Download or read book The Darling Strumpet written by Gillian Bagwell and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-01-04 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From London’s slums to its bawdy playhouses, The Darling Strumpet charts the meteoric rise of the dazzling Nell Gwynn, who captivates the heart of King Charles II—and becomes one of the century’s most famous courtesans… Witty and beautiful, Nell Gwynn is born into poverty, and trades her mother’s treacherous grasp for the grim life of a prostitute at a precious young age. But before long she finds herself drawn to the theater, where she earns a place in the King’s Company. As one of the first actresses in the newly opened playhouses, her talents and charms win the crowds’ affection—and the heart of her leading man. But when she catches the eye of the king himself, her life is transformed in ways she could never have imagined. Surrendering her body and heart to Charles, Nell will be forced to maneuver the ruthless and shifting allegiances of the royal court—and discover a world of decadence and passion she never imagined was possible…

Download or read book The Darling Strumpet written by Gillian Bagwell and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-06-04 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nell Gwynn, born into poverty but drawn into the world of theatre, manages to capture the heart of King Charles II in 17th century London and must maneuver the ruthless and shifting alliances of the royal court.

Download or read book The September Queen written by Gillian Bagwell and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-11-01 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Charles II is running for his life-and into the arms of a woman who will risk all for king and country. Jane Lane is of marrying age, but she longs for adventure. She has pushed every potential suitor away-even those who could provide everything for her. Then one day, adventure makes its way to her doorstep, and with it comes mortal danger... Royalists fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II implore Jane to help. Jane must transport him to safety, disguised as a manservant. As she places herself in harm's way, she finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. And despite his reputation as a breaker of hearts, Jane finds herself surrendering to a passion that will change her life forever.

Download or read book Venus in Winter written by Gillian Bagwell and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-07-02 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of The September Queen explores Tudor England with the tale of Bess of Hardwick—the formidable four-time widowed Tudor dynast who became one of the most powerful women in the history of England. On her twelfth birthday, Bess of Hardwick receives the news that she is to be a waiting gentlewoman in the household of Lady Zouche. Armed with nothing but her razor-sharp wit and fetching looks, Bess is terrified of leaving home. But as her family has neither the money nor the connections to find her a good husband, she must go to facilitate her rise in society. When Bess arrives at the glamorous court of King Henry VIII, she is thrust into a treacherous world of politics and intrigue, a world she must quickly learn to navigate. The gruesome fates of Henry’s wives convince Bess that marrying is a dangerous business. Even so, she finds the courage to wed not once, but four times. Bess outlives one husband, then another, securing her status as a woman of property. But it is when she is widowed a third time that she is left with a large fortune and even larger decisions—discovering that, for a woman of substance, the power and the possibilities are endless . . .

Download or read book Four Sisters All Queens written by Sherry Jones and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-05-08 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rich in intrigue and scheming, love and lust, Sherry Jones’s vibrant historical novel follows four women destined to sway the fate of nations and the hearts of kings… Amid the lush valleys and fragrant wildflowers of Provence, Marguerite, Eléonore, Sanchia, and Beatrice have learned to charm, hunt, dance, and debate under the careful tutelage of their ambitious mother—and to abide by the countess’s motto: “Family comes first.” With Provence under constant attack, their legacy and safety depend upon powerful alliances. Marguerite’s illustrious match with the young King Louis IX makes her Queen of France. Soon Eléonore—independent and daring—is betrothed to Henry III of England. In turn, shy, devout Sanchia and tempestuous Beatrice wed noblemen who will also make them queens. Yet a crown is no guarantee of protection. Enemies are everywhere, from Marguerite’s duplicitous mother-in-law to vengeful lovers and land-hungry barons. Then there are the dangers that come from within, as loyalty succumbs to bitter sibling rivalry, and sister is pitted against sister for the prize each believes is rightfully hers—Provence itself. From the treacherous courts of France and England, to the bloody tumult of the Crusades, Sherry Jones traces the extraordinary true story of four fascinating sisters whose passions, conquests, and progeny shaped the course of history.

