Contemporary Romance, Arts & Entertainment - Fiction

Playing the Game

Name: Playing the Game
Author: Barbara Taylor Bradford
ISBN: 9780312578091

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

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Overview

Barbara Taylor Bradford, the blockbuster New York Times bestselling author of A Woman of Substance and The Ravenscar Dynasty, has written an explosive new novel about one woman’s remarkable journey to success.

Annette Remmington is a London art consultant and private dealer. With a roster of wealthy clients who trust her good eye and judgment, she is at the top of her game. Annette is married to her mentor and personal champion, the much older Marius. For twenty years, he has groomed her into the success that she has become, not to mention saving her from a dark and gritty past. Annette is Marius’s pride and joy, and as her best advisor, he has handpicked Jack Chalmers to do Annette’s profile in a popular newspaper. Marius believes only Jack—one of London’s most esteemed journalists—will be able to capture the true brilliance of his beloved wife. But Marius never intends to put his marriage in jeopardy….How could he have known that the connection between Jack and Annette would ignite so many secrets? And how could he know that Jack would uncover a scandal that could ultimately destroy them all?

About the Author, Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford is the author of 25 bestselling novels, including Being Elizabeth, Breaking the Rules, and The Ravenscar Dynasty. She was born in Leeds, England, and from an early age, she was a voracious reader: at age 12, she had already read all of Dickens and the Brontë sisters. By the age of twenty, she was an editor and columnist on Fleet Street. She published her first novel, A Woman of Substance, in 1979, and it has become an enduring bestseller. Barbara Taylor Bradford’s books are published in over 90 countries in 40 languages, with sales figures in excess of 82 million. Ten of her novels have been adapted into television mini-series starring actors including Sir Anthony Hopkins, Liam Neeson, Deborah Kerr and Elizabeth Hurley. She has been inducted into the Writers Hall of Fame of America, and in June of 2007, Barbara was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to Literature. She lives in New York City with her husband, television producer Robert Bradford, to whom all her novels are dedicated, and their Bichon Frise dogs, who sit under her desk while she writes.

Biography

Barbara Taylor Bradford was born and raised in Yorkshire, England. A voracious reader since childhood, she took her first job at the age of 15 with the Yorkshire Evening Post and by the age of 18 was the newspaper's women's page editor. Two years later, she headed for London and became a reporter for the London Evening News, Today Magazine, and other publications.

After meeting her husband-to-be, Robert Bradford, in 1961, she relocated to the United States. Continuing in journalism, Barbara created the syndicated column "Designing Woman," which ran nationwide for 12 years. Children's books and 8 works on decorating followed.

In 1979, Bradford published her first novel, A Woman of Substance, introducing the Emma Harte saga and beginning an almost uninterrupted string of bestsellers. Her work has been published in more than 90 countries in 40 languages, and total sales of her books now surpass 75 million.

Barbara now lives and writes in New York City with her husband, Robert. In addition to her work as a writer, she is active in a number of major charitable organizations, including the Police Athletic League, Girls Inc., City-Meals-on-Wheels, and the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation.

Good To Know

Queen Elizabeth bestowed the Order of the British Empire on Barbara in October, 2007. The news was announced on the author's website with the following headline: "BTB Gets Her OBE from QEII."

Some interesting outtakes from our interview with Bradford:

"All 20 of my original manuscripts are stored by the prestigious Brotherton Library at Leeds University in England, next to the works of the Brontë sisters."

"My first job was working as a typist for the Yorkshire Evening Post at the age of 15."

"When I'm not writing, (which isn't often) I love to read. Biographies are my favorite genre, though I do like to read fiction to see what others are putting out on the market. Authors whose books I always make time for are Patricia Cornwell, Mary Higgins Clark, and Bernard Cornwell."

"I love to travel whenever possible. Paris is my favorite city to visit, though some of my favorite holidays are spent back in England."

