My Dear Miss Dupré

American Royalty #1

by Grace Hitchcock

Willow Dupré never thought she would have to marry, but with her father's unexpected retirement from running the prosperous Dupré sugar refinery, plans changed. The shareholders are unwilling to allow a female to take over the company without a man at her side, so her parents devise a plan--find Willow a spokesman king in order for her to become queen of the empire.

Willow is presented with thirty potential suitors from the families of New York society's elite group called the Four Hundred. She has six months to court the group and is expected to eliminate men each month to narrow her beaus until she chooses one to marry, ending the competition with a wedding. Willow reluctantly agrees, knowing she must do what is best for the business. She doesn't expect to find anything other than a proxy . . . until she meets Cullen Dempsey, and she must discover for herself if his motives are pure.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Historical, Christian, Fiction, Christian Romance

364 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2021

About the author

Grace Hitchcock is an award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives near New Orleans with her husband, Dakota, sons and daughter. Connect with her online at GraceHitchcock.com.

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“Willow Dupré never thought she would have to marry, but with her father's unexpected retirement from running the prosperous Dupré sugar refinery, plans changed. The shareholders are unwilling to allow a female to take over the company without a man at her side, so her parents devise a plan--find Willow a spokesman king in order for her to become queen of the empire.
Willow is presented with thirty potential suitors from the families of New York society's elite group called the Four Hundred. She has six months to court the group and is expected to eliminate men each month to narrow her beaus until she chooses one to marry, ending the competition with a wedding. Willow reluctantly agrees, knowing she must do what is best for the business. She doesn't expect to find anything other than a proxy . . . until she meets Cullen Dempsey, and she must discover for herself if his motives are pure.”


Series: Book #1 in the “American Royalty” series.


Spiritual Content- Psalm 40:3 at the beginning; Scriptures are mentioned, read, & referenced; Prayers; Talks about God & dreams; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Cullen says he ignored God for a while, but starts praying again soon after meeting Willow; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers & praying; A few mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; A few mentions of churches & Sunday school;
*Note: A mention of Cullen having a “physique of a Greek god”.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘stinking’, a form of ‘stupid’, two ‘blasted’s, two forms of ‘shut up’; Cullen holds back from saying a curse; Some eye rolling; Being attacked & kidnapped (up to semi-detailed); Fighting, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (semi-detailed); Throwing up; Mentions of murders & how they happened (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of accidents, injuries, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of fighting (including boxing), injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of illegal activities, criminals, thieves, stealing, stolen goods, & prison; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of gambling & debts; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of throwing up; A few mentions of cheating; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of cigars; A couple mentions of alcohol; A mention of a casino.


Sexual Content- Many hand kisses (as greetings), five cheek kisses, two almost kisses (up to semi-detailed), two not-detailed kisses, an accidental barely-above-not-detailed kiss, three semi-detailed kisses, and a border-line semi-detailed // detailed kiss; Staring at lips & Wanting to kiss; Touches & Nearness (barely-above-not-detailed); Blushes, Flirting, & Winks; Noticing (including muscles, barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of a woman giving into a man before they were married, being caught, & a possible child out-of-wedlock; Mentions of jealousy; Mentions of reputations, chaperones, women being ruined, & compromising situations; A few mentions of Cullen’s father having mistresses; A few mentions of a man entertaining and conquering women (this includes his comments about having a woman prove her devotion (physically) before proposing to her); A mention of a man not taking advantage of a woman; A mention of a man loving his wife as they have many little ones; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: A couple mentions of a woman’s form-fitting bathing suit & her ankles; A mention of a man being willing to help a woman button her dress; A mention of women showing off their assets.

-Willow Dupre, age 24
-Cullen Dempsey
P.O.V. switches between them & Teddy
Set in 1882-1883
364 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars

This book was one I was anticipating due to it having all my favorite parts of a historical novel—the right time period (1880-1914 is my preferred time period to read about), set in a big city, and because of it being Christian fiction, faith content. These three elements were great in “My Dear Miss Dupré” and I enjoyed those elements, but especially the faith content tremendously. The faiths shown from Willow and Cullen made this book for me and I wish I could have given it a four-star rating because of the prayers and Scriptures highlighted in this story.

As you can tell, this book only received a three-star rating, though, let me explain on why.

I struggled at the beginning to keep tract of who-was-who. (Thankful for reading an e-book copy with a search feature in books like this.) Along with lots of descriptions of what Willow was wearing and the surroundings, it took me a bit longer than I expected to get into this story. I did find the plot of a competition for Willow’s hand to be outlandish, but entertaining.

