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Dollar Princess #1
To Love a Lady
Not yet published
Expected 6 Jan 26She was never meant to be a lady. But love has a way of rewriting the rules. For fans of My Fair Lady.
New York City, 1883. Keira O’Day has spent her life scraping by in the tenements, haunted by the mystery of her parents’ abandonment. When wealthy widow and social climber, Maude Hill, offers her a daring proposition—to be adopted, polished, and presented as a society bride for an English lord—Keira sees an opportunity she can’t pass up.
Maude’s nephew, Alexander Paxton-Hill, is skeptical from the start. Tasked with teaching Keira the art of charm and flirtation, he soon finds himself captivated by her honesty and warmth as she challenges everything he thought he knew about love—and about himself.
After navigating the glittering, treacherous world of New York society, Keira arrives in England and catches the eye of the elusive Duke of Severton. She’s poised to win everything until a lavish ball, a long-buried secret, and one reckless act of love threaten to unravel it all. Now Keira must the role she’s been prepared to play—or the woman she’s become.
New York City, 1883. Keira O’Day has spent her life scraping by in the tenements, haunted by the mystery of her parents’ abandonment. When wealthy widow and social climber, Maude Hill, offers her a daring proposition—to be adopted, polished, and presented as a society bride for an English lord—Keira sees an opportunity she can’t pass up.
Maude’s nephew, Alexander Paxton-Hill, is skeptical from the start. Tasked with teaching Keira the art of charm and flirtation, he soon finds himself captivated by her honesty and warmth as she challenges everything he thought he knew about love—and about himself.
After navigating the glittering, treacherous world of New York society, Keira arrives in England and catches the eye of the elusive Duke of Severton. She’s poised to win everything until a lavish ball, a long-buried secret, and one reckless act of love threaten to unravel it all. Now Keira must the role she’s been prepared to play—or the woman she’s become.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 1, 2026
288 people want to read
About the author
Gabrielle Meyer
80 books2,695 followersGabrielle Meyer grew up above a carriage house on a historic estate near the banks of the Mississippi River, imagining real and make-believe stories about the occupants who had lived there. She went on to work for the Minnesota Historical Society and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River, not far from where she grew up, with her husband and four children. By day, she’s a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and non-fiction filled with hope. Learn more about Gabrielle and her writing by visiting www.gabriellemeyer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 7, 2025
4.5 stars!!
There are not many things that can make me happier than reading a book. But taking a favorite classic movie/musical and retelling it Gabrielle Meyer style is a guaranteed good time.
When Gabrielle approached our Ladies of Wilderness launch team with the premise of this series, I was overjoyed. The concept of retelling iconic musicals, the stunning covers, the promise of multiple books to enjoy was so exciting. I love her ability to effortlessly create story after story with heart stopping romance and immersive, vivid historical details.
To Love a Lady was a fun twist on My Fair Lady and it delivered. Kiera/Clara was genuine, lovable, and charismatic. Like Audrey Hepburn, you couldn’t resist falling under her spell.
I am extremely excited for the next book, as we have already been introduced to the leading characters and the musical retelling, it is sure to be entertaining! It would also be wonderful if George was to get a story somehow, some way. He deserves a happy ending.
Thank you Gabrielle for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
There are not many things that can make me happier than reading a book. But taking a favorite classic movie/musical and retelling it Gabrielle Meyer style is a guaranteed good time.
When Gabrielle approached our Ladies of Wilderness launch team with the premise of this series, I was overjoyed. The concept of retelling iconic musicals, the stunning covers, the promise of multiple books to enjoy was so exciting. I love her ability to effortlessly create story after story with heart stopping romance and immersive, vivid historical details.
To Love a Lady was a fun twist on My Fair Lady and it delivered. Kiera/Clara was genuine, lovable, and charismatic. Like Audrey Hepburn, you couldn’t resist falling under her spell.
I am extremely excited for the next book, as we have already been introduced to the leading characters and the musical retelling, it is sure to be entertaining! It would also be wonderful if George was to get a story somehow, some way. He deserves a happy ending.