"My husband, Bob, has a vote for the Academy Awards, so I get to see a lot of movie screenings."

"I'm involved in a number of charity organizations on both sides of the Atlantic. From the Police Athletic League and the Literary Guild in America to PACT (Parents and Children Together Again) in the U.K., I devote a fair amount of time to these causes. And as an advocate for world literacy, I am a member of the Madison Council to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C."

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Editorials

From the Publisher

PRAISE FOR BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD’S RAVENSCAR SERIES

“Her most exciting series yet...It’s filled with romance, suspense and intrigue, and the richly detailed characters come vibrantly alive as expert pacing captures your attention from the very first page.”—RomanticTimes BOOKreviews, Top Pick

“Rife with dastardly internecine struggles, smoldering illicit passion, and cowardly insidious betrayals…[the Deravenels] pack as much intrigue as any Shakespearean royal drama.”—Booklist on Being Elizabeth

“The queen of the bestseller list still rules with The Heir.”—Miami Herald

“Bestseller Bradford’s dynastic epic spanning the 20th century should tide over her fans…”—Publishers Weekly

“Bradford’s characters are so real, readers clamor to know them better.”—USA Today

“This expertly crafted epic novel further explores the triumphs and tragedies of the Deravenel family. It will enthrall readers with its vivid characters and fast-paced, larger-than-life plot.”
—Romantic Times BOOKreviews (4 ½ stars) on The Heir

“The Ravenscar Dynasty has it all—power, betrayal, mystery...The characters are all complex, dynamic, and powerful, leading us through Edward Deravenel’s struggles one exciting step at a time.”—Romance Reviews Today

“Bradford’s fiction has long focused on strong heroines who succeed against great odds. Her latest novel, The Ravenscar Dynasty...is the first of a planned trilogy of novels, all destined for best-sellerdom.”—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

…AND THE NOVELS IN THE ACCLAIMED HARTE SAGA

“The Harte saga is as much a force of nature as a work of fiction…the issues at stake still compel readers after 25 years. Bradford understood early on readers’ hunger for depictions of women who are strong and powerful and whose values embrace family. A quarter-century ago, Emma Harte crossed the no-woman’s-land that once divided family and business, and now generations of readers consider her a role model in their own lives.”—The Washington Post

“A truly remarkable conclusion to her beloved Harte family saga…riveting and intense. Not many novels have the ability to completely immerse the reader, but this one draws you into the story from the very first page.”—Romantic Times BOOKreviews on Just Rewards

“Bradford gives her readers more of what she does best—strong, savvy female protagonists who relentlessly pursue great destinies, characters much like the author herself…well-written and full of emotion…completely riveting…the plot, while always complex, has suspenseful moments to keep the pace sharp…good reading…Unexpected Blessings clearly shows why Bradford is still the premier writer of family sagas.”—Miami New Times

“The exploits and adventures of Bradford’s indomitable heroines continue to make for lusty escapist fiction in this robust fifth novel in the series.”—Publishers Weekly on Unexpected Blessings

“The enduring theme of family loyalty ennobles the Harte family saga and raises it to a heartwarming crescendo that longtime fans will appreciate.”—Book Page

“Readers who loved A Woman of Substance will enjoy Emma’s Secret.”—Denver Post

“In her 19th novel, the grande dame of mass-market fiction revisits her first heroine—the indomitable Emma Harte.”—New York Daily News on Emma’s Secret

“So many of us turn to novels like Barbara Taylor Bradford’s…for our daily dose of amour.”—Woman’s Day Magazine

“Promises to tantalize, mesmerize, and titillate readers of all ages. It has all the Bradford touches: strong and swift plot, hints of secrets about to be revealed…spellbinding.”—Roanoke Times

“A novel for everyone…A satisfying, lushly detailed saga.”—Rave Reviews on To Be the Best

“A master storyteller and character builder, Ms. Bradford again crafts another reader-holder novel…Act of Will is another winner.”—The Pittsburgh Press

