Romantic Reads: To Save a King

Interview with Rachel Hauck about her book,

To Save a King (True Blue Royal Book 2):

Congratulations on your May 5 book release! Let’s talk about it …

Alexis: Why would you call this book a modern-day fairy tale of hope and rescue?

Rachel: Well, any story with a prince is a “modern-day fairy tale.” But royalty are as human as any of us and life doesn’t leave them alone. In this story, the prince lost the love of his life and the heroine, Gemma, has lost her dream and in her mind, her dignity. Neither one wants love but their unlikely friendship changes everything.

Alexis: Use words to paint a picture of your story’s setting. What is it called? What makes this place special to your characters?

Rachel: The first half of the book is set in middle Tennessee which is lush, green, beautiful and hot. The second half is set in Lauchtenland, my fictional country set in the North Sea. It’s ancient, picturesque, a blend of English, German and Swedish culture.

Alexis: Let’s talk about your story’s heroine, Gemma Stone. Why does she dream of being famous and rich? Who does she love and who does she not like? Describe her looks, personality and heart.

Rachel: She wants to make a difference in the world. She is beautiful and thinks a career in Hollywood will open doors for her. But she loses herself in the shallowness of having to look and act a certain way. She ends up doing something she would never do before.

Alexis: How did Gemma end up running a rescue ranch and raising her friends’ orphaned daughter?

Rachel: She didn’t know it but Imani’s parents made Gemma her guardian should anything happen to them. Since they were young and healthy, no one expected either of them to die. Their short lives left a daughter. Gemma is just home from Las Vegas and the worst experience of her life. She needs Imani as much as Imani needs her.

Alexis: Let’s talk about the hero of our story, His Royal Highness (HRH) Crown Prince John. What are his greatest strengths and worst weaknesses? Describe his looks, personality and heart.

Rachel: He’s military trained, on the brawny side, and has dark hair. He’s very kind and generous and smart. He’s also hurting.

Alexis: What brings Prince John to Hearts Bend? What does he like about that special place?

Rachel: His mother, the queen, sends him on an errand. He likes Hearts Bend because he feels he can be a regular bloke.

Alexis: What were Prince John’s first thoughts about Gemma when they met?

Rachel: He liked her. A lot. But love was not on his mind. 

Alexis: What are the themes of this book? Why?

Rachel: The theme is layered but I think it’s about God being with us in our darkest moments.

Alexis: How did your real-life faith in God affect your fictional storytelling in this case?

Rachel: I’m interested in a friendship with God and His purposes on the Earth. In some ways, that desire influences all my stories. But the spiritual journey is unique to each book.

Alexis: What do you want people to remember most about this story?

Rachel: I hope To Save a King is fun, entertaining and hope-filled.

Alexis: Complete this sentence: If I were not a successful NYT bestselling author, I’d try to be a ___________________ because I _____________________________.

Rachel: If I were not a successful NYT bestselling author, I’d try to be a broadcaster because I like talking.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Rachel! Would you like to share closing thoughts?

Rachel: Thanks for having me!

~*~
Author Bio:

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. 

She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award winner. Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie. Three more of her titles are under film contract.

Rachel was awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A retired member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Executive Board, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of the Year.

In the real world, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.

A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

~*~
Back cover blurb for To Save a King:

A modern-day fairy tale of hope and rescue from NYT bestselling author Rachel Hauck 

After growing up in small-town Hearts Bend, Tennessee, Gemma Stone set off to Hollywood to make her mark in the world.

But her ambition turned into a journey of a “thousand” bad decisions and after twelve years of seeking fame and fortune, Gemma returns home with a limp and a dark secret.

Now she runs a rescue ranch and is raising her friends’ orphaned daughter. She’s keenly aware these defenseless ones are also rescuing her. She just wants to stay hidden in the safe world she’s created.

HRH Crown Prince John has learned a royal title cannot shield him from heartbreak. As heir to the revered House of Blue and married to the love of his life, he believed his future reign would strengthen the royal dynasty of Lauchtenland. Then tragedy changed everything. Can anything save him from his grief?

When he travels to Hearts Bend on a mission for his mother, Queen Catherine, he’s drawn into the local life and cajoled into a three-legged race with the beautiful Gemma Stone during the 4th of July festivities.

