"With unerring insight and emotional power, Belva Plain, in her extraordinary novel, tells the story of a family divided and of the proud matriarch who takes a bold last stand to unite her warring children in what may be their last Homecoming.
It is a crisp December day when Annette Byrne walks to the end of her long, curving driveway and drops five sealed envelopes into the mailbox, quickly, before second thoughts stay her hand. Shortly thereafter, with the holidays approaching, her estranged family will be gathered at her country estate for the first time in years.
The sons. . . two brothers embittered by a breach of ethics, honor, and trust. The grandchildren. . . one young couple on the verge of divorce; another, lovingly united against the parents who have tarnished their lives. As the ill-fated meeting hurtles toward a bitter and abrupt conclusion, not even Annette Byrne's indomitable will can heal the rift--until a shattering event alters the landscape forever."
"This mesmerizing saga of modern womanhood and the heroic struggle for freedom is vividly brought to life through four generations of remarkable mothers and daughters. In the year 2005, Sarah finds herself drawn into the tumultuous lives of her unconventional ancestors. Spanning a hundred years, she calls to memory her great-grandmother Sarah, propelled by a Russian pogrom to America in 1906; her grandmother Salome, who cavorted with Henry Miller in pre-war Paris; and finally, her mother, Sally, a famous folk singer and emblem of the 1960s. Through the paradoxical nature of memory, Sarah discovers the power and passion that is her matriarchal birthright and comes to understand and impart her own story."
"Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, The Scarlet Letter tackles the subjects of social stigma, shame, and judgment. Hester Prynne is at the forefront of the scandal, subject to public humiliation for bearing a child out of wedlock. Forced to wear a scarlet 'A' on her clothing for the rest of her life, she cannot run from her sin. Hester refuses to name her daughter's father, a local reverend whom she is in love with, a timid man who keeps his secret from the community. Hester's husband—presumed lost at sea for two years—returns, seeking to exact revenge on the child's father, whoever he may be. One of the most important novels in American literature, The Scarlet Letter is a tragic tale about sin, punishment, misplaced judgment, and non-conformity to social pressure and religious power."
"American Star is a love story of two extraordinary lovers, separated by tragedy, yearning for each other, though seemingly unable to be together ever again.
Nick and Lauren could never forget each other. Teenage small-town lovers—he from the wrong side of the tracks, she the prettiest girl in town—their love was the town scandal, forbidden, sizzling, and unforgettable. But the whole relationships ends abruptly in tragedy. From that moment, their lives are split and they are sent into separate orbits, perhaps never to reunite.
Nick pursues his dream of acting, and after a series of wild adventures begins the slow rise that will make him one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Meanwhile, Lauren goes to New York and enters the modeling world, surprising everyone with a career that takes off in a direction she never expected. American Star follows them both on their trips to fame, as Nick and Lauren, haunted by the secret they share, try to live without each other—only to find they can't.
A compelling story of love, sex, and murder, set against the glamorous backgrounds of New York and Hollywood, American Star is a story only Jackie Collins can tell."
"This sequel to Beaches picks up after the tragic death of Bertie Barron, who has entrusted the care of her eight-year-old daughter, Nina, to her best friend, the dazzling entertainer Cee Cee Bloom. But life in the Hollywood spotlight never prepared Cee Cee for this role: mother to a little girl she barely knows. For several years, it all seems to work for her: career, motherhood, and even high-profile romance with a marvelous and unlikely lover. Then, with one devastating discovery, the life she has created with Nina in Hollywood is shattered, and Cee Cee is forced to come to terms with the profound depth of her commitment to this young girl— now a young woman who has become so precious to her."
"Loudmouthed, redheaded Cee Cee Bloom has her sights set on Hollywood. Quiet and conservative Bertie White dreams of getting married and having children. In 1951, their childhood worlds collide in Atlantic City. Keeping in touch as pen pals, they reunite over the years— always near the ocean.
Read by the author, this powerful and moving novel follows Cee Cee and Bertie's extraordinary and unlikely friendship over thirty years as they evolve from adolescents into adults. A bestselling novel that became a hugely successful film, Beaches is funny, warm, heartbreaking tale."
