Böcker av Sharon Allen Gilder

The year is 1897. Inevitability comes calling to the Washington, D. C. home of Sir Ian Hargrove, his wife, Elsbeth, and their daughter, Arielle, in this debut historical romance novel by Maryland writer, Sharon Allen Gilder. Life's ambiguities and long-held secrets converge to embrace the power of the individual and test the resilience of relationships.A long-buried indiscretion melded with misplaced devotions threatens the stability of the Hargrove family and tests the strength of their bond. One woman, Alexandra Whitaker, is hell-bent on sabotaging their foundation as the tumultuous mix of passion, obsession, love, and loss forge her resolve.Discoveries from across the ocean led by shopkeeper and detective, Morgan Pennybacker accompanied by her assistant, Agnes Fielding, and parakeet, Peepers, portend to unhinge everything the family patriarch has worked so diligently to protect. The compassion and wisdom of a dowager confidante and her handsome nephew, William Clay, bring stability to the vicarious parameters established by death as one woman's passing brings new hope, love, and transformation to the residents near and within Emma Willard's estate, Chestnut Heights.From Wales, to England, to the U.S. capital, The Rose Beyond is a fragrant reminder of the tenacity of the human spirit and the power of love.

When temptation knocks, does she answer? Is she perfect? No, but who amongst her can make such claim? Read away as Imogen Simmonds deftly governs her complexities and flaws in an era abounding with change and desire. The year is 1821 in the bustling City of Washington and the federal district's neighboring environs of Georgetown where the alluring Imogen Simmonds and her husband, Talmadge, make their home. Newly arrived from England, they readily partake of the politics and parties vital to Talmadge's livelihood in the newspaper trade. Their life at Woodholme, the magnificent mansion Talmadge commissioned for his bride, appears to be idyllic until his nemesis, Archibald Howard, enters their lives and temptation knocks at Woodholme's door. Conflicted by desires she cannot suppress, Imogen is irresistibly drawn to Archibald's advances, which she chooses not to thwart. Talmadge's abiding love for his wife compels him to tolerate her behavior as she breaks the bonds set by vows and polite society's conventions. Infidelity ensues. Yearnings lead to betrayal. Upholding honor leads to a duel. Loss soon follows, leaving Imogen stricken with guilt, compelling her to make choices between her conscience, her heart and her fancies. A woman from her husband's past, the arrival of a handsome young gentleman and the revelation of a long held secret, add to Imogen's struggles as she casts off her widow's weeds and lifts herself from her mantle of grief. A mighty woman, her desires will not be deterred by remorse, guilt or shame. The amalgamation of love, needs, gossip, family secrets, betrayal, friendship and her ongoing pursuit of social justice for society's enslaved, lead Imogen to reflect on her passions and decisions. Ultimately, it is her vulnerability and power, melded with sage advice from her confidantes, which allows her to examine and question her trajectory, endure criticism and continue to prevail, as she searches for joy in the next chapters of her life.