What is the title of your latest release?
A DEAL WITH A DEBUTANTE (Book 1 of the London’s Most Eligible Series)
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
American heiress Calliope Hart has been sent to London to find an aristocratic husband. Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, must marry to save his estate. What begins as a business arrangement develops into something more, but can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she’s convinced he only wants her fortune?
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
This series was inspired by the real-life stories of American heiresses who were shipped to England (usually by their mothers) during the Gilded and Edwardian Ages with the hopes of snagging aristocratic titles by offering American money to gentleman whose estates were failing. The most famous example of this was Consuelo Vanderbilt, who was set up by her mother Alva with the Duke of Marlborough which, unfortunately, led to a very unhappy marriage. I wanted to take this idea and turn it on its head by writing about an heiress who has no intention of going through with marrying someone for a title, only to meet a man who makes her wonder if true love can be found in such circumstances after all.
For more information regarding this period of time, I highly recommend the book CONSUELO AND ALVA VANDERBILT by Amanda MacKenzie Stuart.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Absolutely! She loves history as much as I do and is very clever but also very down-to-earth. She is also kind, but no push-over, as evidenced when a gentleman of the peerage make it clear he doesn’t like how many American heiresses are washing up on England’s shores and she responds with a whip-smart retort.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Loyal, Selfless, and Heroic
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
The fun thing about writing historical fiction about an era you’re already intrigued by is all of the research you get to do! I think the most interesting thing I learned was how rabid the early paparazzi was for every spare piece of information they could get their hands on regarding these weddings between American heiresses and titled members of the British peerage, even to the point of writing about Consuelo Vanderbilt’s undergarments for her wedding! Can you imagine?!
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I tend to edit as I go, although that wasn’t true at the start of my career. With my first (unpublished) books, I had to prove to myself I could finish an entire book before going back to edit, as editing while you go can be the downfall of many beginning writers. A Deal with a Debutante will be my 7th published book and now I like to edit as I go in order to give myself a lot less work come revision time, although sometimes the best thing to do is charge forward to get something on paper. It just depends on what the book (and the deadline) requires at the time.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
Sushi!
Describe your writing space/office!
My office is a white desk in the corner of a room, with pictures drawn for me by my children on one wall and pictures that have something to do with the books I’ve written on the other (such as a painting of the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, which was the inspiration for my 2nd novel, REMEMBER ME). There is always tea and a snack (usually something chocolatey), and sometimes a candle that fits the mood of the story (such as a campfire candle for my 1st novel, THE WOOD).
Who is an author you admire?
Oh my goodness, there are too many to name! In this genre, I would say Megan Walker and Julianne Donaldson. I absolutely adore their books!
On a personal level, I greatly admire one of my good writing friends, Lorie Langdon (author of MANY amazing titles including Disney’s Happily Never After series), because of her perseverance and love for the craft. She’s one of those authors who not enough people know about and it’s a shame because she is SO talented!
I highly recommend picking up all of these wonderful ladies’ books!
Is there a book that changed your life?
The Bible has changed my life more than any other book in existence. There’s nothing like the love that is to be found there. But I would have to say that, as a child of the 90s, Harry Potter changed my life in that its characters met me during really hard times and gave me hope and a vision of what it looks like for good to triumph over evil, to be brave in difficult circumstances, and to be a good and loyal friend. So those would have to be the 2 books that changed my life the most, and I do believe God brought me (and the world) Harry Potter when we, as a generation, needed it the most.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I was ecstatic when I found out A DEAL WITH A DEBUTANTE was going to be published by Haven as one of their lead titles to launch the imprint! I had been in contact with Haven’s editor for around a year before I got the news – she loved the book so much but had to wait to officially acquire it as the imprint was still being set up. At the time she told me that she understood if I wanted to send the book elsewhere instead of waiting for Haven, but as soon as I spoke to her and heard Haven’s vision, I knew it was an imprint I wanted to be a part of, and I am SO happy that’s where this series landed!
What’s your favorite genre to read?
Sweet historical romance
What’s your favorite movie?
Another terribly hard question! How does one narrow it down?! If I had to choose one, it would probably be You’ve Got Mail, but Father of the Bride and Something’s Gotta Give are up there too! I also love Chevy Chase’s Funny Farm (a hilarious comedy from the 1980s about a man who moves out to the country with his wife to pursue a writing career) and Mel Gibson’s The Patriot. If we’re talking older movies, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is in a class all its own.
What is your favorite season?
FALL! It has everything: crisp air; changing leaves; cozy sweaters; college football; and it all leads to my favorite holiday, Christmas!
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
When I was growing up, my mom and I would celebrate by going to the zoo in the morning and a movie in the afternoon, with lunch in-between, and to be honest, if I had my dream birthday, it would probably still look a lot like this (although Disney World would be nice too!)
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
Downton Abbey has become my favorite show of all time (not surprising, given the inspiration behind Debutante!) If you haven’t watched it, you have six seasons of the show and 3 movies you can binge!
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
That’s a tie between Mexican, sushi, and Thai.
What do you do when you have free time?
My favorite things to do during my free time are centering myself with prayer and daily mass, going on a walk with my dog, and reading a good book or watching a favorite show or movie (although this usually happens in 10 minute spurts – I don’t have THAT much free time, lol!)
What can readers expect from you next?
Book 2 in the London’s Most Eligible Series, as well as the much-anticipated sequel to my debut YA novel, THE WOOD, which is almost a decade in the making!
Thank you for having me on the blog! This has been delightful!
A DEAL WITH A DEBUTANTE by Chelsea Bobulski
An Enemies-to-Lovers Marriage of Convenience Historical Romance set in Edwardian London, England
American heiress Calliope Hart is thrust into London’s high society against her will, all because her mother is determined to marry her off to an aristocrat. Despite being named “the debutante of the season,” Calliope wants nothing more than to return home and avoid becoming another pawn in the social game.
Edward Chase, the Earl of Hayward, is on the brink of financial ruin. To save his estate, he must marry, and Calliope Hart is his last hope. When he boldly declares his intentions, she swiftly rejects him, making it clear she has no interest in marrying for convenience. Undeterred, Edward offers a deal: He will show Calliope the best of London if she agrees to visit his estate and consider what they could accomplish together.
What begins as a business arrangement soon sparks something much more complicated—an undeniable chemistry neither can ignore. But as their hearts begin to soften, both must confront their fears: Can Calliope trust Edward with her heart, and can Edward truly win her love when she’s convinced he only wants her fortune?
Chelsea Bobulski presents a sweet historical romance with a delightful mix of witty banter and charming romance set in Edwardian England.
Romance Comedy [ Haven, On Sale: April 7, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780764245251 / eISBN: 9781493452972 ]
Buy A DEAL WITH A DEBUTANTE: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Chelsea Bobulski
Chelsea Bobulski is the author of two YA contemporary fantasy novels (The Wood and Remember Me, out now from Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan) and of the four-book All I Want for Christmas YA romantic comedy series (out now from Wise Wolf Books), which has been optioned by ESX Entertainment in a 4-picture deal. Chelsea also co-leads Aurora Creative Talent, a team of award-winning, bestselling novelists and screenwriters developing high-quality, thrilling, family-friendly screenplays, book-to-film adaptations, and original series, with author Nova McBee.
Chelsea graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in history and loves to use her knowledge of the past to inspire her historical and contemporary stories alike. Her favorite themes to explore in her writing are those of holding onto hope in the midst of dark times, good triumphing over evil, and true love winning the day.
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