While the event has a disastrous result, Prince John and Gemma form a quick friendship—one of two wounded souls finding comfort in one other. However, love is absolutely not an option. John desperately wants to hold onto the memories of his wife, and Gemma refuses to trust her heart to any man. Even a prince.

Then Prince John is called home for an emergency. How can he leave the woman who lifted him from his sorrows? But can Gemma join him on a royal stage and risk her secret coming to light?

With a touch of divine help, Prince John and Gemma just might find the kind of love that saves and ultimately write their very own fairy tale.

To Save a King is book two in the True Blue Royal series.

~*~
Buy Rachel’s book on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo

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Connect with Rachel:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelhauck
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachelhauck
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelhauck
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/rachelhauck
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rachel-hauck

~*~
Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of Rachel's book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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Romantic Reads: To Love A Prince

Interview with Rachel Hauck about her book, 

To Love A Prince (True Blue Royal Book 1):

Alexis: What inspired you to start writing royal romance stories?

Rachel: I’ve been a fan of the British royal family since Prince Charles married Diana. After her death, we didn’t hear much about the Windsors in America. Then Prince William married Kate and I knew the “royals were back.” She was so poised and beautiful. After William and Kate’s wedding, I came up with my first royal wedding series.

Alexis: What is To Love A Prince about and how is it different from your previous royal romances?

Rachel: At the core, I think To Love A Prince is about second chances. It’s different from my other royal romance based on the journey of the characters’ themselves. They drive the story.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s heroine Daffodil Caron. What does she look like/sound like/act like?

Rachel: Daffy is sweet, funny, artistic. She grew up with the princes from the House of Blue when her mother worked for the queen. But a secret separated them for almost twenty years. When we meet her, she’s living her best life. Or so she thinks. But love has other ideas.

Alexis: Describe the setting for this story. What makes it special to your main characters?

Rachel: Most of this story takes place in a small hamlet called Dalholm. It’s fun, quaint and beautiful. The hamlet is special to the prince because it’s the location of Hadsby Castle where he spent his childhood summers. Dalholm is also the place where Prince Gus and Daffodil discover their real purpose.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Augustus. Describe his looks, personality and heart.

Rachel: He’s a very broken man when the story begins. But he’s lived through controversy throughout his life and knows how to survive. He’s very self-deprecating at the start.

Alexis: Is there anything about Daffodil that Prince Augustus does not like?

Rachel: There’s nothing he doesn’t like about her.

Alexis: Why did the media used to label Prince Augustus as “Prince Pudgy” when he was a child? How did he feel about this cruel label? In what ways has he changed now that he is an adult?

Rachel: He’s never liked the moniker, but it’s made him stronger. I also think it made him empathetic to others who struggle. Being a prince didn’t shield him from pain and teasing.

Alexis: After going for such a long time without seeing each other, what happens to their head and heart when Prince Augustus and Daffodil reconnect? Give insight into their thoughts and feelings. 

Rachel: Prince Gus and Daffodil have a really great meet-cute on a beach. The thing I loved about the connection was she reminded him of who he really was and how important he was to the people of Lauchtenland. He reminded her of her childhood and of her dream to make a difference in the world.

Alexis: Give us a hint of how romantic love begins to bloom between Prince Augustus and Daffodil.

Rachel: Daffodil works for the Royal Trust and she’s sent on a mission to Hadsby Castle the same time as Prince Gus. From there, fun and love ensue.

Alexis: What threatens to destroy this new romance between old friends?

Rachel: Daffy has a secret about the queen and through no fault of her own, the news gets out.

Alexis: What do you want readers to remember most about this story?

Rachel: I’d love for readers to be engrossed in a fun, romantic story that’s full of hope.

Alexis: If you were Daffodil’s best friend, what would you say to her about her romantic relationship and everything that a woman will have to overcome when she decides to love a prince?

Rachel: She was born for it. It’s her destiny.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Rachel! Would you like to share closing comments?

Rachel: Thanks for having me! I’m honored!

~*~
Author Bio:

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. 

She is a double RITA finalist, and a Christy and Carol Award winner. Her book, Once Upon A Prince, first in the Royal Wedding Series, was filmed for an Original Hallmark movie. Three more of her titles are under film contract.

