About:
Alathea is a novel set within the restoration years of Charles II, just before the Great Fire of London. The story follows the tempestuous life of the protagonist, Alathea, as she challenges the status quo within the world of portraitists and artists of her time. Being a strong, talented woman, Alathea stays true to herself throughout the book, facing complexities of womanhood in that era. The novel weaves in historical events, politics, and the intricacies of family life, creating a riveting and unusual plot that keeps readers engaged.
From The Publisher:
Do you follow your head or your heart…?
Before Alathea Heron became a famous portrait artist, she was just a girl. Before John Wilmot, second Earl of Rochester, became the famous rake and scoundrel, he was just a boy.
When the Earl was just eleven years old he met Alathea and the two of them would change each other's lives forever. When they finally find each other again, their meeting ignites a spark within them both, turning Alathea into a figure of scorn and intrigue. John immediately tries to win her heart, but Alathea cannot bring herself to succumb to his advances. Alathea's only love is painting and she knows that if she loves anyone or anything else, she will lose it forever.
It seems an impossible choice - the two great loves of her life that cannot reconcile. In the end, it's a choice she must make between the magic of her art and the temptations of love. But can she live without either one of them?
Praise for Pamela Belle:
'A gifted storyteller…who can conjure up a period of history so that we can smell, hear and see it' - Sarah Harrison, author of The Flowers of the Field
'Full of rich historical detail…a delightful read' - Sarah Woodhouse
'A lovely book, coloured and close-woven and pulsing with life' - Rosemary Sutcliff
Pamela Belle was born and bred in Suffolk, the daughter of a local prep, school headmaster. She went to the University of Sussex, and has now given up her teaching post to write full time. Alathea, the heroine of Pamela Belle's third novel, also featured in the author's first two books, The Moon in the Water and The Chains of Fate .
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