There was certain comments from others about mistresses, a man using multiple women in a physical way, and other lewd suggestions. While this may go over younger readers heads at times and while it wasn’t strongly directed, I was a little disappointed by these suggestive comments.

I went back and forth liking and… tolerating Willow and Cullen. I would enjoy their faith scenes, but then Willow would seem a little fickle at times (which I can understand because she wasn’t used to being around men that are flirting) and Cullen would start fighting with someone to protect Willow. Which, some readers might find romantic, but I don’t personally find that attractive (especially the scene of him knocking someone’s tooth out and hanging from a thread of gum and also “enjoying the crush of bone beneath his knuckles”).

Another note: This didn’t bother me, but some readers might not like the love triangle in this novel. We see Willow’s point of view, but also Cullen and Teddy, who are both after her hand. Ahh, love triangles. There’s always someone who gets hurt.

All of that said, this book had good potential and I’m willing to try out the rest of the series. It might not be one I squee and fangirl about, but I’m glad I tried it and will be looking out for the next book.



Link to review:
Coming soon.


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House) for this honest review.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun twisty version of The Bachelorette, but set in the Gilded Age. Willow Dupré is forced to choose a man in six months to be her husband and to help run her family’s sugar refinery business. She’s to pick a mate from 30 of New York’s elite families. The process is so fun as it unfolds and you’re never quite certain which guy she’ll choose. A delight, especially for lovers of romance and strong female characters.

4 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 02 Mar 2021
#MyDearMissDupré #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Bethany House, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Grace Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Warnings*
#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You’ll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which may mean some spoilers, so watch out.


Stars: 4

Synopsis: Willow Dupré is the heiress of a multi-million-dollar sugar refining industry...and the Sugar Queen needs a king. When her parents host a six-month long contest to allow thirty eligible bachelors to steal her heart, Willow finds herself loosing it to four different men. Who will win the day and rule beside her?

Favorite Quote: Well, for the first time, I don’t believe I have one...


Marriage contests. Gee, are they difficult to pull off or what. Personally, I shy away from them because, ugh, the drama! And the cringe-worthy lack of development. The obvious foreknowledge of who the hero or heroine is going to choose in the end. The disgruntled heroine who fusses about everything. The domineering parents who stifle her dreams.

Etc., etc. I’m sure you get the point. We’ve all been through these stories before with the feminist or misunderstood heroine and all the no-good potential husbands—save the one, of course, who just oozes goodness from his pores. I mean, where’s the fun and intrigue in knowing the ending before it even began?

Rant aside, I’ve been avoiding marriage contests and arranged/forced/politely-suggested marriage stories for far too long, because My Dear Miss Dupré has finally caught up with me. Its reputation has preceded it, for I’ve heard so much good about this story and I’ve been longing to read it for months now, simply because I haven’t heard one ill word breathed against it.

With good reason.

Admittedly, I had a hard time deciding what to rate MDMD—I enjoyed it immensely and it kept my attention ‘til the end, so was it a five-star read? But it wasn’t my favorite nor very memorable, and of course I have my qualms—so was it instead a three star?

Instead of halving and quartering my star ratings and mulling over it for forever, I just decided that, yeah, MDMD is a four-star kind of book. The kind that you are captivated by while reading, but are liable to forget a few days after you finish it. The kind that doesn’t really stand out in any particular arena, but is still balanced and interesting.

At least, that’s how it was for me.

Willow Dupré was, I don’t know, pretty typical at times...and then, every now and then, you’d glimpse something extraordinary in her character. In the beginning, I was almost dead-set against liking her, since few heroines ever live up to their hype (mine included). They’re described as being strong-willed, capable, and levelheaded—but when it boils down to it? They’re just like every other girl from every other boring book.

Not Willow Dupré. Granted, she didn’t make my “favorite heroine ever” list, since that’s a pretty exclusive selection I’ve got there, but she did exceed a few of my expectations. For example, she recovered quickly. Instead of pitching a fit against her parents’ decision to host the contest, she listened to reason (yay!) and went on with it because, yes, the idea had a lot of merit.

This one was a surprise—she treated every one of her thirty candidates with respect. (WHAT? No way!) I know, right? Instead of giving them all an earful of grief and guilting them for being alive, she listened to them, empathized with them, became friends with a lot, saw the best in almost all of them, and even flirted a few times.

To be honest, I would’ve liked to have seen more of her businesswoman side—handling the board members with a gentle but firm hand and maybe a few less outbursts, not to mention getting to know her employees well—but I can’t expect a progressive heiress to be submissive or stoop to the bowels of the lower class. Well, until toward the end, at least, which provided me a much welcome respite from the soap opera playing out amongst the men. (You’ll get my meaning once you read it.)

