Palace Circle

by Rebecca Dean

Book Overview

'Palace Circle is a gem, filled with dashing lords, gutsy ladies, family secrets and royal intrigue.' Barbara Delinsky American Heiress Delia Chandler leaves Virginia to marry Viscount Ivor... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076793055X
• ISBN13: 9780767930550
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Broadway Books
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 0.82 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

One of the best I've read yet!

I bought this book on a whim at the airport and was captivated from the time I picked it up. I could not put it down. The characters where great. The time period was portrayed excellently. Ms Dean did her homework to ensure accuracy. From a college professor who studies Middle Eastern History and the religion of Islam, she did a great job. Her first book isn't available in the States but was able to purchase it and just started it and am enthralled with it as I was with Palace Circle. Keep it up Rebecca! I can't wait for the next one.

Thoroughly satisfying easy read

Palace Circle: A Novel details the life of Delia Chandler Conisborough, a Virgina native, who marries Viscount Igor Conisborough and moves to England. While living in England, Delia discovers her marriage isn't all that it is meant to be, deals with high society and the romantic entanglements that go along with it, and learns the meaning of true love. As a Viscountess, Delia also learns to deal with the political and diplomatic aspects of the job. She is as important to her husband's career, although she never worked outside of the home, and through her connections her husband succeeds. Palace Circle: A Novel gives glimpses of the some of the most important historical figures as Delia meets various royal family members and other political figures from numerous countries including England and Egypt. The author writes her characters with such care they almost seem alive. Each character seems as if they actually walked across this Earth and were truly part of history. Each character from Delia who shows her true southern roots throughout the book to the reserved, and sometimes haughty Sylvia Bazeljette, who provides the counterpoint to Delia's warm southern charm, each brings life to this outstanding novel. I'd highly recommend this book as a good summer read when you are on vacation or just want to hunker down with a glass of iced tea. This is an excellent book well worth spending time reading.

Visiting historical moments

I have always loved books that I can learn from while being entertained. Much history has been learned while being wrapped in the arms of a great novel. "Palace Circle" was just such an experience. Filled with rich, engaging characters feathered in to historical events from WWI, to the affairs of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and the Egyptian front of WWII, the reader is entertained with romance and suspense. Although not really a suspense novel, the reader will be presented with a surprise antagonist that only makes a good novel better. Readers will be drawn through the book by an engaging story of lovely people from the past. Rumor has it that this is the first novel in a trilogy. I can hardly wait to read the others! Rebecca Dean is a delightful story teller.

A enjoyable read!

A wonderful escape from everyday life awaits you in this book. Forget the dishes, forget the outside world and tuck yourself away for some true bliss...

Tales of Romance and Conflict within Intriguing Social and Political Settings

Rebecca Dean has written a charming and easy to read, smooth flowing, fast paced romance and period piece novel with unexpected twists and turns in the plot making it a fun and enticing book. The setting begins in Virginia where the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains are visible from the balconies and windows of Sans Souci, name of the Chandler family's home. The Chandlers are a wealthy and socially well-connected Virginian family. Mr. Chandler became acquainted with Lord Ivor Conisborough when he was visiting the region from England. His title was "Viscount" and he was a recent widower. The rumor was, he was seeking an American wife, preferably a young one who could produce a male heir for him. It came as a surprise to many when he asked for the hand of Delia Chandler from her father. Delia was a red haired beauty who was only 18 years of age, while Lord Conisborough was 22 years older. Delia fell in love with the tall handsome, blonde-haired Englishman and accepted the proposal. She looked forward to the life they would lead within his aristocratic and royal circle, despite the fact it meant separation from her beloved Virginia hills, valleys and horses. Conisborough had been financial advisor to King Edward VII who recently passed away and would be advisor to the next King, George the Vth. Delia was an uncommon addition to Ivor's circle of friends and became an instant social success despite her occasional lapse in protocol. Her Virginian colloquialisms were part of her nature and added to her over all appeal, along with her beauty and gracious personality. Not long after her arrival, Delia received a rude awakening. She was forewarned by a family friend that among the aristocracy it was not unusual for one or both partners in a marriage to have a paramour. It was an acceptable social practice, with the understanding that neither partner made a scandal or did anything obviously embarrassing to destroy the appearance of harmony. Delia naively felt secure in Ivor's love for her - that is until she discovered a photograph of a raven-haired beauty whom she assumed was his first wife. She soon discovered her error and confronted Ivor about it but he would not give up his mistress. Delia chose to deal with this unpleasant reality in a mature manner far above her chronological years: she decided to make the best of it. She knew Ivor loved her in his own way but not the way she deserved as a wife. She did not want to destroy her marriage or cause a scandal for herself and ruin Ivor's career and public life. Instead, she threw herself into becoming the best wife and asset he could ever wish for. She also had two children which unfortunatley were girls not the male heir Ivor had hoped for. The book very smoothly transitions into different sections each of which covers various years in the lives of the Conisborough family members. Part One covers the years 1911 - 1930 and deals primarily with Delia's dilemmas and resolution to the problems she confro