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An epic new novel as memorable as the scent of lavender, from one of Australia's most compelling storytellers 'Nothing is wasted, Simone. the love we give never dies.' At fourteen, Simone Fleurier is wrenched from her home on a Provencal lavender farm and sent to work in Marseill...e. Her life there is hard and impoverished, but Simone discovers the music hall and a dream: to one day be a famous dancer and singer. But when war threatens, Simone makes a decision that will lead to great danger - yet ultimately prove that love, just like wild lavender, can grow in the least likely of places ... Belinda Alexandra has created a tale of passion and courage that moves from the backstreets of Marseille to the grand music theatres of Paris, from the countryside of Provence to decadent pre-war Berlin and jazz-age New York. Wild Lavender is a feast for the senses that will live on in the imagination long after the book is closed. PRAISE FOR WILD LAVENDER: 'Filled with glamour, heartbreak, drama and suspense' - The Age 'Rich in detail, and the story fairly rattles along' - Choice magazine
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The beloved debut novel from one of Australia's foremost storytellers. Epic and passionate, White Gardenia will sweep you away ...<\strong><\p> 'Mama, Mama,' I said to myself, 'keep safe. You will survive, and I will survive, until we can find each other again.' <\p> In a distric...t of the city of Harbin, a haven for White Russian families since Russia's Communist revolution, Alina Kozlova must make a heartbreaking decision if her only child, Anya, is to survive the final days of World War II. <\p> White Gardenia sweeps across cultures and continents, from the glamorous nightclubs of Shanghai to the harshness of Cold War Soviet Russia in the 1960s, from a desolate island in the Pacific Ocean to a new life in post-war Australia. Both mother and daughter must make sacrifices, but is the price too high? Most importantly of all, will they ever find each other again?<\p> Rich in incident and historical detail, this is a compelling and beautifully written tale about yearning and forgiveness. <\p> PRAISE FOR WHITE GARDENIA:<\strong>'Depicts vividly the powerful <\strong>lifelong bond between mothers and daughters' - Paullina Simons 'Captivating<\strong>' - Daily Telegraph'A passionate and powerful<\strong> family saga' - Australian Women's Weekly<\p>
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Forbidden love. Family secrets. A twist of fate. The stunning generational saga from Belinda Alexandra, bestselling author of Tuscan Rose and White Gardenia. In New Orleans - the city of genteel old houses and ancient oak trees covered in Spanish moss, of seductive night life, of... Creole culture, voodoo and jazz - two women separated by time and tragedy will find each other at last.Amanda, orphaned as a child and suffering the loss of her beloved grandmother, has left Sydney in search of a family she never knew. Ruby, constrained by the expectations of society and class, is carrying a lifetime of secrets. Amanda's arrival sparks revelations long buried: a double life, a forbidden love, and a loss that cannot be forgotten.Southern Ruby is a sweeping story of love, passion, family and honour. Alternating in time between the 1950s and the eve of Hurricane Katrina, it is also a tribute to a city heady with mystery, music, and superstition, which has borne the tumults of race and class and the fury of nature, but has never given up hope.' This is a big, bold novel with an evocative sense of place that will captivate Alexandra's many fans' Canberra Weekly'If I could give this a better star rating I would. Loved, loved this book. Belinda Alexandra is a wonderful storyteller!' Kim, Goodreads'For a book with such deep themes, Southern Ruby is an easy read, told in an entertaining narrative that draws us along like a conversation with a close friend. It is a thought-provoking novel that should leave the reader feeling satisfied as well as entertained.' Newtown Review of BooksPraise for Belinda Alexandra's novels:'Unforgettable ...intrigue, passion, betrayal - all the ingredients for a must-read novel. And that is this author's specialty' Woman's Day'A passionate and powerful family saga' Australian Women's Weekly'Filled with glamour, heartbreak, drama and suspense' The Age'Totally enthralling' Herald Sun
