As Laura admits adultery to her husband, a merciless war erupts in their matrimony. The husband fails to function as a rational human any longer, as the knowledge of another man destroys his identity, awakening the murderer within him. The demon of jealousy causes obsessive rivalry between the husband and the lover, causing Laura to rediscover truth and values. In the house next door, a Bosnian Muslim experiences same drama globally, as a cruel war, ethnic cleansing, massacre, and systematic mass rape is happening in her homeland, to her very own people. The two women merge into one and undergo transformation of their spiritual and physical identity through tragedy in which male ego destroys and creates the world. Devaluation of values and hypocrisy of civilization cause the women to rebel and search for ultimate truth and justice. This combination of diary prose containing features of an urban love story is wrapped up in a deep, intimate rhythm of the self-enticed prayers of a modern woman, who is in search of ultimate strength and higher meaning of existence with both flowers and thorns she has to find meaning in.

"I've loved every one of Susanna's books! She has bedrock research and a butterfly's delicate touch with characters-a sure recipe for historical fiction that sucks you in and won't let go!"-DIANA GABALDON, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Outlander From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Susanna Kearsley-A magical novel that blends history, forbidden romance and the paranormal Secrets aren't such easy things to keep: It's late summer in 1759, war is raging, and families are torn apart by divided loyalties and deadly secrets. In this complex and dangerous time, a young French-Canadian lieutenant is captured and billeted with a Long Island family, an unwilling and unwelcome guest. As he begins to pitch in with the never-ending household tasks and farm chores, Jean-Philippe de Sabran finds himself drawn to Lydia, the daughter of the house. Slowly, Lydia Wilde discovers that Jean-Philippe is a true soldier and gentleman, until their lives become inextricably intertwined. Legend has it that the forbidden love between Jean-Philippe and Lydia ended tragically, but centuries later, the clues they left behind reveal the true story. Susanna Kearsley's books combine the magic of Deborah Harkness's All Souls Trilogy, the remarkable women of Lucinda Riley's Seven Sisters Series, and the intrigue of books by Simone St. James. Part history, part romance, and all kinds of magic, Susanna Kearsley's latest masterpiece will draw you in and never let you go, even long after you've turned the last page. Also by Susanna Kearsley: The Winter Sea The Rose Garden Mariana The Shadowy Horses The Firebird The Splendour Falls Season of Storms A Desperate Fortune Named of the Dragon

"White Jade" weaves a story of legend, truth, and betrayal, spanning two continents and hundreds of years.

Driven from the shores of their beloved China by war in 1864, Meili's heirs travel to San Francisco, where they find themselves thrust into a strange, foreign world-a world of Nob Hill wealth, romance, clandestine societies, betrayals, ghosts, and self-discovery. Three diverse families intertwine as cultures collide, deceptions unravel, and the legacy of a legendary "big luck" grabs hold of them all

Can a legendary jade amulet really possess the power to change the luck not only of the living but also of the dead? For decades, Meili and her heirs must hold on to a small jade goat to unlock its legendary "big luck." Little do they know that the White Jade, guarded by a mysterious ghostly figure and sought after by a rising tong leader, is destined to launch them on an incredible journey that spans cultures and generations.

""I warn you, luck can come disguised in many ways. You must wear the White Jade well-this you must do for the sake of the ancestors.""

It is 1763, and the French and Indian War is taking a toll on the colonists, British soldiers, and their Indian allies. As two men on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean struggle with internal demons, both have no idea that they are about to become entangled with a seductive, mysterious woman who has devious intentions.

As surgeon Thomas Gage skillfully operates on one soldier after the other, he knows he must decide whether to pursue his medical career or fulfill his mother's wishes to marry and carry on the family legacy. Meanwhile, Richard Hayes, a high-ranking officer in the British army, is desperately searching Boston for an evil swindler. He has one year to retrieve the money and clear his name before he is sent to prison. In an ironic twist of fate, Gage's mother has a chance encounter with Margaret Ann Thatcher, the niece of a wealthy merchant whose temptations are about to lead her into a forbidden relationship.

As one war ends, a battle between good and evil rages on as the lives of three vastly different characters become intertwined in a web of treachery, greed, and insurmountable challenges that only the resilient will survive.

"Marion Fay" (1882) by Anthony Trollope is a multi-threaded Victorian novel of social mores, romantic entanglements and occasional heartfelt pathos.

Marion Fay is a Quaker's daughter courted by the idealistic Lord Hampstead. Meanwhile, his best friend, the impoverished George Roden, is in love with the Lord's noble sister. Differences of class and situation create romantic drama in typical Trollope fashion.