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Susitiksime Paryžiuje
„Susitiksime Paryžiuje“ skirtas vienos gražiausių ir labiausiai pašėlusių pasaulio moterų – Gladys Deacon, Molboro hercogienės – gyvenimo istorijai. Jaunystėje ji keitė meilužius kaip pirštines, erzino Winstoną Churchillį, bendravo su daugybe garsiausių XX a. pradžios menininkų ir politikų. Tai ją nutapė Giovanni Boldini, vienas garsiausių Belle Époque portretistų. Tačiau ar gali būti, kad sena moteris, apleistoje sodyboje šaudanti į aplinkinius ir veisianti spanielius, – tai ji, garsioji anų laikų hercogienė?
To klausia ir jauna naivi amerikietė Pru Valentain, netekusi sužadėtinio Vietnamo kare ir iš nevilties sutikusi prižiūrėti pamišusia laikomą seną moterį Anglijoje. Atvykusi į sodybą, ji iš pradžių pasigaili, tačiau senoji moteris sąmoju ir charakterio tvirtumu ima ją žavėti. Netrukus pasirodo ir rašytojas Vinas, atvykęs rašyti hercogienės biografijos. Bet senoji moteris jokiu būdu neprisipažįsta esanti žymioji hercogienė...
O po trisdešimties metų kita ką tik susižadėjusi jauna amerikietė Anė Heili atvyksta į tą patį kaimelį drauge su mama, kuriai reikia sutvarkyti palikimo reikalus. Atsitiktinai į rankas pakliuvusi hercogienės biografija Anei ima kelti vis daugiau klausimų: ką apie hercogienę žino jos mama? kas visgi buvo Anės tėvas? kodėl mama vengia jai pasakoti apie savo praeitį?
Anės siekis sužinoti tiesą apie hercogienę ir apie savo praeitį nuveda ją į Paryžių – miestą, kuris atliko lemiamą vaidmenį visų šios istorijos veikėjų gyvenimuose. Miestą, kuriame slypi atsakymai į visus klausimus.
To klausia ir jauna naivi amerikietė Pru Valentain, netekusi sužadėtinio Vietnamo kare ir iš nevilties sutikusi prižiūrėti pamišusia laikomą seną moterį Anglijoje. Atvykusi į sodybą, ji iš pradžių pasigaili, tačiau senoji moteris sąmoju ir charakterio tvirtumu ima ją žavėti. Netrukus pasirodo ir rašytojas Vinas, atvykęs rašyti hercogienės biografijos. Bet senoji moteris jokiu būdu neprisipažįsta esanti žymioji hercogienė...
O po trisdešimties metų kita ką tik susižadėjusi jauna amerikietė Anė Heili atvyksta į tą patį kaimelį drauge su mama, kuriai reikia sutvarkyti palikimo reikalus. Atsitiktinai į rankas pakliuvusi hercogienės biografija Anei ima kelti vis daugiau klausimų: ką apie hercogienę žino jos mama? kas visgi buvo Anės tėvas? kodėl mama vengia jai pasakoti apie savo praeitį?
Anės siekis sužinoti tiesą apie hercogienę ir apie savo praeitį nuveda ją į Paryžių – miestą, kuris atliko lemiamą vaidmenį visų šios istorijos veikėjų gyvenimuose. Miestą, kuriame slypi atsakymai į visus klausimus.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 2016
384 people are currently reading
7429 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Gable
13 books1,539 followersMichelle Gable is the New York Times Bestselling author of A PARIS APARTMENT, I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS, THE BOOK OF SUMMER, and THE SUMMER I MET JACK.
Michelle grew up in San Diego and attended The College of William & Mary, where she majored in accounting, as most aspiring writers do. After a twenty-year career in finance, Michelle now writes full-time. She lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, with her husband, two daughters, and what is quickly becoming a menagerie: one cat, one bunny, and a lab/jindo mix recently rescued from the dog meat trade in Thailand.
Michelle can be reached at www.michellegable.com or on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest at @MGableWriter.
Michelle grew up in San Diego and attended The College of William & Mary, where she majored in accounting, as most aspiring writers do. After a twenty-year career in finance, Michelle now writes full-time. She lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, with her husband, two daughters, and what is quickly becoming a menagerie: one cat, one bunny, and a lab/jindo mix recently rescued from the dog meat trade in Thailand.
Michelle can be reached at www.michellegable.com or on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest at @MGableWriter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 680 reviews
October 7, 2015
Dear Reader,
I came across Gladys Deacon when researching my first novel, A PARIS APARTMENT, which was based on the real-life discovery of an abandoned apartment in Paris. Inside this home was a previously unknown Giovanni Boldini portrait, which eventually sold for over €2 million at auction.
While digging into Boldini’s life, I studied the luminaries he brought to canvas and one woman outshone them all, her background more colorful than the painting itself. This woman was Gladys Deacon, the Duchess of Marlborough. I knew she had to be the heart of my next novel.
The so-called “Dazzling Miss Deacon” was privileged, but no one could accuse her of being sheltered. As I wrote in the book:
By age ten Gladys Deacon had lived in four different countries.
At eleven she was placed in the custody of a convicted murderer. She was kidnapped at twelve.
At sixteen she debuted in London where she met her future husband, who was already married.
By twenty-one she was living independently in Paris, in an apartment she owned alone.
In 1906, at the age of twenty-five, Gladys cemented her friendship with Marcel Proust, which led to friendships with the most eminent writers of the era: Hardy, Wharton, Waugh. And of course Henry James.
Then there were the men, her incalculable lovers, too many to list as the index to a book should never be longer than the story itself. It suffices to say that by the time she married, Gladys had run through a roster of bachelors, eligible and otherwise…For a time [Gladys] was engaged to the Crown Prince of Prussia, a tall, blond, shy sally of a man. The arrangement fell apart because she was not a princess and did not like being reminded of it. A shame, that. Their marriage would’ve created a German-American alliance and, they say, prevented the First World War.
As with my first book, I used these nuggets of truth to create my story, winding together Gladys’s life with the tales of two fictional characters: a young woman who’s just lost her fiancé in the Vietnam War and a recent college graduate living in Virginia shortly after 9/11. I had tremendous fun getting to know all three of these women.
In the words of Virginia Woolf: “One does fall in love with the Duchess of Marlborough. I did at once.” I know exactly what she means. After all, this is a woman who insisted: “I was not born. I happened.”
I truly hope you enjoy the read!
xoxo,
Michelle
I came across Gladys Deacon when researching my first novel, A PARIS APARTMENT, which was based on the real-life discovery of an abandoned apartment in Paris. Inside this home was a previously unknown Giovanni Boldini portrait, which eventually sold for over €2 million at auction.
While digging into Boldini’s life, I studied the luminaries he brought to canvas and one woman outshone them all, her background more colorful than the painting itself. This woman was Gladys Deacon, the Duchess of Marlborough. I knew she had to be the heart of my next novel.
The so-called “Dazzling Miss Deacon” was privileged, but no one could accuse her of being sheltered. As I wrote in the book:
By age ten Gladys Deacon had lived in four different countries.
At eleven she was placed in the custody of a convicted murderer. She was kidnapped at twelve.
At sixteen she debuted in London where she met her future husband, who was already married.
By twenty-one she was living independently in Paris, in an apartment she owned alone.
In 1906, at the age of twenty-five, Gladys cemented her friendship with Marcel Proust, which led to friendships with the most eminent writers of the era: Hardy, Wharton, Waugh. And of course Henry James.
Then there were the men, her incalculable lovers, too many to list as the index to a book should never be longer than the story itself. It suffices to say that by the time she married, Gladys had run through a roster of bachelors, eligible and otherwise…For a time [Gladys] was engaged to the Crown Prince of Prussia, a tall, blond, shy sally of a man. The arrangement fell apart because she was not a princess and did not like being reminded of it. A shame, that. Their marriage would’ve created a German-American alliance and, they say, prevented the First World War.
As with my first book, I used these nuggets of truth to create my story, winding together Gladys’s life with the tales of two fictional characters: a young woman who’s just lost her fiancé in the Vietnam War and a recent college graduate living in Virginia shortly after 9/11. I had tremendous fun getting to know all three of these women.
In the words of Virginia Woolf: “One does fall in love with the Duchess of Marlborough. I did at once.” I know exactly what she means. After all, this is a woman who insisted: “I was not born. I happened.”
I truly hope you enjoy the read!
xoxo,
Michelle
November 16, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
I have to say first off that the cover to this book is beautiful! The cover is what grabbed me from the beginning and then I read the blurb and thought I would like this and I certainly did.
Buy the end of the book I was rushing to see what was going on, I thought I had it figured out.. but nope.. I was wrong. Now I have to figure out what to say without spoilers :)
Laurel Haley and her daughter Annie are going to England to take care of some business. Well, this throws Annie for a loop because the business is some property her mom inherited there and didn't even tell Annie all of these years.
Annie works with her mom at Laurel's farm where she has horses she uses for medically challenged children to ride. I think this is wonderful. Annie finished college but didn't do anything further and she's getting married to Eric who is a Marine and going overseas. This is not too long after 9/11.
While the women are packing, Annie spies a blue book her mother stuck in a box. Well you know she had to dig it out and it was a story about the Duchess of Marlborough. Annie begins to read the book and tries to get information from her mother about the book, but her mother plays dumb.