Rachel was awarded the prestigious Career Achievement Award for her body of original work by Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A retired member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Executive Board, she teaches workshops and leads worship at the annual conference. She is a past Mentor of The Year.

In the real world, she’s a wife, writer, worship leader and works out at the gym semi-enthusiastically.

A graduate of Ohio State University (Go Bucks!) with a degree in Journalism, she’s a former sorority girl and a devoted Ohio State football fan. Her bucket list is to stand on the sidelines with Ryan Day.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

~*~
Back cover blurb for To Love A Prince:

An enchanting new royal romance from NYT bestselling author Rachel Hauck. 

Daffodil Caron is not a princess, even though she once dreamed of being one. After all, she grew up as a playmate to royal princes, running through the halls of Perrigwynn Palace in the North Sea’s Lauchtenland. But the day she stumbled upon a royal secret, everything changed.

Flash forward eighteen years, and Daffy’s living a sweet, non-royal life. A skilled art curator for the Royal Trust, she has friends, a flat in the heart of the capital city, and a handsome, successful boyfriend. The last person on her mind is Gus, the prince she once called her best mate.

HRH Prince Augustus is no longer “Prince Pudgy,” as caricatured by the press—he’s charming and gorgeous, possessing a world-famous smile. But after he’s jilted at the altar, then dumped by his second fianceé, the spare heir to Lauchtenland’s ancient House of Blue finds solace on a Florida beach.

A year as a regular bloke allows him to rethink his purpose. He’s half decided his calling is to pour pints at a tiki bar rather than serve his country and the Family.

But a wild Frisbee toss down the beach changes his destiny.

Despite his long hair and beard, Daffy recognizes her prince. She reminds Gus of his heritage and assures him that he’s needed in Lauchtenland.

When Daffy and Gus find themselves on assignment at Hadsby Castle in preparation for his brother’s wedding ball, their friendship blooms into affection.

Then secrets are exposed, and Gus must choose between his past hurts and his future hope. And Daffy must trust her heart to forever love a prince.

~*~
Buy Rachel’s book on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo

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Connect with Rachel:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelhauck
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rachelhauck
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rachelhauck
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/rachelhauck
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rachel-hauck

~*~
Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below:

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Book Review: The Wedding Shop

Book Review: The Wedding Shop

Author: Rachel Hauck
Reviewed by: Alexis A. Goring

Between my paperback copies and my Kindle, I own hundreds of books. So when Fiction Guild sent this book to me, I thought I'd simply read it first then give it away because space is limited on my bookshelves. But as I turned the pages of The Wedding Shop by Rachel Hauck, I grew attached to the main characters as the author drew me as a reader into the story. By the time I reached the final page, I knew that I wanted to keep this book.

The Wedding Shop is a story about love lost/regained and restoration. It is told on a dual timeline with characters from the early 1900s and the late ‘90’s. Cora is the heroine of the past. Haley is the heroine of the present.

As the reader journeys with the characters, they get to know the hopes, dreams and deepest desires of these heroines. The reader may love the way that the hero and heroine—past and present—meet and fall in love. The reader may also be surprised by the plot twists positioned perfectly throughout this story. The author writes in a way that’s solid, engaging and keeps the reader guessing and turning the page to see what happens next.

As a reader, I was surprised by the way Cora’s true love was discovered. There were moments when I was happy for Cora, sad for Cora and filled with joy for her own love story as it unfolded. I liked Haley from the start. She’s spunky, wise, sweet, loyal, and very much a person who believes in working hard for your dreams to come true. I was delighted to see how the author handled Haley’s heart when it came to finding her own happily ever after.

The heroes—past and present—were strong, reliable, romantic and hardworking not just in their career, but in their pursuit of their love interest’s heart. The author carefully thought out and described their motivation and upped the ante on the conflict throughout this story.

The Wedding Shop is a story that’s timeless because of the universal themes of faith, love, hope and disappointment that are so carefully and brilliantly woven throughout this book.

This book deserves a five-star rating and the author deserves an award! I’d recommend this book to women and men who need encouragement to follow their dreams, trust God with their heart and never give up on finding—and keeping—true love.

