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 will love.

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.

What do you get when you mix The Bachelorette with a Gilded Age fiction? The unique historical fiction read My Dear Miss Dupre. Fans of the popular reality show are sure to enjoy the premise of this story--- a young woman having to choose from thirty eligible bachelors to marry. Definitely sounds like the makings of an entertaining read, doesn't it?

Overall, I found it to be rather enjoyable. While it took me a little bit to get into the story, I enjoyed the unique idea behind the story. Now, I do have to wonder how historically accurate parts of the story might be... the idea of 30 suitors in that time period seems a little unlikely, for example. Personally, I don't mind if books aren't historically accurate for the sake of a good story.

If you enjoy a fun historical read, this is certainly one to check out.


**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

A delightful read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A unique story line. Unforgettable characters. And a very satisfying ending. Five stars.

First sentence: Willow Dupré twirled on the ice, spreading her arms and guiding her body around the other skaters on the frozen lake of Central Park.

My Dear Miss Dupré has a love it or hate it premise. Willow Dupré, our heroine, finds herself the center of attention due to her parents' unusual arrangement for finding her a husband. They have arranged for THIRTY ELIGIBLE bachelors (from New York) to all court their lovely daughter at once. She'll be handing out LAUREL CROWNS and asking the bachelors if they accept the crowns ever so often. There will be individual dates and group dates. Instead of a bachelor mansion, the men will be staying with the family in their mansion. All the men under the same roof with her. At one point, halfway through the competition, they even add a travel/vacation plot.

What I didn't point out just yet is that this book is set in 1882 in New York City.

No doubt about it, My Dear Miss Dupré is a premise-driven novel. It checks off ALL the things you'd expect from any and every season of the Bachelor or Bachelorette. Well, almost. Considering that this is Christian fiction and HISTORICAL fiction, we're spared a fantasy suite depiction.

It is an odd little book to be sure. It is clearly derivative of The Bachelorette. The twist is that it's set in the past. But it doesn't really vary off from that pattern, that predictability of The Bachelorette. The odd-ness comes in the balancing of modern-day Bachelorette vibes and the values and morals of the nineteenth century. It's a tricky balance. For example, should Willow be giving away kisses to multiple suitors. She says yes. Her mother (and best friend) say NO, NO, NO. And for being set during this time period, there sure is a lot of freedom and independence when it comes to chaperones/chaperoning.

But what really makes it odd is that this forcing of the historical lens on the process (Bachelor Nation) makes for a thought-provoking read. There's this struggle between pride and shame, arrogance and humility. For example, the bachelors, the male contestants if you will, there's this internal struggle of IS THIS THE MOST HUMILIATING THING IN THE WORLD???? Why am I allowing myself to be put in this situation where I am groveling for attention, acceptance, etc??? Why am I letting my ego take so many punches??? Why do I care so much for this one woman??? How did I get dragged into this mess??? There's pride each time a laurel is offered--to a certain degree. But it's a condescending type of pride even then.

Willow struggles as well. She didn't ask for this. But she didn't refuse either. She goes along--no matter how silly or ridiculous. And most of the time it's a big ego-boost. She loves the flattery, the attention, the me-ness of it all even while she's questioning the motives of some of the contestants. She is really having the time of her life. It isn't all easy, however.

One way to read the novel is as a parody of The Bachelorette.

One example of the melodrama:

Willow’s jaw dropped. Whatever is he upset about now? “Mr. Seaborne. You forget yourself.” Cullen tilted his head, his brows lowering to a point as he set aside his cup and reached for Willow’s. “And why am I a cad?” Mr. Seaborne gestured to where they sat, the vein in his head becoming more prevalent. “You robbed me of my special moment with Miss Dupré.” Willow’s stomach dropped, the lingering taste of chocolate turning bitter. The Fae? Oh, Cullen. “Oscar, you planned this?” She lifted the nosegay and gestured to the set behind her. “Of course I did. I gathered those blooms myself and had the servants prepare the rest.” Cullen groaned. “My apologies, chap. I did not know.” His nostrils flared. “How could you not know that it wasn’t meant for your use? Who do you think would have set up such an interlude?” Willow stood, unwilling to allow his jealous wrath to fall solely on Cullen’s shoulders, broad as they were. “I am so sorry, Mr. Seaborne. I should have realized—” He lifted his splayed fingers. “You were not to know, miss. But, Dempsey, you have no such excuse. I just told you that I had something special planned.”



About my star rating. I was really torn between a two and a three. If you're not taking it remotely serious as historical fiction or a genuine heart-felt romance with all the swoons expected, then it offers a few laughs at its over-the-top ridiculous, melodramatic scenarios. Perhaps a genuine three stars. IF you are taking it semi-seriously for the laughs and the swoons, well, maybe closer to two stars. I found the romance predictable from the start. If only betting on the final two was that easy watching The Bachelor/ette. I did like some of the romantic elements--but the switch from silly to serious was too extreme a jump to make at times.

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.

My Dear Miss Dupré by Grace Hitchcock is a glimpse into what T.V's The Bachelorette might have looked light in the 1800s. It's not pretty.

The book cover drew me in right away as it gave me the impression our main character, Willow Dupré, was sassy and shrewd. Instead, she is portrayed as a gullible but dutiful daughter. She reluctantly agrees to her parent's plan of finding her a husband to appease her father's company's shareholders. Willow could do the job without a man by her side, but it's the 1800s, and draconian standards say she needs a man.

I could not keep track of all the suitors and therefore had no favourite. But it was clear from the outset who the front-runners would be. While the author tried to throw in a redemption theme, it, combined with the lack of character and story development, made it impossible for me to care who Willow picked in the end.

Willow is portrayed as a strong, business-savvy woman. But when it comes to men, she is incredibly naïve, making it clear that she is not suitable at all to run her father's business. If she cannot detect falsehood and lies in the men she is dating, how can she keep from being deceived in weightier matters while running a business?

There is a mystery to be solved and a surprise, but I felt everything wrapped up so quickly that the entire book felt flat. The concept was promising, but its execution lacked the depth needed for this reader to connect with the characters.

A delightful story, similar to The Bachelorette. Willow’s fathers health is failing and she has been studying to run the family company. But the board is requiring her to be married because she is just a woman. Her family arranges a competition for her to meet a suitor, but the time limit to do this is short.

Do you like the Bachelorette? Admittedly, I’ve never watched it or been all that interested, but the idea of a woman in the 1880s having to chose a husband from among thirty suitors over the course of six months—consider me intrigued! And Grace Hitchcock delivered in My Dear Miss Dupré.

Willow Dupré didn’t plan to marry, instead she invested in becoming the heir apparent to her father’s sugar empire. But the shareholders have other ideas. They don’t want a woman at the helm, so Willow must pick a husband or give up her dream of running the company. Neither option suits, so her parents surprise her with a competition. Willow’s only hope is to fall in love with one of the thirty gentleman her parents pre-selected.

Of course things get complicated. The collection of men include a long time friend, an old crush, a handsome stranger… the list goes on, leaving readers unsure who Willow will pick in the end. Frankly, I couldn’t pick who I wanted her to end up with either! And that’s what I loved about this story. The author made readers truly care about all the participants.

If you’re looking for a unique historical romance, definitely pick up a copy of My Dear Miss Dupré. It’s the first book in Grace Hitchcock’s American Royalty series and I can’t wait to find out all about book two.

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

How wonderful would it be to have your pick of 30 of the richest young men in New York to marry? This is the situation Willow Dupré finds herself in as the board of her father’s sugar will not let her run the Dupré Sucré company without being married. As tempting and this sounds, how do you turn down the other twenty-nine suitors? How will Willow know the man she picks is the right one?

Willow discovers that some men are honorable, while others are looking to advance their careers and their pocketbooks by marrying her. Crazy things happen as the competition grows fierce for her hand and the number of potential husbands dwindles. Frauds, fisticuffs, and friction between the suitors and Willow made this part of the story entertaining. I grew partial to some of the men and others I was glad to see leave as they were not her type and would have been a disastrous choice.

