Character Interview: Lorelei Hilton from Like the Air After Rain by Kellyn Roth
A little while ago, I had the opportunity to ARC read Kellyn Roth’s Like a Ship on the Sea, the first book in the Hilton Legacy series. And I am so happy to help promote Kell’s NEWEST release, Like the Air After Rain!!! I haven’t *quite* finished it yet, but so far it’s so good!!!!!!
And cause I’m allowed to squirrel a bit on my own blog… the other day at work, I was upset with people (cause I was grumpy of course), and decided I just needed to take a minute to breathe. Nothing was going on, so I pulled out my copy of Like the Air After Rain. Kell’s soothing writing style had me feeling so much better and be better able to be personable and do my job, AND I even ended up having an INCREDIBLE shift!!! (I hope to post my review of Like the Air After Rain soon!!!)
Book BlurbWhat if nothing’s left after the storm fades?
Aubrey Montgomery has three problems: the care of his adolescent sisters, the managing of his household, and his own loneliness. Over two years have passed since he was rejected by Cassie Hilton. Although he no longer trusts himself to love a woman properly, he could settle for an amicable partnership—if the right woman came along.
Lorelei Hilton only has one problem that she knows of: her manipulative and controlling father is arranging a marriage to a spineless boy in order to maintain the family business—and keep it out of her very determined, very female hands. But if Lorelei can’t force her way through a door, she’ll crawl in a window. To rescue herself and her sister, she sails off to England in search of a man with the gumption to stand up to her father.
After a chance meeting and an intense contract negotiation, Lorelei and Aubrey agree to a marriage of convenience. As they grow closer and struggle through the trials of their utilitarian arrangement, Aubrey is left with a question. Can the sacrament of marriage be entirely practical—or is there something otherworldly about it?
Like the Air After Rain is the second novel in The Hilton Legacy, a stand-alone trilogy featuring characters from the author’s first series, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.
Without further ado (or squirrels), let me introduce you to Lorelei, the protagonist of Like the Air After Rain.
Hi, Lorelei! Can you introduce yourself for my readers?
Of course! I’m not convinced that this type of formal interview is the best idea, especially if Mrs. Roth’s entire goal is to sell more books (you should interview Patrick; he knows more about sales than I do), but I suppose I will do my best, if only because, in actuality, it would be rather embarrassing if Patrick managed to sell more books than I do. Or however that works.
Simply put, I’m Lorelei Hilton, the eldest daughter and second child of Clarence Hilton. I was raised in Boston with my brother, Patrick, and sister, Winnie. For some insane reason, I’ve been chosen for the subject of a book, but if you think that’s ludicrous, well, wait until I tell you that there’s going to be a novel about Winnie. Winnie!
There’s not much to me that’s interesting, but I will tell you that I prefer silence and privacy to a social whirl, and that I have an excellent brain that I intend to put to good use to manipulate a situation I have little control in—namely, my father has made it clear I will not be taking an active interest in The Hilton Shipping Co., a notion I find repulsive. Therefore, I must marry—and marry someone who won’t much mind what I’ll do. I’m sure it’s entirely reasonable.
I’ve heard you haven’t had many good birthdays, what would your perfect birthday celebration look like?
Honestly, I don’t understand birthdays. I did little to be born, and I’ve never been as thankful about the event as perhaps I ought, so I think I’d rather just let them pass me by. Besides, birthdays are not really for you, are they? They’re for those around you—parents, et cetera—and if you haven’t parents you much like to please, then what is the point of celebrating?
I suppose if I had to choose, I’d rather not have a party—in fact, I’m not sure I’d like to do anything at all, except perhaps watch Patrick and Winnie bicker over breakfast and enjoy some coffee. That’s how good days start.
You don’t seem to enjoy the arranged marriage trope, so what are your top three romance tropes?
After consulting with Mrs. Roth, I have learned that a trope is essentially a certain set of circumstances in a story that tend to be repeated over and over again, and I had repetition, and I don’t often pick up a book anyway, so I’m not sure I have much to contribute. You should ask Winnie. She’s ever at those dreadful dime novels which are all quite the same.
When I do pick up a romance novel, I enjoy a story where the hero and heroine actually take time to develop a relationship, where they don’t do anything foolish on the way there, and where if there is a happy ending, it isn’t predictable and perfect. But I’m not at all sure which tropes those would adhere to. It was suggested that I might enjoy what Mrs. Roth termed the “predictability” of friends to lovers, but as she mentioned Jane Austen’s Emma in the same breath, I am not sure. I don’t hate that book, but I wouldn’t say I love it, either.
So… *leans in conspiratorially* tell me about Aubrey!!!!!!! Oh, and… *struggles to remember* what’s-his-face… Billy? your father wants you to marry?
