Irish Bryony St. Charles' father contacted Sir Sebastian Sheringham and reminded him of a pledge made between Sebastian's father and Bryony's, that their two children should wed. Liskillen House was in danger of foreclosure and Bryony for her father's sake accepted Sebastian's proposal. But everything went wrong from her first step in England, and it didn't improve when she was placed under the dragon duchess's tutelage! Regency Romance by Sandra Heath; originally published by Signet Views: 9
These twelve stories are set in Paris, Mavis Gallant’s adopted home, a city whose nuances she brings to life through a wide range of characters: squabbling writers, bewildered parents, scheming art dealers, beleaguered tenants, and feckless drifters. An artist’s widow proves more than a match for Sandor Speck, who hopes to make a name for himself with her late husband’s paintings. Literary rivals Prism and Grippes, the protégés of a rich, misguided American patron, battle across the years. And in the Magdalena stories, a man is caught in the pull of loyalties between his beautiful first wife from a marriage of political conscience, and the woman he truly loves. Elegant, concise, finely textured, these stories never relax the tension between detachment and compassion, understanding and mystery, memory and truth. With remarkable intelligence and an unfailing eye for the telling detail, Gallant weaves stories of intricate simplicity and spare complexity.From the Trade Paperback edition. Views: 9
WAS THERE ANY HOPE FOR HER LOVE?Having been a charge nurse at St. Anne's Hospital for some time, Julia Mitchell had trouble accepting the arrogant, domineering attitude of Professor van der Wagema. But once she got to know him, an entirely different man emerged--one she had difficulty disliking! Yet how could her heart betray her when she already had Nigel? Besides, what hope was there for her, since the professor's heart was already promised to another.... Views: 8
SUMMARY:Bettina Daniels lived a fairytale existence of glamour, endless parties, and luxury among America's top celebrities -- simply because she was the beautiful daughter of famous American author Justin Daniels. Then, in one moment of tragedy, her father was dead, and Bettina discovered the truth -- he had spent every dime he'd ever earned and run up millions in debt. At eighteen, penniless and alone, she had lost everything except her father's dearest friend, Ivo Stewart. A wealthy, handsome publisher of sixty-two, he offered Bettina a way out: marriage. But only for a time. What lay ahead for Bettina was a life filled with shocks and surprises -- and eventually a chance to become a playwright, and a writer like her father. Having learned her lessons dearly, Bettina blossoms into her own person at last. Views: 8
Flann O'Brien (Brian O'Nolan, aka Myles na Gopaleen) adopted not only a new name (George Knowall) for these rarely seen pieces, but also a new persona. Writing his column 'Bones of Contention' for the Nationalist and Leinster Times, he took on the character of the quizzical and enquiring humorist who might be found in a respectable public house in Carlow: erudite, urbane and informative, he is the country cousin of the Myles of Dublin, yet still a facet of the complex character who wrote The Third Policeman and At Swim-Two-Birds. His delight in words, his uncanny ability to see through humbug, are unparalleled. Writers as disparate as James Joyce, Dylan Thomas, Graham Greene and Anthony Burgess have marvelled at his talent. New readers will discover that he is one of the funniest writers in any language, at any time. Brian O'Nolan, who also wrote under the pen names of Flann O'Brien and Myles na Gopaleen, was born in 1911 in Co Tyrone. A resident of Dublin, he graduated from... Views: 8
From on-stage at the Metropolitan Opera House to on board the yacht of a Greek tycoon, this story is set in the world of the rich and famous. Views: 7
In this unforgettable novel of Queen Victoria, Jean Plaidy re-creates a remarkable life filled with romance, triumph, and tragedy.At birth, Princess Victoria was fourth in line for the throne of England, the often-overlooked daughter of a prince who died shortly after her birth. She and her mother lived in genteel poverty for most of her childhood, exiled from court because of her mother’s dislike of her uncles, George IV and William IV. A strong, willful child, Victoria was determined not to be stifled by her powerful uncles or her unpopular, controlling mother. Then one morning, at the age of eighteen, Princess Victoria awoke to the news of her uncle William’s death. The almost-forgotten princess was now Queen of England. Even better, she was finally free of her mother’s iron hand and her uncles’ manipulations. Her first act as queen was to demand that she be given a room—and a bed—of her own.Victoria’s marriage to her German cousin, Prince Albert, was a blissfully happy one that produced nine children. Albert was her constant companion and one of her most trusted advisors. Victoria’s grief after Prince Albert’s untimely death was so shattering that for the rest of her life—nearly forty years—she dressed only in black. She survived several assassination attempts, and during her reign England’s empire expanded around the globe until it touched every continent in the world.Derided as a mere “girl queen” at her coronation, by the end of her sixty-four-year reign, Victoria embodied the glory of the British Empire. In this novel, written as a “memoir” by Victoria herself, she emerges as truthful, sentimental, and essentially human—both a lovable woman and a great queen. Views: 7
Independently wealthy Paul Knox works for a global private espionage corporation because he craves the excitement of the job. On a previous mission, Knox fell in love with the beautiful Natalie Tinsley, daughter of a master smuggler and criminal. Now, with the elder Tinsley dead, a Russian interloper has assumed Natalie Tinsley's identity, and is head of a giant gold smuggling ring that is being financed by the Soviets to establish a puppet government in Cuba. The real Natalie Tinsley has caught wind of the project and wants a piece of the action. She meets up with Knox who's been assigned to the case to destroy the smuggling ring. In the remote Mexican village of La Cruz, Knox and Tinsley, with the help of a cast of colorful characters including an etymologist and a stripper, are determined to uncover the Communist plot and the twenty million dollars in Cuban-rebel gold that went with it. Views: 6
Supermodel Patsy Clark had money to invest, but she’d chosen the wrong investment syndicate. Now she was in big trouble from very bad guys. So she turned to Michael Melville, her friend’s brother, who had worked for the Justice Department as a gangbuster. Patsy was going to need his help to protect her, but what really surprised her was that she never expected to fall in love with him. Contemporary Romance by Joan Wolf; originally published by NAL/Rapture Views: 4
