Heartstone
Harper Voyager, 2017
Agent: Thao Le
A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen's beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.
They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.
Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she's already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.
Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn't expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.
It's a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she's never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.
Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen's beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.
Reviews:
“White’s fast-paced debut transports the social differences and romantic misunderstandings of Austen’s classics to an imaginative new setting where danger is ever-present and hidden tensions build toward an even bigger threat that could destroy any hope for Aliza and Alastair. Offer this to fantasy-romance fans who enjoy an Austen twist.”
—Booklist
"Debut fantasy novelist White plays homage to the prickly lovers from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice in this lively adventure full of action, wit, and romance...Referencing Austen just enough to ground her characters, White fills her unusual fantasy world with plenty of interesting conflicts to fuel this tale of romance and heroism."
—Publisher's Weekly
“Elle Katharine White has managed to blend the classic elements of Pride and Prejudice—the characters, the social commentary and financial issues, and the conflict between Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy with wonderful, monster-filled fantasy… I was surprised that this was White’s début novel, and would definitely recommend keeping a look-out for more. Combining two of my favorite things—retold stories and fantasy—was an absolute hit and I’ll be re-reading this one for sure! And maybe, if we are lucky, we will get some original stories in this universe as well.”
—All About Romance