Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062107402
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
From Julia Quinn, the author of Bridgerton—along with close friends and bestselling authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes a thrilling tale of a snow-bound party in a Scottish castle. And You’re Invited! When Laird Taran Ferguson’s nephews refuse to find brides, he takes matters into his own hands, raiding a ball and bringing some lovely young ladies to his castle. Which author do you think escorted which heroine to the castle? Miss Fiona Chisholm, a beauty with a scandalous past Lady Cecily Tarleton, a lovely heiress—but she’s English Miss Catriona Burns, a lady with no name or fortune, so clearly someone made a mistake! When it comes to gentlemen, did Eloisa invite an earl so stern that he broke his engagement after a mere whiff of scandal? Did Connie suggest that the Duke of Bretton fall asleep in the carriage used in a kidnapping? Did Julia bring a rogue whose reputation proceeds him? A novel in three parts, as fresh and charming as the Highland air, written by three of the very best writers of historical romance.
The Lady Most Willing...
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062107402
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
From Julia Quinn, the author of Bridgerton—along with close friends and bestselling authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes a thrilling tale of a snow-bound party in a Scottish castle. And You’re Invited! When Laird Taran Ferguson’s nephews refuse to find brides, he takes matters into his own hands, raiding a ball and bringing some lovely young ladies to his castle. Which author do you think escorted which heroine to the castle? Miss Fiona Chisholm, a beauty with a scandalous past Lady Cecily Tarleton, a lovely heiress—but she’s English Miss Catriona Burns, a lady with no name or fortune, so clearly someone made a mistake! When it comes to gentlemen, did Eloisa invite an earl so stern that he broke his engagement after a mere whiff of scandal? Did Connie suggest that the Duke of Bretton fall asleep in the carriage used in a kidnapping? Did Julia bring a rogue whose reputation proceeds him? A novel in three parts, as fresh and charming as the Highland air, written by three of the very best writers of historical romance.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062107402
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
From Julia Quinn, the author of Bridgerton—along with close friends and bestselling authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes a thrilling tale of a snow-bound party in a Scottish castle. And You’re Invited! When Laird Taran Ferguson’s nephews refuse to find brides, he takes matters into his own hands, raiding a ball and bringing some lovely young ladies to his castle. Which author do you think escorted which heroine to the castle? Miss Fiona Chisholm, a beauty with a scandalous past Lady Cecily Tarleton, a lovely heiress—but she’s English Miss Catriona Burns, a lady with no name or fortune, so clearly someone made a mistake! When it comes to gentlemen, did Eloisa invite an earl so stern that he broke his engagement after a mere whiff of scandal? Did Connie suggest that the Duke of Bretton fall asleep in the carriage used in a kidnapping? Did Julia bring a rogue whose reputation proceeds him? A novel in three parts, as fresh and charming as the Highland air, written by three of the very best writers of historical romance.
The Ladies Most...
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0063205572
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 552
Book Description
Three bestselling authors. Two delightful novels. One terrific collection! From Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton series, now streaming on Netflix—writing along with close friends and popular authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes THE LADIES MOST… a duo of cleverly crafted novels, The Lady Most Likely and The Lady Most Willing, together for the first time. THE LADY MOST LIKELY Hugh Dunne, the Earl of Briarly, needs a wife, so his sister hands him a list of delectable damsels and promises to invite them—and a few other gentlemen—to her country house for what is sure to be the event of the season. Hugh will have time to woo whichever lady he most desires. Unless someone else snatches her first. The invitation list includes: The always outspoken Miss Katherine Peyton The impossibly beautiful (and painfully shy) Miss Gwendolyn Passmore The widowed Lady Georgina Sorrell (who has no plans to marry, ever) And your hostess, Lady Carolyn Finchley, an irrepressible matchmaker with romantic plans for every last one of them—especially THE LADY MOST LIKELY to marry an eligible Earl. THE LADY MOST WILLING Taran Ferguson, laird of his clan, is determined that his ancient (if not so honorable) birthright be secured before he dies. When both his nephews refuse to wed, he takes matters into his own hands, raiding an English lord’s Christmas ball and making off with four lovely potential brides (and one very irate duke). When his nephews, the Comte de Rocheforte and the Earl of Oakley, arrive for their annual holiday visit, they are drawn into a matchmaking party, of sorts. Among the unwitting guests are: Miss Fiona Chisholm, a beauty with a scandalous past Lady Cecily Tarleton, a lovely heiress—but she’s English Miss Catriona Burns, a lady with no name or fortune, so clearly someone made a mistake! As the snow piles up outside the highland castle, and the guests are forced to pass the time together, the initial dismay turns to unanticipated attractions and then irresistible passions – and indeed, there might be one LADY MOST WILLING to marry a Scottish lord.
