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California golden : a novel / by Benjamin, Melanie,1962-author.;
"Southern California, 1960s: endless sunny days surfing in Malibu, followed by glittering neon nights at Whisky A-Go-Go. In an era when women are expected to be housewives, Carol Donelly is breaking the mold as a legendary female surfer struggling to compete in a male-dominated sport--and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, bear the weight of her unconventional lifestyle. The Donnelly sisters grow up enduring their mother's absence--physically, when she's at the beach, and emotionally, the rare times she's at home. To escape questions about Carol's whereabouts--and chase their mom's elusive affection--they cut school to spend their days in the surf. From her first time on a board, Mindy shows a natural talent, but Ginger, two years younger, feels out of place in the water. As they grow up and their lives diverge, Mindy and Ginger's relationship ebbs and flows. Mindy finds herself swept up in celebrity, complete with beachside love affairs, parties at the Playboy Club, and USO tours to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Ginger--desperate for a community of her own--is tugged into the vibrant counterculture of drugs and cults. Through it all, their sense of duty to each other survives, as the girls are forever connected by the emotional damage they carry from their unorthodox childhood. A gripping, emotional story set at a time when mothers were expected to be Donna Reed, not Gidget, California Golden is an unforgettable novel about three women living in a society that was shifting as tempestuously as the breaking waves"--
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Novels.; Interpersonal relations; Mothers and daughters; Sisters;

The Comfort of Ghosts [electronic resource] : by Winspear, Jacqueline.aut; cloudLibrary;
A milestone in historical mystery fiction as Maisie Dobbs takes her final bow! The Comfort of Ghosts completes Jacqueline Winspear’s ground-breaking and internationally bestselling series. “An outstanding historical series.”—The New York Times “Winspear is a brilliant writer, mixing the history and the mystery with the psychology of criminals and victims.”—The Historical Novel Society Psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs unravels a profound mystery from her past in a war-torn nation grappling with its future. London, 1945: Four adolescent orphans with a dark wartime history are squatting in a vacant Belgravia mansion—the owners having fled London under heavy Luftwaffe bombing. Psychologist and Investigator Maisie Dobbs visits the mansion on behalf of the owners and discovers that a demobilized soldier, gravely ill and reeling from his experiences overseas, has taken shelter with the group. Maisie’s quest to bring comfort to the youngsters and the ailing soldier brings to light a decades-old mystery concerning Maisie’s first husband, James Compton, who was killed while piloting an experimental fighter aircraft. As Maisie unravels the threads of her dead husband’s life, she is forced to examine her own painful past and question beliefs she has always accepted as true. The award-winning Maisie Dobbs series has garnered hundreds of thousands of followers, readers drawn to a woman who is of her time, yet familiar in ours—and who inspires with her resilience and capacity for endurance. This final assignment of her own choosing not only opens a new future for Maisie and her family, but serves as a  fascinating portrayal of the challenges facing the people of Britain at the close of the Second World War.
Subjects: Electronic books.; Traditional; Women Sleuths; Historical;
© 2024., Soho Press,

Free love / by Hadley, Tessa,author.;
when the twenty-something son of an old friend pays the Fischers a visit one hot summer evening, and kisses Phyllis in the dark garden after dinner, something in her catches fire. Newly awake to the world, Phyllis makes a choice that defies all expectations of her as a wife and a mother. Nothing in these ordinary lives is so ordinary after all, it turns out, as the family's upheaval mirrors the dramatic transformation of the society around them ... --
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Historical fiction.; Psychological fiction.; Families; Man-woman relationships;

The tragedy of Eva Mott : a novel / by Richards, David Adams,author.;
"The Raskin brothers were once proud to be producers of a much sought-after material of great benefit to society--asbestos. But now their mine is under close scientific scrutiny, with reports of serious illness linked to the place. The world is changing, no doubt for the better ... But in the shadow of the mine, the values of a whole community are transforming, in more sinister ways. The Raskins' nephew Byron, a war hero and man of wealth, urges the brothers to look for other, less toxic minerals to extract. But meanwhile his own world is unravelling in ways that are unlikely ever to be fixed. His wife Carmel, whom he vaingloriously believed he was rescuing with his marriage proposal, has become an intellectual and political poseur. She and her son Albert are contemptuous of the values of Byron and his kind, while still finding use for his wealth and property. Carmel and Albert, it seems, are heralds of a new world addicted to mimicry and empty self-promotion, to delusions and temptations. Its victims are growing in number: a college professor in town is falsely accused of sexual harassment; a young woman is slipped an hallucinogen at a party with appalling consequences for her and two boys. And what of poor, naive Eva Mott, the captivating beauty who wished to be like her talented cousin Clara? Her story and the book that bears her name will haunt you. The Tragedy of Eva Mott has all the power and brilliance--and many flashes of wry humour--of David Adams Richards at the very top of his form. It will attract controversy but its fierce authenticity cannot be denied"--
Subjects: Domestic fiction.; Historical fiction.; Novels.; Asbestos mines and mining; Brothers; Businessmen; Families;