When they get to England, Laurel pretty much leaves Annie on her own while she tries to set affairs in order. Annie continues to read the book and we get to look into the life of Gladys Deacon. Annie starts reading the book in a pub down the road from the Banbury Inn where she and her mom are staying. She happens to meet Gus, who seems to know all about the book a whole lot more about the Duchess.
We get to meet the wonderful Duchess of Marlborough, known as Gladys Deacon, but was called Mrs. Spencer.. yeah, I know..
The author gives some great information about Gladys in her book and on Goodreads. Anyway, she was a character in live and on the pages. I just loved her. She told it like it was, toted a shot gun, and many other things I don't want to give away.
Pru is a young lady that comes to be a caretaker/assistant to Gladys and let me tell you, that was a ride Pru never got off of :) It was hilarious!
There was a writer come to try to compile a book about Gladys, this was even more hilarious with him trying to talk to her.
••••••••••••••
WS: Note to manuscript. Mrs. Spencer smacked the table when she said the word "welcome."
GD: That table won't be the only thing smacked if you don't knock it off.
WS: Mrs. Spencer, please continue.
GD: I can't! I've completely lost my mind
WS: Most would agree.
That was a little part of an interview with Mrs. Spencer/Gladys. They went like this and they were so funny.
•••••••••••••••
So Pru and the writer get along most of the time. I don't want to give out too many names in case someone figures something out. LOL
So the story goes back and forth between what happened in the past with Gladys, Pru and the writer, to Annie and Gus talking about the book.
There is a lot of mystery to this book. I think it was beautifully written and the characters are rich and I loved most of them. This is the first book I have read from this author and not the last.
Everything comes out in the end. Annie finds out who her father is.. old flames find either other again.. mysteries become solved.
And one couple lives happily ever after in Paris :) Fin
*I would like to thank NETGALLEY and ST. MARTIN'S PRESS for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.*
I have to say first off that the cover to this book is beautiful! The cover is what grabbed me from the beginning and then I read the blurb and thought I would like this and I certainly did.
Buy the end of the book I was rushing to see what was going on, I thought I had it figured out.. but nope.. I was wrong. Now I have to figure out what to say without spoilers :)
Laurel Haley and her daughter Annie are going to England to take care of some business. Well, this throws Annie for a loop because the business is some property her mom inherited there and didn't even tell Annie all of these years.
Annie works with her mom at Laurel's farm where she has horses she uses for medically challenged children to ride. I think this is wonderful. Annie finished college but didn't do anything further and she's getting married to Eric who is a Marine and going overseas. This is not too long after 9/11.
While the women are packing, Annie spies a blue book her mother stuck in a box. Well you know she had to dig it out and it was a story about the Duchess of Marlborough. Annie begins to read the book and tries to get information from her mother about the book, but her mother plays dumb.
When they get to England, Laurel pretty much leaves Annie on her own while she tries to set affairs in order. Annie continues to read the book and we get to look into the life of Gladys Deacon. Annie starts reading the book in a pub down the road from the Banbury Inn where she and her mom are staying. She happens to meet Gus, who seems to know all about the book a whole lot more about the Duchess.
We get to meet the wonderful Duchess of Marlborough, known as Gladys Deacon, but was called Mrs. Spencer.. yeah, I know..
The author gives some great information about Gladys in her book and on Goodreads. Anyway, she was a character in live and on the pages. I just loved her. She told it like it was, toted a shot gun, and many other things I don't want to give away.
Pru is a young lady that comes to be a caretaker/assistant to Gladys and let me tell you, that was a ride Pru never got off of :) It was hilarious!
There was a writer come to try to compile a book about Gladys, this was even more hilarious with him trying to talk to her.
••••••••••••••
WS: Note to manuscript. Mrs. Spencer smacked the table when she said the word "welcome."
GD: That table won't be the only thing smacked if you don't knock it off.
WS: Mrs. Spencer, please continue.
GD: I can't! I've completely lost my mind
WS: Most would agree.
That was a little part of an interview with Mrs. Spencer/Gladys. They went like this and they were so funny.
•••••••••••••••
So Pru and the writer get along most of the time. I don't want to give out too many names in case someone figures something out. LOL
So the story goes back and forth between what happened in the past with Gladys, Pru and the writer, to Annie and Gus talking about the book.
There is a lot of mystery to this book. I think it was beautifully written and the characters are rich and I loved most of them. This is the first book I have read from this author and not the last.
Everything comes out in the end. Annie finds out who her father is.. old flames find either other again.. mysteries become solved.
And one couple lives happily ever after in Paris :) Fin
*I would like to thank NETGALLEY and ST. MARTIN'S PRESS for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.*
February 20, 2017
Нали знаете за синдрома на критичния втори роман? Случва се с много автори, чийто дебют е бил толкова звезден, че ги е изстрелял в космоса на бестселъровите класации и е спечелил на тяхна страна и читателите, и литературната преса. И тогава се проявява синдрома на критичния втори роман. Случайност ли е бил успеха на първия или плод на упорит труд и истински талант? Може ли да бъде повторен и то в достатъчно кратък срок, че да не загуби автора инерция, но в същото време - достатъчно дълъг, че да не "пресоли манджата".
Е, Мишел Гейбъл се е справила със задачата повече от феноменално. В "Ще се видим в Париж" са туширани минусите на "Парижкият апартамент". И въпреки че в началото съвременните героини Лоръл и Ани изглеждат малко плоски, едва ли не като подпори за историческата линия в романа, след първите една две глави придобиват плътност, а в края на романа са просто очарователни.
Харесва ми как Гейбъл е избрала да разкаже историята. "Ще се видим в Париж" прилича на паяжина от литература, история, истина и измислица, в която читателят попада и дори не иска да се измъкне. Обвързването на истории от различни епохи, които прекъсват винаги на най-интересното място, за да ни върнат в наши дни, е похват, който Гейбъл, като една съвременна Шехерезада, е усвоила до съвършенство. Хареса ми как всичко започва с опърпана, стара книга и завършва с имейл :)
Не знам до колко адекватно на историята е представен образът на Гладис Дийкън (госпожа Спенсър), но нека не забравяме, че жанрът на романа позволява сюжетните пробойни да бъдат запълнени с фикция.
В крайна сметка "Ще се видим в Париж" може да не е "голяма" литература, но е прекрасно разказана история, която дразни въображението и вълнува сърцето.
Е, Мишел Гейбъл се е справила със задачата повече от феноменално. В "Ще се видим в Париж" са туширани минусите на "Парижкият апартамент". И въпреки че в началото съвременните героини Лоръл и Ани изглеждат малко плоски, едва ли не като подпори за историческата линия в романа, след първите една две глави придобиват плътност, а в края на романа са просто очарователни.
Харесва ми как Гейбъл е избрала да разкаже историята. "Ще се видим в Париж" прилича на паяжина от литература, история, истина и измислица, в която читателят попада и дори не иска да се измъкне. Обвързването на истории от различни епохи, които прекъсват винаги на най-интересното място, за да ни върнат в наши дни, е похват, който Гейбъл, като една съвременна Шехерезада, е усвоила до съвършенство. Хареса ми как всичко започва с опърпана, стара книга и завършва с имейл :)
Не знам до колко адекватно на историята е представен образът на Гладис Дийкън (госпожа Спенсър), но нека не забравяме, че жанрът на романа позволява сюжетните пробойни да бъдат запълнени с фикция.
В крайна сметка "Ще се видим в Париж" може да не е "голяма" литература, но е прекрасно разказана история, която дразни въображението и вълнува сърцето.
February 13, 2017
What was the intrigue and what was the secret about the book Annie always wanted to read but never did?
Why was her mother so evasive about that book, The Missing Duchess, and who was the Duchess of Marlborough?
Why did she and her mother really go to London?
Would the book and their trip to London reveal secrets in Annie's life?
We follow Annie in present day and Pru, Win, and The Duchess (Mrs. Spencer) in the not so distant past.
Annie meets a British citizen who knew The Duchess, Pru, and Win. Pru is the caregiver for the feisty Duchess. Win is the author who wrote the book about The Duchess who claims she really isn't a Duchess. Getting the story for his book was difficult for Win because The Duchess kept her life under wraps.
Annie gets the low down about all three characters from a British citizen, Gus, and she also trespasses into the house The Duchess lived in.
I enjoyed Annie's trips into the the house. I always love finding secrets and finding treasures from the past.
I enjoyed the back and forth in time and the "real time" story from Pru, The Duchess, and Win.
The characters in I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS were quirky and fun. I loved The Duchess...she was a character.
I like this quote that was inside the book:
"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust
I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS was very light and enjoyable with memorable characters and was well researched. I love the cover and the revelations at the end.
I do have to say the book was a bit confusing at times, but it is oh so good and so very creative.
ENJOY!! 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Why was her mother so evasive about that book, The Missing Duchess, and who was the Duchess of Marlborough?
Why did she and her mother really go to London?
Would the book and their trip to London reveal secrets in Annie's life?
We follow Annie in present day and Pru, Win, and The Duchess (Mrs. Spencer) in the not so distant past.
Annie meets a British citizen who knew The Duchess, Pru, and Win. Pru is the caregiver for the feisty Duchess. Win is the author who wrote the book about The Duchess who claims she really isn't a Duchess. Getting the story for his book was difficult for Win because The Duchess kept her life under wraps.
