Χάρτινο Αστέρι

by Mary-Rose Hayes

Συναντήθηκαν τυχαία σ’ ένα πάρτι. Ήταν τέσσερα άτομα, το καθένα με την προσωπική του ιστορία. Δύο άντρες και δύο γυναίκες με τραυματικό παρελθόν, προβληματικό παρόν και αβέβαιο μέλλον. Κοινό τους γνώρισμα η φιλοδοξία.

Η ταλαντούχα σκιτσογράφος Βέρα Μπράουν καταφεύγει στην Αμερική για να ξεφύγει από την πνιγηρή ατμόσφαιρα της οικογενειακής της ζωής. Η υπέροχη Τζο Μπεθ κρύβεται στη Νέα Υόρκη μετά από ένα σχεδόν θανατηφόρο κτύπημα που κατάφερε στον πατριό της όταν προσπάθησε να τη βιάσει. Η μοίρα έφερε και τις δυο στο δρόμο του Σέιντ, επιτυχημένου ήδη συγγραφέα, σ’ εκείνο το μοιραίο πάρτι…

Από τη συνάντηση αυτή θα γεννηθεί ένας δεσμός γύρω από τον οποίο θα συνυφανθούν τέσσερις δραματικές ιστορίες, τέσσερις ιστορίες παράλληλες και συμπλεκόμενες – με τρυφερούς έρωτες, έντονα πάθη, και δολοπλοκίες…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance

442 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1991

About the author

I lived in a remote English country rectory during and after World War II with limited radio, obviously no TV, and frequent power outages. Entertainment was story-telling, play-acting, reading aloud. I began to write stories when I was six years old, and never stopped.

My new novel, WHAT SHE HAD TO DO, draws to some extent on this background. It concerns a young woman’s desperate choice in post-war England, and its catastrophic effects through three generations of a family. It was fifteen years in the writing, with several lengthy interruptions including two 'time-outs' for political thrillers written with Senator Barbara Boxer. These 'time-outs', however, proved to be blessings and let in the light. I realized I’d broken a major rule of story-telling and the characters, drawn far too close to real people, seemed lifeless. They are now created from whole cloth and hopefully are credible and sympathetic.

Other matters: I'm married and live in Northern California, love choral singing, theater, off-the-grid travel, and especially sailing in a small boat far from land!

Reviews

[Tevilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite kind of no-brainer format--the coming together of friends (Vera, Saint and JB) and what happens to them. This wasn't a story that required concentration --I read it in two days. Always a happy ending, girl gets her boy who finally opened his eyes to her.

[Antzo Leta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book,one of my favorites. It's not entirely easy to read. Or maybe if you start it you need to finish it soon so you won't forget the details of a character. Since it's a book that gives you the lives of 4 people, and their side characters, to see them all end up happy together in the end.

[NatalyaVqs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great fast read, really grabs you. Having read two Hayes books already and liking her style, I found this one stretched reality a bit more than others to make for quickly evolving plot.