*Fiction Guild sent a complimentary copy of this book to Alexis A. Goring, in exchange for an honest review.

My Review for Rachel Hauck's "A Royal Christmas Wedding" book blog tour with Celebrate Lit

A Wedding Worth Waiting For
My review of A Royal Christmas Wedding (book) by Rachel Hauck

It’s every girl’s dream to marry a prince. Okay, maybe not every girl but it is quite common that the female heart wants to dream of their wedding day. It makes their imagination soar and heart sigh in bliss when they think of marrying their very own Prince Charming.

So when I found out that Rachel Hauck had written a book about a girl who marries a real (but fictional) prince, I knew that I had to read it and would be delighted to review it for the book’s blog tour coordinated by Celebrate Lit.

Naturally, a book is not complete without conflict and this story has plenty of it! The author cleverly places the conflict throughout the story. She begins with an epic throwback into her story's fictional history about a prince who fell to his death before he could declare his true love for the woman he felt destined to marry by ringing the Pembroke Chapel Bell.

This scene in history is tied into the modern day tale of Prince Colin of Brighton Kingdom, who after years of not talking to the one woman his heart loved, finds that he is still very much in love with her. All it takes is seeing Avery Truitt (the woman his heart loves) at a family reunion in the royal palace. Avery went to the reunion on guard because she was not sure if her heart could take seeing the man that she wanted to marry, again. But she went with her mother in support of her sister Rebecca who married a prince and is expecting a baby.

When Avery and Colin meet again, old feelings are stirred and the plot thickens. The reader discovers the truth as to why Prince Colin pushed Avery away years ago and it breaks Avery heart but also gives her hope.

The setting for this story is Cathedral City and when the story starts, the Christmas season is in full swing and makes every detail magical as the author paints a beautiful picture on every page with her words.

Throughout the story, the heroine (Avery) is presented with a decision: follow her heart and give love with the hero (Prince Colin) a second chance or return home to St. Simons and pursue her career dream of being a coach.

All I can say is that you need to read this book to discover how it ends. But I will clue you in…let’s just say that as I read this story, I was reminded of why the author is a New York Times bestselling novelist!

This holiday romance set in the fictional Brighton Kingdom in Europe is the perfect Christmas story just waiting for you to discover it.

So what are you waiting for? Go buy Rachel’s book, A Royal Christmas Wedding and discover the reasons why I’m giving it 5-stars!

~*~
To purchase your copy, click here. 

Genre: Christian Romance/Christmas

Release Date: October 18, 2016

Book Format: Paperback and Ebook

Book blurb: Avery Truitt aches for true love—the kind she once shared with Prince Colin. Can she dare to hope for happily ever after, or is a fairy-tale ending beyond reach? 

College volleyball star Avery Truitt has not seen her former flame, Prince Colin of Brighton Kingdom, since he suddenly pushed her away five years ago. But now, the sadness of losing her father and the joy of her sister Susanna’s pregnancy have brought Avery back to Brighton just in time for Cathedral City’s enchanting Christmas season.

Avery knows she can’t avoid seeing Colin—now the Kingdom’s most eligible bachelor—whether or not her heart is ready to relive the pain. But seeing him again might bring her the closure she needs after all this time.

When Colin finds himself at the center of a centuries-old Brighton tradition, he must decide whether to follow the path laid out before him or follow his heart to the only woman for whom he would ring the Pembroke Chapel Bell.

Can Colin convince Avery to meet him at the chapel on Christmas morning—as tradition dictates—or will Avery run back to her St. Simons home and pursue a coaching career as planned?

In the fourth installment of the Royal Wedding Series, New York Times bestselling novelist, Rachel Hauck, weaves a charming story of holiday romance as two broken hearts seek the love they once knew.

~*~

About the Author: 

Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and award-winning author.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in an uncomfortable chair to write full-time in 2004.

She serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers and leads worship at their annual conference. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, and conference speaker.

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NEWS for YOU (the reader): To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card plus a copy of A Royal Christmas Wedding and a copy of The Wedding Shop. Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post to earn 9 extra entries in the giveaway! Giveaway code: aaeb. Select this link to enter the giveaway contest, https://promosimple.com/ps/aaeb

~*~
Guest Post from Rachel Hauck about A Royal Christmas Wedding: 

I don’t think we can ever get enough of royals or Christmas, do you? The two just seem to go together.

