Mrs. Gulliver: A Novel

By: null Valerie Martin

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Synopsis: From the prize-winning and beloved author Valerie Martin (Mary Reilly, Property, Italian Fever) comes an "utterly brilliant" (Daily Mail) tale of female subversion and agency in a patriarchal world, with two brilliantly crafted protagonists at its center.It&’s 1954 on far-flung Verona Island, a tropical paradise with a fragile economy and a rising crime rate. Prostitution is legal and Lila Gulliver is proud of her business, a high-end brothel where her clients are guaranteed privacy and discretion. When Carità Bercy, a young, destitute, and beautiful blind woman arrives at her door seeking employment, Lila decides to give her a chance.Carità proves a valuable asset to the house, as well as a psychological puzzle to her employer. One hot night, Ian Drohan, a handsome youth and the scion of the wealthiest family on the island, visits Lila&’s house and falls madly in love with Carità. Lila doubts his sincerity and fears for Carità &‘s future.Carità has no such fears. In fact, Carità is a reckless force of nature, determined to succeed in ways Lila hasn&’t even contemplated. Spirits of the star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet, as well as the devilish denizens of the magical island in The Tempest haunt this steamy tale of passionate love, found, lost, and found again.