Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions 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 Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.
Book: His Delightful Lady Delia
Author: Grace Hitchcock
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: November 1, 2022
Behind the curtain, she must put on the performance of a lifetime . . . while love and risk take center stage.
Delia Vittoria’s mother has lost her voice at last. After five years of being her diva mother’s understudy, it is time for Delia to assume her place as the lead soprano onstage behind the Academy of Music’s faded velvet curtain. And she is all that stands between the Academy and its greatest threat–the nouveaux riches’ lavish new Metropolitan Opera House.
Kit Quincy never misses opening night, but when his sister begs him to help get her husband out of an Italian opera star’s arms, Kit accidentally confronts the younger Lady Vittoria instead. When he meets the stunning young diva again, he attempts to make amends, but then finds himself pulled into a society matron’s plot to win the great opera war. To draw attention to Delia Vittoria as the Academy’s new soprano star, Kit is convinced to act as both Delia’s patron and the enigmatic phantom who once haunted the Academy years ago. But when a second phantom appears, more than Delia’s rising career is threatened.
About the Author
Grace Hitchcock (www.gracehitchcock.com) is the award-winning author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a master’s degree in creative writing and a bachelor of arts in English with a minor in history. Grace lives in the New Orleans area with her husband, Dakota, and their sons and daughter.
More from Grace
I’m pretty certain every author started as an avid reader who dreamed of how they would change an ending or change who the heroine ended up with if they could write the book instead. (Anyone else think Theodore Laurence should have married Jo March?) It’s that ever-beautiful question of “what if” that has haunted some of my favorite stories and often drives my own stories to spark to life.
I first discovered The Phantom of the Opera as a child and fell in love with the beauty of the Broadway musical, a love that continued into my adulthood. So, when I was researching ideas for Book Three in the American Royalty series and I stumbled upon the great opera-house wars between the new money’s opera house and the Academy’s elite opera house, the “what if” sequence began and I knew I had to write my version of a phantom-of-the-opera story. Then when I researched the Italian opera company, I grew even more excited, as I’m from a large Italian family. And when I say large, I mean it’s not uncommon for our smallest gatherings to be only forty people, and when the whole krewe is together, we need a large facility to house us all. I’ve also visited New York and Italy and felt I could add some authenticity to the Italian characters in my novel, which brings me to the leading lady—a delightful opera singer named Delia Vittoria, who takes a beloved hero from Book One in My Dear Miss Dupré, Kit Quincy, by surprise.
I knew from Kit’s character that if he’d met the woman he was meant to wed, nothing would have stopped him in his pursuit, so I knew I had to introduce a new heroine instead of a lady introduced in Book One. It is rather daring to bring in a new lead in the third book of a series without some form of introduction in prior novels, but I felt Kit’s character warranted it. Kit is by far the “oldest” hero I have written about to date, and to my delight, he captured my heart with his genuine soul and fierce devotion toward the woman he loves. Because of his age and personal experience, I felt that Kit could be a wonderful example of true, godly love to a woman who has seen almost nothing but poor imitations. I hope that you will enjoy their journey toward love and my nod to The Phantom of the Opera! Happy reading, friends!
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of a $30 e-gift card to Baker Book House and a paperback copy of all three books in the American Royalty series: My Dear Miss Dupré, Her Darling Mr. Day, and His Delightful Lady Delia!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!