God's Plans for Your Life are Grander Than Your Own
Rachel Hauck’s Once Upon a Prince Shows
What God Can Do When You Leave Your Heart Open
Every little girl dreams of being a
princess. Every woman longs to be treated like royalty. We’re all just a little
bit fascinated by royal weddings and the princess that lives in every woman. That’s
why readers will fall in love with Once Upon a Prince (Zondervan/May 7,
2013/ISBN 978-0310315476/$14.99), the first release in the Royal Wedding Series
by award-winning author Rachel Hauck.
“When my
alarm went off at 5:00 AM the morning Prince William married Catherine
Middleton, my first thought was, ‘Do I really want to get out of bed for this
wedding? It’s so early!’” admits Hauck. “But the new Duchess of Cambridge
captured me as well as the rest of the world with her poise and confidence. She
is, in many ways, like me. An ordinary girl marrying the man she loved, living
her dream. My imagination took hold, and that’s when Susanna and Nathaniel’s
story started coming to life.”
Susanna
Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess — just
to marry the man she planned to marry for the past twelve years. It was all a
part of her grand plan. However, when her
high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer broke up with her instead of
proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life. Struggling with personal and
professional disappointments, what was the plan for the rest of her life now?
The last
thing Prince Nathaniel expected to find on his American holiday to St. Simon’s
Island, Georgia, was the queen of his heart. All he was looking for was a break
from the realities of home. After all, a prince had duties. His family’s tense
political situation all but had his bride chosen for him. When Prince Nathaniel
comes to Susanna’s aid under the fabled Lover’s Oak, he’s blindsided by love.
He’s a
royal prince, and she’s an ordinary girl — their lives were worlds apart with
traditions and politics to consider. They can’t work. But everything changes
when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel’s coronation. It’s the
ultimate choice: His kingdom or her heart? God’s will or their own?
There is more to Once Upon a Prince than a royal love
story. Hauck hopes that once readers
reach the end of the book, they realize: God has a beautiful plan for them! She
even works some of her own experience into the story. “The ‘I’ve got nothing’
journey Susanna experiences is my personal journey. It’s the dialog and MO
between the Lord and me. Everyone is different, but I believe God leads us and
directs us with recognizable patterns,” she said. “I know how hard it is to
wait on the Lord. We feel we’re responsible for our own destiny, but He has
amazing plans for us and works all
things together for good.”
And
there’s a bigger love story to consider — it, too, makes its way into Once Upon a Prince. “We should never give up on love. Love is always for
the greater good of others, as well as us. I think we have to do is redefine
love. Sometimes actions we consider love are really not love at all. Jesus gave
up all the beauty and majesty of splendor of Heaven, became a man and died a
cruel death on a cross. All for love. Wow, what kind of love is that? Not the
world’s definition of love but the perfect model for true love.”
Join Rachel Hauck for a 12-Day Royal
Wedding Preparation Giveaway May 16-27, followed by a Facebook Party on May 28
at 8:00 PM EDT where she will chat with readers. Watch for more details on her Facebook Page.
Advance Praise
“This is classic romance at its very best.”
~ Debbie Macomber, New
York Times bestselling author
“Hauck
spins a surprisingly believable royal-meets-commoner love story. Facing
political scheming and seemingly immovable royal traditions, the couple
discovers that their happily-ever-after will require courage and faith not
found in fairy tales. Well-developed secondary characters are entertaining in
their own right, adding a quirky touch (as do cameo-style appearances by
real-life royals). Hauck fans will find a gem of a tale.”
~ Publishers Weekly starred
review
“Hauck’s
modern-day fairy tale will bring a smile to readers’ faces. Fans of the
Princess Diaries series will love this ‘ordinary girl meets prince’ story!”
~ Romantic Times Book Reviews
“Once Upon a Prince is a modern fairy
tale that’s a delightful page-turner full of fun, faith, and barbeque.”
~ CBA Retailers + Resources
About the Author
Hauck earned a degree in Journalism from Ohio State
University and is a huge Buckeyes fan. She worked in the corporate software
world until 2004 when she began to write fulltime. Although she admits to being
Yankee-born, Hauck has lived in the south most of her life and works her
southern experience into her stories. She now lives in sunny, though sometimes
hurricane-plagued, central Florida with her husband and writes from her own two-story
tower.
She is the past president of American Christian Fiction Writers and now
serves on the Executive Board. Hauck is also one of five author contributors to
Southern Belle View Daily.
Visit her website
at www.rachelhauck.com to sign up for her newsletter, read her blog and follow
her on Facebook (Rachel Hayes Hauck) and Twitter (@RachelHauck).
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