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Emily Braden has stopped believing in fairy tales and happy endings. When her fascinating but unreliable cousin Harry invites her on a holiday to explore the legendary town of Chinon, and promptly disappears - well, that's Harry for you. As Emily makes the acquaintance of Chinon and its people, she begins to uncover dark secrets beneath the charm.
Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea. Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it - not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.
The charm of spending the Christmas holidays in South Wales, with its crumbling castles and ancient myths, seems the perfect distraction from the nightmares that have plagued literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw since the loss of her baby five years ago. Instead she meets an emotionally fragile young widow who's convinced that Lyn's recurring dreams have drawn her to Castle Farm for an important purpose - and she's running out of time.
Acclaimed author Susanna Kearsley's previous works have won the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award, and finaled for both the UK Romantic Novel of the Year and the RITA awards.
Eva Ward is a modern woman thrown back three centuries to 1715 - only to find that might be exactly where she belongs. There, she finds true love with Daniel Butler, but the discord surrounding Hanoverian King George plunges the lovers into a world of intrigue, treason, and romance.
Juliet Beckett believes in destiny. When she moves into Greywethers, a beautiful 16th-century farmhouse, she suspects that more than coincidence has brought her there. The locals are warm and welcoming; especially the eligible squire of Crofton Hall, yet beneath the ordinaries, Julia senses a haunting sadness about her new home. Then she learns of Mariana, a beautiful young woman who lived there 300 years ago. It seems history has been waiting for Julia...
Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.
Emily Braden has stopped believing in fairy tales and happy endings. When her fascinating but unreliable cousin Harry invites her on a holiday to explore the legendary town of Chinon, and promptly disappears - well, that's Harry for you. As Emily makes the acquaintance of Chinon and its people, she begins to uncover dark secrets beneath the charm.
Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea. Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it - not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.
The charm of spending the Christmas holidays in South Wales, with its crumbling castles and ancient myths, seems the perfect distraction from the nightmares that have plagued literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw since the loss of her baby five years ago. Instead she meets an emotionally fragile young widow who's convinced that Lyn's recurring dreams have drawn her to Castle Farm for an important purpose - and she's running out of time.
Acclaimed author Susanna Kearsley's previous works have won the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice Award, and finaled for both the UK Romantic Novel of the Year and the RITA awards.
Eva Ward is a modern woman thrown back three centuries to 1715 - only to find that might be exactly where she belongs. There, she finds true love with Daniel Butler, but the discord surrounding Hanoverian King George plunges the lovers into a world of intrigue, treason, and romance.
Juliet Beckett believes in destiny. When she moves into Greywethers, a beautiful 16th-century farmhouse, she suspects that more than coincidence has brought her there. The locals are warm and welcoming; especially the eligible squire of Crofton Hall, yet beneath the ordinaries, Julia senses a haunting sadness about her new home. Then she learns of Mariana, a beautiful young woman who lived there 300 years ago. It seems history has been waiting for Julia...
Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.
Auction house appraiser Jude leaves London for her dream job at Starbrough Hall, an estate in the countryside, examining and pricing the manuscripts and instruments of an 18th-century astronomer. She is welcomed by Chantal Wickham, and Jude feels close to the old woman at once. Hard times have forced the Wickham family to sell the astronomer's work, their land, and with it, the timeworn tower that lies nearby. Jude's arrival brings a host of childhood memories. She meets Euan, a famed writer and naturalist who lives in the cottage at the foot of the tower, where Jude's grandfather once lived.
No one lives forever. But the truth survives us all. Kate Murray is deeply troubled. In front of her lies a dead man, a stranger who only minutes before had approached her wanting to tell her about a mystery, a long-forgotten murder. The crime was old, he'd told her, but still deserving of justice. Soon Kate is caught up in a dangerous whirlwind of events that takes her back into her grandmother's mysterious war-time past and across the Atlantic as she tries to retrace the dead man's footsteps.
In the early 1900s, the playwright Galeazzo D’Ascanio lived for Celia Sands. She was his muse and the inspiration for his most stunning and original play. But the night before she was to take the stage, Celia disappeared. Now, decades later, Alessandro D’Ascanio is preparing to stage the first performance of his grandfather’s masterpiece. A promising young actress - who shares Celia Sands’ name, but not her blood - has agreed to star. She is instantly drawn to the mysteries surrounding the play - and to her compelling, compassionate employer. And even though she knows she should let the past go, in her dreams it comes back.