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0063205572
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 552
Book Description
Three bestselling authors. Two delightful novels. One terrific collection! From Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton series, now streaming on Netflix—writing along with close friends and popular authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes THE LADIES MOST… a duo of cleverly crafted novels, The Lady Most Likely and The Lady Most Willing, together for the first time. THE LADY MOST LIKELY Hugh Dunne, the Earl of Briarly, needs a wife, so his sister hands him a list of delectable damsels and promises to invite them—and a few other gentlemen—to her country house for what is sure to be the event of the season. Hugh will have time to woo whichever lady he most desires. Unless someone else snatches her first. The invitation list includes: The always outspoken Miss Katherine Peyton The impossibly beautiful (and painfully shy) Miss Gwendolyn Passmore The widowed Lady Georgina Sorrell (who has no plans to marry, ever) And your hostess, Lady Carolyn Finchley, an irrepressible matchmaker with romantic plans for every last one of them—especially THE LADY MOST LIKELY to marry an eligible Earl. THE LADY MOST WILLING Taran Ferguson, laird of his clan, is determined that his ancient (if not so honorable) birthright be secured before he dies. When both his nephews refuse to wed, he takes matters into his own hands, raiding an English lord’s Christmas ball and making off with four lovely potential brides (and one very irate duke). When his nephews, the Comte de Rocheforte and the Earl of Oakley, arrive for their annual holiday visit, they are drawn into a matchmaking party, of sorts. Among the unwitting guests are: Miss Fiona Chisholm, a beauty with a scandalous past Lady Cecily Tarleton, a lovely heiress—but she’s English Miss Catriona Burns, a lady with no name or fortune, so clearly someone made a mistake! As the snow piles up outside the highland castle, and the guests are forced to pass the time together, the initial dismay turns to unanticipated attractions and then irresistible passions – and indeed, there might be one LADY MOST WILLING to marry a Scottish lord.
The Lady Most Likely...
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062037412
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 388
Book Description
From Julia Quinn, the author of Bridgerton—along with close friends and bestselling authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes an enchanting tale of a country house party in which three heroines find their happily ever after! And You’re Invited! Given a house party explicitly designed to end in weddings, which author do you think escorted which heroine to the party? The always outspoken Miss Katherine Peyton The impossibly beautiful (and painfully shy) Miss Gwendolyn Passmore The widowed Lady Georgina Sorrell (who has no plans to marry, ever) When it comes to gentlemen, did Connie invite the horse-mad but irresistibly handsome Earl of Briarly? Did Julia bring the dashing war hero Captain Neill Oakes to the party? Was Eloisa escorted by the terribly eligible new Earl of Charters? You’ll love the puzzle and enjoy the escape when reading this delicious novel!
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0062037412
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 388
Book Description
From Julia Quinn, the author of Bridgerton—along with close friends and bestselling authors Eloisa James and Connie Brockway—comes an enchanting tale of a country house party in which three heroines find their happily ever after! And You’re Invited! Given a house party explicitly designed to end in weddings, which author do you think escorted which heroine to the party? The always outspoken Miss Katherine Peyton The impossibly beautiful (and painfully shy) Miss Gwendolyn Passmore The widowed Lady Georgina Sorrell (who has no plans to marry, ever) When it comes to gentlemen, did Connie invite the horse-mad but irresistibly handsome Earl of Briarly? Did Julia bring the dashing war hero Captain Neill Oakes to the party? Was Eloisa escorted by the terribly eligible new Earl of Charters? You’ll love the puzzle and enjoy the escape when reading this delicious novel!
