Rachel

Hochhauser

New York Times Bestselling Novelist

Founder of Piecework

Travels from: Portland, OR

“Hochhauser’s prose is a gift. Lady Tremaine is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time―for its sentences, for its grace, and for its originality. I haven’t stopped thinking about it…” — Olivia Clare Friedman, author of Here Lies

Rachel Hochhauser is an author and entrepreneur based in Portland, Oregon—by way of Santa Barbara, New York, and Los Angeles—where she lives with her husband and daughters.

Her debut novel, Lady Tremaine, is an untelling of Cinderella from the perspective of the so-called evil stepmother: a meditation on motherhood and women bold enough to make their own fortunes. It was the March Reese’s Book Club Pick, an instant New York Times bestseller, a Book of the Month selection, an Indie Next Pick, and a Library Reads pick, and is slated for publication in eleven languages.

In addition to fiction, Rachel is the cofounder of Piecework, a cult-favorite design and puzzle company.

She holds a BA from NYU and a Masters in Fiction from the University of Southern California.

Rachel's Featured Titles

Lady Tremaine: Reese’s Book Club Pick (A Novel)

St. Martin’s Press |

March 3, 2026

Folklore/Literary Fiction

Instant New York Times Bestseller • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • IndieNext Pick • LibraryReads Pick

“With transporting prose and a galloping plot, this wholly original take on Cinderella recasts the wicked stepmother…a riveting, complex paean to women’s strength.” ―People (Book of the Week) • “Destined to be one of the biggest books of the year.” ―Glennon Doyle, #1 bestselling author of Untamed • “Breathtakingly beautiful.” ―Emilia Hart, bestselling author of Weyward

Twice-widowed, Lady Etheldreda Verity Isolde Tremaine Bramley is solely responsible for her two children, a priggish stepdaughter, a razor-taloned peregrine falcon, and a crumbling manor. Fierce and determined, Ethel clings to the respectability her deceased husband’s title affords her, hoping it will secure her daughters’ future through marriage.

When a royal ball offers the chance to change everything, Ethel risks her pride in pursuit of an invitation for all three of her daughters―only to see her hopes fulfilled by the wrong one. As an engagement to the future king unfolds, Ethel discovers a sordid secret hidden in the depths of the royal family, forcing her to choose between the security she craves and the wellbeing of the stepdaughter who has rebuffed her at every turn.

As if Bridgerton met Circe, and exhilarating to its core, Lady Tremaine reimagines the myth of the evil stepmother at the heart of the world’s most famous fairy tale. It is a battle cry for a mother’s love for her daughters, and a celebration of women everywhere who make their own fortunes.

Bestseller, Celebrity Book Club Pick, Family Narratives, Fiction, Historical Fiction

The Making of a Villain: Rethinking the Stories We’ve Been Told

A talk about writing Lady Tremaine and what happens when you revisit a familiar story from a different perspective. This explores the idea that villains aren’t always who we think they are—and what that says about motherhood, power, and cultural expectations.

Writing and Motherhood: Ambition, Identity, and the Myth of Balance

A candid look at writing a novel while raising young children, and the tension between creative ambition and caregiving. This talk explores how motherhood shaped Lady Tremaine, and how our cultural expectations of mothers show up both on and off the page. It’s about trade-offs, contradictions, and redefining what “having it all” actually means.

From Day Job to Debut: The Real Path to Publication

A practical and honest look at what it actually takes to write and publish a novel. I’ll walk through my process—from early drafts to landing an agent to publication—and demystify the idea of “overnight success.” Ideal for aspiring writers and literary communities.

From Founder to Author: Applying Business Thinking to Creative Work

A talk about the overlap between entrepreneurship and writing—how skills like discipline, iteration, and audience awareness translate between the two. This works particularly well for corporate audiences or creative entrepreneurs.

The Second Act: Reinventing Your Career Creatively

How I went from running a business to becoming a novelist—and what it means to pursue a creative life after building something else. This talk is especially resonant for corporate or professional audiences, focusing on risk, identity shifts, and applying entrepreneurial thinking to creative work.

The Research That Changes the Book: From Falconry to Fiction

A behind-the-scenes look at how specific research shaped Lady Tremaine, with a focus on falconry as both a practical and symbolic influence. I’ll share what surprised me, what I got wrong at first, and how the process of learning something entirely new reshaped the story itself.

“A brilliant feminist novel…Gripping, suspenseful, and brimming with whimsy and wisdom, Lady Tremaine is a stunning retelling of one of the most well-known fairy tales.” — Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“So achingly real that the pages seem to breathe and you forget, for full chapters at a time, that you already know how the story goes. Rather than a villain origin story, this is the sort of book that unravels our understanding of “good” and “bad” within the logic of the fairy tale―and perhaps most of all, the assumption that being nice and pretty equals the ultimate happy ending: marrying well. A heart-piercing story about motherhood, and womanhood.” ― Literary Hub

“With transporting prose and a galloping plot, this wholly original take on Cinderella recasts the wicked stepmother as a fiercely devoted woman….Lush historical detail transforms a child’s fairy tale into a riveting, complex paean to women’s strength.” ― People, Book of the Week

“Readers will no doubt find themselves rooting for Ethel as she recounts the life she once had, the love she’s lost, and her unwavering devotion to her daughters. A bold and beautifully written examination of a mother’s love told through the eyes of Cinderella’s “wicked” stepmother.” ― Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Splendid…a stirring exploration of maternal instinct and female strength. It’s a winner.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Feminist, fierce, and wildly fresh: Lady Tremaine is my kind of fairy tale. As we resurrect and re-examine the historical women we’ve maligned, Hochhauser insists we include the wicked stepmothers. Hochhauser’s prose is poetic, her story hypnotic, and her characters will live in my head and heart forever. Lady Tremaine is destined to be one of the biggest books of the year.” ― Glennon Doyle, #1 bestselling author of Untamed

“A stunning reimagining that turns this classic tale upside down and tips it into a modern state of mind…Hochhauser’s writing is beautiful and full of imagery that makes it easy to get lost in the story, and it takes a minute to recover after finishing the last page. Once you get past the lovely feeling of surprise, you’ll want to cheer for an empowering happily ever after that seems much preferable to that of the original fairy tale.” ― BookPage

“This Cinderella reframing paints the stepmother in an entirely new light, building a rich backstory with the man she loved, the girl she almost lost him to, and the daughters she would do anything for. Hochhauser’s debut features a fiercely determined heroine, themes of resilience and motherhood, and vivid descriptions that keep the grim in the fairy tale.” ― Booklist

“In breathtakingly beautiful prose, Hochhauser unpicks this old fairytale and weaves it into a feminist war cry. Visceral, powerful and stunningly told, Lady Tremaine soars.” ― Emilia Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Weyward

“Lady Tremaine left me in awe. Breathing new life into a timeless fairy tale, this is the story of a complex, resilient mother who demonstrates that love does not always come naturally: it is often built on difficult choices. A must-read for anyone who believes in the power of second chances, the nuances of motherhood, and the ways in which strength evolves through adversity. Hochhauser’s storytelling is a poignant reminder that even fairy tale villains have a story worth telling. My favorite read of the year so far!” ― Sarah Penner, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary

Rachel’s Events

For Book Clubs

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Reese’s Book Club Pick
Instant New York Times Bestseller
Book of the Month Club Selection
People Book of the Week
IndieNext Pick
LibraryReads Pick