Back the point—Will wasn’t all that in a tater pie by a long shot, but she wasn’t all bad. She lived up to her reputation, for the most part, and conducted herself pretty well. I never felt drained by her character, which is pretty rare. Most girls are draining—trust me, I would know.

On that note, I feel like Hitchcock intentionally dodged a lot of issues (particularly those on gender and social equality), skirting any kind of controversies carefully, which was good. I read for enjoyment, not to be convinced about certain ideology.

As for the love triangle at play...boy, did Hitchcock pull that off EXPERTLY! So, yeah, I made my bets in the second chapter (and, as usual, the Queen of Assumptions hit the jackpot), but y’all don’t know how many times I doubted my earlier assessment. Hitchcock created four amazing guys—Fritz, Teddy, Cullen, and Kit (oh, Kit...)—and developed them all so well. Believe it or not, I feel in love with three of the four and was rooting for one, even despite my suspicions.

Ya gotta love a good love square.

But, wait. Didn’t I call it a love triangle?

That’s right, I did. Because Hitchcock kept her focus (and POV scenes) on two guys in particular, so I knew it had to be either or, which made my letdown a little softer. They both were so genuine, which was awesome to see. Of course, I think the incident with Guy #1 at the end was a little….I don’t know...contrived, maybe? Like the author needed a good reason for Willow not to choose him after all.

Guy #1 aside, the love triangle ended perfectly, even if the ending was kind of rushed. Both Guy #2 and Guy #3 (they’re numbered in the order they were introduced in the book, in case you’re wondering) were fantastic fellows, and I wouldn’t have been disappointed with either one. I do hope to see Guy #2 and Guy #4 get their own stories eventually, too!

Oh, speaking of, am I the only one who thought thirty-eight was, like, young and not at all too older for Will? I mean, come on, Kit, you’re acting like you’re sixty-two in a time where sixteen-year-olds married middle-aged men. Thirty-eight ain’t nothin’, y’all. My parents weren’t even going grey at thirty-eight.

Ahem. Pardon my age rant there. Age is one of my favorite aspects about, well, pretty much anything.

Now where was I?

Oh, yes. Everything was pulled off well, all the characters were charming, and the story moved perfectly. My only real qualm, I guess, that’s more technical than personal, is that Hitchcock’s writing was kind of...bland, at times. She focused on description and action more than thought and emotion, which left her writing and characters dry in certain moments, and there was nothing distinctive about her voice. A disappointment, yes, but at least her writing wasn’t poor. I’ll give her that.

And we can’t forget how Willow finally surrendered to God and sought His will in her life!!! It breaks my heart to see so few Christian characters who submit to the will of the Father and so few Christian stories that even express their foundation of faith, you know? So even though it took her a while, I was super excited to see Will turn to God!

Anyway, this review has turned out way longer and rantier (which is a word...as of now) than I’d intended, so I think it’s time to close.

All in all, My Dear Miss Dupré was not my most favorite read of the year or one of the most memorable books I’ve read. It fell flat in some areas—like Hitchcock’s writing in general, and just that it didn’t captivate me like other stories have. But it also struck out in a lot of ways—like having one of the most amazingly developed love triangle-square-thingies in a single novel! I enjoyed it, I’m definitely glad I got the chance to read it, and I look forward to the next installment in the American Royalty series!

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Amanda (BookLoverAmanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Dear Miss Dupre - Grace Hitchcock - 4 Stars - A fun, "bachelorette" type story set in the Gilded Age - late 1800s!

This book was a lot of fun! A very unique premise indeed! Lovers of Clean, Christian Historical Romance and shows like the bachelor or bachelorette will enjoy this story! This book is the definition of "spilling the tea" HAHA - so much drama! In this book, we follow Willow Dupre who never thought she would have to get married. She was fine just helping her family out on their sugar refinery. Plans change unexpectedly when her father's retirement comes to light due to his health issues, leaving Willow to be presented with 30 potential suitors from the families of New York's society elite group call the "Four Hundred". The shareholders of the sugar refinery say she must get married to have a husband to help her run the family business and her parents want to make sure she marries for more then just status -- but for love too. So in comes a big competition where she has to eliminate the men 1 by 1 over the next 6 months and find her husband. Things get crazy, drama ensues and secrets start to be revealed....who will she choose? Who can she trust?