Splendid
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061752681
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
Based on the phenomenal growth of Quinn's popularity, and her four-week stint on the New York Times bestseller list with Romancing Mr Bridgerton, it's the perfect time to revisit Ms Quinn's 'splendid' storytelling. American heiress Emma Dunster has always been fun-loving and independent with no wish to settle into marriage. She plans to enjoy her Season in London in more unconventional ways than husband-hunting. But this time Emma's high-jinks lead her into dangerous temptation... Alexander Ridgely, the Duke of Ashbourne, is a notorious rake who carefully avoids the risk of love...until he plants one reckless kiss on the sensuous lips of this high-spirited innocent...and condemns himself to delicious torment. Little does he know that his passion has touched the very soul of the lovely enchantress...and committed them both to a lifetime of splendid ecstasy.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061752681
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
Based on the phenomenal growth of Quinn's popularity, and her four-week stint on the New York Times bestseller list with Romancing Mr Bridgerton, it's the perfect time to revisit Ms Quinn's 'splendid' storytelling. American heiress Emma Dunster has always been fun-loving and independent with no wish to settle into marriage. She plans to enjoy her Season in London in more unconventional ways than husband-hunting. But this time Emma's high-jinks lead her into dangerous temptation... Alexander Ridgely, the Duke of Ashbourne, is a notorious rake who carefully avoids the risk of love...until he plants one reckless kiss on the sensuous lips of this high-spirited innocent...and condemns himself to delicious torment. Little does he know that his passion has touched the very soul of the lovely enchantress...and committed them both to a lifetime of splendid ecstasy.
Brighter Than the Sun
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061739693
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 294
Book Description
When Charles Wycombe, the dashing and incorrigible Earl of Billington, toppled out of a tree and landed at Ellie's feet, neither suspected that such an inauspicious meeting would lead to marriage. But Charles must find a bride before his thirtieth birthday or he'll lose his fortune. And Ellie needs a husband or her father's odious fiancée will choose one for her. And so they agree to wed, even though their match appears to have been made somewhere hotter than heaven ... Ellie never dreamed she'd marry a stranger, especially one with such a devastating combination of rakish charm and debonair wit. She tries to keep him at arm's length, at least until she discovers the man beneath the handsome surface. But Charles can be quite persuasive -- even tender -- when he puts his mind to it, and Ellie finds herself slipping under his seductive spell. And as one kiss leads to another, this unlikely pair discovers that their marriage is not so inconvenient after all ... and just might lead to love.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0061739693
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 294
Book Description
When Charles Wycombe, the dashing and incorrigible Earl of Billington, toppled out of a tree and landed at Ellie's feet, neither suspected that such an inauspicious meeting would lead to marriage. But Charles must find a bride before his thirtieth birthday or he'll lose his fortune. And Ellie needs a husband or her father's odious fiancée will choose one for her. And so they agree to wed, even though their match appears to have been made somewhere hotter than heaven ... Ellie never dreamed she'd marry a stranger, especially one with such a devastating combination of rakish charm and debonair wit. She tries to keep him at arm's length, at least until she discovers the man beneath the handsome surface. But Charles can be quite persuasive -- even tender -- when he puts his mind to it, and Ellie finds herself slipping under his seductive spell. And as one kiss leads to another, this unlikely pair discovers that their marriage is not so inconvenient after all ... and just might lead to love.
Lady Whistledown Strikes Back
Author: Julia Quinn
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0061746479
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
Join the Bridgertons, and the rest of the ton, as they pore over (and gossip about) Lady Whistledown’s latest musings. The elusive Regency-era gossip columnist -- popularized in # 1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels, now a series created by Shondaland for Netflix – reveals society’s most recent secrets in this second glittering anthology, following the New York Times bestseller, The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown. Who Stole Lady Neeley’s Bracelet? Was it the fortune hunter, the gambler, the servant, or the rogue? All of London is abuzz with speculation, but it is clear that one of four couples is connected to the crime. —Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, May 1816 Julia Quinn enchants: A dashing fortune hunter is captivated by the Season’s most desired debutante . . . and must prove he is out to steal the lady’s heart, not her dowry. Suzanne Enoch tantalizes: An innocent miss who has spent her life scrupulously avoiding scandal is suddenly—and secretly—courted by London’s most notorious rogue. Karen Hawkins seduces: A roving viscount comes home to rekindle the passionate fires of his marriage . . . only to discover that his beautiful, headstrong bride will not be so easily won. Mia Ryan delights: A lovely, free-spirited servant is dazzled by the romantic attentions of a charming earl . . . sparking a scandalous affair that could ruin them both. You’ll hear it first from Lady Whistledown!