Dare to love a duke / by Leigh, Eva.;
Thomas Powell, the new Duke of Northfield, knows he should be proper and principled, like his father. No more dueling, or carousing, or frequenting masked parties where Londoners indulge their wildest desires. But he's not ready to give up his freedom just yet. The club is an escape, a place where he can forget about society and the weight of his title... and see her, the woman he's wanted forever.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Romance fiction.; Nobility;

The queen of fives : a novel / by Hay, Alex(Writer),author.;
A master con woman in 1898 London, Quinn le Blanc has just five days to impersonate a wealthy heiress and ensnare a duke into marriage, but as she infiltrates the high society of the Kendal family, she discovers that deception and hidden motives run on all sides.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Novels.; Aristocracy (Social class); Deception; Man-woman relationships; Secrecy; Swindlers and swindling; Women;

Never deny a duke / by Hunter, Madeline.;
He is the last duke standing... the sole remaining bachelor of the three self-proclaimed Decadent Dukes. Yet Davina MacCallum's reasons for searching out the handsome Duke of Brentworth have nothing to do with marriage. Scottish lands were unfairly confiscated from her family by the Crown and given to his. A reasonable man with vast holdings can surely part with one trivial estate, especially when Davina intends to put it to good use. Brentworth, however, is as difficult to persuade as he is to resist. The Duke of Brentworth's discretion and steely control make him an enigma even to his best friends. Women especially find him inscrutable and unapproachable--but also compellingly magnetic. So when Davina MacCallum shows no signs of being even mildly impressed by him, he is intrigued. Until he learns that her mission in London involves claims against his estate. Soon the two of them are engaged in a contest that allows no compromise. When duty and desire collide, the best laid plans are about to take a scandalous turn--into the very heart of passion...
Subjects: Romance fiction.; Historical fiction.; Man-woman relationships; Nobility;

The lady travelers guide to deception with an unlikely earl / by Alexander, Victoria.;
"Harry Armstrong has spent years in Egypt, recovering relics and disregarding rules. Now he's back in England with a new title and a new purpose: penning his exploits. But his efforts are overshadowed by London's favorite writer about Egypt--a woman they call The Queen of the Desert, of all things. Worse, her stories--serialized in newspapers and reprinted in books--are complete rubbish. Miss Sidney Honeywell didn't set out to deceive anyone. It's not her fault readers assumed her Tales of a Lady Adventurer in Egypt were real! Admitting her inadvertent deception now would destroy her reputation and her livelihood. But when the Earl of Brenton challenges her to travel to Egypt to prove her expertise, accompanied by his dashing, arrogant nephew, what choice does she have but to pack her bags? With the matchmaking founders of the Lady Travelers Society in tow, Harry is determined to expose Sidney's secret. But the truth might not be as great a revelation as discovering that love can strike even the most stubborn of hearts."--
Subjects: Romance fiction.; Historical fiction.; Women authors; Man-woman relationships;

The Raven's revenge / by Sands, Kevin.;
Christopher, Tom, and Sally embark on a dangerous cat and mouse game with the Raven as Christopher tries to finally unmask him.Ages 10-14.LSC
Subjects: Mystery fiction.; Historical fiction.; Code and cipher stories.; Rowe, Christopher (Fictitious character); Apprentices; Friendship; Secret societies;

The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin [electronic resource] : by Goodman, Alison.aut; Atherton, Kristin.nrt; CloudLibrary;
In Regency England, the eccentric Colebrook sisters are amateur detectives who use their wits and invisibility as “old maids” to fight injustice in this delightful and fiercely feminist novel of mystery and adventure from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman. To most of Regency high society, forty-two-year-old Lady Augusta Colebrook, or Gus, and her twin sister, Julia, are just unmarried ladies of a certain age. But the Colebrook twins are far from useless old maids. They are secretly protecting women and children ignored by society and the law. When Lord Evan—a charming escaped convict who has won Gus’s heart—needs to hide his sister, Hester, from their vindictive brother, Gus and Julia take Hester and her lover into their home. But Lord Evan’s complicated past puts them all in danger. Gus knows they must clear his name of murder if he is to survive the thieftakers who hunt him. No easy task—the fatal duel was twenty years ago and a key witness is nowhere to be found. In a deadly cat-and-mouse game, Gus, Julia, and Lord Evan must dodge their pursuers and investigate Lord Evan’s past. They will be thrust into the ugly underworld of Georgian gentlemen’s clubs, spies, and ruthless bounty hunters, not to mention the everyday threat of narrow-minded brothers. Will the truth be found in time, or will dangerous secrets from the past destroy family bonds and rip new love and lives apart?
Subjects: Audiobooks.; Women Sleuths; Historical; Regency;
© 2025., Penguin Random House,