There’s not much to say about Aubrey, in all honesty. I would call him … useful. Or perhaps that’s not the right word, but he is good to have around. But I don’t care to entertain romantic notions—if you want to hear a woman talk about butterflies and fireworks and the moon in June, ask Winnie. She’s always got someone she’s mad about, and given how often that changes, well, I don’t think I could stand it.
As for Billy, he’s Billy. He’s always been there, and I’m very glad he won’t be there forever, because “he’s always been there” in the same way snow has “always been there” by the time spring rolls around. It was nice at first, but now it’s time for it to disappear and make way for better things.
So I suppose Aubrey is a little more than useful—he’s also a better thing. But don’t tell him I said that. Actually, if he must know any of what I said, you had better leave off the word “useful,” too. I’m not sure he would at all understand what I mean—he so rarely seems to.
What is it like having Kellyn as your author? Is she… *whispers* decent as far as authors go, or do you wish you’d gotten a different author?
I am fairly certain that the types of characters who question all-knowing, all-powerful decisions are the types who are given an abrupt and violent end, so I will restrain myself from commenting. If I were free to say whatever I wanted, I would have a lot to say—let’s just leave it there.
If you could give a young woman any one piece of advice, what would it be?
“Buy land; they aren’t making it anymore.”
Why should I read your story?
Oh, is this the selling part? See, I’m still not terribly prepared because I haven’t ever had to do much selling, but I’ll do my best.
If you, like Patrick, are absolutely determined to see the good in everything, and if you, like Winnie, enjoy a love story where, yes, there is a certain amount of romancing, and if you are terribly bored and don’t have much else to do with your time than watching me struggle through what must be at least ninety-thousand words of utter humiliation, then I suppose you might like this book.
But if you’re like me, and you wish you could make everything happen faster than it’s meant to, perhaps this story will frustrate you. And, certainly, I would argue that I’m not as interesting or gregarious as most romance heroines, but I suppose I am more intelligent, and I certainly know more about building docks.
Also, even though I did call him useful, I think you will rather like Aubrey. I didn’t marry him because I thought he was anything but useful, but … well. I suppose you’ll find out the rest.
Thank you for taking the time to interview me! I hope it was educational or entertaining and that it encouraged you to depart with your hard-won money for a non-necessity item in what I assume, whatever era you’re reading this from, is “this economy.”
~Lorelei
Thank you so much Lorelei!!!!!!!
About the AuthorKellyn Roth is the author of ten historical romance novels with strong Christian themes, a touch of humor, and messy situations that put the main characters through the wringer and force them to face hard questions. Kell is the founder and owner of Wild Blue Wonder Press, a small press with the mission of sharing fictional stories full of grace and truth. Her goal is to create stories that matter, to delve into the deepest and sometimes the saddest parts of life, and to return from the darkest valleys resplendent in the light of hope and the fullness of joy. When not building her author career, Kellyn is likely drinking iced coffee with her husband, getting lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, or watching period dramas and facetious comedies with her border collie.
Blog tourThursday, May 1st (LAUNCH DAY)
Intro Post & Giveaway at Kellyn Roth, Author (Lilacs & Reveries Blog)
Interview with Michaela Bush at Tangled Up in Writing (Blog)
Friday, May 2nd
Interview with Sara A. Thren (Instagram)
Book Review with M.C. Kennedy (Instagram)
Book Review with E.G. Bella (Instagram)
Saturday, May 3rd
Book Spotlight with Lydia Smith (YouTube)
Book Spotlight with Abby McKenna (Instagram)
Monday, May 5th
Character Interview (Lorelei) with Courtney at Pens, Pages, & Pulses (Blog)
Guest Post (Writing Characters You Don’t Agree With) with Katja @ Little Blossoms for Jesus (Blog)
Book Spotlight with @reading_is_my_remedy (Instagram)
Book Spotlight with Abigail Hawthorne (Instagram)
Tuesday, May 6th
Guest Post with Lillian Keith (Blog)
Book Review with Jana T. at Reviews from the Stacks (Blog)
Book Spotlight with Olivia Godfrey (Instagram)
Guest Post with Grace A. Johnson (Blog)
Wednesday, May 7th
Review (Like the Air After Rain) with Sara A. Thren (Instagram)
Interview with Cate V. @ Southern Story Scribbler (Blog)
Guest Post (Writing Imperfect Characters with Purpose) with Emma Donovan (Instagram)
Character Interview (Lorelei) with Saraina Whitney (Instagram)
Note: Kellyn Roth’s wrapup on her blog ( https://kellynrothauthor.com/blog ) will be posted some time after Wednesday to allow for a giveaway wrapup!
Giveaways!!!!!!!Over at @wildbluewonderpress (Instagram only): Enter to win book 1 in the series, bookmarks, a candle, and printed character art! (Three winners will be selected; US entries only.)
On Kellyn’s blog (kellynroth.blog): A grand prize giveaway is live with all 6 books in The Chronicles of Alice & Ivy AND the first 2 Hilton Legacy novels in paperback. Open internationally and to US entries!
related posts