The Bible tells us eternity is written on our hearts. (Ecc. 3:11) I wonder if it’s also written on our hearts to be princesses in a grand, beautiful, perfect kingdom.

That being said, welcome to the A Royal Christmas Wedding blog tour. My deepest thanks to all the bloggers, reviewers, and readers for hosting and visiting this tour. I’m excited to share this story with you all.

The hero and heroine, Prince Colin and Avery Truitt, first met in Once Upon A Prince at King Nathaniel’s coronation.

I hadn’t planned to write a spinoff story with the two of them. In fact, I didn’t even know Prince Colin existed until Avery walked into the abbey for the coronation and glanced across the sanctuary into his eyes.

Here’s his introduction:

Lean, aristocratic with an outdoorsman ruddiness, he nearly made Susanna swoon when he winked at Avery.

I liked Colin immediately. So did Avery. As well as a lot of you.

When my publisher asked me to write their story, it would be two years before the book would release. Plenty of time, right?

But “time crunch” is the name of the game with most writers. Between life, rewrites, edits, and promotional activity, we often find ourselves hurrying toward a deadline. Well, at least I do.

In the fall of 2015 I was writing The Wedding Shop and A Royal Christmas Wedding at the same time.

I’d also dealt with a physical issue that left me shaky. Could I write two books in five months? Did I want to even make the attempt?

If I said no, publication dates would be pushed out, causing a year delay on A Royal Christmas Wedding. And I knew that was something I did not want to do.

Publishing is a long game. Books are contracted and due 12 to 18, even 24 months, before release dates. Time must be carved out for rewrites and editing, marketing and promotion. Review copies go out at least five months in advance.

So I agreed to write both books. I told my editor, “Diamonds come from pressure.”

Coming up with Avery and Prince Colin’s story wasn’t as easy as I’d planned. Since they met in Once Upon A Prince as teenagers, I struggled with how to advance their age and relationship, and how to present them as the book opened.

Where had their relationship gone “between the books?”

When I came up with the idea of the Pembroke Chapel bell, the story magic began to happen. One of the things I love in the royal wedding books is the fairytale aspect. Looking for something out of the ordinary.

Even though my writing time was tight, writing Avery and Colin’s story was a joy. Once again I wish I could visit Brighton, eat a puff, and royal watch for the Strattons!

I hope you found a few sweet spots in the story, all wrapped in Christmas holiday cheer, and enjoyed your time with me in Brighton Kingdom.

Merry Christmas!

~*~

Book tour blog stops:

December 8: Book Reviews From an Avid Reader

December 8: New Horizon Reviews

December 8: inklings and notions

December 9: Reading Is My SuperPower

December 9: Redeemed Hope Dweller

December 9: Book by Book

December 10: His Grace is Sufficient

December 10: Blossoms and Blessings

December 10: Pause for Tales

December 11: Quiet Quilter

December 11: Ashley’s Bookshelf

December 11: Reviewing Novels Online

December 12: Bibliophile Reviews 

December 12: Lights in a Dark World

December 12: Splashes of Joy

December 13: Moments Dipped in Ink

December 13: Neverending Stories

December 13: Through the Open Window

December 14: The Power of Words

December 14: Counting Pinecones

December 14: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

December 15: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

December 15: Genesis 5020

December 15: CTF Devourer

December 16: Lighthouse Academy

December 16: God’s Little Bookworm

December 16: Christian Bookaholic

December 17: Smiling Book Reviews

December 17: God is Love

December 17: A Simple Life, really?!

December 18: A Holland Reads

December 18: The Scribbler 

December 18: Faith * Love * Books

December 19: By The Book

December 19: Karen Sue Hadley

December 19: Southern Chelle

December 20: Faithfully Bookish

December 20: Books. Books. And More Books

December 20: A Baker’s Perspective

December 21: ASC Book Reviews

December 21: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

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Words of Faith: Rachel's story about waiting on the Lord

The Preciousness of Waiting
A Words of Faith story by Rachel Hauck

Sunday morning as we sang the song “Good, Good Father,” I was struck by the first line of the bridge which says,“You are perfect in all of your ways.”

