collections to her American Heiress and Aprons and Veils series, and now I’m in LOVE with her new Regency series, Best Laid Plans. To Catch a Coronet, book one in the series, is available wherever books are sold beginning TODAY. How incredibly exciting, and now I get to introduce you to the author herself.

Oh, and before the introductions, I wanted to let you know that Grace has graciously offered 2 autographed paperbacks of The Finding of Miss Fairfield. You can enter the giveaway for those at the bottom of this post. 

Now let me introduce you to this wonderful author and friend.

Grace Hitchcock is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas, including the American Royalty, True Colors, and Aprons & Veils series. She holds a Master’s in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives on the Northshore of New Orleans, with her husband, Dakota, sons, and daughter in a cottage that is always filled with the sounds of sweet little footsteps running at full speed. When not writing, or chasing babies, she’s baking something delightful and can usually be found with a book clutched in her fist.

You can connect with her through:  Website (Download a free novella while there) |  Amazon  |  BookBub  |  GoodReads  | Instagram  |  Facebook

Now for the fun stuff! I have to admit I am partial to my Fast Five. 🙂 So settle in as I hit Grace with rapid-fire.

 

CC: Pineapple pizza or candy corn?

GH: Candy corn, 1000%

CC: Test the waters or dive in the deep end?

GH: Test for sure. You never know what is in the water (pool or rivers) in South Louisiana!

CC: Guacamole or salsa?

GH: Guacamole!

CC: Silly hats or silly socks?

GH: Silly socks. I love collecting bookish socks!

CC: Passwords or secret handshakes?

GH: Secret handshakes.

Yeah, I wouldn’t dive into Louisana waters either. LOL I’m no alligator wrestler. However, I’m not going to let you test the waters now. Let’s dive right in.

What book has most impacted you?

GH: I feel like every season, there is a novel that touches me. The one that stuck the longest has to be Tracie Peterson’s Westward Chronicles (a Harvey Girl series). They are moving, unique tales that inspired me to write my own Harvey Girls stories! I re-read them every few years.

CC: How fun to have them inspire your own series. I am totally with you on each season having its one novel that touches me.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

GH: When I turned twelve, I began to read pretty exclusively Christian Historical Fiction and read pretty much every book our local library had to offer! I loved the romantic element that long gowns, courting, and etiquette lent stories. When I encountered stories that ended with the heroine marrying the wrong guy (in my opinion haha), I would re-write the endings in my head and eventually, decided to try my hand at writing a novel and I was hooked by the genre!

CC: I love it! If you can’t find what you want, write it! 

What is your writing Kryptonite?

GH: Exclamation points!!!! Apparently, I’m a very excited writer in the first draft. Every time I finish writing the first draft, I text my mom and have her guess how many I used in a 330 page novel. She is generous and usually guesses lower than the count on the last book I wrote . . . but the count is always high no matter how mindful I think I am being while writing. I usually have about 200+ exclamation points for the 330 pages. I weed them down to 40 at most!

CC: Ha! Ha! I can totally see that fitting your personality. Now I will look at every story and wonder which ones were exclamation points before you changed them.

Speaking of stories, let’s talk about your debut Regency novel, To Catch a Coronet.

Sometimes the only way to outsmart a scandal is to find a crown big enough to silence it…

Muriel Beau, country baker turned heiress, can’t stop instigating outrage. She discards two arranged engagements, then further antagonizes Kent society by publicly proposing to a baron at a ball. His rejection leaves her with no choice but to flee to the city and to secure a coronet so splendid that her peers will forget her debacles. The glitter of the London courts convinces Muriel that it’s possible to find the future she dreams of, until she finds herself entangled in yet another escapade–one that may cost her more than her crumbling reputation.

After years of serving as a privateer under an assumed name, Captain Erik Draycott, heir to Draycott Castle and soon to assume his uncle’s title of Earl, returns to his London home to find it in disrepair thanks to his longtime nemesis. A staunch bachelor intent on returning to his ship, the captain is shocked when his mentor encourages him to take a wife. But while his alleged pauper status causes the potential London brides to turn their noses up at him, the ladies of Kent have no such qualms and are eager to fill his coffers with their fathers’ wealth.

Caught in a whirlwind of high society and high seas, Muriel and Erik navigate a risky undertaking that threatens their futures and creating stakes that soar above the masts of Erik’s ship. Will Muriel’s bold charm and Erik’s daring bravery be enough to outsmart the scandal and secure a future as glittering as the crown Muriel seeks?

Purchase your copy at  Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Autographed Copy

CC: What about this story drew you to it? Does this story have any special meaning to you?

GH: I first had this idea when I was watching a Hallmark about a girl who proposes to a guy and it goes totally wrong. And the “what if” train of thought led to Muriel, a baker turned heiress during Regency England. The baking element is pretty special to me. After a devastating miscarriage, I needed a distraction, so I decided to bake my way through a Christmas baking magazine. I had my family mark which recipes they wanted to try, and I just baked and baked for two months. It was great therapy as God healed our hearts and I knew that my character, Muriel the baker, would use baking as her therapy too.
CC: So many hugs, my friend. Baking truly is one of the best therapies in the world. . . even if it isn’t great for a waistline.
What was some of your favorite research you discovered while preparing for this story?

GH: Oooh this was a goldmine to research! I bought so many great resources that Erica Vetsch so kindly recommended. My favorite discovery while researching was Vauxhall Gardens, a pleasure gardens in London that I had no idea existed. I, of course, had to add it to the book, To Catch a Coronet! And I have pics on my pinterest page if you want to see the gardens for yourself: https://www.pinterest.com/grace_hitchcock/to-catch-a-coronet-by-grace-hitchcock/.

CC: Erica is the best for sharing what she knows. And I loved getting to visit Vauxhall Gardens in your story.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
GH: I want them leaving feeling like they have met new friends that they want to visit again, had an adventure, visited castles, laughed until they were breathless, and looking forward to the next story!
CC: I can confirm that you achieved that! I loved To Catch a Coronet and even was ready to read it again only a couple months later! Now it’s time to wrap up our interview with a fun question.

 

You are in the back of a police car on your way to jail. What did you do? and is anyone with you?
GH: I was found after hours inside the Biltmore because I accidentally got lost in time and thought, exploring the titles in the library. My husband would be with me because he is all for a great adventure!
CC: That library is amazing, and how awesome that your husband would join you!
Readers, I hope you’ll check out To Catch a Coronet and then leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub. You wouldn’t believe how important that is to an author.  

Giveaway Info

Grace Hitchcock is graciously providing two U.S. residents, 18 years and older, with a signed copy of To Catch a Coronet. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Entries open until 11:59 p.m. EST on May 28.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Reader, have you read Regency stories before? Which ones are your favorite?

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