Thank you Gabrielle for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A huge thank you to author Gabrielle Meyer for an advance copy in exchange for a review!
"Two months ago, if he'd passed me on the street, he wouldn't have looked twice. Today, he'd come to call." (116).
Set in New York City of 1883, this book follows Keira O'Day who has been raised by her aunt and uncle after being abandoned by her parents as a baby. Raised in poverty, her life is altered drastically when she is spotted on the streets by a wealthy widow who offers to adopt her and present her as a society bride for an English lord, in a desperate bid to lend social prestige to her hotel business. To escape her impoverished life, Keira goes along with this plan and catches the eye of the Duke of Severton, but is heartbroken that keeping her end of the bargain means sacrificing her love for another man and a path that would bring her a much happier life.
This was beautifully done historical fiction that reimagines the My Fair Lady story as a Gilded Age New York City story. Gabrielle Meyer's choice to set the book in Gilded Age New York was an inspired choice! In this book, Keira becomes one of the many American heiresses that were married off to impoverished British aristocracy. The plot seamlessly intertwined with real life historical events taking place during that time period as wealthy New Yorkers competed for social prestige and were willing to do just about anything for entry into the most exclusive social circles. I have a great love for Gilded Age history and the author's knowledge of that time period was evident by how well researched this book was. I so impressed by the meticulous attention to historical detail that gave this book realism and enhanced Keira's love story. For instance, Keira attends her own coming out ball, that mirrors the extravagance of wealthy parties during the Gilded Age: "For party favors, Aunt Maude has chosen gold cigarette cases for the men and diamond necklaces for the women. The food, the champagne, the party favors, flowers, invitations, musicians, and extra staff had cost over fifty thousand dollars" (132).
This story has such a beautiful message of being true to yourself and also finding those who see the real you, regardless of circumstances. Alec meets Keira when she's an impoverished young woman selling silk flowers on the street, yet he is unfailingly kind and supportive of her from day one. I especially liked that he is very reluctant to call her Clara, her newly adopted named. Alec sees and cares for the true Keira and not the polished society image of her.
At the same time, I greatly appreciated the author's portrayal of the Duke of Severton. It would have been very easy to paint him as the villain of the story, solely trying to steal Keira away for her adopted wealth. While he admittedly isn't super friendly and has some alarming ghost stories circling about his adoptive home, he is always honest and upfront with Keira. I thought he was a fascinating figure with an interesting back story and am looking forward to hopefully learning more about him in the next book.
I don't want to give away any spoilers, but this book has quite the twist concerning Keira's past! I loved learning in the author's note how this twist was grounded in historical facts. I think Keira has such an emotional hole having never experienced parental love and it was nice to see her getting some closure by the end of this book.
Reading this made me desperate to rewatch My Fair Lady! I think this series, which will all be retellings of famous movie musicals, is such a fun and creative choice. I'm excited to rewatch them all and read the retelling as they all come out.
"Two months ago, if he'd passed me on the street, he wouldn't have looked twice. Today, he'd come to call." (116).
Set in New York City of 1883, this book follows Keira O'Day who has been raised by her aunt and uncle after being abandoned by her parents as a baby. Raised in poverty, her life is altered drastically when she is spotted on the streets by a wealthy widow who offers to adopt her and present her as a society bride for an English lord, in a desperate bid to lend social prestige to her hotel business. To escape her impoverished life, Keira goes along with this plan and catches the eye of the Duke of Severton, but is heartbroken that keeping her end of the bargain means sacrificing her love for another man and a path that would bring her a much happier life.
This was beautifully done historical fiction that reimagines the My Fair Lady story as a Gilded Age New York City story. Gabrielle Meyer's choice to set the book in Gilded Age New York was an inspired choice! In this book, Keira becomes one of the many American heiresses that were married off to impoverished British aristocracy. The plot seamlessly intertwined with real life historical events taking place during that time period as wealthy New Yorkers competed for social prestige and were willing to do just about anything for entry into the most exclusive social circles. I have a great love for Gilded Age history and the author's knowledge of that time period was evident by how well researched this book was. I so impressed by the meticulous attention to historical detail that gave this book realism and enhanced Keira's love story. For instance, Keira attends her own coming out ball, that mirrors the extravagance of wealthy parties during the Gilded Age: "For party favors, Aunt Maude has chosen gold cigarette cases for the men and diamond necklaces for the women. The food, the champagne, the party favors, flowers, invitations, musicians, and extra staff had cost over fifty thousand dollars" (132).
