Interview with Regency Romance Author Donna Hatch

Donna Hatch, author of the best-selling “Rogue Hearts Series," is a hopeless romantic and adventurer at heart. A music lover, she sings and plays the harp. She is a multi-award winner, a sought-after workshop presenter, and juggles multiple volunteer positions as well as her six children. A native of Arizona who recently transplanted to the Pacific Northwest, she and her husband of over twenty years are living proof that there really is a happily ever after.

Welcome to my blog, Donna. I love your books because they’re not just about romance, but also “intrigue” and “adventure.” Please tell us about this novel: Courting the Countess.

In a nutshell, it’s about two people with trust issues learning to love. Of course, there are family issues, a crime ring, stolen rubies, and a duel, so they have plenty of trouble to overcome before they find their happily ever after.  

When charming rake Tristan Barrett sweeps Lady Elizabeth off her feet, stealing both her heart and a kiss in a secluded garden, her brother challenges Tristan to a duel. The only way to save her brother and Tristan from harm—not to mention preserve her reputation—is to get married. But her father, the Duke of Pemberton, refuses to allow his daughter to marry anyone but a titled lord. The duke demands that Elizabeth marry Tristan’s older brother, Richard, the Earl of Averston. Now Elizabeth must give up Tristan to marry a man who despises her, a man who loves another, a man she’ll never love.

Richard fears Elizabeth is as untrustworthy as his mother, who ran off with another man. However, to protect his brother from a duel and their family name from further scandal, he agrees to the wedding, certain his new bride will betray him. Yet when Elizabeth turns his house upside down and worms her way into his reluctant heart, Richard suspects he can’t live without his new countess. Will she stay with him or is it too little, too late?

This sounds like an intriguing book. Where did you get your inspiration for this story?

It basically started with me talking with a friend about popular tropes in novels such as long lost loves, best friends falling in love, star-crossed lovers, etc. I mentioned that I really love the arranged marriage/marriages of conveniences. It’s been a while since I’ve written that kind of story so I started brainstorming about how I could write it with a fresh new twist. I decided having characters getting married to prevent a duel fit the bill nicely.

What kind of research did you do?

I’ve been researching the Regency Era for over ten years so I understand that pretty well but I always come up with new place or situation that I don’t know. For this book, I researched Vauxhall Gardens in order to write a scene there. I also researched what is required for a gentleman to serve in Parliament because my hero kicks around the idea of making that a career. I found both of those topics interesting and I probably over researched it just because they were so fun to explore. But hey, that’s what makes me a history nerd.

Tell me about one of the main characters and what you love about him or her?

I love both characters! Lady Elizabeth has no reason to believe in herself because of her upbringing, yet she still inheritably knows she is a worthwhile person who deserves happiness. She works hard to find who she is, all the while always looking for others to help and lift. Richard is wonderful because he’s so determined to do the right thing for the right reason. He is the perfect English lord who places duty and honor ahead of his own desires. Though he appears strong and confident on the outside, he has a vulnerable side that needs desperately to be loved. I love that combination in a romance novel hero.

You love to write about rogues, rakes, and swashbucklers. What intrigues you most about these characters?

They are confident and strong and have a sense of adventure. Yet they all have a missing component in their lives—true love. This kind of hero needs a strong heroine who is his match in wit, courage, and inner strength. Such a combination often results in fun banter and each making some concessions for the other in order to find common ground on which to build a lasting, loving relationship.

That is so true. I also love the concept of a rogue who fights for the underdog…those less fortunate!!! Thank you so much for this interview, Donna.

Here is the buy link for Courting the Countess: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1509209484

Would you like a free e-book copy of Donna Hatch's Regency Romance novel The Stranger She Married? It's easy! Everyone who follows this link will get one free: http://donnahatch.com/stranger-she-married-free-download