The Ivory Duchess

by Delia Parr

As the Ivory Duchess, Kate was the darling of Europe. When the talented, aristocratic lady took the stage, has face hidden in veils, the crowds were swept away by the emotion her music evoked. None knew her personal pain or the fear her guardian inspired. When the chance comes, she escapes to America. But there's someone in the shadows, who could be either friend or foe.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

313 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

About the author

Delia is the author of fifteen historical novels who now devotes herself to writing inspirational historical romance. The mother of three grown children, she is a full-time high school teacher in southern New Jersey who spends her summers writing on Anna Maria Island in Florida.

Reviews

[Melissa Rhoads · Rating 2 out of 5]

A no-brainer. Story was a bit weak, but kept my interest. Not a book you have to read, but fluffy enough for an escape back in time.

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

For 5 years Kate has been appearing as the Ivory Duchess, concert pianist, across Europe and America. She performs with her face hidden by veils and rumors have given her a rather risque reputation. Her life is controlled by her manager, who also created the persona to increase revenues. When he refuses to let her retire and claims she has no money, she runs away. She applies to Maggie and Dolly Gresham for a position teaching piano. They take her on and she helps with their traveling instruction circuit throughout the small towns in Delaware Township, NJ. When a young jeweler rents a nearby house for the summer which has a pianoforte, he is intrigued enough to request instruction. However, Philip Massey is also incognito, searching for the Duchess. Everyone in this story has a hidden past. This started out really well and I liked the set up and the characters. But the last third of the book became repetitive and over explanatory. It just got tedious and I only kept reading to find out the hidden facts.

[Shellyrlarsongmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I read by Delia Parr. Mystery and humor.