This story has such a beautiful message of being true to yourself and also finding those who see the real you, regardless of circumstances. Alec meets Keira when she's an impoverished young woman selling silk flowers on the street, yet he is unfailingly kind and supportive of her from day one. I especially liked that he is very reluctant to call her Clara, her newly adopted named. Alec sees and cares for the true Keira and not the polished society image of her.
At the same time, I greatly appreciated the author's portrayal of the Duke of Severton. It would have been very easy to paint him as the villain of the story, solely trying to steal Keira away for her adopted wealth. While he admittedly isn't super friendly and has some alarming ghost stories circling about his adoptive home, he is always honest and upfront with Keira. I thought he was a fascinating figure with an interesting back story and am looking forward to hopefully learning more about him in the next book.
I don't want to give away any spoilers, but this book has quite the twist concerning Keira's past! I loved learning in the author's note how this twist was grounded in historical facts. I think Keira has such an emotional hole having never experienced parental love and it was nice to see her getting some closure by the end of this book.
Reading this made me desperate to rewatch My Fair Lady! I think this series, which will all be retellings of famous movie musicals, is such a fun and creative choice. I'm excited to rewatch them all and read the retelling as they all come out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Keira O’Day is given a once in a lifetime opportunity to leave the tenements behind and become an heiress. But, everything comes with a condition. Keira will have to help save Maude Hill and her hotel dynasty by marrying a person of nobility. As you can imagine, Keira is bewildered by all of the things she must learn of society. But, she has made a friend and ally, Alexander Paxton-Hill who helps her with all that she will need in order to succeed.
The details of the opulence of New York's and London’s societies were described in such detail that I felt that I was experiencing things along with Kiera. The Worth gowns, the furnishings, and being introduced to the queen and prince was all so exciting and a bit breathtaking.
I loved the retelling of my Fair Lady and the way that it ended for Keira and Alec. It was the perfect ending for Keira and even better than what I could have imagined. Thank you to the author for doing that, otherwise I would have been very disappointed.
Things to love:
classic movie retelling
cottage
secrets
flirting lessons
flower brooch
ballroom dances
wardrobes
faith of characters
We are introduced to some other characters who I came to love in the story, and I am excited to see they will be featured in a future book in the Dollar Princess series.
I received a copy of the book, but I was not obligated to write a positive review.
The details of the opulence of New York's and London’s societies were described in such detail that I felt that I was experiencing things along with Kiera. The Worth gowns, the furnishings, and being introduced to the queen and prince was all so exciting and a bit breathtaking.
I loved the retelling of my Fair Lady and the way that it ended for Keira and Alec. It was the perfect ending for Keira and even better than what I could have imagined. Thank you to the author for doing that, otherwise I would have been very disappointed.
Things to love:
classic movie retelling
cottage
secrets
flirting lessons
flower brooch
ballroom dances
wardrobes
faith of characters
We are introduced to some other characters who I came to love in the story, and I am excited to see they will be featured in a future book in the Dollar Princess series.
I received a copy of the book, but I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Such a fun story loosely based on My Fair Lady or Pygmalion by Shaw. But it’s becomes so much more. Meyer turns it into a lovely allegory of our relationship with God, how he adopts us into his family, and we are his children. It reminded me of a children’s book I danced a ballet to based on Angela Hunts book The True Princess.
Keira is a likeable character and honestly I liked her more than Eliza Dolittle. Alec is stable and loyal.
I don’t want to give more away, but I highly recommend and am grateful to the author for giving me an ARC.
A opinions are my own.
Keira is a likeable character and honestly I liked her more than Eliza Dolittle. Alec is stable and loyal.
I don’t want to give more away, but I highly recommend and am grateful to the author for giving me an ARC.
A opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews