Meet a lady and a sailor in
Kristi Ann Hunter’s
Regency romance
An Elegant Facade
Bethany House
*******
The Story
Lady Georgina Hawthorne has worked tirelessly to seal her place as the Incomparable for her debut season. At her first London ball, she hopes to snag the attention of an earl.
With money and business connections, but without impeccable bloodlines, Colin McCrae is invited everywhere but accepted nowhere. When he first encounters the fashionable Lady Georgina, he’s irritated by his attraction to a woman who concerns herself only with status and appearance.
What Colin doesn’t know is that Georgina’s desperate social aspirations are driven by the shameful secret she harbors. Association with Colin McCrae is not part of Georgina’s plan, but as their paths continue to cross, they both must decide if the realization of their dreams is worth the sacrifices they must make.
Introducing Georgina and Colin
Lady Georgina Hawthorne
Brief physical description
Blonde and ethereal with green eyes, Georgina is the epitome of English beauty, except for her slightly uneven ears hidden behind her ringlets.
Resembles…
She was based on Taylor Swift. Here’s one of my inspiration pictures.
Strengths and weaknesses
One of Georgina’s strengths is an ability to work with people. Manipulating might be a better description if we’re being honest. This strength was partially developed because of her weakness for believing she can’t be herself around others because she’s a bit different than they are.
Quirk (if any)
It’s a bit of a spoiler alert because this quirk develops as the book goes on, but Georgina has a little person living in her mind, a mental image of her voice of reason. That the person looks an awful lot like the man she’s trying to stay away from simply adds to the difficulty.
Your inspiration for the character
I don’t think there’s a person alive that doesn’t wear some sort of mask. Georgina is the personification of that need to hide our flaws from the world, sometimes at the expense of forming true, deep relationships.
Mr. Colin McCrae
Brief physical description
A Scotch-Irish who grew up sailing and working on boats, he’s got blue eyes and reddish-brown hair with a bit of curl to it.
Resembles…
Ian Somerhalder was used as the inspiration, though only certain pictures of him really fit the description. Here’s the one that I used.
Strengths and weaknesses
Colin’s strength is somewhat similar to Georgina’s in that it deals with his people skills. He is very observant and forward-thinking, able to put together people with opportunities and see potential when others don’t. His weakness lies in that he has a hard time doing that for himself. He doesn’t want to deal with the pain in his past so he throws himself into the more tangible and less personal world of business.
Your inspiration for the character
As a contrast to Georgina’s deliberate hiding of herself from the rest of the world, Colin tends to hide from himself. He is created from the moments when we try to fool ourselves into thinking life is a certain way, wearing a mask of sorts in our head while letting elements of ourselves show to those around us.
Background to the story
Georgina played a bit of a villain in the first two books. There’s a piece of writing advice I’ve heard often that says every villain should be the hero of their own story. This was an idea I wanted to incorporate into the Hawthorne House series. At the time I was listening to the Casting Crowns’ song, Stained Glass Masquerade, a song about hiding our flaws in order to look better to other people. When the two ideas combined, Georgina and Colin’s story was born.
Thanks Kristi!
Relz Reviewz Extras
The Reading Habits of Kristi Ann Hunter
Download the FREE ebook prequel, A Lady of Esteem
Visit Kristi’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: An Elegant Facade or Koorong
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July 11, 2016 at 12:13 pm
I don’t have a favourite character… but I hAve some favourite authors… Kristi Ann Hunter, Julie Klassen, Rosanna White…. 🙂 love that era in time! Can’t wait to read this book!
July 11, 2016 at 12:16 pm
One of my favourite characters would be Lady Sybil Branson (nee Crawley)! 🙂
July 11, 2016 at 1:05 pm
There are so many! Especially from newer authors. How can I possibly choose? I guess I will go with the classic Mr. Darcy. Though I do really like Harriet Smith in Emma too. I’ve been trying to re-read the classics, unabridged so I can remember the whole story, not just the movie versions.
July 11, 2016 at 2:26 pm
I have to say one of my favorites is Marianne Daventry from “Edenbrooke”. She was so delightful, and made every scene fun!
July 11, 2016 at 9:13 pm
I think Mary Balogh’s Wulfric, Duke of Newcastle is hilarious, always using his quizzing glass and that condescending stare of his to try to intimidate everyone. It usually works, except on one bold young lady….
July 11, 2016 at 9:14 pm
Spell check strikes again…he is the Duke of Bewcastle.
July 12, 2016 at 1:23 am
They are all my favorites.
July 12, 2016 at 2:32 am
There are so many good books and good characters, but ones that stand out in my mind are Honore and Lord Ashmoor from Laurie Alice Easkes ‘A Reluctant Courtship’. Thanks for the giveaway!
July 12, 2016 at 2:43 am
Really hope I win!
July 12, 2016 at 4:11 am
I really enjoyed the character of Emma from Julie Klassen ‘ s “The Tutor ‘ s Daughter.”
July 12, 2016 at 4:17 am
I don’t really have a favorite, but I do like Lady Miranda from A Noble Masquerade. I really enjoyed the first two books in the Hawthorne House series so am looking forward to reading An Elegant Facade (and the one after that!). Thanks for telling us more about Lady Georgina and Colin (and showing us photos!) and for the chance to win the book.
July 12, 2016 at 5:03 am
I loved the character of Lady Miranda Hawthorne by Kristi, and the characters from Sarah E Ladd’s books. I also love the fun and interesting books by Regina Jennings.
There are so many great authors, whose books I love. I also love the books by Beth White and Roseanna M. White but I ‘m not sure they are Regency novels.
July 12, 2016 at 9:38 am
Elizabeth Bennet is my favorite character!
July 12, 2016 at 9:44 am
I love Regency era fiction so it’s hard to pick a favorite. But I am partial to Charlotte Lamb of Julie Klassen’s Lady of Milkweed Manor.
July 12, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Usually, I can’t go wrong with any of the heroes/heroines from Georgette Heyer’s Regency books (not Christian fiction but clean with dry humor) and one of my favorites is Horatia Winwood from A Convenient Marriage. She really cracks me up.
July 12, 2016 at 6:10 pm
Most recently, my favorite character is Captain Stephen Overtree from Julie Klassen’s, A Painter’s Daughter.
July 13, 2016 at 1:21 pm
I honestly haven’t read a bunch of Regency yet, so one of my favorites thus far is Marcus from A Noble Masquerade. You’ve gotta’ love a man that ignores social conventions AND has an unusual vocation! That’s pretty juicy stuff! Lol
July 13, 2016 at 3:32 pm
I’m always confused between the difference between Regency or Victorian. And I like the Bedwyn series by Julia Quinn… I don’t know if that qualifies!
July 13, 2016 at 10:24 pm
My favorite Regency Character is usually the one I most recently met. I can’t pick a favorite.
July 13, 2016 at 11:03 pm
I would have to go with any of Roseanna Whites’ Characters. I love reading this era so it’s hard to really have a favorite.
July 13, 2016 at 11:42 pm
That would have to be Mr. Darcy or Mr Knightley. Mr. Darcy because how can you compare to Mr. Darcy? And Mr. Knightley because he is just to likeable not to like!
July 14, 2016 at 2:47 am
It’s so hard to choose just one! But Austen’s characters are always a delight.
July 14, 2016 at 10:19 am
Definitely Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.
July 14, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Mr. Darcy of course!