Annie gets the low down about all three characters from a British citizen, Gus, and she also trespasses into the house The Duchess lived in.
I enjoyed Annie's trips into the the house. I always love finding secrets and finding treasures from the past.
I enjoyed the back and forth in time and the "real time" story from Pru, The Duchess, and Win.
The characters in I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS were quirky and fun. I loved The Duchess...she was a character.
I like this quote that was inside the book:
"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust
I'LL SEE YOU IN PARIS was very light and enjoyable with memorable characters and was well researched. I love the cover and the revelations at the end.
I do have to say the book was a bit confusing at times, but it is oh so good and so very creative.
ENJOY!! 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
May 10, 2017
Michelle Gable returns following her smashing debut, A Paris Apartment, where we met two unforgettable women, with I’LL SEE YOU IN PARIS, she again blends, beautifully fact and fiction with two time periods, for an unforgettable journey!
Based on a true story, weaving together the life of Gladys Deacon, the Duchess of Marlborough with tales of two women: A young woman (Pru) who’s just lost her fiancé in the Vietnam War in the 1970s, and a recent college graduate (Annie) living in Virginia shortly after 9/11 in 2001.
Nineteen-year-old Laurel Haley takes a job in England, after losing her fiancé in the Vietnam War. Later she meets a man and they go to Paris.
Thirty years later, (as the book opens) in Middleburg, Virginia, Laurel’s daughter Annie is engaged to Eric, and he is going off to war. Her mother is concerned about this arrangement. Annie is questioning her father, grandparents, aunts and uncles. As far as Annie knew their family tree was mostly barren, woefully branchless. She did not have siblings, and neither did her mom. What about her dad’s tree?
Mother and daughter are off to England to take care of some business, for Laurel’s retirement (an inheritance), which of course Annie knew nothing of. Her mom does not seem to be very forthcoming with answers.
Prior to leaving, Annie discovers a mysterious box of documents and an ancient blue book. The Missing Duchess. A mysterious book and Annie’s quest to understand. Off to the Banbury Inn, Oxfordshire England. What in the heck? Did her mom have a secret past? She is so secretive and vague.
Gladys Marie Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1881–1977), was an American socialite. She was the mistress and later the second wife of Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. Born to a wealthy Newport family, the dazzling Miss Deacon though privileged, no one would accuse her of being sheltered.
• By age ten Gladys Deacon had lived in four different countries.
• At eleven she was placed in the custody of a convicted murderer.
• She was kidnapped at twelve and in the middle of a worldwide murder scandal.
• At fourteen, she declared her love for the Duke of Marlborough, her future husband
• At sixteen she debuted in London where she met her future husband, who was already married.
• By twenty she was living independently in Paris, in an apartment, she owned alone.
In 1906, at the age of twenty-five, Gladys cemented her friendship with Marcel Proust, which led to friendships with the most eminent writers of the era: Hardy, Wharton, Waugh. And of course Henry James. The men, the lovers, a pending marriage fell apart. What happened to the duchess? Did she vanish?
Her husband died, and she disappeared from her palace in the 1930s and turns up in the English countryside in the 1970s.
Back to Laurel and Annie: When they get to England, Laurel gets busy with sorting out her affairs, and leaves Annie time to read and explore the life of the mysterious Gladys Deacon. While reading she meets Gus, an older guy in a nearby pub. He seems to know a lot of history. She soon learns the lady in question, was a hot topic; one with spooky blue eyes who ran round Banbury helter-skelter, shooting guns and shouting obscenities. She called herself Mrs. Spencer.
“The dens of the mad often hold the greatest riches.”
The best part— Gus tells the story from Newport, a decade before Annie was born. Pru, nineteen, a bookish girl who left university after a year to get married. When she learned there would be no marriage, (Charlie died in Vietnam), she sees an ad White Collar Girl Needed in Oxfordshire, England as a personal assistant for a cultured older woman with the requirements: love literature and the English countryside—salary plus free board. She was hired. The perfect gal for the job.
Let the fun begin at the Grange. (a run-down monstrosity). The eccentric old lady had been living independently at ninety-plus years. A recluse. (love her) Tom a displaced Polish man, a handyman in the barn. Win Seton is a writer who is convinced Mrs. Spencer is Marlborough, attempting to write a story.
Flashing back and forth Annie digs deeper into the background to learn more about the fascinating Duchess of Marlborough’s past. Quite interesting and scandalous. . .
Soon Anna learns the connection ---to her own past, and the journey finally gets to magical Paris, with an adventurous side tour. From witty, mysterious, quirky, charming, and intriguing-- infused with rich history and literary sparks from the endless collection of the eccentric duchess quotes.
I love mysteries and hidden dark family secrets. I’ve always wondered what secrets my parents or grandparents have in their past. Historical fans will delight--and those intrigued by the intelligent woman who inspired this lovely tale. Gable sticks closely to the real facts and takes liberties where needed with some pleasant surprises. The author recommends further reading and references if you want to know more about the most beautiful and tempestuous woman.
Well-researched, complex and moving…A nice mother-daughter relationship. Beautiful settings, and a stunning cover-- once again. Gable’s passion shines through the pages, as the characters come alive for an engaging read! Fans of Kate Morton’s The Lake House and Beatriz Williams will enjoy. If you have not read, A Paris Apartment, highly recommend. (Still on the top bestseller list).
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press/ Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
JDCMustReadBooks
Based on a true story, weaving together the life of Gladys Deacon, the Duchess of Marlborough with tales of two women: A young woman (Pru) who’s just lost her fiancé in the Vietnam War in the 1970s, and a recent college graduate (Annie) living in Virginia shortly after 9/11 in 2001.
Nineteen-year-old Laurel Haley takes a job in England, after losing her fiancé in the Vietnam War. Later she meets a man and they go to Paris.
Thirty years later, (as the book opens) in Middleburg, Virginia, Laurel’s daughter Annie is engaged to Eric, and he is going off to war. Her mother is concerned about this arrangement. Annie is questioning her father, grandparents, aunts and uncles. As far as Annie knew their family tree was mostly barren, woefully branchless. She did not have siblings, and neither did her mom. What about her dad’s tree?
Mother and daughter are off to England to take care of some business, for Laurel’s retirement (an inheritance), which of course Annie knew nothing of. Her mom does not seem to be very forthcoming with answers.
Prior to leaving, Annie discovers a mysterious box of documents and an ancient blue book. The Missing Duchess. A mysterious book and Annie’s quest to understand. Off to the Banbury Inn, Oxfordshire England. What in the heck? Did her mom have a secret past? She is so secretive and vague.
Gladys Marie Spencer-Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1881–1977), was an American socialite. She was the mistress and later the second wife of Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. Born to a wealthy Newport family, the dazzling Miss Deacon though privileged, no one would accuse her of being sheltered.
• By age ten Gladys Deacon had lived in four different countries.
• At eleven she was placed in the custody of a convicted murderer.
• She was kidnapped at twelve and in the middle of a worldwide murder scandal.
• At fourteen, she declared her love for the Duke of Marlborough, her future husband
• At sixteen she debuted in London where she met her future husband, who was already married.
• By twenty she was living independently in Paris, in an apartment, she owned alone.
In 1906, at the age of twenty-five, Gladys cemented her friendship with Marcel Proust, which led to friendships with the most eminent writers of the era: Hardy, Wharton, Waugh. And of course Henry James. The men, the lovers, a pending marriage fell apart. What happened to the duchess? Did she vanish?
Her husband died, and she disappeared from her palace in the 1930s and turns up in the English countryside in the 1970s.
Back to Laurel and Annie: When they get to England, Laurel gets busy with sorting out her affairs, and leaves Annie time to read and explore the life of the mysterious Gladys Deacon. While reading she meets Gus, an older guy in a nearby pub. He seems to know a lot of history. She soon learns the lady in question, was a hot topic; one with spooky blue eyes who ran round Banbury helter-skelter, shooting guns and shouting obscenities. She called herself Mrs. Spencer.
“The dens of the mad often hold the greatest riches.”
The best part— Gus tells the story from Newport, a decade before Annie was born. Pru, nineteen, a bookish girl who left university after a year to get married. When she learned there would be no marriage, (Charlie died in Vietnam), she sees an ad White Collar Girl Needed in Oxfordshire, England as a personal assistant for a cultured older woman with the requirements: love literature and the English countryside—salary plus free board. She was hired. The perfect gal for the job.
Let the fun begin at the Grange. (a run-down monstrosity). The eccentric old lady had been living independently at ninety-plus years. A recluse. (love her) Tom a displaced Polish man, a handyman in the barn. Win Seton is a writer who is convinced Mrs. Spencer is Marlborough, attempting to write a story.
Flashing back and forth Annie digs deeper into the background to learn more about the fascinating Duchess of Marlborough’s past. Quite interesting and scandalous. . .
Soon Anna learns the connection ---to her own past, and the journey finally gets to magical Paris, with an adventurous side tour. From witty, mysterious, quirky, charming, and intriguing-- infused with rich history and literary sparks from the endless collection of the eccentric duchess quotes.
I love mysteries and hidden dark family secrets. I’ve always wondered what secrets my parents or grandparents have in their past. Historical fans will delight--and those intrigued by the intelligent woman who inspired this lovely tale. Gable sticks closely to the real facts and takes liberties where needed with some pleasant surprises. The author recommends further reading and references if you want to know more about the most beautiful and tempestuous woman.
