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A Quick Guide to the New Cinderella Romance

Have you seen the new Cinderella?

I have and I loved it. The best part is the creative kismet of Disney's remake. The new movie coincides with the upcoming release of my Cinderella-themed romance, The Lady Meets Her Match. 




In 2012, the story sprang to mind featuring the same rags-to-riches romance we've all come to love...with some new twists. Here are few of them:

The Same ~ The heroine, Claire Mayhew, a commoner like Cinderella, attends a ball wearing the iconic blue gown.




Different ~ Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper. Lovely as those shoes are, Claire Mayhew takes a new approach to ballroom footwear. You might be surprised what she leaves behind.




The Same ~ I was so glad Disney gave the fairy godmother an update. Saucy French woman, Juliette Sauveterre, plays a loose adaptation of the fairy godmother in my book, but don't typecast her as frumpy.



The Same ~ Midnight marks the magic's end. Claire Mayhew in The Lady Meets Her Match wears a mask. At midnight, the mask must come off, but the hero can't know her true identity.




Different ~ Cyrus Ryland, hero in The Lady Meets Her Match, is a wealthy commoner. A man of humble midland roots, he's called the King of Commerce. 

He scours London, looking for the mysterious woman. When he finds her, he gets the biggest surprise: Claire Mayhew wants nothing to do with him at all.



An Excerpt in which a seduction has ended and a challenge has begun:

   In the haze of their garden seduction, heels clicked sharp sounds 
on stone, snapping their attention to the house. The luncheon. Lucinda 
stood on the elevated courtyard behind the drawing room, her hands 
clasped at her waist.
   “Cyrus, Miss Mayhew,” she called out to them. “Our guests have 
arrived for luncheon. Will you join us?”
   “Of course.” Cyrus rose from the bench in one fluid movement.
   How could he acclimate so quickly? Claire’s mind and body drifted, 
in a muddled state from nerve-melting heat. Her legs needed a minute 
before they’d work right, she was sure.
   Cyrus offered his hand as though he understood she needed steadying.
   “You can do this.”
   Standing upright, she smoothed her skirts, grateful for a few seconds 
to collect herself. Several pairs of female eyes peered at them from the 
expanse of glass doors. Poised as the two of them were, they could be
a curiosity on display.
   But her courage faltered. “I’m not sure I can begin this, Cyrus.”
   A low laugh rumbled from his chest, sounding more predatory than humored.
   There, under the garden tree for all to witness, he lifted her hand to his lips
and kissed her, his mouth lingering on her skin. He’d as good as marked her as
his with the romantic gesture, the move enchanting as it was goading. His 
gray stare met hers over the small scar on her hand, and he planted a kiss there.
  “Can’t begin this?” His deep-timbered voice was firm. “We already have.”
  She opened her mouth, but no retort came. Her skin flushed, and she didn’t 
miss the challenge in his eyes.
  “I’m not a man for games, but what goes between us is like chess. The next move is yours.”
*   *   *

Rough-around-the-edges...Cyrus Ryland rose from humble origins to become England’s wealthiest citizen and most eligible bachelor. Called the King of Commerce, he thinks nothing of marriage until he hosts a masked ball and discovers an alluring woman hiding in his study. After one dance the lady vanishes, leaving behind a single shoe. The hunt is on, but finding her is only half the battle.

Claire Mayhew wants her hard won independence…a mid-town shop of her own. She resists the scorching attraction with Mr. Ryland — her new landlord, but Cyrus isn’t a man who gives up easily.

What's a man to do if Cinderella doesn't want her shoe back?



My name is Gina Conkle, writer of Viking and Georgian romance with a softly sensual side. I'd love to connect with you in these social places:



Do you have a favorite fairy tale?





Comments

  1. Ooooo, I wonder what the next move is.....
    Sounds like another winner Gina! Congratulations.

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  2. Thanks Sally! My big move right now is checking on my tulip bulbs poking up from the ground. Little buds are showing up on the trees, and it's great. I know you know this feeling since you once lived in the northeast. I'm looking forward to reading When a Rake Falls. I pre-ordered it eons ago. I enjoy how you weave romance with historic science and technology. Happy Spring!

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  3. My favorite has to be Beauty and the Beast. Where the heroine see's more than the outside and falls in love with the true hero. On my TBR list and can't wait to read it, I'll probably skip some to reach it sooner!

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  4. Hi Patti,
    Beauty and the Beast is my close second. My first book, Meet the Earl at Midnight, runs loosely along the Beauty & the Beast story line. Thanks for putting The Lady Meets Her Match on your TBR list (with acceleration!). That made my day. :-D

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  5. I am excited to get this one, Gina :) I loved Meet the Earl at Midnight :) Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale :)

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    1. Thanks Christy. Cinderella tops my list, too. I hope you have fun with Cyrus and Claire.

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  6. My favorite fairy tale tends to change over the years. Cinderella was the first one I was ever introduced to. Then, for a time, I was big on Sleeping Beauty and then The Little Mermaid, tragic ending and all. Beauty and the Beast might be the current favorite. Isn't it amazing how many variations there can be on fairy tales in general? Congratulations on the upcoming release!

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    1. Congrats on your new fairy tale stories. My boys loved The Little Mermaid when they young and the Disney Robin Hood movie. There are so many takes on these great stories.

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  7. Oooooo! So excited to celebrate Cyrus and Claire's book birthday and this fresh fun twist on Cinderella! Congratulations, Gina!

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    1. Hi Cat, Yay! Thanks so much for your help on the journey to this day. You are huge part of the book coming to fruition today. Big hug to you!

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  8. LOVED the movie! This sounds delightful and very intriguing. I must put it on my want list!

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  9. Loved the excerpt! It sounds like a great read! Adding it to my TBR.
    I have not yet seen the new movie, but I will definitely be watching it.
    Congrats on the new release, Gina!!

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  10. Cinderella is my favorite but Sleeping Beauty is a close second. I'm loving the idea of a Cinderella who doesn't want her shoe back.:)

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