After her Aunt Penelope dies, historical researcher Penny Nichols is astonished to learn that not only is she a bona fide heiress-but she's also been invited to put her research skills to work. This time, the history she's researching happens to be her very own. What she discovers about Aunt Penelope-a pair of wills, double lives, secret histories, and a family tree of vultures-is about to sweep Penny and a long-lost relative across France, over the hills of Italy, and throughout half of Europe on the adventure of several lifetimes.

After her Aunt Penelope dies, historical researcher Penny Nichols is astonished to learn that not only is she a bona fide heiress-but she's also been invited to put her research skills to work. This time, the history she's researching happens to be her very own. What she discovers about Aunt Penelope-a pair of wills, double lives, secret histories, and a family tree of vultures-is about to sweep Penny and a long-lost relative across France, over the hills of Italy, and throughout half of Europe on the adventure of several lifetimes.

After her Aunt Penelope dies, historical researcher Penny Nichols is astonished to learn that not only is she a bona fide heiress-but she's also been invited to put her research skills to work. This time, the history she's researching happens to be her very own. What she discovers about Aunt Penelope-a pair of wills, double lives, secret histories, and a family tree of vultures-is about to sweep Penny and a long-lost relative across France, over the hills of Italy, and throughout half of Europe on the adventure of several lifetimes.

Belmond's much-beloved debut novel, A Rather Lovely Inheritance was "a rare gem" (Romance Reviews Today) and "An entertaining yarn with family drama and intrigue aplenty." (Booklist). Now, in the eagerly anticipated sequel, A Rather Curious Engagement, our American freelancer-turned-heiress Penny Nichols is back for more fun--and another engaging international romp with her English hero, Jeremy. Penny has the great London flat, the classic car, the villa in France, the fabulous bank account, and a great guy to share them with. So everything's perfect, right? Right? Er, well... Pursued by gigolos, gold-diggers, an ex-wife, and highly aggressive salesmen chasing after their millions, Penny and Jeremy decide to take the summer off and sock away most of their inheritance for one year. But they allow themselves one big "splurge" from their wish list--and that's where all the trouble begins. At an auction on the French Riviera, Penny and Jeremy win much more than they bargain for, uncovering a centuries-old rivalry involving the theft of a priceless treasure linked to Beethoven's Germany, the mysterious island of Corsica, a luxurious 1920s yacht, and a medieval castle on Lake Como, Italy. A Rather Curious Engagement is a stay-up-all-night read, with an irresistible, unbeatable heroine seeking answers to intriguing questions about history, art, fortune, and love. It's the perfect companion to the first novel.

From two bestselling authors comes intrigue and romance set in the opulent Thousand Islands resort area at the turn of the century.

A rich and compelling epic fantasy with a touch of the strange, from the author of Above -- now in paperback! The strange war down south -- with its rumours of gods and monsters -- is over. And while 16-year-old Hallie and her sister wait to see who will return from the distant battlefield, they struggle to maintain their family farm. When Hallie hires a veteran to help them, the war comes home in ways no one could have imagined. Soon Hallie is taking dangerous risks -- and keeping desperate secrets. But even as she slowly learns more about the war and the men who fought it, ugly truths about Hallie's own family are emerging. And while monsters and armies are converging on the small farm, the greatest threat to Hallie's home may be Hallie herself.

Join the fun and frolic with American heiress Penny Nichols and her English hero Jeremy Laidley, as the adventurous couple sets off for more elegant travel and delightful sleuthing together! Penny and Jeremy are just returning from their honeymoon, only to be greeted by eccentric friends of Prince Charles bearing a rather royal request: to rescue a historical village on the coast of Cornwall, England. A property developer is bulldozing his way across the countryside to build a monstrous new development, and he's heading straight for Grandmother Beryl's old homestead where the newlyweds first met long ago as kids. Can Penny and Jeremy solve an ancient puzzle in time to save Grandma's house-and the entire village-from total destruction? On the romantic rocky cliffs of Cornwall, amid Celtic lore and tales of Shakespeare, smugglers, and shipwrecks, Penny and Jeremy must contend with a rakish cast of local characters: a bird-watching earl, a famous TV chef, a vain actor, a New Age farmer, a pair of thuggish real-estate tycoons, a rebel rock-and-roller, and a band of determined "eco-warriors." Following a trail of cryptic clues, Penny and Jeremy's new caper takes them to the lush island of Madeira and the legendary castle of Tintagel, in a race against time to find the astonishing truth... before the wrecking ball strikes. With her trademark wit, wisdom, and verve, C.A. Belmond's newest novel in her beloved "Rather" series provides a perfect armchair voyage of Europe's glamorous locales, with plenty of mystery, history, food, wine, love, and life's little pleasures.