Well-researched, complex and moving…A nice mother-daughter relationship. Beautiful settings, and a stunning cover-- once again. Gable’s passion shines through the pages, as the characters come alive for an engaging read! Fans of Kate Morton’s The Lake House and Beatriz Williams will enjoy. If you have not read, A Paris Apartment, highly recommend. (Still on the top bestseller list).
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press/ Thomas Dunne and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
JDCMustReadBooks
February 7, 2017
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
I'll See You in Paris intrigued me and made me curious, but it fell a little flat in the end.
When I read the summary for I'll See You in Paris, I thought I would get a pretty solid mystery, spanning over three decades, and jumping between the present and the past. There was a mystery, but it wasn't all that mysterious, and while I enjoyed the beginning, the story dragged on, and I felt like both Annie and Laurel were doing their best to not share what they were up to. And that just didn't work for me - this daughter and mother were supposed to be very close, however, Laurel had kept something very important a secret from Annie all her life.
Because most of the story unfolded in a small town in England, I expected to feel like I went traveling with the protagonists of I'll See You In Paris. That didn't really happen, though, as the action happened either inside an inn, or in an old house. And there were very few characters to make the story move forward. I almost skipped to the very end to see if I was right about things, but I still managed to read the story in the right order.
There really was nothing special about I'll See You in Paris. I wasn't transported anywhere with the characters, and even Paris wasn't a big part of the story. Switching between the past and the present, one of the characters told Annie the past story and shared some of the mystery with her. Written in third person point of view, past tense, and with lots of dialogues, the writing itself was good - it was the pace and the characters that made it difficult for me to feel invested.
But despite these things going for her, going for them, there remained a hole, a slow leak of something Annie couldn't quite explain.
"Annie, every story has a pace," Gus said. "Including Mrs. Spencer's, and Win's. I can't just vomit it all up in one go. As a devotee of literature, you should know this implicitly."
I'll See You in Paris intrigued me and made me curious, but it fell a little flat in the end.
When I read the summary for I'll See You in Paris, I thought I would get a pretty solid mystery, spanning over three decades, and jumping between the present and the past. There was a mystery, but it wasn't all that mysterious, and while I enjoyed the beginning, the story dragged on, and I felt like both Annie and Laurel were doing their best to not share what they were up to. And that just didn't work for me - this daughter and mother were supposed to be very close, however, Laurel had kept something very important a secret from Annie all her life.
Because most of the story unfolded in a small town in England, I expected to feel like I went traveling with the protagonists of I'll See You In Paris. That didn't really happen, though, as the action happened either inside an inn, or in an old house. And there were very few characters to make the story move forward. I almost skipped to the very end to see if I was right about things, but I still managed to read the story in the right order.
There really was nothing special about I'll See You in Paris. I wasn't transported anywhere with the characters, and even Paris wasn't a big part of the story. Switching between the past and the present, one of the characters told Annie the past story and shared some of the mystery with her. Written in third person point of view, past tense, and with lots of dialogues, the writing itself was good - it was the pace and the characters that made it difficult for me to feel invested.
But despite these things going for her, going for them, there remained a hole, a slow leak of something Annie couldn't quite explain.
"Annie, every story has a pace," Gus said. "Including Mrs. Spencer's, and Win's. I can't just vomit it all up in one go. As a devotee of literature, you should know this implicitly."
August 21, 2020
30% прочетох. Не мога повече да се мъча и напъвам да ми стане интересно. Исках да ходя в Париж, а се забих в някаква Английска провинция.
Дотук с летните четива. Завръщам се към сериозните книги.
Дотук с летните четива. Завръщам се към сериозните книги.
February 6, 2017
Copy received through NetGalley
I am in love with the voice Mrs. Gable gives her characters. I can’t wait for her next release.
Find the review here
I am in love with the voice Mrs. Gable gives her characters. I can’t wait for her next release.
Find the review here
May 24, 2017
This was a unique story and even better because it's based on a true story of a woman who was the Duchess of Marlborough. It's not at all what I was expecting and there was a twist in the story at the end that I never saw coming. It's well written, a bit crazy at times and fascinating for sure. I will say the beginning started great, the middle got a little draggy but then the ending picked way up and left me feeling happy I'd read it. I'm now going to read this author's other book, The Paris Apartment.
January 29, 2016
A light hearted book with an interesting premise. The story telling is difficult to follow and the characters seem shallow.
December 8, 2015
Chick Lit I need likeable characters!!!
Argh! The main character is supposed to be a 22 year old English Lit graduate, yet she has the attitude and linguistic skill of an eighth grader. This would be better categorized as YA.
Plus, every character in the book, with the exception of Gladys, is timid to the point of trembling through life - not one can make a reasoned adult decision.
Gladys is the only character with a spine, but she's not overly likeable herself. How did I wind up with two books in a row with main characters who are afraid of their own shadow?
By the way, if you're looking for a book set in Paris for a book challenge, this one won't work. They are only in Paris for a few pages at the very end.
The book has a smattering of bad words and one intimate scene, not detailed.
Argh! The main character is supposed to be a 22 year old English Lit graduate, yet she has the attitude and linguistic skill of an eighth grader. This would be better categorized as YA.
Plus, every character in the book, with the exception of Gladys, is timid to the point of trembling through life - not one can make a reasoned adult decision.
Gladys is the only character with a spine, but she's not overly likeable herself. How did I wind up with two books in a row with main characters who are afraid of their own shadow?
By the way, if you're looking for a book set in Paris for a book challenge, this one won't work. They are only in Paris for a few pages at the very end.
The book has a smattering of bad words and one intimate scene, not detailed.
February 19, 2016
An intelligent, well-composed novel. Gable has a masterful way with words and has turned out another enjoyable Paris-themed read. I liked the mysterious thread throughout regarding the mom, the duchess, and the pub pal, Gus. And the resolution took me by surprise.
It was a tad slow to progress at first and towards the middle, a slow-burner if you will, but it definitely picked up. I will always make a point to read Gable.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was happy to have the chance to read and review.
It was a tad slow to progress at first and towards the middle, a slow-burner if you will, but it definitely picked up. I will always make a point to read Gable.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway and was happy to have the chance to read and review.
December 17, 2015
My favorite line in the book was one apparently quoted by H. G. Wells during a dinner party thrown by the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. He said, "We all have our time machines, don't we? Those that take us back are memories ... And those that carry us forward are dreams."
I received this book free of charge for an honest review. Had I known the story between the covers, I would gladly have purchased it on my own. While the cover states that it is a story of the real life Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, it was actually a story of life, directions we take, choices we make, dreams we hold and disappointments we hide. This book is filled with lines from, and mention of, many of the world's classic literary works. For this reviewer, any story that deals with books and/or authors has my attention and this one grabbed me from the start.
The life lived (or endured) by the Duchess of Marlborough seems like a fairy tale story on the surface, but underneath you realize that loneliness, emptiness and disgrace are emotions from which even money, clout and title cannot hide. The Duchess of Marlborough wants to be left alone. She wants to be remembered for who she is and not what she was. She is looking for acceptance, friendship and possibly forgiveness. Pru is an American girl without a family, whose fiancé has forsaken her to serve in the Vietnam war and later declared dead. A literary scholar headed nowhere and no one to share her future with, she accepts a job across the oceans as a caretaker/companion to an old woman in France, who also shares a love of the written word. Both women have more in common than meets the eye as they are running and hiding from their pasts filled with secrets and a future that looks dim.
Laurel Haley is hiding secrets of her own too. A horse ranch owner in the US, she makes plans for a trip to France to unload some property she inherited years ago. Her daughter, Anne, who has just graduated from college and looking for work, agrees to tag along in hopes of drawing closer to the mother she feels is drifting away from her. Anne's fiancé has just left for a deployment to Afghanistan and the timing is right to create a closer bond with her Mom.
Two stories told 30 years apart that somehow contain a common thread that is neatly, most of the time, sewn together through a maze of life in the ruins, life on the rocks and life at the top. This was a beautiful read that has left me wanting to read more about the Duchess. In my opinion, any book that inspires the reader to pursue additional knowledge on the given subject matter HAS to be a well written story.
I received this book free of charge for an honest review. Had I known the story between the covers, I would gladly have purchased it on my own. While the cover states that it is a story of the real life Gladys Spencer-Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, it was actually a story of life, directions we take, choices we make, dreams we hold and disappointments we hide. This book is filled with lines from, and mention of, many of the world's classic literary works. For this reviewer, any story that deals with books and/or authors has my attention and this one grabbed me from the start.
The life lived (or endured) by the Duchess of Marlborough seems like a fairy tale story on the surface, but underneath you realize that loneliness, emptiness and disgrace are emotions from which even money, clout and title cannot hide. The Duchess of Marlborough wants to be left alone. She wants to be remembered for who she is and not what she was. She is looking for acceptance, friendship and possibly forgiveness. Pru is an American girl without a family, whose fiancé has forsaken her to serve in the Vietnam war and later declared dead. A literary scholar headed nowhere and no one to share her future with, she accepts a job across the oceans as a caretaker/companion to an old woman in France, who also shares a love of the written word. Both women have more in common than meets the eye as they are running and hiding from their pasts filled with secrets and a future that looks dim.
