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Featuring: Lady Julia Hazelton; Cal Carstairs
445 pages ISBN: 0373788541 EAN: 9780373788545 Kindle: B01BSGJ0JQ Trade Size / e-Book Add to Wish List
In 1926 England, Lady Julia Hazelton is a modern woman.
Julia has been in love twice and lost. Her beloved fiance,
6th Earl of Worthington, Anthony, was killed at Somme.
Before he left for the war, he and Julia made future plans
for Worthington Park, his cherished home. He made her
promise she would always take care of his estate and
tenants. Her second love was Dr. Dougal Campbell. Julia
was raised and trained to be mistress of a great estate. It
was social positions that forced them to break up. Dr.
Campbell went to London Hospital to pursue his career and
find a suitable doctor's wife. Julia is not looking for
marriage. She does not wish to marry a man just to be told
what to do. She wants to make a difference in the world.
She will preserve Anthony's legacy at Worthington Park and
work helping the widows of the war find work, businesses,
and keep their family together. When Anthony's brother,
John, commits suicide, the search for the 7th Earl of
Worthington begins.. Enter Calvin Urqhart Patrick
Carstairs, aka, Cal.
Cal is living a wild life and painting in Paris. He has
affairs with all his models and some married women too. He
is awakened with a hangover from partying the night before
and summoned to the offices of an attorney. The lawyer
informs Cal he has inherited a title, three estates, and a lot
of money. This all came from his family who never
acknowledged him before and did not think him worthy to lick
their boots. They disowned his father when he married
beneath him. When he died, his wife tried hard to keep her
two sons fed. When she asked for help from his family, they
refused. Cal decided one day he would get even. When he
receives the news of his inheritance, Cal decides to go to
Worthington Park and seek revenge. He has it all now
especially power. He is ready for payback.
Upon his arrival, his family is cold, unwelcoming and
frightened of him. They find him unacceptable. They cringe
at his manner of casual dress and find his manners unfitting
for an Earl. The only bright spot and warmth comes from
the beautiful Lady Julia Hazelton, a friend of the family.
Julia thinks he is the most handsome man she has ever seen.
When he comes near her and touches her, she hears "whoosh."
Is this what she has been waiting for? Is this love at
first sight?
Sharon Page tells a delicious story of England in the
dazzling 1920's filled with love, danger, lies, family
loyalties, and murders. Ms. Page addresses the many changes
in attitudes and culture during the era following World War
I. Julia is my kind of heroine and the pages sizzle when
she and Cal are together. "Whoosh!!"
I enjoyed many of the sub-plots of sweet brother David and
his love, Diana, and Julia's brother, Nigel and his
American heiress, Zoe. The mystery of the missing girls
lead to the murderer, who I guessed, was an added plus to
this pure reading delight, I look forward to reading more
from Sharon Page. Soon, I hope.
Sharon Page sparkles in this poignant and irresistibly entertaining follow-up to her breakout novel, An American Duchess Lady Julia Hazelton is the most dazzling among 1920s England's bright, young things. But rather than choosing the thrill of wanton adventure like so many of her contemporaries, Julia shocks society with her bold business aspirations. Determined to usher the cursed Worthington estate into a prosperous, modern new era, and thus preserve her beloved late fiancé's legacy, the willful Julia tackles her wildest, most unexpected adventure in Cal Carstairs, the reluctant new Earl of Worthington. The unconventional American artist threatens everything Julia seeks to protect while stirring desires she thought had died in the war. For reasons of his own, Cal has designed the ultimate revenge. Rather than see the estate prosper, he intends to destroy it. But their impulsive marriage—one that secures Julia's plans as well as Cal's secrets—proves that passion is ambition's greatest rival. Unless Cal ends his quest to satisfy his darkest vendetta, he stands to ruin his Worthington wife and all her glittering dreams.