'Pretty Woman' one of authors' favorite rags-to-riches love stories
We asked three Harlequin authors — Tina Leonard, Janice Maynard and Lynne Graham — to share their favorite rags-to-riches love story.
Tina Leonard, author of Heart of a Bull Rider
Pride and Prejudice would be my first choice — though I suppose everyone always thinks of Cinderella first! While P&P isn't perhaps a totally RtoR story, Mrs. Bennet was very focused on her girls marrying well, due to the family estate being entailed. We know one of her daughters didn't marry well at all, which nearly ruined all the Bennet girls' chances! A disastrous situation that nearly derailed the family fortunes. However, a couple of princes saved the day — thanks to a heroine who kept her wits about her!
About Heart of a Bull Rider:
When New York billionaire John Carruth is summoned to No Chance, Texas to save the local rodeo he has no idea he is going home. Now the long-lost twin to the town's favorite son is determined to win over the people he left behind—and capture the heart of Chloe Winters, a Texan who has her own ideas of what it means to be part of a small town.
Jake Fitzgerald, champion bull rider, didn't know he had another half. John may be kin, but he's still a stranger in these parts. With his billionaire brother hell-bent on changing Jake's world, Jake knows he has to take a stand. Will he choose family—or will he take a chance on Erin O'Donovan, a woman who has always meant family to him?
About Tina Leonard:
Paste BN bestselling and award-winning author Tina Leonard has sold over 3 million copies of her titles. She has made the Paste BN bestsellers, Waldenbooks, Bookscan and Ingrambook lists, and has written and contracted 71 books and special projects. She is best known for her sparkling sense of humor, endearing communities, snappy dialogue and memorable characters that include sexy hunks with attitude and heroines with plenty of sass.
Find out more at www.tinaleonard.com.
Janice Maynard, author of Minding Her Boss's Business
One of my favorite rags-to-riches love stories would have to be the iconic Pretty Woman. If you examine the premise, it's clearly unbelievable. Wealthy bachelors don't marry hookers. Period. But the thing that makes the movie work, both in 1990 when it came out and even now … 25 years later, is the characters!!
First you have the emotionally buttoned-up millionaire Richard Gere, i.e. poor little rich boy who has everything in the world except love. Next, of course, is the radiant, comedic and lovable Julia Roberts, the prostitute with the heart of gold. These two characters, unlikely though they may be, manage to make us believe that their relationship is inevitable and perfect.
That, my friends, is why "character" is always at the heart of good storytelling … in my humble opinion. : )
About Minding Her Boss's Business:
Diplomat Alex Ramon's Miami mission is on the rocks. Convincing the exiled Montoros to give up their American life and return to Alma's throne has become personal. Not only is his trusted aide Maria Ferro flirting with a potential prince, but Alex is actually jealous! So jealous, he might sabotage his goals so he can take Maria to his bed—a prize more tempting than any commission from the crown. But Alex doesn't know that Maria has a longtime crush of her own—and it isn't on the playboy prince.
About Janice Maynard:
Janice Maynard knew she loved books and writing by the time she was 8 years old. But it took multiple rejections and many years of trying before she sold her first three novels in 1996 and 1997. After teaching kindergarten and second grade for 16 years, Janice turned to writing full time in the fall of 2002. Since then she has written and sold over 25 books and novellas. Her publishers include Kensington, Penguin/NAL, Berkley and Harlequin. Janice lives in east Tennessee with her husband, Charles. They love hiking, traveling and spending time with their daughters, Caroline and Anna, sons-in-law, Jamie and Chris, three granddaughters, Anastasia, Ainsley and Allie, and the newest addition to the family, Levi.
Find out more at www.janicemaynard.com.
Lynne Graham, author of The Sheikh's Secret Babies
Well, aside from the wonderful rags-to-riches stories that Harlequin does, I would have to say that my favorite would be Pretty Woman. It's the modern-day Cinderella story, and it doesn't get much better than that.
About The Sheikh's Secret Babies:
Prince Jaul of Marwan's royal duty is to marry a suitable bride. But first he must divorce the woman who betrayed him. Locating his estranged wife? Easy. The intense passion still burning between them? Manageable. Discovering he has two royal heirs? Impossible!
Devastated when her handsome prince deserted her, Chrissie Whitaker's beautiful twin babies were the only balm to her broken heart.
Now Jaul will stop at nothing to claim his legitimate heirs, but can Chrissie forget their painful past and recognize him as her husband in every sense of the word?
About Lynne Graham:
Lynne Graham's first book was published in 1987. Today she is the bestselling Mills and Boon Presents author with sales of 26 million books worldwide. Born of Irish/Scottish parentage, Lynne Graham has lived in Northern Ireland all her life. She has one brother. She grew up in a seaside village and now lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which is wonderfully private. Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. They married after she completed a degree at Edinburgh University. Lynne wrote her first book at 15 and it was rejected everywhere. She started writing again when she was at home with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold her first book and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in the local newsagents has never been forgotten.
Find out more at www.lyneegraham.com.