Download or read book The Dead Don t Forget written by Robert Weibezahl and published by Dark Oak Mysteries. This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Even Silent Film Stars Sometimes Scream! Amateur detective Billy Winnetka is back, once more reluctantly investigating a peculiarly Hollywood crime involving some anonymous death threats. Who would want to scare an old actress who hasn't made a movie in years? As Billy discovers, there is a considerable list of suspects-from Gwendolyn's money-grubbing high society relatives to her less-than-honest business manager. But simply scaring an old woman is one thing-killing her is another. Early Readers Say... "Robert Weibezahl's screenwriter Billy Winnetka has his hands full sorting through suspects galore in this zesty mystery played out against the background of a typical Hollywood motion picture production and the people who make the movies, while at the same time Billy works to resolve the unexpected romantic entanglement brought on by a new woman in his life." -Robert S. Levinson, bestselling author of A Rhumba in Waltz Time, The Elvis and Marilyn Affair and The James Dean Affair ..".highly enjoyable, good old-fashioned murder mystery, leavened with generous doses of romance and humor, and set against the picturesque backdrop of the not-quite-golden age of Hollywood." -Gillian Bagwell, author of The Darling Strumpet and The September Queen "I raced through Robert Weibezahl's sly and knowing Hollywood murder mystery, smiling all the way." -Mitchell James Kaplan, author of By Fire, By Water ..".Hollywood and movie trivia will keep you turning pages to see what's next." -J. L. Greger, author of Coming Flu About the Author: Robert Weibezahl's books include The Wicked and the Dead, which introduced screenwriter-sleuth Billy Winnetka; and A Taste of Murder and A Second Helping of Murder, co-edited with Jo Grossman. A columnist for BookPage since 2002, his work has also appeared in many national and regional publications. He lives in California.

Download or read book Exit the Actress written by Priya Parmar and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-02-01 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the critically acclaimed author of Vanessa and Her Sister, the debut novel hailed by New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory as “a vivid imagining of the restoration London of Charles II with Nell Gwynn as a powerful and engaging heroine.” While selling oranges in the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, sweet and sprightly Ellen "Nell" Gwyn impresses the theater’s proprietors with a wit and sparkle that belie her youth and poverty. She quickly earns a place in the company, narrowly avoiding the life of prostitution to which her sister has already succumbed. As her roles evolve from supporting to starring, the scope of her life broadens as well. Soon Ellen is dressed in the finest fashions, charming the theatrical, literary, and royal luminaries of Restoration England. Ellen grows up on the stage, experiencing first love and heartbreak and eventually becoming the mistress of Charles II. Despite his reputation as a libertine, Ellen wholly captures his heart—and he hers—but even the most powerful love isn’t enough to stave off the gossip and bitter court politics that accompany a royal romance. Telling the story through a collection of vibrant seventeenth-century voices ranging from Ellen’s diary to playbills, letters, gossip columns, and home remedies, Priya Parmar brings to life the story of an endearing and delightful heroine.

Download or read book Nell Gwyn written by Derek Parker and published by Sutton Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nell Gwyn Entertains the reader with the story of the actress nell Gwyn, daughter of a brothel keeper who became Charles II's favorite mistress.

Download or read book Freedom s Song written by Kim Vogel Sawyer and published by WaterBrook. This book was released on 2021-10-19 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Her voice made her a riverboat’s darling—and its prisoner. Now she’s singing her way to freedom in this powerful novel from the bestselling author of The Librarian of Boone's Hollow. “[An] enjoyable faith-filled adventure . . . Sawyer’s episodic narrative and rich assortment of characters fighting for freedom provide the story with many twists and unexpected side-plots.”—Publishers Weekly Indentured servant Fanny Beck has been forced to sing for riverboat passengers since she was a girl. All she wants is to live a quiet, humble life with her family as soon as her seven-year contract is over. So when she discovers that the captain has no intention of releasing her, she seizes a sudden opportunity to escape—an impulse that leads Fanny to a group of enslaved people who are on their own dangerous quest for liberty. . . . Widower Walter Kuhn is overwhelmed by his responsibilities to his farm and young daughter, and now his mail-order bride hasn’t arrived. Could a beautiful stranger seeking work be the answer to his prayers? . . . After the star performer of the River Peacock is presumed drowned, Sloan Kirkpatrick, the riverboat’s captain, sets off to find her replacement. However, his journey will bring him face to face with his own past—and a deeper understanding of what it truly means to be free. . . . Uplifting, inspiring, and grounded in biblical truth, Freedom’s Song is a story for every reader who has longed for physical, emotional, or spiritual delivery.

Download or read book Blameless written by Gail Carriger and published by Orbit. This book was released on 2010-09-01 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season in the third book of the NYT bestselling Parasol Protectorate series. Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead. While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires -- and they're armed with pesto. Blameless is the third book of the Parasol Protectorate series: a comedy of manners set in Victorian London, full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking.

