Escaping Mr. Rochester

L.L. McKinney is a writer, a poet, and an active member of the kidlit community. Named one of the Root’s 100 Most Influential African Americans, she’s an advocate for equality and inclusion in publishing, the cofounder of Juneteenth Book Fest, and the creator of the hashtags #PublishingPaidMe and #WhatWoCWritersHear. She’s also a gamer girl and an adamant Hei Hei stan. She is the author of A Blade So Black, A Dream So Dark, and A Crown So Cursed.

"In the immersive world of McKinney’s Thornfield Hall, Jane and Bertha are thoroughly vivid and compelling. A deeply satisfying companion and a highly accessible entry point for a contemporary audience [...] L. L. McKinney breathes new life into a well-worn tale, and the novel's originality shines brightly, yielding surprises for those familiar with Brontë’s version or not." — Booklist (starred review)"Thrilling, compulsively readable novel." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)"A sinister gothic romance revamped." — Kirkus Reviews"A swoonworthy sapphic-tinged YA romance highlighting the beauty of women working together." — School Library Journal"Shared narration between Jane and Bertha separates this from its inspiration, allowing Bertha to be a richly developed character, and her growing romantic relationship with Jane provides a lovely ray of light in an otherwise (appropriately) dark story. McKinney successfully deploys Gothic tropes to make Thornfield Hall utterly menacing while maximizing the tension of its oppressive atmosphere." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“McKinney breathes new life into a much-loved tale.”  — Bethany C. Morrow, bestselling author of A Song Below Water“A beautifully written, daring take on a classic. I couldn’t stop reading.”  — Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times bestselling author“A riveting and powerful read.”   — Lillie Lainoff, author of One for All “A Gothic gift of a book: eerie and romantic, bloody and blooming.”   — Betsy Cornwell, New York Times bestselling author of Reader, I Murdered Him “A winsomely crafted reimagining, full of secrets, intrigue, betrayal, and love.”  — Amalie Howard, USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee "I raced through this clever and suspenseful retelling. It kept me guessing right up until the end!”   — Allyson Dahlin, author of Cake Eater"A thrilling, slow-burn retelling...the alternating narrations of Jane Eyre and Bertha Mason drive this well-crafted, powerful read and infuses it with the yearning and tension of forbidden love. Filled with romance and suspense, this updated classic will be hard to put down." — Krystal Marquis, New York Times best-selling author of The Daveports