The Reluctant Billionaire
Title | The Reluctant Billionaire PDF eBook |
Author | Tom Quinn |
Publisher | Biteback Publishing |
Pages | 245 |
Release | 2018-08-07 |
Genre | Biography & Autobiography |
ISBN | 1785904248 |
When Gerald Grosvenor, sixth Duke of Westminster, died in August 2016 he was one of the world's richest men, his fortune estimated at just under £10 billion. Yet he hated his wealth and spent long periods suffering from severe depression, much of it brought on by a feeling that his whole life had been a failure and that his money had destroyed any chance of happiness. At the same time, he could be ruthless in running the business while often feeling he was only a mascot. Gerald Grosvenor came into the line of succession by mere chance – or 'rotten bad luck' as he put it. The third Duke was childless and the title passed to a cousin, who became fourth Duke in 1963 and then, when he died four years later, to his younger brother, Gerald's father, Robert Grosvenor, who lived on an island in Lough Erne where Gerald grew up. Tom Quinn interviewed the sixth Duke on a number of occasions as well as people who knew the duke socially or had at various times worked with or for him. He discovered a complex man tortured by what he saw as his failures. He was a man who longed to return to his idyllic rural childhood yet was only really happy as an adult in the company of call girls. The book looks at the long and often eccentric history of the Grosvenor family and its wealth and the complex means by which that wealth has been shielded from the taxman, as well as the bizarre life of a man who was that strangest of things: The Reluctant Billionaire.
The Last Royal Rebel
Title | The Last Royal Rebel PDF eBook |
Author | Anna Keay |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
Pages | 481 |
Release | 2016-05-19 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 140884608X |
'A superb biography, which paints a vivid picture of the times and of her subject' Daily Telegraph 'Fascinating, compelling, outrageous and ultimately tragic' Simon Sebag Montefiore 'It is the best royal biography I have read in years' A.N. Wilson From the Duff Cooper Prize-winning author of The Restless Republic, a remarkable biography of one of the most intriguing figures of the Restoration era. James, Duke of Monmouth, the favoured illegitimate son of Charles II, was born in exile the year his grandfather Charles I was executed and the English monarchy abolished. Abducted from his mother on his father's orders, he emerged from a childhood in the backstreets of Rotterdam to command the ballrooms of Paris, the brothels of Covent Garden and the battlefields of Flanders. Such was his appeal that when the monarchy itself came under threat, the cry was for Monmouth to succeed Charles II as king. He inspired both delight and disgust, adulation and abhorrence and, in time, love and loyalty. Louis XIV was his mentor, Nell Gwyn his protector, D'Artagnan his lieutenant, William of Orange his confidant, John Dryden his censor and John Locke his comrade. In The Last Royal Rebel, Anna Keay matches rigorous scholarship with a storyteller's gift to enrapturing effect. She paints a vivid portrait of the warm, courageous and handsome Duke of Monmouth, a man who by his own admission 'lived a very dissolute and irregular life', but who was ultimately prepared to risk everything for honour and justice. His story, culminating in his fateful invasion, provides a sweeping chronicle of the turbulent decades in which England as we know it was forged.
One Fine Duke
Title | One Fine Duke PDF eBook |
Author | Lenora Bell |
Publisher | HarperCollins |
Pages | 384 |
Release | 2019-07-23 |
Genre | Fiction |
ISBN | 0062692453 |
A Mass Market Original—Also Available in a Hardcover Library Edition USA Today bestselling author Lenora Bell returns with her third book in the sexy School for Dukes series. Ready. Raised in the countryside by her overprotective uncle, Miss Mina Penny’s dream of a triumphant London season is finally here. She determined her perfect match long ago: Rafe Bentley, the wickedest rake of them all. There’s only one very large, very unyielding obstacle: Rafe’s brother Drew, the reclusive Duke of Thorndon. Aim. This was supposed to be simple. Duke goes to London. Duke selects suitable bride. Love match? Not a chance. But when Drew meets Mina, she complicates everything. How can a lady armed with such beauty and brains fall for his irresponsible degenerate of a brother? Drew vows to save her from heartbreak and ruin, no matter the cost. Desire! But Mina is no damsel in distress. She’s daring, intuitive, passionate…and halfway to melting Drew’s cold heart. And although Mina thought she knew exactly what she wanted, one breathtakingly seductive kiss from Drew changes everything. Now Mina must decide between long-held dreams and dangerous new desires. Could her true destiny lie in the arms of a duke?