How often I doubt God is perfect. I think He’s forgotten me or worse, ignoring me. Nothing could be further from the truth! He loves me! He’s for me! He has good plans for me. 

The other night I was talking to a musician friend who’s been waiting a long time to record an album. But the doors never opened. In the mean time, he learned to write better songs. He’s partnered with seasoned professionals. In the waiting, he became the songwriter he needed to become. We don’t like waiting. We want what we want…now!

But God is perfect in all His ways.

My writing journey happened fast compared to some. But I didn’t have immediate success. I was published but not very popular. I've been writing full time for 12 years and my career finally took a turn. How far or how long the turn I don’t know but God is perfect in all His ways. Over the years, I had opportunity to write for different publishers but the doors never opened. 

A few years ago my agent talked to me about co-writing as a way of helping another author while boosting my sales and earning potential. But I never had peace about it. Soon after I ran into a physical issue that slowed me down for about six months. Had I been in a co-writing deal amid my own deadlines...Shivers!

God is perfect in all His ways. In today’s world, it’s easy to become consumers of fear and anxiety, doubt and depression, envy and jealousy. But we are called to gaze upon Jesus and find our purpose and identity in Him.

Psalm 121:1-8 (NASB) says:

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; 

From where shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord, 

Who made heaven and earth. 

He will not allow your foot to slip; 

He who keeps you will not slumber. 

Behold, He who keeps Israel 

Will neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Lord is your keeper; 

The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not smite you by day, 

Nor the moon by night. 

The Lord will protect you from all evil; 

He will keep your soul.

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in 

From this time forth and forever.

What comfort to know God is watching over us day and night! He is good. He is faithful. Don't lose patience with the journey. Take hold of the preciousness of waiting. He won’t forget you! 

Be blessed!

~*~
Author bio: 

Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat. A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, she worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in uncomfortable chair to write full time eight years ago.

Rachel serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, a conference speaker and worship leader.

Rachel writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan. 

~*~
Connect with Rachel:

Website - www.rachelhauck.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/rachelhauck/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rachelhauck/SaveSave

GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/257934.Rachel_Hauck

Book review: Spring Brides

My Review of Spring Brides
A book of three novellas written by Rachel Hauck, Lenora Worth and Meg Moseley

The book’s back cover blurb starts with an invitation that reads, “Happily after begins today. The honor of your presence is requested at three spring weddings.” I loved the details on the blurb and was honored to receive this lovely invitation. But it was the book’s front cover that made me accept the invitation these three fictional springtime weddings.

The cover photo of Spring Brides is elegant, sweet, soft and simple. I loved the fact that the color theme was purple. I simply adore that color! A woman wearing an elegant, white wedding dress with what looks like a sweetheart neckline with buttons trailing down the middle low back of the dress. She’s hiked up her dress with her left hand to make a clear pathway for her feet. Her right hand is doing double-duty because she’s balancing her clutch of her bouquet of purpose flowers with her grasp on a lilac color umbrella. 

The background of this front cover photo is of a grassy area that leads to what looks like a blue-gray river stream. The title of the book along with the authors’ names are written in purple. All of those elements blend perfectly to create a whimsical and wonderful book cover. It also made me want to pick up the book and read it. Yes, I judged this book by its cover and I’m SO glad that I did. Allow me to tell you my reasons why. We’ll spend a little time on each of the three stories, in order of publication:

“A March Bride” by Rachel Hauck

I’d say that this story was a perfect 10. The author (Rachel Hauck) spends a great deal of her storytelling style on details. It’s through the details that you understand the characters and fall in love with their story. The story is about Susanna Truiit who is three ways away from marrying the man of her dreams who happens to be royalty. His proper title is King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. He wooed her and won her heart in Rachel’s previous book Once Upon a Prince and now it’s time for their love to be sealed. However, there is a problem—the prince's government insists that Susanna renounces her American citizenship before the wedding. She cannot have dual citizenship due to the political reasons. Making things worse is the fact that her closest family and friends for health-related reasons, cannot fly to Brighton for the wedding. The reader learns of this multi-layered conflict within the first few chapters of the story.

