The Summer Before the Storm - Wills, Gabriele

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Résumé :
It's the Age of Elegance in the summer playground of the affluent and powerful. Amid the pristine, island-dotted lakes and pine-scented forests of the Canadian wilderness, the young and carefree amuse themselves with glittering balls and friendly competitions. The summer of 1914 promises to be different when the ambitious and destitute son of a disowned heir joins his wealthy family at their cottage on Wyndwood Island. Through Jack's introduction into the privileged life of the aristocratic Wyndhams and their social circle, he seeks opportunities and alliances to better himself, including in his schemes, his beautiful and audacious cousin, Victoria. But their charmed lives begin to unravel with the onset of the Great War, in which many are destined to become part of the lost generation. This richly textured tale takes the reader on an unforgettable journey from romantic moonlight cruises to the horrific sinking of the Lusitania, from regattas on the water to combat in the skies over France, from extravagant mansions to deadly trenches - from innocence to nationhood. The Summer Before The Storm, the first of the epic Muskoka Novels, evokes a gracious, bygone era that still resonates in this legendary land of lakes.

Sommaire:
Gabriele Wills is the author of 7 highly acclaimed historical novels, including 4 in The Muskoka Novels saga set in North America, Britain, and Europe through the two cataclysmic World Wars and the seductive Jazz Age. Her passion is to weave compelling stories around meticulously researched and often quirky or arcane facts to bring the past vividly to life, especially with regard to women's often forgotten contributions.With degrees in the social sciences and education, she's had a varied career as an educator, literacy coordinator, and website designer, and has been an active community volunteer, particularly in heritage preservation and the arts.She's married to her university sweetheart and has a talented daughter who is a scientist and award-winning author and photographer, whose photos grace all Gabriele's book covers....