I really liked how this author weaved in this competition to choose her husband -- so fun and many times I laughed. It reminded me of a Jen Turano story in a way! The witty dialogue, unique storytelling and characters - so much fun! There were times I felt like it was a bit too long and at first too many characters in the competition had me confused on who was who -- but overall I had a good time with this. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great. I will say, the ending felt a bit rushed as we didn't have closure on one of the possible suitors I grew to love, but book 2 is his story so I am super excited to read it! Don't read the synopsis of book 2 or you will be spoiled for this book!

This was also clean and cute with only small kisses in the story. Our main girl did get herself in a bit of trouble in that regard sometimes, which made me laugh. I thought it was nice that her parents and Willow worked together to talk about the competition and she was willing and able to participate without fighting them on it -- she would do anything for her family and their businesses and that was beautiful to see.

As the reader, you know some of the behind the scenes things that Willow doesn't - which was great because we really got to see the motives behind some of the characters. One of our guys here is planted as a spy but soon begins to love her --- and we see all that unfold behind the scenes.

Overall, a fun, unique story with some great characters and good humor throughout the story.

[Debbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

"My Dear Miss Dupré" is a romance set in 1882 in New York. Willow just kept making one bad decision after another, and so did her parents and her suitors. The historical details were unrealistic even if the Dupré family was meant to come across as arrogant and high-handed. They seemed determined to humiliate the suitors due to the way the whole contest was set up. They also seemed oblivious to the fact that this could create powerful enemies among those that were disrespected and dismissed.

Willow's willingness to be kissed (even in public!) by her different suitors threatened to ruin her reputation, yet she didn't stop the kisses. She was smart, but she was also thoughtless and lacked effective follow-through on good intentions. When several suitors pointed out that only the pushy suitors were getting any time with her, she agreed it wasn't fair but ended up dealing with it by cutting anyone who wasn't pushy from the competition. Once, Willow resolved to stop mooning over their good looks and charming manners and ask questions about their faith in God and ability to run a business, but then she never did. She never asked if the men would allow her to continue to run the business, support her endeavors, or even what they wanted out of the relationship.

Bafflingly, her father told her last three suitors to write down every detail about how the Dupré business was run as they're shown around the factory. He's oblivious to how this information could be used against them in the future. The parents also made no effort to further investigate her favorites or they would've noticed that Cullen had no social standing and had been seen in public dealing with the Dupre's business enemy. And I'm supposed to take this family seriously?

Willow and Cullen were the only characters that were developed to any degree, and that wasn't very much. Willow was a horrible judge of character. Cullen betrayed her, giving critical information to Willow's enemy, but Willow swooned at his green eyes and so defended him against anyone hinting that Cullen might not be trustworthy. I just didn't like these characters. The Christian element seemed to be forgiving those who have changed their ways (and proved it). There was no sex or bad language.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read a book quite like this one. My Dear Miss Dupre is a gilded age romance novel.
The premise of it caught and kept my attention.
This book will bring to your mind the show, Bachelor because of a similar premise.
It's a fun book to get through really.
Willow comes from an extremely well off family and sure possible suitors could be interested in her for her money but she wants to find that one man who will fall in love with her for herself.
Her family runs a sugar refinery and she is set to take it over but she needs to marry by a certain date.
Her parents set up a competition and she must mingle and make her choice of one of these potential suitors. We learn a little of some of the potential marriage contenders , see some disastors, some funny moments and some you just say to yourself what the heck where they thinking?
I enjoyed seeing how this unfolded .
Recommended!!!!

Pub Date 02 Mar 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Cindy aka "The Book Fairy" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought was a delightful tale! I heard about it here, saw it for a great bargain at Thriftbooks, so then decided it might be another interesting read that would appeal to my 19 year old daughter. Hence I wanted to read it as well of course to find out if I would enjoy it as well.... I did ;) . I figured early on who would be the suitor she would fall in love with, no doubt from the countless galores of books I have read, being this age etc. I learned quite a few words and their meanings which I am looking up. The characters were likeable and the story a pleasant one....It is a bachelorette for the gilded age indeed as it has been referred to. I think this could also make a marvelous wholesome teem/young adult movie or a mini series sure! Hats off to this newer young author:)

[Abigail Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

I have lukewarm feelings on this book.

On the one hand there were parts I *loved* and there were parts that weren't so great. Hitchcock gave a story much like Jen Turano's which threw me off a bit since it wasn't the same style but Hitchcock's own writing style. Both of which I enjoy, I just needed to get a feel for it and I found that I liked it a lot.

The story was hilarious and serious all at once with a competing romance and a dash of mystery. Readers of Gilded Age.

My biggest dislike would be that there were times the plot was somewhat iffy, like it would have been a novella and not a novel but the author and publisher lengthened it into a novel.

Warnings: 18+ due to a villain and sexual content.

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this historical "The Bachelor" style romance. The competition to woo the girl plus the mystery and intrigue had me captivated. Grace Hitchcock is fastly becoming one of my new favorite authors and I want to read everything that she has written! 6⭐

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madcap fun.
What a predicament Willow Dupre finds herself in. She is an educated, business-minded miss who is set to take over the sugar empire her father has built. However, the board members want her to find a husband who can rule beside her. Her parents, one of the foremost families in elite New York society of 1883, have given their daughter an ultimatum: Choose a husband in only six months from 30 hand picked suitors.
What a whirlwind romance. Willow has a good heart and relies on her faith to guide her, but oh, the decisions she has to make. And the planned and unplanned circumstances that she gets into! She is down to the final choices and everything comes apart. She has asked God to guide her but can she trust her own heart? And can she see the true motives of her beaux?
Very interesting was a lesson in the meaning of flowers and what messages they send to a courting couple.
An enjoyable spin on The Bachelorette, with added intrigue and promise of more to come from The American Royalty series. I know I want a story about Willow’s best friend, Flora.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Review Crew and BPH Open Book. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

[Susan Snodgrass · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to the Gilded Age’s version of the Bachelorette. Willow Dupre has six months to choose a husband from the thirty men her parents have picked out for her. Otherwise, she may not get to run her father’s sugar company. Willow feels she should be allowed to run the company without the aid of a husband; however, the board members think differently.

So begins Willow’s search for a husband. I was glad to see some of these dudes eliminated and pull for my choice. I also enjoyed the bits of humor inserted within the story. Sweet story.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book. I received no compensation and the opinion in this review is my own.

[Kailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that this book is like a historical take on The Bachelorette. I loved Willow and her suitors! I’m so thrilled that my favorite of the suitors won! I loved the bits of humor along the way. I think this book is perfect for fans of Jen Turano’s books!


I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
"Gentleman, allow me to present the lady of the hour, the future queen of the Dupre Sucre empire, Miss Willow Dupre".

It was either the most brilliant idea in high society history or the most abominable; as far as Willow Dupre was concerned the jury was still out. Her parent's notion of parading thirty gentlemen callers in front of her was not only embarrassing, but seemingly impossible. How was she to choose a potential husband from the lot of them, when her time would be hopelessly divided between so many? Was this truly the only way to maintain leadership of her father's prestigious sugar company, to convince the board of directors that she was capable; she was on a deadline to snag a "male figurehead? . .this wasn't the 1840's." How utterly chauvinistic of them.

As Willow begins to cull out the gentlemen who are obviously not "match material", the selection process becomes harder as the stakes become higher. Unfortunately there are wolves in sheep's clothing mixed in among the flock, determined to watch her fail, but Willow has no time to commiserate her circumstances; her father's health is deteriorating quickly while the company curiously continues to gain customers, but lose money. Who might Willow trust to treasure her heart, while fully and selflessly appreciating her acuity for numbers and ledgers, for as one of her best friends dully noted, "the heart was not like a business transaction". And just when her decision becomes clearer in her mind, her heart takes a near fatal tumble.

A story that might have come across as a bit trite, has instead portrayed encounters rich in experience, allowing extravagance to dance upon the pages of a delightful journey into the lives of the nouveau rich, proving that at the core of every soul is a desire to be loved unconditionally, first by a Maker and with the help of Providence, also by a soul mate. It will require incredible courage for Willow to make the right decision, as it has for so many others.

"Lord, I trusted you to give me a new song. Is this it? A ballad of a broken heart?"

I was scheduled to receive a copy of this book from the author and publisher. I also purchased a copy. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.

[Libby May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow this book was like eating a twinkie. Super sweet, sugary, and with nothing behind it.

The Characters

I liked Willow, and I especially liked that she and her sisters answered to boy names "Will, Phil, and Bill." XD
I liked Cullen a lot. I liked Teddy too. Cullen reminded me of the man who will always be my comparison for this style of male, Major Phillip Camden from On Wings of Devotion by Roseanna M. White. But he will never measure up to Phillip.

The Plot

Very cliche. Very sweet. I always love a good read from this era and I was not disappointed in reading this one. It was romantic, suspenseful, heartbreaking and awful at the same time. A good mix. That being said, I didn't love the way the ending played out with Fritz and Cullen (even if I did like the way it ended). Again, so much fluff, nothing really worth much.

The Content

There were kisses, Cullen was a boxer in his past life, some mentions of blood, having mistresses. There were a few fights, some manipulation, and a horrid dude that didn't stop to get what he wanted (the Dupre sugar business).