From #1 New York Times-best-selling author Nora Roberts comes a novel of a woman who needs nothing, a man who sees everything, and the web of deceit, greed, and danger that brings them together - and that could tear them apart… As a professional house-sitter and freelance writer, nothing ties Lila Emerson down - not her work, not a home, and definitely not a relationship. She spends her life moving from one job to the next, sometimes crashing at a friend 's Manhattan apartment. And though she can appreciate her clients ' extraordinary homes, their expensive collections, and their adorable pets, Lila has never longed for possessions of her own. Everything she has, including her heart, is portable.
In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive.
As a young girl in 14th-century Norway, Kristin is deeply devoted to her father, Lavrans, a kind and courageous man. But when as a student in a convent school she meets the charming and impetuous Erlend Nikulaussøn, she defies her parents in pursuit of her own desires. Her saga continues through her marriage to Erlend, their tumultuous life together raising seven sons as Erlend seeks to strengthen his political influence, and finally their estrangement as the world around them tumbles into uncertainty.
Eloise Foley, known to her friends as Weezie, has been through the divorce from hell. Her ex-husband Tal (aka Talmadge Evans III) was awarded their house in Savannah's historic district, the house that Weezie had spent years painstakingly restoring to its original splendor. Weezie was awarded the two-bedroom carriage house on the same property. Each was sure the other would sell.
Nina Redmond is a librarian with a gift for finding the perfect books for her readers. But can she write her own happy ever after? In this valentine to readers, librarians, and book lovers the world over, the New York Times best-selling author of Little Beach Street Bakery returns with a funny, moving new novel for fans of Meg Donohue, Sophie Kinsella, and Nina George's The Little Paris Bookshop.
Years ago Flora fled the quiet Scottish island where she grew up - and she hasn't looked back. What would she have done on Mure? It's a place where everyone has known her all her life, where no one will let her forget the past. In bright, bustling London, she can be anonymous, ambitious...and hopelessly in love with her boss. But when fate brings Flora back to the island, she's suddenly swept once more into life with her brothers - all strapping, loud, and seemingly incapable of basic housework - and her father.
Seduction is quickly becoming the hottest new restaurant in Portland, and Addison Wade is proud to claim one-fifth of the credit. She's determined to make it a success and can't think of a better way to bring in new customers than live music. But when former rock star Jake Keller swaggers through the doors to apply for the weekend gig, she knows she's in trouble.
Caroline Maxwell would like nothing more than to join her brother, Eddie, and his friend Jack Culhane on their adventures. While Jack and Eddie are off seeing the world, buying up businesses and building wildly successful careers, Caroline's stuck at home frightening off the men her mother hopes will ask for her hand in marriage. When her mother sets her sights on the questionable Lord Bremerton as a possible suitor, Caroline struggles with her instincts and the true nature of her heart. She longs for adventure, passion, love, and most of all...Jack Culhane, an unconventional Irish-American bachelor with new money and no title.
Highland warrior Alexander Macpherson has lost his wife. When he agrees to take Kenna Mackay as his bride to advance his clan's power in the north, he expects a bit of an adjustment. He doesn't expect the sharp-tongued beauty to run away on their wedding night. Still, Alexander wants his runaway bride...and he has the sneaking suspicion that she wants him, too.
Beloved New York Times best-selling author Susanna Kearsley delivers a riveting novel that deftly intertwines the tales of two women, divided by centuries and forever changed by a clash of love and fate.
For nearly 300 years, the cryptic journal of Mary Dundas has kept its secrets. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas travels to Paris to crack the cipher.
Jacobite exile Mary Dundas is filled with longing - for freedom, for adventure, for the family she lost. When fate opens the door, Mary dares to set her foot on a path far more surprising and dangerous than she ever could have dreamed.
As Mary's gripping tale of rebellion and betrayal is revealed to her, Sara faces events in her own life that require letting go of everything she thought she knew - about herself, about loyalty, and especially about love. Though divided by centuries, these two women are united in a quest to discover the limits of trust and the unlikely coincidences of fate.
Any additional comments?
As kindly as possible, I would like to suggest the listener to turn the low and the treble off. The reason being Katherine, the narrator, in all respect for her art and hard work, reflects the chance she may have a full time tour guide position when not recording audiobooks. It would be such a benefit to narrate in her normal voice for the main character and use very gentle accents for those characters not British. Perhaps she is trying to depict the main character as a high-strung person who also happens to have a touch of Asperger's Syndrome, as described in the book. Respectfully, the constant tension and effort in speaking, as if accustomed to speaking in a higher-than-normal pitch to be heard over a noisy crowd, makes listening to her a great annoyance and I will refrain from purchasing another book with her narration. It pains me to speak so, but it truly bothers me enough to have to write this in a review in an effort to help further decision-making. My apologies for any offense, which will probably occur; my advise is well-meant.