I Dared the Duke
Title | I Dared the Duke PDF eBook |
Author | Anna Bennett |
Publisher | St. Martin's Paperbacks |
Pages | 365 |
Release | 2017-04-04 |
Genre | Fiction |
ISBN | 1250100925 |
When mysterious forces jeopardize the safety of his grandmother and her companion--the woman he desires--the Duke of Blackshire must do everything he can to keep them out of harm’s way, even if that includes playing by the rules of his beloved.
Say Yes to the Duke
Title | Say Yes to the Duke PDF eBook |
Author | Eloisa James |
Publisher | HarperCollins |
Pages | 400 |
Release | 2020-05-19 |
Genre | Fiction |
ISBN | 0062877836 |
A shy wallflower meets her dream man--or does she?--in the next book in New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James' Wildes of Lindow series. Miss Viola Astley is so painfully shy that she’s horrified by the mere idea of dancing with a stranger; her upcoming London debut feels like a nightmare. So she’s overjoyed to meet handsome, quiet vicar with no interest in polite society — but just when she catches his attention, her reputation is compromised by a duke. Devin Lucas Augustus Elstan, Duke of Wynter, will stop at nothing to marry Viola, including marrying a woman whom he believes to be in love with another man. A vicar, no less. Devin knows he’s no saint, but he’s used to conquest, and he’s determined to win Viola’s heart. Viola has already said Yes to his proposal, but now he wants her unruly heart…and he won’t accept No for an answer.
The Duke
Title | The Duke PDF eBook |
Author | Gaelen Foley |
Publisher | Ballantine Books |
Pages | 338 |
Release | 2006-04-25 |
Genre | Fiction |
ISBN | 0345494148 |
In this dazzling first novel featuring the Knight family, bestselling author Gaelen Foley writes an elegant, emotional story that touches the heart and soul. Driven to uncover the truth about the mysterious death of his ladylove, the Duke of Hawkscliffe will go to any lengths to unmask a murderer. Even if it means jeopardizing his reputation by engaging in a scandalous affair with London's most provocative courtesan—the desirable but aloof Belinda Hamilton. Bel has used her intelligence and wit to charm the city's titled gentlemen, while struggling to put the pieces of her life back together. She needs a protector, so she accepts Hawk's invitation to become his mistress in name only. He asks nothing of her body, but seeks her help in snaring the same man who shattered her virtue. Together they tempt the unforgiving wrath of society—until their risky charade turns into a dangerous attraction, and Bel must make a devastating decision that could ruin her last chance at love. . . .
On This Day in Tudor History
Title | On This Day in Tudor History PDF eBook |
Author | Claire Ridgway |
Publisher | Madeglobal Publishing |
Pages | 650 |
Release | 2015-09-23 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 9788494372193 |
"On This Day in Tudor History" gives a day-by-day look at events from the Tudor era, including births, deaths, baptisms, marriages, battles, arrests, executions and more. This must-have book for Tudor history lovers is perfect for: - Dipping into daily over your morning coffee - Using in the classroom - Trivia nights and quizzes - Finding out what happened on your birthday or special day - Wowing friends and family with your Tudor history knowledge - Researching the Tudor period Written by best-selling Tudor history author Claire Ridgway, "On This Day in Tudor History" contains a wealth of information about your favourite Tudor monarchs, their subjects and the times they lived in. Did you know: on 17th January 1569 Agnes Bowker gave birth to a cat?