Synopses & Reviews
Award-winning novelist Katherine Mosby examines the complex landscape of adultery while depicting a woman's unlikely blossoming in the face of war. Lavinia Gibbs defies social convention and family expectations in New York in the 1930s when she breaks off a passionless engagement to a prominent banker. Instead of surrendering to an invisible spinsterhood, Lavinia moves to Paris, where, on the verge of World War II, her sexual and political awakening collide in an unforgettable tale.
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"Mosby has a true storyteller's voice." Boston Globe
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“Tremendously ambitious...and impressive.” The New Yorker
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“...finely wrought prose and unexpectedly moving portrait of a woman who loses her privileges and finds herself.” Kirkus Reviews
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“Readers who appreciate poetic language and psychologically complex portraits…will savor this.” Richmond Times-Dispatch
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“Captivating...Lovely language and lively characters.” Salon.com
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“A deceptively simple and tender novel...the story of a young American woman who (risks) everything for illicit love.” Seattle Times
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“Impeccably rendered...Elegant, perceptive prose...Eloquence is paired with incisive content.” The Economist
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“Lyrical . . . moody, atmospheric . . . rich with a sense of longing . . . dark, seductive and worth visiting.” People (Three stars)
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“Mosby writes with fluid grace…her images are magical.” People
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“Intensely romantic. . . . Beautiful, full of rich, carefully chosen metaphors.” Washington Post Book World
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“Mosby has a true storytellers voice.” Boston Globe
About the Author
Katherine Mosby's previous works include a collection of poetry, The Book of Uncommon Prayer, and two novels, Private Altars and The Season of Lillian Dawes, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. She lives in New York City and teaches at New York University's Stern Business School.