Karleen Koen Libri

Siamo ai primi del Settecento, nell'Inghilterra travagliata dalle rivalità tra gli Hannover e gli Stuart. Il padre di Barbara Alderley, partigiano degli Stuart è dovuto fuggire in Francia; la madre, la bellissima quanto dissoluta Diana tenta a Londra di riscattarsi agli occhi della Corte scindendo le sue responsabilità da quelle del marito e invoca pubblicamente il divorzio, un fatto scandaloso a quei tempi. E' in questo clima incandescente e corrotto che Barbara deve farsi strada, per affermare e difendere il suo diritto a essere donna.

Originally published: [New York?]: Crown Pub., 2011.

A bride at fifteen, widowed at the tender age of twenty, Barbara, Countess Devane, embarks for colonial Virginia financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances. Dressed in mourning as is proper for a woman, she is patronizingly described as a "fragile black butterfly," but the fragility is deceiving. She makes a place for herself in the new world, takes lovers and friends across political divides, and questions the established traditions of slavery. Facing enemies she never suspected, she must return to England and deal face to face with the problems created by her husband, who haunts her even in death. Back in London, she quickly finds herself pulled into Jacobite plotting, and the treachery of powerful men suddenly threatens her family, her friends--and a new love

Set in the vibrant backdrop of seventeenth-century England, this prequel delves into a world filled with passion, extravagance, and intrigue. Readers can expect a rich tapestry of danger and scandal that captures the essence of the era, expanding on the beloved characters and themes from the original novel. The narrative promises to engage with the complexities of the time, offering a compelling exploration of relationships and societal norms.