Publisher: Zondervan
ISBN: 0061746479
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
Join the Bridgertons, and the rest of the ton, as they pore over (and gossip about) Lady Whistledown’s latest musings. The elusive Regency-era gossip columnist -- popularized in # 1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton novels, now a series created by Shondaland for Netflix – reveals society’s most recent secrets in this second glittering anthology, following the New York Times bestseller, The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown. Who Stole Lady Neeley’s Bracelet? Was it the fortune hunter, the gambler, the servant, or the rogue? All of London is abuzz with speculation, but it is clear that one of four couples is connected to the crime. —Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers, May 1816 Julia Quinn enchants: A dashing fortune hunter is captivated by the Season’s most desired debutante . . . and must prove he is out to steal the lady’s heart, not her dowry. Suzanne Enoch tantalizes: An innocent miss who has spent her life scrupulously avoiding scandal is suddenly—and secretly—courted by London’s most notorious rogue. Karen Hawkins seduces: A roving viscount comes home to rekindle the passionate fires of his marriage . . . only to discover that his beautiful, headstrong bride will not be so easily won. Mia Ryan delights: A lovely, free-spirited servant is dazzled by the romantic attentions of a charming earl . . . sparking a scandalous affair that could ruin them both. You’ll hear it first from Lady Whistledown!
My Darling Duke
Author: Stacy Reid
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
ISBN: 164063746X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
“Lush, beautifully written, and deeply romantic, My Darling Duke will sweep you off your feet. My heart was lost to this couple from the very start.” —Amalie Howard, author of The Beast of Beswick Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she’ll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan... She’ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely he’ll never find out before her sisters’ weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life. Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé. But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected... Each book in the Sinful Wallflowers series is STANDALONE: * My Darling Duke * Her Wicked Marquess * A Scoundrel of Her Own
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
ISBN: 164063746X
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
“Lush, beautifully written, and deeply romantic, My Darling Duke will sweep you off your feet. My heart was lost to this couple from the very start.” —Amalie Howard, author of The Beast of Beswick Miss Katherine Danvers has always been a wallflower. But now, with her family on the brink of financial ruin, she finds herself a desperate wallflower. To save her family, she’ll do anything. Luckily, she has the perfect plan... She’ll impress the ton by simply announcing she is engaged to the reclusive and mysterious Duke of Thornton, Alexander Masters, and secure strong matches for her sisters. No one has heard from the duke in years. Surely he’ll never find out before her sisters’ weddings, and she can go back to her own quiet life. Soon, though, everything is out of control. At first, it’s just a few new ball gowns on the duke’s accounts. Then, it’s interviews with reporters eager for gossip. Before she knows it, Katherine has transformed herself into Kitty Danvers, charming and clever belle of the ton—with everyone eager to meet her thankfully absent fiancé. But when the enigmatic Alexander Masters suddenly arrives in the city, dashing and oh so angry, he demands retribution. Except not in the way Katherine expected... Each book in the Sinful Wallflowers series is STANDALONE: * My Darling Duke * Her Wicked Marquess * A Scoundrel of Her Own
Before We Were Strangers
Author: Renée Carlino
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501105787
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a love story about a Craigslist “missed connection” post that gives two people a second chance at love fifteen years after they were separated in New York City. To the Green-eyed Lovebird: We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House. You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more. We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year than any other. Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic. When I came back, you were gone. A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too hard after the wedding… I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I could say hello. After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half? M
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501105787
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a love story about a Craigslist “missed connection” post that gives two people a second chance at love fifteen years after they were separated in New York City. To the Green-eyed Lovebird: We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House. You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more. We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year than any other. Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic. When I came back, you were gone. A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too hard after the wedding… I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I could say hello. After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half? M
I Know This Much Is True
Author: Wally Lamb
