{"title":"Maria Elena Sandovici","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"the-glory-days-of-aimee-bonnard-paperback","title":"The Glory Days of Aimée Bonnard - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\"Swept up in a whirlwind of intrigue, calculated seductions, and phantoms of her past existence, Aimée maneuvers the politics and personalities of the country's most famous red-light district with a grace and sophistication that belies her occupation, only to learn that the most daunting task she faces is that of self-discovery. By her side, we learn that redemption is found only after we first forgive ourselves. Love is more than a romantic feeling, rather a force of nature that is always on the side of truth and justice. And when we inevitably become disillusioned with the world, its demands, and the sacrifices that chisel away at our dreams, life will remind us that we cannot put a price on freedom.\" Kimber Fountain, Author of GALVESTON'S RED LIGHT DISTRICT: A HISTORY OF THE LINE \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFrom the bestselling author of Storms of Malhado comes a new historical novel delving into a captivating element of Galveston's past: the world of prostitution.Nobody comes to a brothel seeking a true story. But you will want to learn the truth about Aimée Bonnard, the best-paid woman in Galveston. Formerly known as Yvonne LaCroix, Aimée arrives on the Island in the summer of 1898. She's looking for work in a high-end brothel, but she is also outrunning the consequences of a deadly night in New Orleans - a night in which a rival prostitute lost her life. Mistress of deception, Aimée charms and entices her way into an existence of extravagance and adventure in one of the most exclusive brothels of Galveston. But does the life of a high-end prostitute offer as much freedom as Aimée craves? And will her past catch up with her? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBefriending artists, architects, merchants, and gamblers, as well as a modest but kind-hearted doctor, Aimée falls in love with Galveston Island and discovers aspects of her own personality that surprise her. As a talented courtesan, her glory days are only just beginning. But a different Aimée surfaces, one that wants things that could stand in the way of her professional success, including allowing herself to fall in love. Meanwhile the past is closing in on her and Aimée will have to choose between the protection of a despotic madam and the uncertainty of taking matters into her own hands.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68285344055519,"sku":"9798581025833","price":12.78,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/PrMZuB8PsY9798581025833.webp?v=1792785104"},{"product_id":"lola-is-never-drinking-again-a-galveston-novel-paperback","title":"Lola Is Never Drinking Again: A Galveston Novel - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eGalveston 1988\u003cbr\u003eLola is back in Galveston after twenty years drinking and clubbing in Spain. She's inherited an old house she's afraid of and a family secret that might be either her undoing or her salvation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLola has nothing to show for herself after two decades abroad except for a serious drinking problem and a penchant for picking up strangers. She's missed her beloved aunt's funeral and lacks the capacity to digest some of the mysteries of her upbringing - from the demons that plagued her beautiful yet volatile mother, to the ways in which her aunt loved her but kept her at arm's length. She's also ill equipped to deal with the old house she's inherited, unable to afford the repairs, unwilling to face the memories it contains. Or the ghost she thought she once saw in the attic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile stuck in a vicious cycle she can't escape, Lola befriends an old woman with an impressive vintage wardrobe - and some skeletons of her own in her colorful closet - and two teenage boys who are adept at getting themselves into trouble with drugs, men, money, and a glitzy yet dangerous party world that has flourished in Galveston despite the overall economic downturn.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLike the Island itself, Lola is scrappy, run down, quite honestly a hopeless mess. But just like the Island she has the capacity to reinvent herself and rise from her own ashes. If only she could stop drinking, she might find ways to help not just herself but those around her as well. Will she succeed? And what will it take? The self-discipline she's always lacked? Chewing gum to soothe her nerves? A strong desire to help her wayward teenage friends? A pinch of magic? Or perhaps the kind of love that can piece the veil between worlds and heal the grieving.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":68341041496287,"sku":"9798391770466","price":28.35,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/yqt2aAQRUN9798391770466.webp?v=1793303478"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/maria-elena-sandovici.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}