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A big, luscious, can't-put-it-down saga from bestseller Belinda Alexandra, a story of tragedy, romance and mystery, set against the beauty of Florence in the terrifying years of Mussolini. A tale of sacrifice and reward, of beauty and horror ... and of redemption. A mysterious st...ranger known as 'the Wolf' leaves an infant with the sisters of Santo Spirito. A tiny silver key hidden in her wrappings is the one clue to the child's identity ... When Rosa turns fifteen, she must leave the nuns who have raised her and become governess to the daughter of an aristocrat and his strange, frightening wife. their house is elegant but cursed, and Rosa - blessed with gifts beyond her considerable musical talents - is torn between her desire to know the truth and her fear of its repercussions. Meanwhile, the hand of Fascism curls around beautiful Italy, threatening her citizens. In the face of unimaginable hardship, will Rosa's intelligence, intuition and her extraordinary capacity for love be enough to ensure her survival? PRAISE FOR TUSCAN ROSE: 'A wonderful story that had me reading until the early hours of the morning' - Good Reading 'Impeccable research into the terrible times of Mussolini's Italy makes this story of sacrifice and salvation unforgettable' - Woman's Day
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Secrets, scandal and betrayal in 1950s small town Australia: the stunning new novel from bestseller Belinda Alexandra Rebecca Wood arrives in Shipwreck Bay, ready for a quiet life as the new postmistress of this sleepy seaside town. Fleeing a scandal and haunted by her past, Rebe...cca is determined to make different choices. But in such a small town, there is nowhere to hide from prying eyes. And before long she is caught up in the mysteries that hide behind Shipwreck Bay's respectable net curtains. Praise for Belinda Alexandra: 'Reading her novels is like going on holiday for a long time. You don't want to come back.' West Australian 'Unforgettable ... intrigue, passion, betrayal - all the ingredients for a must-read novel. And that is this author's specialty.' Woman's Day on Southern Ruby 'A wildly entertaining and absorbing read that leaves you with a lot to think about.' Better Reading on The Invitation
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Paloma Batton is a ballerina who lets little get in the way of her career until she receives a mysterious pair of golden earrings. She begins exploring her own Spanish heritage and becomes fascinated by 'la Rusa', a woman who rose from poverty to become one of the great flamenco ...dancers of modern times before committing suicide. As Paloma begins to unravel the secrets of the past, she discovers more than one person who had good reason for wanting la Rusa dead, including Paloma's own grandmother. GOLDEN EARRINGS is a story that moves between two great cities: Barcelona in the lead up to the Civil War and Paris in the 1970s. It is the story of two women and the extremes to which they are willing to go for love. It is a story of great passions - and great betrayals - where nothing is quite as it seems.
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A charming and beautifully-written gift book about cats and the women who love them, from internationally bestselling novelist Belinda Alexandra.
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A mysterious stranger known as 'The Wolf' leaves an infant with the sisters of Santo Spirito. A tiny silver key hidden in her wrappings is the only clue to the child's identity and so begins a story as intriguing and beautiful as the city of Florence itself.
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She had thought Shipwreck Bay was simply a remote town where people were bored senseless with their little lives. Now she saw its virtuous facade hid something darker, more sinister. Rebecca Wood is ready for a quiet life as the new postmistress of a sleepy seaside town. Fleeing ...a scandal and haunted by her past, Rebecca is now determined to make different choices. Soon she is being courted by the dashing local doctor and a bright future beckons. But in such a small community, there is nowhere to hide from prying eyes. And before long she is caught up in the dangerous mysteries that hide behind Shipwreck Bay's respectable net curtains.
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Cats and women share many traits: beauty, elegance, sensitivity, affectionate natures, a knack for nurturing and a love of the luxurious. Then there are the qualities cats possess that women long to emulate: fighting fiercely to protect themselves, never saying yes when they mean... no, and being unafraid to claim the best seat in the house. Cats are loyal to those who love them but couldn't give a toss about what others think. They don't suffer self-esteem issues or worry if they're overweight. And then there is their air of mystery, that slinky walk ... oh to be a cat! Belinda Alexandra, writer and ardent cat lover, makes no apology for celebrating the bond between women and their cats. In The Divine Feline, she shares her own experiences, looks back at the relationship between women and cats throughout history and solves behavioural questions in a whimsical and practical way. Viva la cat lady!
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