Barbara Taylor Bradford

I remember my mother reading Barbara Taylor Bradford when I was a teenager and thought, "What an old lady read, how boring."  (Sorry, Mom)  Twenty years later as I reached my mothers' age or surpassed it, I picked up Emma's Secret by Barbara Taylor Bradford.  I pretty much grabbed it because I liked the cover. (Stop yelling!  I know I should know better.)  It was a great book!  Full of secrets, intrigue, romance, regrets and made me long for more.  Emma's Secret happened to be in the middle of the Harte Family Saga beginning with Woman of Substance...the very book my mother was reading twenty years ago.  Like they say, in some instances, you do become your parents at some point.  There was even a miniseries made about the Harte Family Saga that we carry!  So you know someone, other than me just knew this was a set of fantastic books.  See what you think, my mind was changed...definitely not an "old lady read".

Here is a synopsis of Emma's Secret that may just pull you in:

Emma Harte, the heroine of Bradford's novel A Woman of Substance (1979), has been dead for more than 30 years when Emma's Secret opens, but her past factors heavily into the events of the novel. At the bequest of her dying grandmother, young American Evan Hughes arrives at Emma's magnificent English clothing store, Hartes, only to find out that Emma has long since died. She is soon hired as a store assistant to Linnet O'Neill, Emma's great-granddaughter, who can't help but notice the American's resemblance to her own mother, Paula. Evan and Gideon Harte, Paula's cousin, fall in love amid whispers that Evan might be the descendant of one of Emma's husbands. The truth lies in Emma's diary, but Paula is reluctant to read it. Curiosity finally gets the better of her, and the journal takes Paula to Emma's life during World War II, and at least partially answers the family's questions about Evan's heritage. It is up to Paula to figure out the rest. Readers new to the series might have a hard time getting a handle on the large cast of characters and their relationships to each other, but those familiar with Emma Harte and her large family will feel right at home.

-BookList

  

We carry Emma's Secret in large print and regular book format.  Woman of Substance is available in regular book format and the miniseries is available in DVD format.