TALL POPPIES

One Woman - Two loves.England 1918

If it's not enough that a girl from a good background is forced to work as a maid, Livia Carr is then violated by the master of the house and becomes pregnant. Her only course is to marry the son of the house. Richard Sangster is an invalid, a world war one hero. He is not expected to live, and he offers Livia and the child legitimacy, as well has his name and estate. Livia grows to love Richard, but even though it's expected, his death comes as a great blow to her. Into the breach steps Livia's first love, and Richard's closest friend, surgeon, Denton Elliot. But will he desert Livia when the secret of the child's parentage is revealed to him. . .?

Note from Author.

When I came up with the idea of a woman who loved two men equally, I was a bit dubious that I could pull it off, and still create reader empathy with my two leading men. I was also worried that making one of them an invalid might be going a step too far - and wondered, would I capture them as authentic as men with their own point of view? I'm assured that I did. In the words of my editor, who is a man, "I thought this was a wonderful story that keeps you gripped until the very last pages – very glad there was a happy ending after so much strife!

PAPER DOLL Review

Once a perfect daughter, who inspired her toy manufacturer father to create a paper doll in her likeness, Julia loses her fiancé in WWI. With no plans for the future, she gads about with a fast crowd, much to her father's dismay.

An older business acquaintance of her father's, Latham Miller, saves her from a cruel trick, but there is something about Latham that disturbs Julia. He asks her to marry him, and she is reluctant to say yes. Instead, she is intrigued by her father's new manager, Martin Lee-Trafford, a doctor during the war who had a breakdown and returned home.

But when her father becomes ill and asks Julia to marry Latham, she dutifully obeys. Latham turns into a different man after marriage, determined to do whatever he wants with whomever he wants, so Julia starts an affair with Martin.

Woods tells a tale of the tumultuous, roaring twenties filled with glamour and sex, a wild ride that will leave readers breathless and ultimately triumphant.
--Booklist, February 1st, 2011