I loved the secondary plot of her company’s competitor and his villainous activities to stop at nothing to ruin the Dupré Sucré empire. The duplicity of one of the suitors, his struggle with his past mistakes and righting them were what really provided suspense and depth to the story. Will he be the man Willow chooses after she finds out what he has done?

Flora, Willow’s best friend, was a godsend. She was a sounding board and a wise counselor in helping her with her suitors. Her candor was refreshing and what Willow needed since her mother was not helpful in guiding her. She was a true friend who intervened when it was necessary to ensure Willow’s happiness.

I am looking forward to reading the other books in the American Royalty series because Ms. Hitchcock has introduced some intriguing characters who I would like to see receive their happily ever after. I recommend this book and hope you will enjoy this story as much as I did.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in order to provide an honest review. I am not being compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well well, I must say Hitchcock has written an interesting book with a very unique story line. Willow is a smart business woman who has given her life totally to her father’s business. She has decided to never marry; just devote her time and interest to the Sugar business. But the board/owners had another idea, no woman would have the deciding factor for the business. Thus in the year of 1882, her wealthy parents concoct the idea to have different suitors seek her hand and at the end of the contest, she must choose one of them to marry. Willow is a sharp business woman and perhaps a little naïve about human character and relationships. She is sweet and wants not to hurt anyone’s feelings. She rather likes all of the suitors and treats them as friends and doesn’t want to offend any of them…. There is humor and romance with the different types of contests her parents arrange. All of this is done publicly for all of society to see and read about. Yet she must choose one. One by one they are eliminated down to the last three. Which will she choose? Her dearest friend of long ago, or the one who truly seems to love her or the ex-boxer rogue?……I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Thankful for the pleasure to read and review.

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 of 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.

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.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for My Dear Miss Dupre by Grace Hitchcock.

This was a fun bachelorette style book but set in the Gilded Age, which is my favorite time period!

Willow is slightly unusual for a women of her status in the 1880s where is she college educated and ready to take on running her families sugar refinery. Until the shareholders are unwilling to have a female take over. Willow's parents set up 30 potential suitors from the New York elite set to choose from to help her run the family business.

This is a fun book and I loved the different premise. This is a Christian publisher, so there are themes of that in the book but it doesn't take away from the book.

This story line was so unique and a fun twist on the gilded era in American history! I loved how Miss Dupre is a young woman who is invested in building up her family's company, but who also is a socialite. This was such a fun story and I look forward to reading the next book!

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

Thanks to Bethany House for the free book.
This was a super fun and unique romance. Willow must wed to keep running her business, so she starts with sixteen suitors and works her way down to one, but will it be love? I enjoyed the premise of the book. Each suitor was so different from the next. Some of them made me cringe and with others, I wondered who Willow would end up choosing, and there were a few men that I was hoping would continue in the challenge. Willow was a progressive woman for the time this novel is written in - the late 1800s. I liked how she fought for her job and loved the work she was doing. It was also interesting to see how Hitchcock handled the juxtaposition between finding a suitable business partner and also possible love, but love for the right reasons.
I laughed, I hoped, and I was surprised by some of the men and plot points in this book. If you like historical romance, I bet you'll enjoy this one.

I really wanted to love this book. My Dear Miss Dupre is a fun and romantic novel. There were times though that I found her actions a bit unbelievable. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a more wholesome romance novel with a reality show vibe to it. #NetGalley

3.5 stars - This is not your typical historical romance, It is kind of like a historical version of the bachelorette. The writing style is good and the character development is great, once you weed down some of the men. However I had a hard time connecting with this story for some reason. I did enjoy meeting many different characters and would read more in this series to catch up with them. I found Willow Dupré a little hard to truly catch her true personality. She appeared to be a take charge kind of woman at work, yet not so much around the men in the competition. I was given a copy of this novel for my honest opinion.

This was an enjoyable read that will make you think of the Bachelorette only set in Gilded Age New York high society. There were moments of tension, and I really hope to see some of the bachelors and one best friend get their own books. There may be a sister who needs one as well. But the focus of this book is on Willow Dupre and the artificial pressure placed on her to find and marry a groom and the elaborate competition her parents set up. If you love Jen Turano's books, then you will enjoy this one too.

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

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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.