“The Light of Stars” by Jenelle Hovde … and a GIVEAWAY!

Welcome to Friday Reads!

 

There’s a giveaway for a print copy of The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde, courtesy of the publisher. (US ONLY!) Enter by using the Rafflecopter link at the bottom of the post. (Contest ends July 31, 2026.) If you’re the chosen winner, I’ll contact you for your information to pass along to the publisher.

 

About the book…

When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met  once as a child—and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the  very organization that tore Kitty and her brother from their mother and  home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for  astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.

Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a longstanding betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit. 

As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift, especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly  called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with 
him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control—and to find her mother.

But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire and  discover if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.

 

Amazon purchase link

 

Q&A with Jenelle…

Q:  What about the Regency era drew you to write about it?
A:  The Regency era sits at a fascinating crossroads of elegance and  upheaval—strict social rules paired with enormous political, scientific, and  moral change. I love exploring how deeply personal stories unfold within  such structured constraints. It’s a perfect setting for courage, restrained emotion, and meaningful romance.

Q:  What is the East India Company? What did you find most interesting when researching it?
A:  The East India Company was more than a trading business—it shaped global commerce, politics, and daily life in Britain, especially through  commodities like tea. Tea became a symbol of refinement and comfort at home, even as its production and trade were tied to immense power, moral compromise, and human cost abroad. That tension between domestic  gentility and unseen injustice fascinated me, and it forms an important backdrop to the moral questions my characters face. Reformers such as  William Carey and William Wilberforce often found themselves at odds  with company policies, creating political tension over how best to engage with other cultures and nations.

Q:  What makes Kitty and Sebastian an interesting couple?
A:  Kitty and Sebastian begin their relationship with firm, and often flawed, preconceptions about one another—assumptions shaped by class,  reputation, and past wounds. As they are forced into closer proximity, they must learn to look beyond surface judgments and truly see the person  beneath. Their romance grows not through grand declarations, but through humility, listening, and the willingness to be changed by what they discover in each other.

Sebastian, a former rule-breaker, longs for respectability and is determined to prove he is a changed man, even if it means restraining his truest  instincts. Kitty, by contrast, yearns for freedom and independence, chafing against expectations and breaking the rules that seek to confine her.

Q:  What is the significance of the title The Light of Stars?
A:  The title reflects both Kitty’s love of astronomy and a deeper spiritual truth. Scripture tells us that God names the stars and governs their paths, holding the universe in perfect order. In the same way, The Light of Stars speaks to God’s care over our lives—guiding, sustaining, and keeping us,  even when circumstances feel chaotic or beyond our control.

Q:  What is a sweet romance? Why is this genre important today?

A:  Sweet romance emphasizes emotional intimacy, respect, and  meaningful connection rather than explicit content or toxic relational  dynamics. In a culture often  saturated with cynicism, these stories offer hope, tenderness, and moral clarity with characters to root for. Readers are hungry for love stories that uplift rather than exhaust or demoralize them.

Q:  What authors have impacted you the most?
A:  Writers like Janette Oke, Linda Lee Chaikin, and Gilbert Morris shaped my love of historical fiction early on. More recently, authors such as Mimi Matthews, Laura Frantz, and Roseanna M. White have influenced my  appreciation for restraint, depth, and emotional nuance in romance. I  admire stories that dive deeper into faith struggles, allowing the characters to grow closer to God as the novel progresses.

Q:  You transitioned from a career as a doctor of audiology. Why did you make the switch? What has been most challenging and rewarding?
A:  Storytelling had been part of my life for years, but eventually I felt called to pursue it fully. The most challenging part was stepping away from a  stable, well-defined profession. The most rewarding has been discovering how stories can encourage faith, healing, and hope in ways I never  anticipated. 

 

 Thanks for being here, Jenelle. I’m sure my readers enjoyed learning more about your latest release!

 

About Jenelle…

 

Jenelle Hovde is an illustrator, a pastor’s wife, and a homeschooling mother with eight novels in print. She adores faith-inspired stories and Regency romances that make readers swoon. A transplant to Florida, Jenelle currently pens romantic tales while at the beach. Visit her online and subscribe to her newsletter at jenellehovdeauthor.com.

“The Light of Stars” by Jenelle Hovde

 

Rules for the giveaway can be found here.