Download or read book Prudence written by Gail Carriger and published by Orbit. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From NYT bestselling author Gail Carriger comes a witty adventure about a young woman with rare supernatural abilities travels to India for a spot of tea and adventure and finds she's bitten off more than she can chew. When Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama ("Rue" to her friends) is bequeathed an unexpected dirigible, she does what any sensible female under similar circumstances would do -- she christens it the Spotted Custard and floats off to India. Soon, she stumbles upon a plot involving local dissidents, a kidnapped brigadier's wife, and some awfully familiar Scottish werewolves. Faced with a dire crisis (and an embarrassing lack of bloomers), Rue must rely on her good breeding -- and her metanatural abilities -- to get to the bottom of it all. . .

Download or read book Household Politics written by Don Herzog and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-30 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contends that, though early modern English canonical sources and sermons often urge the subordination of women, this was not indicative of public life, and that husbands, wives and servants often struggled over authority in the household.

Download or read book The King s Mistress written by Gillian Bagwell and published by Avon Books. This book was released on 2012 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jane Lane leads a privileged life inside the walls of her family's home. At 25 years old, her parents are keen to see her settled, but Jane dreams of a union that goes beyond the handsome dowry her father desires. Her world is shattered when Royalists, fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II, arrive at their door.

Download or read book The Cherry Harvest written by Lucy Sanna and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2015-06-02 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A memorable coming-of-age story and love story, laced with suspense, which explores a hidden side of the home front during World War II, when German POWs were put to work in a Wisconsin farm community . . . with dark and unexpected consequences. The war has taken a toll on the Christiansen family. With food rationed and money scarce, Charlotte struggles to keep her family well fed. Her teenage daughter, Kate, raises rabbits to earn money for college and dreams of becoming a writer. Her husband, Thomas, struggles to keep the farm going while their son, and most of the other local men, are fighting in Europe. When their upcoming cherry harvest is threatened, strong-willed Charlotte helps persuade local authorities to allow German war prisoners from a nearby camp to pick the fruit. But when Thomas befriends one of the prisoners, a teacher named Karl, and invites him to tutor Kate, the implications of Charlotte’s decision become apparent—especially when she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Karl. So busy are they with the prisoners that Charlotte and Thomas fail to see that Kate is becoming a young woman, with dreams and temptations of her own—including a secret romance with the son of a wealthy, war-profiteering senator. And when their beloved Ben returns home, bitter and injured, bearing an intense hatred of Germans, Charlotte’s secrets threaten to explode their world.

Download or read book Red White Royal Blue written by Casey McQuiston and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2019-05-14 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: * Instant NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestseller * * GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD WINNER for BEST DEBUT and BEST ROMANCE of 2019 * * BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR* for VOGUE, NPR, VANITY FAIR, and more! * What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales? When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse. Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn't always diplomatic. "I took this with me wherever I went and stole every second I had to read! Absorbing, hilarious, tender, sexy—this book had everything I crave. I’m jealous of all the readers out there who still get to experience Red, White & Royal Blue for the first time!" - Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners "Red, White & Royal Blue is outrageously fun. It is romantic, sexy, witty, and thrilling. I loved every second." - Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six

Download or read book The Sound of Snow written by Katherine Kingsley and published by Diversion Publishing Corp.. This book was released on 2013-10-14 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Regency romance from the national bestselling author is “a true gem . . . A sheer delight. Guy is possibly one of the best heroes I’ve read in years” (The Book Nook). Despite having been driven from aristocratic English society in disgrace, Joanna is resolved to return to England after the death of her beloved cousin, Lydia. She is a woman on a mission, determined to rescue Lydia’s son from his father, the man Joanna suspects is responsible for Lydia’s untimely death. Guy de Salis, Marquess of Greaves, seems to be capable of anything. Joanna’s wit and passion leave Guy feeling uneasy. Despite his own misgivings, he invites her to be his son’s governess, an invitation Joanna warily accepts in order to better protect her family. What neither expects is to see the boy bloom under Joanna’s care, or for love to blossom in the most unlikely of circumstances. “A timeless tale of the miracle of true love which conquers all, heals all, and makes all new again. Add interesting characters, unexpected plot twists, and a touch of the supernatural, and the result is a memorable, feel-good read.” —All About Romance

Download or read book Forever Amber written by Kathleen Winsor and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 986 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The adventures of Amber St. Clare, the willful and beautiful illegitimate daughter of noble parents who was raised on a farm by people she knew as her aunt and uncle.