I do want to say I appreciated the author's approach to this being Christian fiction. The characters called to God often, especially Cullen, and I find it so very relatable, even if this isn't a preachy book. Often Christian fiction gets off with just mentioning God once or twice, but this one wove Him into the plot and allowed a lesson to be taught, as shallow as the rest of the book was.

Four stars! Thank you to the author and the publisher for a free copy of this book! A positive review was not required and all opinions are my own. Really this was a cliche love story with a cliche love triangle (Square?) but if you're looking for a simple read full of fluff, then maybe it's for you.

[Jasmine (Jazzie) [Jesus Loves You!!] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rtc!

[Sherri · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Stopped at end of third chapter or 13%.

A historical spin on the "Bachelorette" TV series.

Willow Dupre takes over her father's sugar refinery business after a heart attack leaves him recouping and retiring. The time period will not allow a her to own or be in business without a husband, as her spokesperson. Within six months, Willow must weed through 30 bachelors to find one to marry.

I don't care for the TV show so I'm not sure why I thought I could do this novel. It might be fun for others but this is not for me.

[Kelly-Ann ~ Sassy Bookish Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great fun story this was! I mean from the very first chapter it has you chuckling. Willow Dupre is part of one of the most elite families of New York in 1883. However, she is not your typical socialite. She is smart and extremely business minded as she has been trained by her father to one day take over the sugar empire he father has built. However the board members only see Willow as a woman who should be paying more attention in finding a husband rather than concerning herself with the business. Due to her father's health declining, both her parents come up with a plan to marry her off. Oh goodness this was hilarious! Her mother was hilarious in all of this!

The romance in this was nail biting for me! There were two great candidates in my opinion and one of course that was running the lead the whole time but of course only one can "win" the competition and win Willow's heart. I will not give you any clues because you really should read the story! But I will say that Willow does have some tough choices ahead of her. She definitely seeks guidance from God but in the end she has some tough choices to make as she must trust herself to do so.

Overall this book was great! I really loved the spin off of the TV show the Bachelorette in this setting. There is intrigue, suspense and of course romance! I can't wait to read more from this new to me author and see where the next book in the series takes us! I would love to have a story with Willow's best friend Flora and if you read it you'll know why!

I received this book from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Monica H (TeaandBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are you a reader who is a fan of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette? If so, then My Dear Miss Dupre is a book that you will likely enjoy.

Willow Dupre found herself in a position where she had to marry to take over her father's sugar business to satisfy the shareholders who don't believe a woman can run the business in 1883. Her parents select thirty suitors from New York's elite society and she agrees to choose a husband from that group.

I have to be honest up front, I don't watch much television so I don't watch The Bachelor/Bachelorette. However, I was looking for a lighter read, so I gave it a try. I enjoyed My Dear Miss Dupre as a whole. For me it went on a little long. I liked Willow and her family. I liked Cullen and Teddy and a few of the other guys. I was pulling for Cullen as he went through some challenges. I liked the fact that he kept praying and trying to do the right thing. I also liked that Willow did too. Fritz's love of flowers and their meanings was interesting too. I liked that there was a bit of mystery. This is the start of the American Royalty series. My Dear Miss Dupre was a lighter read with that happy ending that I was looking for right now. It didn't necessarily "wow" me, but I will probably give the next book a try too. I hope that it is Flora's or Teddy's story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own.

[Morgan's Endless Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main characters were great, and I really enjoyed the plot, but the deceptive aspects weren't great. Plus third act breakup. 🙄

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the original storyline of My Dear Miss Dupre! It was like reading a historical 1800's version of The Bachelorette, so fun! When I first read the premise of the story, I was totally expecting just a fun, light-hearted read, and while it definitely had it's light, fun moments, I was taken by surprise by the depth of the emotions and truths expressed throughout the book. I loved the setting, the Gilded Age is one of my favourite time periods to read about. The wealthy 'American Royalty' were definitely the celebrities of their time and I enjoyed being caught up in the glitz and glamour of their world. I not only loved Willow's name but also the strength of her character. I liked how she truly tried to get to know her suitors and didn't judge them on their appearance or first impressions. As I don't want to spoil the story for some all I'll say about the man who won her hand is that he is dreamy in every possible way *giant sigh*! Due to the nature of the storyline, the romance is fairly subdued throughtout but I loved seeing it how it was subtly woven in and then came bursting out at just the right moment!

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This historical romance combines a number of issues. First is the glass ceiling. Willow wants to take over running the sugar manufacturing empire from her ailing father, with his permission and enthusiastic mentoring. It is an era when women are not thought suitable for business so the stockholders demand she be married first.

