Regina Scott is the author of more than fifty works of warm, witty historical romance, including A Distance Too Grand—named one of the top ten romances of 2020 by Booklist—and Nothing Short of Wondrous. She was twice awarded the prestigious RT Book Reviews best book of the year in her category. A devotee of history, she has learned to fence, driven four-in-hand, and sailed on a tall ship, all in the name of research. She and her husband of thirty years live south of Tacoma, Washington, on the way to Mt. Rainier.
In this interview, Regina talks about her latest novel, A View Most Glorious.
FF: A View Most Glorious is the final book in your American Wonders Collection. Can you please provide a brief summary of this book?
A headstrong beauty must rely on a rough mountain guide in 1893 Washington State to help her reach the top of Mount Rainier so she can bring attention to a woman’s right to vote and avoid marrying the man her mother has chosen for her. But her mountain man has hidden potential—and so, she discovers, does their future together.
FF: Your latest novel features Coraline Baxter. Can you please tell us a little more about her character?
Now on her second stepfather, Cora has seen how marrying for position and privilege can go disastrously wrong. She’s vowed to depend on no one but herself. To this end, she’s graduated college with a degree in mathematics, is one of the only female accountants in the city, and is passionate that all women should have the right to vote and help direct the course of the young state and the nation. She’s not sure which will be harder—climbing the mountain or depending on a man to help her reach her goal.
FF: Nathan Hardee is the male protagonist in this story. What connection does he have to Coraline?
Nathan has also learned the value of independence, so he appreciates Cora’s determination for her cause. And he has a personal ax to grind with the man Cora’s mother has chosen for her. Cash Kincaid ruined his father, setting off a chain of events that resulted in Nathan losing position, opportunities, and the woman he loved. If helping Cora reach the top will keep her from having to marry the wealthy businessman, so much the better.
FF: Cora and her mother have very different ideas of what her life should look like. What is their relationship like and how does it factor into this story?
Cora’s mother, like many wealthy women at the time, strongly believes a woman’s power comes from the men with whom she associates. She’s determined that Cora marry well, even if love is not involved, and she doesn’t hesitate to manipulate Cora or the situation if it means a better future for her daughter. Cora was raised to respect her mother in all things, but at some point, she will have to choose which will come first—her future or her love for her mother.
FF: Why did you choose the national parks for the setting of these books, and specifically Mount Rainier?
My late father instilled in me a love for our national parks. There is nothing more inspiring to me than gazing out at grand vistas or hiking to serene surroundings. Mount Rainier is particularly dear to me, as I was raised in its shadow and now live 45 minutes from the gates. In my family, we think of it as my father’s mountain, he was so often on its slopes. I can’t visit without thinking of him.
FF: You are known for the rich detail in your historical novels. What kind of research was required to write this book?
When I first proposed this book to my editor, I couldn’t wait to research all the history that surrounds me. The Tacoma Public Library has the Northwest Room, with copies of original materials. More materials beckon from the Washington State Historical Society Archives. Because of the pandemic, I wasn’t able to visit either of those places, so I am indebted to online research and the many historical tomes I was able to purchase to flesh out Cora’s life and times.
FF: What do you hope readers have learned or experienced from A View Most Glorious?
I hope readers learn more about the history surrounding one of the tallest mountains in the nation as well as the City of Destiny, a grand name for the town that once eclipsed Seattle for prestige and progress. I also hope that readers, like Cora and Nathan, come away with a renewed appreciation for how two together can accomplish so much more than one alone. There can be joy in partnership.
A View Most Glorious
American Wonders Collection #3
Regina Scott
Bethany House
Genres: Historical Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2021
ISBN-10: 0764232401
ISBN-13: 9780764232404
Book Summary:
Reluctant socialite Coraline Baxter longs to live a life of significance and leave her mark on the world. When her local suffragette group asks her to climb Mount Rainier to raise awareness of their cause, she jumps at the chance, even though she has absolutely no climbing experience. If she can do it, any woman can do it. And after her mother issues an ultimatum–that Cora marry the man of her mother’s choosing if she is not successful–Cora must do it. But she can’t do it alone.
Noted mountain guide Nathan Hardee initially refuses to help Cora, but has a change of heart when he sees what is at stake. He knows enough about the man Cora’s mother has chosen to know that the headstrong young woman should have nothing to do with him, much less marry him.
Climbing Rainier will require all of Cora’s fortitude and will lead her and Nathan to rediscover their faith in God and humanity. These two loners make unlikely partners in righting a wrong and may just discover that only together is the view most glorious.
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