Laurel Haley is hiding secrets of her own too. A horse ranch owner in the US, she makes plans for a trip to France to unload some property she inherited years ago. Her daughter, Anne, who has just graduated from college and looking for work, agrees to tag along in hopes of drawing closer to the mother she feels is drifting away from her. Anne's fiancé has just left for a deployment to Afghanistan and the timing is right to create a closer bond with her Mom.
Two stories told 30 years apart that somehow contain a common thread that is neatly, most of the time, sewn together through a maze of life in the ruins, life on the rocks and life at the top. This was a beautiful read that has left me wanting to read more about the Duchess. In my opinion, any book that inspires the reader to pursue additional knowledge on the given subject matter HAS to be a well written story.
November 24, 2015
I'll See You In Paris
By
Michelle Gable
What it's all about...
This book is about a real person...Gladys Spencer-Churchill. So the first thing I asked myself was this...who is Gladys Spencer-Churchill? A little bit of googling says she was beautiful until she had paraffin injected into her nose which slipped and gave her a bulky jaw. She married Sonny Spencer-Churchill...raised Spaniels, carried a gun and often walked around topless...though this bit of information was in the book so it could be true or not true. And in this book Gladys is the story with in a story.
Annie and Laurel ...mother and daughter are in England because Laurel has to settle the selling of a house. It's always been just Annie and Laurel so Annie knows nothing about her father. Just as they leave for this trip Annie finds a book...The Missing Duchess. She takes the book but doesn't tell her mother. The book makes her both curious and suspicious and while her mother is busy...Annie investigates until she unearths the truth about her mother's life. And it is connected to the book.
Why I wanted to read it...
I really just wanted to read this book because it sounded like fun. It was but I soon began to be weary of the format. I didn't actually like Gladys...she was weird and creepy...yes I am using the word creepy...unplugging her refrigerator for animal corpses...ick.
What made me enjoy this book...
This is difficult to answer. I started out really enjoying but I soon became tired of it. I started to strongly dislike the interview part...with WS...the author...it was like reading a play and I hate reading in that format. So while I liked the book I liked the parts in the present much more than the parts in the past. Ultimately this book was just ok for me.
By
Michelle Gable
What it's all about...
This book is about a real person...Gladys Spencer-Churchill. So the first thing I asked myself was this...who is Gladys Spencer-Churchill? A little bit of googling says she was beautiful until she had paraffin injected into her nose which slipped and gave her a bulky jaw. She married Sonny Spencer-Churchill...raised Spaniels, carried a gun and often walked around topless...though this bit of information was in the book so it could be true or not true. And in this book Gladys is the story with in a story.
Annie and Laurel ...mother and daughter are in England because Laurel has to settle the selling of a house. It's always been just Annie and Laurel so Annie knows nothing about her father. Just as they leave for this trip Annie finds a book...The Missing Duchess. She takes the book but doesn't tell her mother. The book makes her both curious and suspicious and while her mother is busy...Annie investigates until she unearths the truth about her mother's life. And it is connected to the book.
Why I wanted to read it...
I really just wanted to read this book because it sounded like fun. It was but I soon began to be weary of the format. I didn't actually like Gladys...she was weird and creepy...yes I am using the word creepy...unplugging her refrigerator for animal corpses...ick.
What made me enjoy this book...
This is difficult to answer. I started out really enjoying but I soon became tired of it. I started to strongly dislike the interview part...with WS...the author...it was like reading a play and I hate reading in that format. So while I liked the book I liked the parts in the present much more than the parts in the past. Ultimately this book was just ok for me.
February 14, 2016
4.5 Stars
This was an absolute page turner. I did not want to put it down. I sped through the second half of the book in one day.
I always love a good multigenerational story. This one is split between Annie our 21st century perspective whose curiosity about her past leads her to head first into the fantastical tale of the Duchess of Marlborough and ultimately learns more about her own life than she ever expected.
The second perspective is the story of the Duchess of Marlborough in the 1970s told through many mediums. I did really enjoy the different ways this story was told.
Ultimately a story about love, about family, about life. I just loved all the quotes from famous works of literature and the banter between Pru and Win was so much fun and so engaging. I thought I had this book figured out before the halfway point, but I was definitely thrown by a few twists and turned in the second half that kept me fascinated and asking a million questions along with Annie.
Now I have a few biographies about the Duchess of Marlborough too look up (I mean seriously this broad sounds AMAZING!) and another book by Michelle Gable to read! Two thumbs up!
This was an absolute page turner. I did not want to put it down. I sped through the second half of the book in one day.
I always love a good multigenerational story. This one is split between Annie our 21st century perspective whose curiosity about her past leads her to head first into the fantastical tale of the Duchess of Marlborough and ultimately learns more about her own life than she ever expected.
The second perspective is the story of the Duchess of Marlborough in the 1970s told through many mediums. I did really enjoy the different ways this story was told.
Ultimately a story about love, about family, about life. I just loved all the quotes from famous works of literature and the banter between Pru and Win was so much fun and so engaging. I thought I had this book figured out before the halfway point, but I was definitely thrown by a few twists and turned in the second half that kept me fascinated and asking a million questions along with Annie.
Now I have a few biographies about the Duchess of Marlborough too look up (I mean seriously this broad sounds AMAZING!) and another book by Michelle Gable to read! Two thumbs up!
November 20, 2015
Although this book will not be coming out until February, it's definitely one you should pre-order or ask your library to do so. I was entralled with the characters, plot and the scenery descriptions. I simply could not put it down!
First, you have a mother and daughter who, like most moms and daughters, argue some, then make up some. Annie, the daughter, is surprised and interested in a book she finds of her mom's who, of course, dismisses it as not worth reading. But Annie can't resist a good mystery and off we go to England (with book in Annie's suitcase).
This is a thoroughly readable book by an author I love. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a great book! This is my honest review.
First, you have a mother and daughter who, like most moms and daughters, argue some, then make up some. Annie, the daughter, is surprised and interested in a book she finds of her mom's who, of course, dismisses it as not worth reading. But Annie can't resist a good mystery and off we go to England (with book in Annie's suitcase).
This is a thoroughly readable book by an author I love. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a great book! This is my honest review.
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June 1, 2017Отдавна отлагам ревюто за тази книга. Мисля, обаче, че времето ѝ най-сетне дойде.
Помня какво се случи покрай излизането на „Парижкия апартамент“. Всеки втори четящ човек, който познавах говореше за тази книга, тя сякаш беше навсякъде, все пред очите ни, всички я търсеха, всички я искаха. Всеки рано или късно започва да се чуди дали дадена нашумяла книга наистина е толкова добра или това е някаква случайност? „Парижкия апартамент“ се възприемаше добре, четеше се от хора с разнородни читателски вкусове. С времето тя запази добрата си слава и хиляди читатели я заобичаха.
Но днес няма да ви говоря за „Парижкия апартамент“, а за втората книга на авторката Мишел Гейбъл – „Ще се видим в Париж“ (изд. Софтпрес).
Анотацията обещава много неща – пътешествия, тайни и, разбира се, любов.
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Историята ни запознава с две жени – Лорън и дъщеря ѝ Ани. Лорън и Ани са много различни, като всяка майка и дъщеря, поне на пръв поглед.
Двете са напът да заминат за Англия, за да свършат работа по даден имот, който е подарен на Лорън. Разбира се, Ани не знае нищо за него, а майка ѝ изглежда не е напът нито да ѝ подскаже нещичко, нито да ѝ загатне.
Тук идва мястото и на съдбоносната книга, която ще промени живота не само на Ани, но и на всички около нея. Един ден тя намира една мистериозна кутия, пълна с документи и книжа, в която обаче е запазена и книга. Античната, вече увехтяла синя корица привлиза вниманието на Ани…
„Изчезналата херцогиня“.
Мистериозната и любопитна книга разпалва вниманието на Ани.
Гладис Спенсър-Чърчил (1881–1977) – е французойка от аристократичните среди. Тя е била любовница и по-късно втората съпруга на Чарлс Спенсър-Чърчил, 9-и херцог на Марлборо. Любопитни факти:
-докато навършва десет години вече е живяла в четири различни държави
-на единадесет е отглеждана от осъден убиец
-на дванадесет е отвлечена и попада в центъра на скандал с убийство
-на четиринайсет заявява любовта си към херцог Марлборо, бъдещия ѝ съпруг
-на шестнадесет се среща за първи път с бъдещия си съпруг в Лондон, който по това време е женен
-на двайсет заживява сама в Париж
-на четиридесет най-после се омъжва
Но да се върнем обратно към историята на Лорън и Ани.
Когато пристигат в Англия, Лорън е твърде заета с работата си по документацията, което дава много свободно време на Ани да проучва мистериозната Гладис и нейния живот. По това време тя среща Гас, който изглежда знае доста за историята й. И така, постепенно, Ани започва все повече да опознава жената зад името Гладис…
Все повече случки се разнищват и откриват.
29612320
Всичко е толкова интересно, толкова необичайно и различно.
Скоро Ани започва да навързва всичко и стига до своите заключения. А нишката между хора и събития продължава да се плете страница след страница.
Тази книга е една смесица на фикция и история. Историята се чете между редовете на измислицата и заедно пишат един завладяващ роман за живота на три жени. А скритите тайни помежду им се разплитат.