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780060391621
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 884
Book Description
With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780060391621
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 884
Book Description
With his stunning debut novel, She's Come Undone, Wally Lamb won the adulation of critics and readers with his mesmerizing tale of one woman's painful yet triumphant journey of self-discovery. Now, this brilliantly talented writer returns with I Know This Much Is True, a heartbreaking and poignant multigenerational saga of the reproductive bonds of destruction and the powerful force of forgiveness. A masterpiece that breathtakingly tells a story of alienation and connection, power and abuse, devastation and renewal--this novel is a contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth. A proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. When you're the same brother of a schizophrenic identical twin, the tricky thing about saving yourself is the blood it leaves on your bands--the little inconvenience of the look-alike corpse at your feet. And if you're into both survival of the fittest and being your brother's keeper--if you've promised your dying mother--then say so long to sleep and hello to the middle of the night. Grab a book or a beer. Get used to Letterman's gap-toothed smile of the absurd, or the view of the bedroom ceiling, or the influence of random selection. Take it from a godless insomniac. Take it from the uncrazy twin--the guy who beat the biochemical rap. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother he both deeply loves and resents, and by the past they shared with their adoptive father, Ray, a spit-and-polish ex-Navy man (the five-foot-six-inch sleeping giant who snoozed upstairs weekdays in the spare room and built submarines at night), and their long-suffering mother, Concettina, a timid woman with a harelip that made her shy and self-conscious: She holds a loose fist to her face to cover her defective mouth--her perpetual apology to the world for a birth defect over which she'd had no control. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness--and ultimately self-protection--in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over these stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. I was still afraid of his anger but saw how he punished weakness--pounced on it. Out of self-preservation I hid my fear, Dominick confesses. As for Thomas, he just never knew how to play defense. He just didn't get it. But Dominick's talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the tenuous balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors--a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily 's Mount Etna, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather and a namesake Domenico Tempesta, the sostegno del famiglia, was born. Each of the stories Ma told us about Papa reinforced the message that he was the boss, that he ruled the roost, that what he said went. Searching for answers, Dominick turns to the whispers of the dead, to the pages of his grandfather's handwritten memoir, The History of Domenico Onofrio Tempesta, a Great Man from Humble Beginnings. Rendered with touches of magic realism, Domenico's fablelike tale--in which monkeys enchant and religious statues weep--becomes the old man's confession--an unwitting legacy of contrition that reveals the truth's of Domenico's life, Dominick learns that power, wrongly used, defeats the oppressor as well as the oppressed, and now, picking through the humble shards of his deconstructed life, he will search for the courage and love to forgive, to expiate his and his ancestors' transgressions, and finally to rebuild himself beyond the haunted shadow of his twin. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn, memorable characters, this deeply moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical, and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary reading experience that will leave no reader untouched.
Perfect Wreckage
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: The PageSmith LLC
ISBN: 1733596372
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
My past taught me to play it safe. To stay far away from handsome men who promised it all. My life was good without them. Stable, secure, predictable. But one kiss showed me that I’d been playing it safe for far too long. One night and all I wanted was more of his wildfire. One challenge and my carefully constructed walls tumbled down. Amidst the rubble, I realized there was more to this man than I ever dreamed. When everything fell apart, he showed me what it meant to stay. How to truly live. But some demons don’t stay buried. The past can come knocking when you least expect. And the life he’s showing me might be shorter than either of us expected…
Publisher: The PageSmith LLC
ISBN: 1733596372
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 353
Book Description
My past taught me to play it safe. To stay far away from handsome men who promised it all. My life was good without them. Stable, secure, predictable. But one kiss showed me that I’d been playing it safe for far too long. One night and all I wanted was more of his wildfire. One challenge and my carefully constructed walls tumbled down. Amidst the rubble, I realized there was more to this man than I ever dreamed. When everything fell apart, he showed me what it meant to stay. How to truly live. But some demons don’t stay buried. The past can come knocking when you least expect. And the life he’s showing me might be shorter than either of us expected…