The Regency time period has captivated romance readers for decades. Its strict customs surrounding propriety and marriage allow for countless tropes, including arranged marriage and marriage of convenience.
In Jenelle Hovde’s The Light of Stars, Kitty Grenville and Sebastian Sinclair enter into the arranged marriage their grandfathers set up years prior, each agreeing for their own reasons. Kitty initially sees the marriage as one of convenience because it allows her to return to her beloved India and search for her mother. For Sebastian, the marriage starts as a penance for his past.
The political happenings that Jenelle weaves into the narrative add a layer of complexity that highlights the journey Kitty and Sebastian take over the course of the story. Sebastian is tasked with defending the exploitative East India Company. Kitty, who was separated from her Indian mother by her British grandfather, knows the hardship the company brought to the country.
In this guest post by author Jenelle Hovde, she explains the inspiration behind the characters and the tension in the story.
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When I began writing The Light of Stars, I was drawn not only to the elegance of the Regency era, but to the more complex stories beneath it—stories of displacement and belonging.
One of the inspirations for Kitty Grenville’s journey was a young woman of Anglo-Indian descent who was taken from her Muslim palace home in Hyderabad and raised in England. Though Katherine Kirkpatrick lived among privilege, her life was marked by separation from her mother, her culture, and any lasting sense of identity.
Children born into British families in India were often sent “home” to England for education. They were expected to assimilate into a society that did not always accept them, living between worlds that could not be reconciled.
This tension shapes Kitty’s story. She enters London society with every outward advantage, yet carries an internal fracture—a longing to understand who she is apart from expectations. What do we do when we feel like we don’t belong anywhere? Who gets to define us?
The influence of the East India Company frames these questions, as it shaped not only global trade but personal lives. In Britain, its presence was wrapped in comfort—the tea trade and commerce. Beyond those shores, its reach carried far more complex consequences.
Such a contrast fascinated me: Regency gentility set alongside the moral weight of empire. Reformers like William Wilberforce challenged a culture that often preferred not to examine the cost of its comforts.
In shaping Kitty’s character, I was also inspired by women like Caroline Herschel, who pursued astronomy in a time when such ambition was often discouraged. Kitty’s love of astronomy reflects that same determination—a desire to look beyond her immediate surroundings and find something enduring.
Within this world, Kitty and Sebastian must navigate not only an arranged marriage, but the deeper question of what it means to live with integrity. Sebastian seeks redemption through conformity, while Kitty longs for the freedom to step beyond it. Their journeys begin in opposition, yet both are searching for truth.
At its heart, The Light of Stars is a story about learning to see clearly—beyond assumptions, beyond expectations, and beyond the limits we place on ourselves and others.
My hope for readers is to rediscover how God views us—called and beloved by Him. In a world that so often asks us to prove where we belong, may we find our truest home in His love.
The Light of Stars by Jenelle Hovde
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 India 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 long-standing 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.
Jenelle Hovde, an accomplished illustrator, author, pastor’s wife, and homeschooling mother, ventured off the beaten path when she transitioned from her career as a doctor of audiology to pursue her passion for writing. While her nine novels span different eras—from the ancient worlds to World War II—her favorite genre is sweet Regency romance that enchants readers with tales of love and intrigue set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century England.
Drawing inspiration from timeless treasures found in antique stores, Jenelle pens historical romance novels that captivate readers with vivid storytelling and gentle messages of faith. Her stories have garnered impressive showings in multiple writing contests. Often found writing at the Florida beach, she navigates life with her family and manages two saucy cats who insist on interrupting her creative endeavors.
To stay updated with her latest works or subscribe to her newsletter, visit her online at jenellehovdeauthor.com.