Rachel as an author, does an awesome job of developing the conflict and using it to drive the readers deep into the characterization of her hero and heroine. Even the secondary characters are solid and written well. The author gives great thought about their hopes and dreams in their fictional life along with showing the reader their strong support of the main characters. She knows how to show and not simply tell the story.

The plot was unpredictable, even to a seasoned reader like me! I enjoyed the surprises and experienced great anticipation about how the plot twists would work out toward a happy ending. After all, she’s marrying a prince and don’t all fairy tale-like stories have happy endings?

Without giving away the ending of "A March Bride", I will say that as a reader, I was satisfied with the ending of this story. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

“An April Bride” by Lenora Worth

Another story that I’d give a perfect 10 rating. The author (Lenora Worth), does a fabulous job of painting these captivating fictional characters and structuring their world with her words.

The author’s strength is telling the story through emotions and memories. She focuses on Stella Carson who is a blushing bride and is ready to marry the man of her dreams (Marshall Henderson). Marshall is a wounded warrior. He was sent to the Middle East as a soldier for the U.S. Army but he suffered a loss so great that it robbed him of his memory. So after a long stay at the hospital, he returns home and is reunited his bride but he barely recognizes her and does not remember their love story.

The fact that Marshall does not remember their relationship and love story troubles Stella. But she refuses to give up. She’s strong-willed about marrying him as scheduled, from the first day of their reunion through most of their story. She makes every effort to kindly show him their love story and tell him why they're meant to be together. As time goes by, Marshall realizes the reasons why he wanted to marry Stella—she’s beautiful, sweet, compassionate, caring and patient—but he does not remember how they fell in love. He cannot remember any of their dates but he does listen to his parents who gently push him to still marry Stella despite his memory loss. His parents tell him that he and Stella are the “real deal” and help me realize that memory loss or not, when you find true love, it’s rare and worth fighting to keep.

However, Marshall’s trauma from his experience as a soldier makes him more distant to Stella because he won’t share his burdens with her and it causes a rift in their relationship. You’ll have to read the story to find out if love conquers all. But I will say that as a reader, I was not disappointed.

The author weaves a very sweet and realistic story, one that soldiers and army wives in real-life can relate to. I’d recommend “An April Bride” to everyone who has ever loved a soldier. It’s truly a touching and beautiful story that anyone can appreciate and enjoy.

“A May Bride” by Meg Moseley

May is my birth month, so I instantly wanted to read this story. It focuses on Elle Martin, a country girl living in the city, who dreams of a traditional wedding. She goes shopping for wedding dresses in her free time and plans other details for her wedding. But there’s just one necessary detail that she cannot shop for or exactly plan to get—the groom. She’s one of those women who have dreamed of their perfect wedding day since she was a little girl. Now she is a grown woman with an agenda, one that she keeps hidden when she meets her hero, Gray Whitby.

Gray is quite a catch. He’s good-looking, stable, funny and smart. The only flaw in his character, I’d say, is his impulsiveness. He and Elle strike up a fast friendship that leads to mutual attraction and then a whirlwind romance, the kind that ends with a proposal.

But the proposal is only the first hurdle on the path to Elle’s dream wedding. She has a strict mother who after having her heart broken by Elle’s father, is cynical about love. Elle’s Mom does nothing to improve or approve of Elle’s relationship with Gray. She rains on their wedding planning parade and places doubt in their heads as to whether or not they should tie the knot. Oh, the conflict! But don’t you know, it’s the conflict that makes the story?

The author (Meg Moseley) does a great job at creating conflict and going deep into her character’s thoughts/desires/fictional life stories. However, the story’s pacing felt rushed. I think that the story may have been better if the pacing was a bit slower and more steady because the rush, while it was fine for the whirlwind romance, took away from the story’s structure. It seemed a bit loose in points and unbelievable.

However, “A May Bride” was still a good story. The dialogue was unique and the characters were likeable. I think that if this story was a standalone novel, the author may have had more time to develop the plotline and deepen the characters. I’d give this story a solid 8 (on a scale of 1 to 10).

After “attending” each of these “weddings,” I’ve decided to give Spring Brides an A+! It’s a wonderful collection of stories. If you love romance stories with a hint of humor and a solid thread of faith, you need to read this book.