Наскоро бях писала ревю, в което казвах, че обичам и намирам книгата за наистина стойностна ако провокира размисли и те кара да се разтърсиш за допълнителни факти след прочита й. Това значи, че с нещо те е запленила, с нещо те е спечелила.И не на последно място те е обогатила със знания.
Това ми се случи отново с книгата на Мишел Гейбъл.
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Силно я препоръчвам на хора, които обичат исторически романи, романтики и по-неангажиращи и разтоварващи романи. (Но тук искам да отбележа, че това в никакъв случай не е някой посредствен и лековат роман.) Някакси тази книга ми напомня и на последната ми прочетена книга от изд. Софтпрес, а именно Цветя от лед и пепел. И тук, както в романа на Б. Колин имаме много добре проучени периоди в историята, коректно изградени персонажи, лекота при изграждането на заобикалящата ги среда и автентичност. И от двата романа струи интелигентността на авторите им, които несъмнено биха ви заинтригували и пренесли в Париж.
Романът е много добре изграден – проучванията направени за персонажа на Гладис Спенсър-Чърчил са похвални и вдъхновяващи. Историята е комплексна, силно преплетена. Тласка ни ту в миналото, ту ни връща в настоящето.
Изглежда втората книга на Гейбъл е също толкова добра колкото и първата. Но, за да откриете това за себе си, ще трябва сами да я прочетете.
Помня какво се случи покрай излизането на „Парижкия апартамент“. Всеки втори четящ човек, който познавах говореше за тази книга, тя сякаш беше навсякъде, все пред очите ни, всички я търсеха, всички я искаха. Всеки рано или късно започва да се чуди дали дадена нашумяла книга наистина е толкова добра или това е някаква случайност? „Парижкия апартамент“ се възприемаше добре, четеше се от хора с разнородни читателски вкусове. С времето тя запази добрата си слава и хиляди читатели я заобичаха.
Но днес няма да ви говоря за „Парижкия апартамент“, а за втората книга на авторката Мишел Гейбъл – „Ще се видим в Париж“ (изд. Софтпрес).
Анотацията обещава много неща – пътешествия, тайни и, разбира се, любов.
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Историята ни запознава с две жени – Лорън и дъщеря ѝ Ани. Лорън и Ани са много различни, като всяка майка и дъщеря, поне на пръв поглед.
Двете са напът да заминат за Англия, за да свършат работа по даден имот, който е подарен на Лорън. Разбира се, Ани не знае нищо за него, а майка ѝ изглежда не е напът нито да ѝ подскаже нещичко, нито да ѝ загатне.
Тук идва мястото и на съдбоносната книга, която ще промени живота не само на Ани, но и на всички около нея. Един ден тя намира една мистериозна кутия, пълна с документи и книжа, в която обаче е запазена и книга. Античната, вече увехтяла синя корица привлиза вниманието на Ани…
„Изчезналата херцогиня“.
Мистериозната и любопитна книга разпалва вниманието на Ани.
Гладис Спенсър-Чърчил (1881–1977) – е французойка от аристократичните среди. Тя е била любовница и по-късно втората съпруга на Чарлс Спенсър-Чърчил, 9-и херцог на Марлборо. Любопитни факти:
-докато навършва десет години вече е живяла в четири различни държави
-на единадесет е отглеждана от осъден убиец
-на дванадесет е отвлечена и попада в центъра на скандал с убийство
-на четиринайсет заявява любовта си към херцог Марлборо, бъдещия ѝ съпруг
-на шестнадесет се среща за първи път с бъдещия си съпруг в Лондон, който по това време е женен
-на двайсет заживява сама в Париж
-на четиридесет най-после се омъжва
Но да се върнем обратно към историята на Лорън и Ани.
Когато пристигат в Англия, Лорън е твърде заета с работата си по документацията, което дава много свободно време на Ани да проучва мистериозната Гладис и нейния живот. По това време тя среща Гас, който изглежда знае доста за историята й. И така, постепенно, Ани започва все повече да опознава жената зад името Гладис…
Все повече случки се разнищват и откриват.
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Всичко е толкова интересно, толкова необичайно и различно.
Скоро Ани започва да навързва всичко и стига до своите заключения. А нишката между хора и събития продължава да се плете страница след страница.
Тази книга е една смесица на фикция и история. Историята се чете между редовете на измислицата и заедно пишат един завладяващ роман за живота на три жени. А скритите тайни помежду им се разплитат.
Наскоро бях писала ревю, в което казвах, че обичам и намирам книгата за наистина стойностна ако провокира размисли и те кара да се разтърсиш за допълнителни факти след прочита й. Това значи, че с нещо те е запленила, с нещо те е спечелила.И не на последно място те е обогатила със знания.
Това ми се случи отново с книгата на Мишел Гейбъл.
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Силно я препоръчвам на хора, които обичат исторически романи, романтики и по-неангажиращи и разтоварващи романи. (Но тук искам да отбележа, че това в никакъв случай не е някой посредствен и лековат роман.) Някакси тази книга ми напомня и на последната ми прочетена книга от изд. Софтпрес, а именно Цветя от лед и пепел. И тук, както в романа на Б. Колин имаме много добре проучени периоди в историята, коректно изградени персонажи, лекота при изграждането на заобикалящата ги среда и автентичност. И от двата романа струи интелигентността на авторите им, които несъмнено биха ви заинтригували и пренесли в Париж.
Романът е много добре изграден – проучванията направени за персонажа на Гладис Спенсър-Чърчил са похвални и вдъхновяващи. Историята е комплексна, силно преплетена. Тласка ни ту в миналото, ту ни връща в настоящето.
Изглежда втората книга на Гейбъл е също толкова добра колкото и първата. Но, за да откриете това за себе си, ще трябва сами да я прочетете.
January 3, 2016
Review posted on my blog,
Audrey's Bookcase
:
A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy for reviewing.
I'll admit, it took me forever to get past the first quarter of this book. It's hefty, as historical fiction tends to be. I guess I just haven't read one in so long that I forgot how vast books of this genre can get. Personal, time-restricting reasons aside, I wanted to make sure I had time to actually sit down and immerse myself into it, because right from the beginning, I could tell this was going to be something.
I'll See You in Paris tells the tale of the real-life Duchess of Marlborough, Gladys Spencer-Churchill, who according to history, became recluse after being evicted from Blenheim Palace following her and the Duke's separation around 1933. I went into this book expecting a recount of her life; what I got was so much more. Weaving into the Duchess' story is the life of Laurel and Annie Haley, a fictional polar-opposite mother-daughter pair from Virginia who go through their own journey, testing and breaking down their relationship when they travel to England in order for Laurel to settle some business. Annie sneaks a book she found in her mother's possession written about the Duchess. While overseas, Annie befriends an older man named Gus who helps her piece together the mystery of the missing Duchess.
The women's stories parallel throughout the novel and Gable executes both of them in a way where there's no disconnect. At first, I really didn't understand the correlation between them, but you can just sense right from the beginning that these stories were told together for a reason. I was eager to know how and why, but I didn't expect the result. It's filled with twists and turns, and the more I progressed with the text, the more I found myself unable to set it down because I needed to know every single detail.
There's quite a handful of characters from both timelines, but not one of them unlikable. Even the ones that aren't featured very prominently play some kind of part in completing the story. Aside from these vivacious and often times troubled, intriguing characters, the settings and locations are described so fluidly and beautifully. You'll definitely want to see Paris (and England!) after this one.
A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy for reviewing.
I'll admit, it took me forever to get past the first quarter of this book. It's hefty, as historical fiction tends to be. I guess I just haven't read one in so long that I forgot how vast books of this genre can get. Personal, time-restricting reasons aside, I wanted to make sure I had time to actually sit down and immerse myself into it, because right from the beginning, I could tell this was going to be something.
I'll See You in Paris tells the tale of the real-life Duchess of Marlborough, Gladys Spencer-Churchill, who according to history, became recluse after being evicted from Blenheim Palace following her and the Duke's separation around 1933. I went into this book expecting a recount of her life; what I got was so much more. Weaving into the Duchess' story is the life of Laurel and Annie Haley, a fictional polar-opposite mother-daughter pair from Virginia who go through their own journey, testing and breaking down their relationship when they travel to England in order for Laurel to settle some business. Annie sneaks a book she found in her mother's possession written about the Duchess. While overseas, Annie befriends an older man named Gus who helps her piece together the mystery of the missing Duchess.
The women's stories parallel throughout the novel and Gable executes both of them in a way where there's no disconnect. At first, I really didn't understand the correlation between them, but you can just sense right from the beginning that these stories were told together for a reason. I was eager to know how and why, but I didn't expect the result. It's filled with twists and turns, and the more I progressed with the text, the more I found myself unable to set it down because I needed to know every single detail.
There's quite a handful of characters from both timelines, but not one of them unlikable. Even the ones that aren't featured very prominently play some kind of part in completing the story. Aside from these vivacious and often times troubled, intriguing characters, the settings and locations are described so fluidly and beautifully. You'll definitely want to see Paris (and England!) after this one.
February 7, 2016
I’ll See You in Paris is a fluffy novel depicting a recent college graduate, Annabelle “Annie” Haley, in search of herself — both metaphorically and genealogically. Her mother, sharp attorney Laurel Haley, has given her a loving, affluent upbringing in Virginia’s horse country but no information at all about her father, except that she left him before Annie was even born and that he’s dead.
You’ll begin to suspect who Annie’s father is nearly right off the bat. And you’ll guess who Pru Valentine is almost as soon as she appears. The novel still retains some charm as you follow Annie along as she pieces together her history and her connection to Gladys Deacon, the second wife of the Ninth Duke of Marlborough. (Contrary to what I surmised, Gladys Deacon really was the second Duchess of Marlborough; her father really murdered her mother’s lover, the duchess really was increasingly erratic in her later years, and the portrait of her by Charles Boldini is just as beautiful and fascinating as the novel states.)
Sadly, I have to admit that, I skimmed through parts of the book: the banter between the writer J. Casper Augustine Seton (nicknamed “Win”) and the putative duchess and between Win and Pru went on for much, much too long. On the plus side, I did really want to know if my guesses had been right. And the last 20 percent of the book was pretty suspenseful — and utterly charming. And a happy ending, of sorts — which is what every woman wants from a romance.
You won’t confuse Michelle Gable’s romance novel with a gem by Elizabeth Peters, Katie Fforde, Sophie Kinsella, or Georgette Heyer; however, I’ll See You in Paris has a certain charm — there’s that word again! — even if it’s a bit predictable.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Thomas Dunne Books in exchange for an honest review.
You’ll begin to suspect who Annie’s father is nearly right off the bat. And you’ll guess who Pru Valentine is almost as soon as she appears. The novel still retains some charm as you follow Annie along as she pieces together her history and her connection to Gladys Deacon, the second wife of the Ninth Duke of Marlborough. (Contrary to what I surmised, Gladys Deacon really was the second Duchess of Marlborough; her father really murdered her mother’s lover, the duchess really was increasingly erratic in her later years, and the portrait of her by Charles Boldini is just as beautiful and fascinating as the novel states.)
Sadly, I have to admit that, I skimmed through parts of the book: the banter between the writer J. Casper Augustine Seton (nicknamed “Win”) and the putative duchess and between Win and Pru went on for much, much too long. On the plus side, I did really want to know if my guesses had been right. And the last 20 percent of the book was pretty suspenseful — and utterly charming. And a happy ending, of sorts — which is what every woman wants from a romance.
You won’t confuse Michelle Gable’s romance novel with a gem by Elizabeth Peters, Katie Fforde, Sophie Kinsella, or Georgette Heyer; however, I’ll See You in Paris has a certain charm — there’s that word again! — even if it’s a bit predictable.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Thomas Dunne Books in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2016
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I found Gladys Deacon utterly fascinating. In fact I remember reading an article on her in 2011. Needless to say I was interested in reading this book, curious to read Gable’s version with fiction and non-fiction aspects of Gladys Deacon.
Deacon’s story was fascinating. I was impressed with Gable’s weaving of Vietnam, 9/11 and Gladys Deacon, I was skeptical at first, however, ultimately pleasantly surprised.
The narrative was fascinating but dragged a bit, also the level of predictability was high, no surprises throughout for this reader, I knew what was coming including the ending, therefore lacking a mystery factor.
On the fence with the ending, I wish an epilogue was included compensating for the ambiguous and abrupt finish.
An entertaining read, I found Deacon alluring, in fact I would extremely curious to learn more about this creature from Gable’s interpretation if I didn’t already know of her tragic story.
I found Gladys Deacon utterly fascinating. In fact I remember reading an article on her in 2011. Needless to say I was interested in reading this book, curious to read Gable’s version with fiction and non-fiction aspects of Gladys Deacon.
Deacon’s story was fascinating. I was impressed with Gable’s weaving of Vietnam, 9/11 and Gladys Deacon, I was skeptical at first, however, ultimately pleasantly surprised.
The narrative was fascinating but dragged a bit, also the level of predictability was high, no surprises throughout for this reader, I knew what was coming including the ending, therefore lacking a mystery factor.
On the fence with the ending, I wish an epilogue was included compensating for the ambiguous and abrupt finish.
An entertaining read, I found Deacon alluring, in fact I would extremely curious to learn more about this creature from Gable’s interpretation if I didn’t already know of her tragic story.
February 23, 2016
Много обичам да ми разказват истории! А някои истории сякаш се случват, за да бъдат разказани! Такава е и съдбата на Гладис Дийкън - изключително ярка и нестандартна жена, близка приятелка със знаменити писатели, художници и политици. Мишел Гейбъл, обаче, устоява на изкушението да я постави в центъра на романа и умело я използва за фон на още две сюжетни линии. Действието прескача от началото на 20 век през 70-те години до новото хилядолетие - три поколения жени и техните любовни истории. Накрая възелът от нелеки избори и тайнствени съвпадения ще се разплете именно в Париж, и то по доста неочакван начин.
October 19, 2015
Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this arc.
Michelle Gable is my new favorite author! I love A Paris Apartment and Ill See You in Paris was over way too fast! These are the kinds of books I read for- love, a interesting and mysterious old book, and discovering who you are inside. The banter is funny, cool, and fresh. Awesome book.
Michelle Gable is my new favorite author! I love A Paris Apartment and Ill See You in Paris was over way too fast! These are the kinds of books I read for- love, a interesting and mysterious old book, and discovering who you are inside. The banter is funny, cool, and fresh. Awesome book.
October 25, 2015
Michelle Gable wowed me with A Paris Apartment so I knew I couldn’t miss her follow-up, which I assumed from the title would again be set in Paris. The novel does eventually move on to Paris, but not until it spends most of its delightful time in a crumbling English country estate with a sharp-tongued, flamboyant old woman tottering around with a gun, a menagerie of dogs and cats, and a maybe imaginary Polish handyman who lives in her barn.
Mrs. Spencer may or may not be the legendary beauty of a bygone era, Gladys Deacon/Duchess of Marlborough, now retired to the country and trying to run off greedy heirs and nosy relatives from interfering in her life. Pru is a young American hired by Mrs. Spencer’s relatives to help her (against her wishes) and Win is a writer who is convinced that Mrs. Spencer is in fact Lady Marlborough and is trying to write a story about her life. Mrs. Spencer lets Pru and Win into her home with great (and colorful) resistance and the two are never the same again.
“Trouble was, though Win Seton felt so bloody sure that she was Gladys Deacon, he forgot the most elemental thing about the duchess. Namely, that she lived only in half-truths and the best lighting, and, most important of all, the long-lost duchess of Marlborough never, ever played by the rules.”
As long the narrative focused on Mrs. Spencer – it was lively and entertaining. But as soon as it goes back to the present-day narrative of those looking back and trying to piece together the mysteries of the past, it loses a little of the momentum, mostly because the reader can pretty much figure out who is who much earlier than the modern-day character. Although, Gable does manage to pull one unpredictable surprise towards the end that I did not see coming.
The character of Mrs. Spencer, as Gable writes her, is one of the most entertaining spitfires I’ve ever encountered. Apparently, the real Duchess of Marlborough was a firecracker too, as the many lively quotes attributed to her clearly show.
Mrs. Spencer may or may not be the legendary beauty of a bygone era, Gladys Deacon/Duchess of Marlborough, now retired to the country and trying to run off greedy heirs and nosy relatives from interfering in her life. Pru is a young American hired by Mrs. Spencer’s relatives to help her (against her wishes) and Win is a writer who is convinced that Mrs. Spencer is in fact Lady Marlborough and is trying to write a story about her life. Mrs. Spencer lets Pru and Win into her home with great (and colorful) resistance and the two are never the same again.
“Trouble was, though Win Seton felt so bloody sure that she was Gladys Deacon, he forgot the most elemental thing about the duchess. Namely, that she lived only in half-truths and the best lighting, and, most important of all, the long-lost duchess of Marlborough never, ever played by the rules.”
As long the narrative focused on Mrs. Spencer – it was lively and entertaining. But as soon as it goes back to the present-day narrative of those looking back and trying to piece together the mysteries of the past, it loses a little of the momentum, mostly because the reader can pretty much figure out who is who much earlier than the modern-day character. Although, Gable does manage to pull one unpredictable surprise towards the end that I did not see coming.
The character of Mrs. Spencer, as Gable writes her, is one of the most entertaining spitfires I’ve ever encountered. Apparently, the real Duchess of Marlborough was a firecracker too, as the many lively quotes attributed to her clearly show.
February 9, 2016
What a lovely book!
It's fiction, and it's historical fiction: on one side, we have the story of the gorgeous, smart and crazy Duchess of Marlborough. On the other, a beautiful love story.
Both stories are entwined, told by the Duchess's biographer.
It's a story of secrets kept: Annie has always wondered about her unknown father and family history. Laurel, her mother, has never answered her questions. When they go to England to sell a mystery property that Laurel suddenly announces she owns, Annie starts to decipher both hers and her mother's past.
The part about the Duchess is very interesting, well told and almost funny if it were not so sad. From riches to rags and living in almost inhuman conditions.
Pru and Win's love story is beautiful and sad, but so human and real!
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because Annie, one of the main characters, is just not interesting at all. She's a bit lost and doesn't know what to do with her life, but seems more like a teen-ager than a 22 year old college graduate, engaged to be married.
Not withstanding that, it's a great read. Highly recommended!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It's fiction, and it's historical fiction: on one side, we have the story of the gorgeous, smart and crazy Duchess of Marlborough. On the other, a beautiful love story.
Both stories are entwined, told by the Duchess's biographer.
It's a story of secrets kept: Annie has always wondered about her unknown father and family history. Laurel, her mother, has never answered her questions. When they go to England to sell a mystery property that Laurel suddenly announces she owns, Annie starts to decipher both hers and her mother's past.
The part about the Duchess is very interesting, well told and almost funny if it were not so sad. From riches to rags and living in almost inhuman conditions.
Pru and Win's love story is beautiful and sad, but so human and real!
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because Annie, one of the main characters, is just not interesting at all. She's a bit lost and doesn't know what to do with her life, but seems more like a teen-ager than a 22 year old college graduate, engaged to be married.
Not withstanding that, it's a great read. Highly recommended!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 14, 2015
I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Thanks so much for letting me review this book.
I usually have a little issue with books that tell parallel stories but this was so well written that the story flowed with ease. The characters and the mystery entwined nicely. I really enjoyed the way family, love and relationships were explored and the colourful imagery was fantastic. I've never read Gable's work before but I may just have to pick up something else.
Thanks so much for letting me review this book.
I usually have a little issue with books that tell parallel stories but this was so well written that the story flowed with ease. The characters and the mystery entwined nicely. I really enjoyed the way family, love and relationships were explored and the colourful imagery was fantastic. I've never read Gable's work before but I may just have to pick up something else.
February 20, 2016
I didn't want to put this book down. I was ignoring everything so that I could finish it. The biggest surprise was how funny it was. Humor is not something I expect with historical fiction, and I found that I was laughing out loud quite a bit while reading this book. Great, eccentric characters. Great, fast-paced, story that kept me guessing until the end. I loved it.
October 11, 2016
I've come to the conclusion that this author's style just isn't for me. I tried to read A Paris Apartment and couldn't finish it. Now I feel the same with this book. Her characters seem shallow and unconvincing, and it feels like such a waste, as there is so much potential. Oh well, there are so many books out there to read, no loss.
January 11, 2016
I'll See You in Paris by Michelle Gable was an interesting read.
If you chose it course it has Paris in a name, it's not that book, it's not about Paris, Paris has a very small part in the story.
The story is inspired by a real life Duchess of Marlborough but in this story the protagonists are Annie and Laurel, daughter and mother. The story starts with Annie telling her mother that she is engaged to a marine who is about to go into a war (it all happens just some months after 9/11). Laurel is happy but she also asks Annie repeatedly whether they sure that they want to get married. Her mothers questions confuse Annie. So Eric goes to Afghanistan and Annie an Laurel travel to England, since Laurel has some weird business with selling land to attend.
While in England, Annie meets with a local man, Gus, who starts to tell Annie a story about Pru and Win, because Annie had with her a book about Duchess of Marlborough, when they met. So Annie's mother is doing some weird business and Annie is listening Gus's story and investigates the house where the Duchess lived. At one point she realizes who is the Pru in Gus' story, but since her mom still says she knows nothing about the book, Annie decides to go to Paris, to meet the author of the book.
In Paris, she meets the author, the authors brother and her mother also joins them finally and then all the secrets are revealed.
It was an interesting story, as I said in the beginning, but what really bothered me was the lying. I can understand that parents will never tell their children all they did before the children where born, but when they are questioned about something in the past, why would they lie and tell they know nothing about it? Almost every main character in this book was lying about something and because this lying things were misunderstood and lovers were torn apart for years and children didn't really know their parents. Good book but with some irksome things in it.
If you chose it course it has Paris in a name, it's not that book, it's not about Paris, Paris has a very small part in the story.
The story is inspired by a real life Duchess of Marlborough but in this story the protagonists are Annie and Laurel, daughter and mother. The story starts with Annie telling her mother that she is engaged to a marine who is about to go into a war (it all happens just some months after 9/11). Laurel is happy but she also asks Annie repeatedly whether they sure that they want to get married. Her mothers questions confuse Annie. So Eric goes to Afghanistan and Annie an Laurel travel to England, since Laurel has some weird business with selling land to attend.
While in England, Annie meets with a local man, Gus, who starts to tell Annie a story about Pru and Win, because Annie had with her a book about Duchess of Marlborough, when they met. So Annie's mother is doing some weird business and Annie is listening Gus's story and investigates the house where the Duchess lived. At one point she realizes who is the Pru in Gus' story, but since her mom still says she knows nothing about the book, Annie decides to go to Paris, to meet the author of the book.
In Paris, she meets the author, the authors brother and her mother also joins them finally and then all the secrets are revealed.
It was an interesting story, as I said in the beginning, but what really bothered me was the lying. I can understand that parents will never tell their children all they did before the children where born, but when they are questioned about something in the past, why would they lie and tell they know nothing about it? Almost every main character in this book was lying about something and because this lying things were misunderstood and lovers were torn apart for years and children didn't really know their parents. Good book but with some irksome things in it.
October 30, 2015
Loved this! Parallel stories, and I was equally invested in both of them. I was flying through the pages toward the end because I really wanted to know what happened. I knew the stories would connect in some way, and I was definitely surprised by the turns it took. I loved how the recurring theme of broken engagements kept you wondering how things would turn out for Annie and Eric. It was a nice way to keep Eric as a presence in the book even though he's mostly removed from the action.
It's actually a little hard to review this without spoiling, so I'll just say that something I loved about it was how it showed the complicated feelings that come once your life has been touched by tragedy. Early on, Annie refers to an acquaintance who died on 9/11, and she thinks to herself that she feels, "like a jerk, as though Annie were using Megan for some twisted claim to fame." I could relate in a way to that feeling, and to the mixed emotions you have once your life moves on. This is also a recurring theme but I don't want to give away anything major.
This book has fantastic characters, and it's the women who really shine. Of course the duchess is awesome, and so are Pru and Annie, but for me the heart and soul of this book was Laurel. I got so invested in her story once we really got to know her. I felt like I could understand her in a deep way, that she was a woman who got stuck between doing what she wanted and doing what she thought was right. She had some poignant chapters toward the end and I was rooting for her big time. She was my favorite part about the book, and there was nothing I didn't love about it. Stellar.
It's actually a little hard to review this without spoiling, so I'll just say that something I loved about it was how it showed the complicated feelings that come once your life has been touched by tragedy. Early on, Annie refers to an acquaintance who died on 9/11, and she thinks to herself that she feels, "like a jerk, as though Annie were using Megan for some twisted claim to fame." I could relate in a way to that feeling, and to the mixed emotions you have once your life moves on. This is also a recurring theme but I don't want to give away anything major.
This book has fantastic characters, and it's the women who really shine. Of course the duchess is awesome, and so are Pru and Annie, but for me the heart and soul of this book was Laurel. I got so invested in her story once we really got to know her. I felt like I could understand her in a deep way, that she was a woman who got stuck between doing what she wanted and doing what she thought was right. She had some poignant chapters toward the end and I was rooting for her big time. She was my favorite part about the book, and there was nothing I didn't love about it. Stellar.
December 2, 2015
Thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Beginning at a their horse farm in Virginia, then alternating between 1970's and 1990's Paris and England, I'll See You in Paris is the story of a mother and daughter reconciling the past with their present. Though it is narrated in alternating time periods, and there are many twists and turns in the plot, the author makes the transitions smooth and easy to follow.
Annie Haley is a young woman who is not going to let anything stop her from finding out the truth about the missing Duchess of Marlborough - or herself. Her mother Laurel has been hiding many things, including her paternity, from her. While in Banbury, England to settle an estate her mother recently revealed she had inherited, Annie sets out to link the missing pieces together. She finds help in Gus, a regular at the local pub. They strike up an unlikely friendship and that's when things become very, very interesting.
The story is told with a nice balance of seriousness and humor. The characters are well-drawn and all likable in their own way. That goes for the fictional characters as well as the Duchess herself. Though I admittedly didn't know was a 'real' person until the end of the book.But it makes perfect sense. Some of this stuff you really couldn't make up...
Michelle Gable does an equally great job describing the setting and locations. Reading this book certainly made me want to get on the next flight to London so I could make my way to Banbury, bike to the George and Dragon, and have a pint with Gus! Followed by a trip to Paris, of course.
www.litwitwineanddine.com
Beginning at a their horse farm in Virginia, then alternating between 1970's and 1990's Paris and England, I'll See You in Paris is the story of a mother and daughter reconciling the past with their present. Though it is narrated in alternating time periods, and there are many twists and turns in the plot, the author makes the transitions smooth and easy to follow.
Annie Haley is a young woman who is not going to let anything stop her from finding out the truth about the missing Duchess of Marlborough - or herself. Her mother Laurel has been hiding many things, including her paternity, from her. While in Banbury, England to settle an estate her mother recently revealed she had inherited, Annie sets out to link the missing pieces together. She finds help in Gus, a regular at the local pub. They strike up an unlikely friendship and that's when things become very, very interesting.
The story is told with a nice balance of seriousness and humor. The characters are well-drawn and all likable in their own way. That goes for the fictional characters as well as the Duchess herself. Though I admittedly didn't know was a 'real' person until the end of the book.But it makes perfect sense. Some of this stuff you really couldn't make up...
Michelle Gable does an equally great job describing the setting and locations. Reading this book certainly made me want to get on the next flight to London so I could make my way to Banbury, bike to the George and Dragon, and have a pint with Gus! Followed by a trip to Paris, of course.
www.litwitwineanddine.com
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