This brings up the second issue, a sort of bachelorette contest. Willow's mother invites men to vie for marriage to their very eligible and potentially wealthy daughter. And that bring up another issue of the paparazzi. A well known family, Willow's husband contest brings with it much adverse publicity.

Hitchcock adds a bit of business intrigue and mystery to provide some depth to the plot. Since Willow is naive enough to take her suitors at face value and is allowed to be with them unchaperoned, there is some suspense too.

I had some serious issues with the novel. I found it odd that in this era the men had six months to lounge around, apparently not having to work or manage their businesses, to be at the call for time with Willow. And that the men stayed in the same house with Willow just seemed unrealistic. And then there was all the unchaperoned time she spent with various men. Unrealistic all around.

My biggest issue was with the development of the character Willow. She plans to run the sugar manufacturing empire. She has been to college and taken the kinds of classes needed to do so. Yet she comes across as a very naive and foolish woman. (Her thoughts on her own foolishness on page 300.) She can't spot a single fraud among the suitors. She believes she is a savvy business woman yet cannot detect blatant deception unfolding right before her eyes. Having been a female business owner myself, Willow's character absolutely did not work for me. There is no way she is at all suitable for running a business. No wonder the stockholders doubted her ability.

This is a novel for readers who would appreciate reading about men posturing with clenched fists for Willow's attention. Readers would need to be able to overlook inconsistencies in Willow's character as well, just enjoying the book for the basic romance aspects of it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Rosalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun story! I loved it and was kept guessing throughout this fun tale!
This is kind of like an old fashioned bachelor show.
Willow Dupre is the heroine. She's heir to the Dupre fortune, but in order for her to be in charge of all of it, she has to get married.
So her parents decide to hold a competition, and send out invitations to the thirty most eligible bachelors.
Willow is at first rather horrified, when she hears of this. But, then she decides to make the best of it.
The story moves along quickly, and it definitely kept me glued to the pages!
I loved reading about those famed Fortune Four Hundred. Some of her potential beaus were from that wealthy set, but I'm not sure that they necessarily all were.....
There was plenty to keep me guessing, lots of mystery, and I never knew quite what to expect.
I did feel sorry for poor Willow. I mean, trying to keep up with one boyfriend is enough for any woman to handle, I can't imagine how this might have been!
The time dwindles, and she has to keep narrowing down the competition...sometimes she has an easy time deciding who to eliminate, but then, other times, she had a very difficult time of it.
Throughout the entire book, Grace Hitchcock just does such a fantastic job at bringing all of this to life in front of your eyes. The setting, the characters, all just very beautifully detailed.
If you are looking for a fun, light-hearted read, I highly recommend this book.
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

[Nora St Laurent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t judge a book by its cover, this is one entertaining and delightful adventure with so many twists and turns I didn’t see coming. Miss Depre’s parents are in a bind and need to have their daughter marry to save the family business. This took Miss Dupre by surprise, but she quickly accepted her parents’ wishes to proceed with her choosing a man that would be her husband in the next several months.

I adored this book which reminded me of our modern-day Bartlett Show. I enjoyed walking in Miss Dupre’s shoes as she takes on an impossible task of getting to know sixteen of these men in the hopes of finding not only a husband but a love match. Can she do that in such a short period of time? Her parents seem to think so.

I enjoyed how this author helps you know all the men up for grabs and strings readers along as the author reveals a mysterious plot to obtain the key role of husband to Miss Dupre. Readers hope she finds the rat before it’s too late. This book was pure joy and so much fun to read and would work well for your next book club meeting. I highly recommend it. This is the first book I’ve read by this author it won’t be the last.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and unique novel from a new to me author. I really enjoyed the set up for this story and the unusual situation that Willow found herself in. It was heartwarming to see the full faith that Willow’s parents had in her. They were confident that she was able to run the company for her father, yet they were in an uncomfortable situation with the board members of their company.

The competitions and time spent with the suitors included creative ways for the suitors and Willow to play games, dine together, interact in large groups, and also time to spend courting as a couple would want to do. I knew who my favorite contestant for Willow’s heart was, however, the author did a very good job of keeping a couple of men in the running who clearly fell in love with Willow.

I enjoyed watching as Willow narrowed the field down to the key players. Her heart definitely got involved in the process. There was plenty of underlying tension due to the competition, but also due to the unkind articles that began to show up in the press. Concern regarding the future of the company and whether someone was trying to undermine the family’s efforts to secure a husband who would help run the company added to the need for Willow to make a good decision in her choice of men! I was happy with the way things played out in this book and look forward to reading future novels in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You can read this review on my blog:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Bachelorette" set in the late 19th Century.