59 of 64 people found this review helpful
I'm on a Scottish tangent right now... I read "Outlander" which was written beautifully and I enjoyed the history... but it was way too heavy on the romance for me. Then came "Winter Sea" by Kearsley, it was perfect and I loved the history in it. I snatched up "Desperate Fortune" expecting more of the same.
Honestly, I think the story was well written, the parallel lives of two women are woven together with one in the present decoding the journal of the one in the past... both experiencing similar situations. I loved the accurate historical fiction of the past part of it, but didn't like being snatched away from my favored past story and back into the present.
My complaint is with the narration. Katherine Kellgren is perfect in "The Royal Spyness" series where I envision the characters fitting the voices she uses. In this book I found myself flat out angry with her for ruining the story with prissy, forced and overdone voices. True the many characters, languages and accents in this book had to be challenging and she did settle down towards the end... but this is a book I would prefer to read rather than listen to again. So glad to have her out of my ear and wishing it was Davina Porter instead.
This book doesn't leave you dangling at a precipice, although it is clear there will be another journal to decode with the rest of the story of both women. It is a romance, but like "Winter Sea" it is light... definately a "chick lit" type of book.
64 of 71 people found this review helpful
Not too much, too little and lives in my heart, as the story became real to the author, both of the real life events told, and the imaginings in the authors mind as her narrator explains at the end. The narrator was incredible. Not written from one perspective, she manages to tell the tale and bring you in on more than one level. Not as a young woman, but as a watcher and teller of tales. A definite nod to the lead character that shares stories.
The heroine in our time, and I'm not giving anything away, is on the Autism Spectrum with Asperger's. I don't know how she got it so correct, but my son with moderate autism listened to this story, in part with me, and said, "that's what I do! That's how I feel!" It was not only a good explanation for me, but a breakthrough for him, he is thirteen, and now he wishes to learn to speak French and understand history. Brilliant.
That the author took a chance on one of her main characters having Asperger's and her deep empathy, with an impartiality that says she understands it, and that her publisher put this lovely story for publication, says remarkable things about all. The main character in our timeline, is just so well written, so explanatory, so dead on without being a caricature, makes me want to know more about Susanna Kearsley's real life and how she managed this. I was blown away.
I am enchanted by Susanna Kearsley's books and have never been disappointed. I cannot recommend this book more highly.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
What made the experience of listening to A Desperate Fortune the most enjoyable?
I love Susanna Kearsley's work - but this title has been ruined by a very jarring narrator. I could not settle down and enjoy - had to shut it off. So disappointed.
35 of 40 people found this review helpful
Would you try another book from Susanna Kearsley and/or Katherine Kellgren?
I am halfway through - the story is engaging thus far. the narrator is clearly working hard - but there are several french characters - and her version of a french accent is so terrible that it makes it hard to focus on the story. I am giving up because I just can't listen anymore.
Would you be willing to try another book from Susanna Kearsley? Why or why not?
yes - i have really loved some of her books
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Katherine Kellgren?
Not sure - and for the record I would listen to this narrator again provided that she does not take on fake french and spanish accents that ring false in addition to her lovely english and scottish ones. She is a good narrator overall - but would be a much better storyteller if she kept it simple.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and particular love the time period written in this story. I don't know exactly what the issue was; but, I had a hard time getting into this book.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
The narration was horrible - melodramatic and almost comical attempts at dialogue and accent.
I love historical fiction, but this was nothing more than a "romance" novel with no real context and setting of the historical times nor for that matter any real plot. Nor was the characterization of someone with Asperger's believable. I have read this author before but this was a real disappointment.
The only reason I did not the story one star was that the writing was lyrical at times.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have read several of Ms Kearsley's novels and have enjoyed them very much. This story is enjoyable, and follows her usual formula with past intermingling with the present. That being said, I had a hard time getting invested with these characters. I had listened to half of the book, before I really cared about what was happening with any of them. I can't put a finger on it, other than there was quite a bit of rambling on and on at times, and Mary's adventure wasn't much of an adventure. Our modern day translator, Sarah, was also a rather dull character.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I really liked the performance of the narrator. The story was enjoyable and easy to follow
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Loved the story. Am very partial to the Jacobite risings. Love how she wove characters in from Firebird. Bravo!
If you like Diana Gabaldon; Kate Morton; Jojo Moyes you will enjoy this.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful