Three marriages, two weddings, one affair which threatens them all. Is it ever too late for happily ever after?
A woman in 1960s New York struggles to place duty before passion, when her son's wedding plans throw the limitation of her marriage and apparently perfect life into the spotlight.
1939 HONG KONG. Ballet dancer Tess is seventeen. She is unsure about marrying naval officer Kit, but she is pregnant and feels she has no choice but to go ahead with the marriage.
1961 MANHATTAN. Ballet teacher Tess leads a seemingly idyllic, gilded Upper East life with her husband in their penthouse overlooking Central Park. But Kit asks for a divorce the night before their son announces his marriage. Just as her son's life is beginning, it feels like her youthful dreams and potential have come to nothing. Kit tells Tess they must pretend everything is normal until after Bobby's wedding. But can Tess play the part of a lifetime - that of a good wife?
Praise for Kate Lord Brown:
THE BEAUTY CHORUS
`A wonderful, escapist, nostalgic read.' --Red
`An authentic and moving novel.' --The Lady
THE PERFUME GARDEN
If I could have given this book 11/10 I would have done so. --Novelicious
Sweepingly romantic … heartbreaking at times; a vivid, gripping read --Katherine Webb, author of The Legacy
"At its core, this is a love story celebrating both romantic and parental love, a tale that fans of romantic women's fiction will enjoy." --Booklist
"The Perfume Garden swept me along with its interlinked stories of love and loss, heroism and hope. Beautifully written and researched this is an intensely atmospheric read, and a hugely enjoyable one." --Isabel Wolff, international bestselling author of A Vintage Affair
"I found myself bewitched by The Perfume Garden ... a deliciously winding narrative that takes us into the heart of battle, the locked rooms of family secrets, and the alluring promise of finally finding true love." --Good Housekeeping (UK)
"The novel is beautifully constructed, with the characters' individual experiences gradually weaving together, and the events of the past unfolding to reveal aftershocks in Emma's present... Brown's pacing is exquisite, revealing each twist slowly and deliberately, leaving you gripped to the end." --The Bookseller (UK)
THE HOUSE OF DREAMS
"Brown brings a cinematic sensibility to her writing, making the long-ago exploits of Fry and his cohorts pulse with life, with an ever-present sense of danger looming overhead. There is much to admire about this novel and its strong cast of characters, most of all its portrayal of the cost--and legacy--of real courage." --Booklist (starred review)
Genre: Historical
A woman in 1960s New York struggles to place duty before passion, when her son's wedding plans throw the limitation of her marriage and apparently perfect life into the spotlight.
1939 HONG KONG. Ballet dancer Tess is seventeen. She is unsure about marrying naval officer Kit, but she is pregnant and feels she has no choice but to go ahead with the marriage.
1961 MANHATTAN. Ballet teacher Tess leads a seemingly idyllic, gilded Upper East life with her husband in their penthouse overlooking Central Park. But Kit asks for a divorce the night before their son announces his marriage. Just as her son's life is beginning, it feels like her youthful dreams and potential have come to nothing. Kit tells Tess they must pretend everything is normal until after Bobby's wedding. But can Tess play the part of a lifetime - that of a good wife?
Praise for Kate Lord Brown:
THE BEAUTY CHORUS
`A wonderful, escapist, nostalgic read.' --Red
`An authentic and moving novel.' --The Lady
THE PERFUME GARDEN
If I could have given this book 11/10 I would have done so. --Novelicious
Sweepingly romantic … heartbreaking at times; a vivid, gripping read --Katherine Webb, author of The Legacy
"At its core, this is a love story celebrating both romantic and parental love, a tale that fans of romantic women's fiction will enjoy." --Booklist
"The Perfume Garden swept me along with its interlinked stories of love and loss, heroism and hope. Beautifully written and researched this is an intensely atmospheric read, and a hugely enjoyable one." --Isabel Wolff, international bestselling author of A Vintage Affair
"I found myself bewitched by The Perfume Garden ... a deliciously winding narrative that takes us into the heart of battle, the locked rooms of family secrets, and the alluring promise of finally finding true love." --Good Housekeeping (UK)
"The novel is beautifully constructed, with the characters' individual experiences gradually weaving together, and the events of the past unfolding to reveal aftershocks in Emma's present... Brown's pacing is exquisite, revealing each twist slowly and deliberately, leaving you gripped to the end." --The Bookseller (UK)
THE HOUSE OF DREAMS
"Brown brings a cinematic sensibility to her writing, making the long-ago exploits of Fry and his cohorts pulse with life, with an ever-present sense of danger looming overhead. There is much to admire about this novel and its strong cast of characters, most of all its portrayal of the cost--and legacy--of real courage." --Booklist (starred review)
Genre: Historical
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