"A debut novel that retells Pride and Prejudice in a world where creatures are dragons, hobgoblins, lamias, and gryphons are commonplace, HEARTSTONE takes Austen's classic tale and turns it into something new, engaging, and imaginative"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

In a retelling of "Pride and Prejudice," Aliza Bentaine agrees when the people of Merybourne Manor hire Riders to fight the monsters threatening their kingdom, but is thrown off guard by her romantic attraction to the proud dragonrider Alastair Daired. - (Baker & Taylor)

A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen's beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay'and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she's already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn't expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.

It's a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she's never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.

Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen's beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.

A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.

It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.

Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when the people of Merybourne Manor scrape together the funds to hire a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her sister will soon be avenged.  

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t anticipate is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that haunts them from Merybourne Manor, with its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.

It’s a war Aliza is ill prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart. 

Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice with her own playful brand of magic. Filled with wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom—gryphons, direwolves, banshees, and lamias—Heartstone is a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay'and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she's already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when the people of Merybourne Manor scrape together the funds to hire a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her sister will soon be avenged.  

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn't anticipate is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that haunts them from Merybourne Manor, with its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.

It's a war Aliza is ill prepared to wage, on a battlefield she's never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart. 

Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice with her own playful brand of magic. Filled with wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom'gryphons, direwolves, banshees, and lamias'Heartstone is a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.

Booklist Reviews

Pride and prejudice and dragons, oh my! The residents of Merybourne Manor, undergoing constant attacks from ferocious gryphons, hire Riders to rid them of the monstrous creatures. Aliza Bentaine, suffering from the loss of a sister, is glad that her family, friends, and neighbors will be safe once the elite warriors arrive. When she meets dragon-rider Alastair Daired, she is not so sure—although quite handsome and obviously brave, he is insufferable and disdainful of lowly nakla such as herself. Alastair, having only come along to accompany his friends Cedric and Charis Brysney, finds himself reluctantly attracted to this spirited young woman. He is further surprised to learn his dragon companion-in-arms Akarra is quite taken with the girl, regardless of her status as a nonrider. White's fast-paced debut transports the social differences and romantic misunderstandings of Austen's classics to an imaginative new setting where danger is ever-present and hidden tensions build toward an even bigger threat that could destroy any hope for Aliza and Alastair. Offer this to fantasy-romance fans who enjoy an Austen twist. Copyright 2016 Booklist Reviews.

Library Journal Reviews

Aliza Bentaine is a witty young woman from a modest family, who holds the unfortunate position of second eldest in a house of four daughters. Her mother is on a mission to marry off Aliza and her older sister Anjey to well-connected Riders—warriors who are bonded with dragons. As fate would have it, an elite band of Riders are dispatched to Merybourne Manor to cull an extremely murderous band of gryphons; leading the charge are the callous and wealthy Alastair Daired and his dragon Akarra. True to his word, the haughty Alastair tames the monsters while a separate and unexpected battle rages in his heart when he trades barbs with Aliza. Unfortunately for both of them, an ancient evil still lurks in the shadows, waiting to wage what could be a final war for humankind. VERDICT White's engaging first novel is part fantasy and part Jane Austen Regency; recast from Pride and Prejudice, her plot and characters ring true to Austen's original. Janeites will enjoy this fantastical reimagining of a literary masterpiece that should also appeal to fans of Naomi Novik's "Temeraire" series.—Jennifer Funk, McKendree Univ. Lib., Lebanon, IL. Copyright 2016 Library Journal.