This novel about English nobility,and New York power brokers and the families of both, entwined with wealth, greed, misplaced loyalties and dark family secrets. Virgina Praeger, daughter of Fred Praeger, owner of Praegers, a New York bank falls in love with Alexander, Earl of Catherham marries him and starts her life in England living the ancesteral home of Hartest. She has three children, Charlotte, Georgina and Max. What they don't know is that each of them has a different father. Virgina dies in a car accident and Charlotte finds information in her mother's paper that allude to the fact that Alexander is not her biological father. She tells her sister and her brother and they also begin to wonder about thier own births. The three have to come to terms with this and eventually they discover who thier fathers were. Along the way, Charlotte is involved in the bank business, hated by her cousin, Freddy who had expected to be the sole heir of the bank. There is shady deals going on and her grandfather refuses to believe it. Family fortunes and personal greed makes for a saga like Dallas, Dyansity and some of the newer shows we see on TV. As each of them make thier way in the world, they have to come to terms with what they have discovered and how it will affect the rest of thier lives. A wicked pleasure to read!
This is the first Vincenzi novel that I have read and what a huge one. Over 800 pages! But it was a really good saga read and, as big as it was, I really enjoyed it and will read others by her.Back Cover Blurb:There was a time when American heiress Virginia Praeger believed that she was destined to be alone. Then she met Alexander, Earl of Caterham, in the Palm Court of the Plaza, and it was love at first sight.She has a husband who adores her. A palace of a house set in the exquisite English countryside. A successful career as an interior designer and two beautiful daughters and a son.But Virginia is hiding a dark secret which could destroy them all: each of her three children has a different father. And none of them is her husband, Alexander. How could a 'nice girl' such as Virginia do something like this? How far-reaching will the consequences of her deceit be? And will she and her family survive?
Do You like book Wicked Pleasures (1995)?
I've always enjoyed Penny Vincenzi books since stumbling on one a few years ago. This one follows the children of Virginia Caterham, each of which has a different father for reasons explained in this 800+ page book. It is set in England, primarily in the 70s and 80s and has a real sense of time. It goes back and forth from NYC to London with some side trips to Key West and Vegas. As all of her novels do, there are many characters (and a chart at the front). It was good, but it did not hold my attention like the trilogy she wrote about the Lytton family. I have a few more in the backlog to read but I'm parsing them out b/c they take quite a bit of time - probably a week or so - each.
—Tracy
THis 818 page saga tracks the life of an American young woman, Virginia Praeger, born to a life of wealth and in a family of bankers. Virginia, a sexually nieve product of the 50's falls in love with a British Earl and has a fairy tale wedding. On her wedding night Virginia learns of the tragic secret her new husband has kept. The story unfolds through Virginia's perspective and eventually through her three children, Charlotte, Georgiana, and Max and finally, her husband, Alexander. Lots of love, sex andscandal to keep you turning the pages.
—Diane
This book was okay - not quite what I expected. Instead of an intrigue-filled generational novel, I equated the story to a classed up version of a Jackie Collins tale. Not that there is anything wrong with Jackie Collins...! The book is LONG! It has to be in a sense because it covers thirty years and almost ten main characters. However, I think a bit of judicious editing should have been applied. One pet peeve of mine - the author likes to repeat phrases and adjectives. That got old, quick.I would have enjoyed this book more as a beach/summer read - not as a story to fill in my "Downton Abbey" need. (which is what one of the reviewers said...)
—Shannonb_n_az