Willow Dupre is a young woman who has a company to run with her father. She loves it, but the board doesn't love that she is a single woman. To appease the board, her parents come up with a plan to have a house party/competition with 30 of the most eligible wealthy bachelors in attendance. Willow must choose one of them to marry or else losing her family business to a ruthless competitor.

There were some fun elements to the story. Willow has to decide who is trying to undermine her business, selling information to the papers, and who actually appreciates her and not her fortune. It is a daunting task, and the gentlemen do not get along.

There were only a few of the gentlemen who play a significant role in the story. It is easy to tell from the beginning who the true competitors were. As a reader, you know that there is an investigation going on that Willow is unaware of. It's hard to cheer on the competitors when you are unsure if the person you are rooting for is worthy of her hand.

Overall this was a fun book to read. I felt that it lagged a bit in the middle, but the pacing picked up and kept me turning the pages.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Linda Klager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am excited about this series! I loved that the author included the description of the dress and hairstyle on the cover of the book. Not all authors do that and I am very happy that Grace Hitchcock included it in her book.

Willow Dupre was a very smart and capable woman. Her father was mentoring her so that she could run the business when he no longer was able to do that for health reasons. The only drawback to her being at the helm of the sugar business was that she needed to marry. Willow was not ready to marry.

Willow's mother and father devised a plan to help Willow find her husband. Willow's mother invited thirty worthy candidates for Willow to choose from. Willow had 6 months to narrow the queue.

There were some hilarious moments during this competition and there were also some really desperate men! Two of the men were doing insane things to get Willow's attention.

I loved the intrigue involved in Willow's search for true love. The best part of the book was when both Willow and her fiance got down on their knees and asked for God's guidance. I appreciated the Scriptures mentioned.

I am thankful to the ACFW Book Club for sending me this free book. We will be reviewing it soon and I am looking forward to other ladies' opinions.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! Such a clever Regency era take on The Bachelorette!

I've never read any of this author's books before so the cover totally sold me.

Just like in the TV Willow is presented with men who her parents think will make good matches. Unlike in other stories where children are forced to do their parents will, Willow joins in their quest.

I loved the variety of men, except for the shysters, of course. I thought the activities Mrs. Dupré thought up were cute. It gave them all the opportunity to learn more about the character of each man.

I think readers will have their favorites to root for. I know one of mine, but can't tell you his name or if he makes it to the end (although I want to)! I felt for Willow as she tried to be honest and up front with her feelings toward each man.

One of the men's faith becomes real to him and you can see his spiritual growth through the story. The same goes for Willow in her reliance on His and not herself.

*I received this book from the publisher. This is my personal opinion.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in a historical time period, this play on the Bachelorette had me intrigued, but I put it off. I found it had humor, historical info, but also the underlying heartbreak of being forced into a marriage due to save your family. It is hard to imagine being in that place, yet, in some ways, since it was expected, it took away many issues we have today with single parenthood that end up working themselves ragged. Yet, you wonder at the unhappy marriages and abuse as well.
I am looking forward to the second book!

[Kellyn Roth]

I'll have to come back to this, but I started it May 11th, 2021, and it's been sitting on my shelf with the bookmark in it, and I don't think I'm going to be able to finish it at this point without rereading what I've already read.

Which I don't want to do. So I'm not going to.

I got engaged about two weeks after this, and married that August, so that may be a plausible explanation for why the book didn't get read.

I shall come back sooner or later.

[Kelsey Gietl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wavered between a 3.5 and 4 stars on this one, but finally settled on a 4 for writing style. This was a fun story of a woman who, in order to take over her father’s sugar company, must be married to appease the board of directors. The method for doing so? A bachelorette style competition with 30 men.

Let me be clear, I hate those dating tv shows. But I like novels with a competition style romance. (Kortney Keisel’s The Rejected King is my favorite.) In a book, you can see how something so ridiculous plays out without any real people getting hurt. And the characters in this story do get hurt…repeatedly. Grace Hitchcock does a good job of showing the ramifications of a competition based in love and the drastic measures people will go to win. There’s a suspenseful moment towards the end that I wasn’t expecting, but enjoyed having included.

The author presents many choices for our heroine, but there are really only two likely candidates. I liked them both, but most of the book was rooting for one over the other. There are a few side characters, however, who are also intriguing and I appreciated how they were each well rounded even though they never stood a chance to win. My one complaint actually lay with the main character, Willow, who sometimes appeared fickle and played with the men’s emotions, when it seemed like she had it narrowed down early on.

Overall, an enjoyable first read from Grace Hitchcock.