“The men and woman are all gorgeous, rich, well-dressed. There are luxurious descriptions in this perfect page-turner.”—Philadelphia Inquirer on Hold the Dream

“A vibrantly characterized leading lady and a glimpse at the dazzling world of the rich and powerful.”—Working Woman

“Barbara Taylor Bradford is the storyteller of substance.”—The Times (London)

“Voice of the Heart is the sort of book I cannot resist, indeed I pray to find.”—The Washington Times Magazine

“Meant to be read in a peignoir on a chase lounge whist nibbling scented chocolates.”—Cosmopolitan

“A rich tapestry of love and romance.”—San Diego Union

“It is easy to want every item Bradford catalogues, easy to imagine wearing it, eating and drinking it, driving it, smelling like it…The geography of Voice of the Heart takes a reader to all the right places.”—Los Angeles Times

“An extravagant, absorbing novel of love, courage, ambition, war, death, and passion.”—The New York Times on A Woman of Substance

“A Woman of Substance [is] a long, satisfying novel of money, power, passion and revenge, set against the sweep of 20th century history.”—Los Angeles Times

“Wonderfully entertaining.”—Denver Post on A Woman of Substance

Publishers Weekly

In her 26th book Bradford (Breaking the Rules) embraces all the tropes of the rags-to-riches story. Although London art consultant and dealer Annette Remmington has been thoroughly educated about art by her controlling, much older husband, Marius, it's the sale of a long-lost Rembrandt for the staggeringly high sum of million pounds that ultimately brings her fame. When other paintings in the seller's collection are found to be fakes, however, and Annette's newly minted rep is seriously threatened, she enlists gallery owner Malcolm Stevens, a protégé of her husband, for advice. When Marius persuades a reluctant Annette to be interviewed by a rising young journalist in order to create interest in her next auction, the decision reveals a tortured childhood for Annette and a serious criminal past for Marius. A contrived denouement, trite prose, heavy-handed foreshadowing, and too many subplot tentacles will deter all but the most loyal Bradford fan. (Oct.)

Bradford (www.barbarataylorbradford.com) creates another strong female character in 39-year-old art consultant Annette Remmington, a darling of the London art world, in this follow-up to Breaking the Rules (2009), also available from Macmillan Audio/AudioGO. Annette's husband and mentor, Marius, arranges for her to be profiled by top journalist Jake Chalmers. But when the very popular and attractive Chalmers connects with Annette during their interview, a secret from her past threatens to resurface that could end her marriage and destroy her career. British actress Catherine Harvey superbly narrates this grand tale of romance, scandal, and international intrigue that will appeal to fans of Bradford and romance novels alike.—Denise A. Garofalo, Mount Saint Mary Coll. Lib., Newburgh, NY

Bradford's latest rags-to-riches heroine is a London fine-art consultant with a dark secret—several of them, in fact.

Annette Remmington is still plagued by nightmares of the childhood sexual abuse she suffered. Rescued by a kindly aunt who paid for her education, Annette had a brief career as a painter before her marriage to dashing gallery impresario Marius Remmington, 20 years her senior. Only Marius knows of Annette's other dark secret, which gives him leverage to keep her complacent and docile. When inquiries are made about a certain Hilda Crump, Annette fears that if the truth were known, she could land in jail for murder. Now 40, Annette has scored a coup. A new client, Christopher, has inherited a cache of art from his eccentric Uncle Alec, including a Rembrandt, which Annette has just auctioned for several million pounds. There are plenty more canvases lurking at the gloomy old castle formerly owned by Uncle Alec, who, everyone agrees, went a little dotty after his fiancée, clad in her wedding gown, hanged herself in the bedroom. Annette is planning another auction for Christopher, which will include a previously unknown cast of Degas' sculptureThe Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and paintings by other Impressionist masters. However, Annette and her advisors have discovered that several pieces in Uncle Alec's collection are forgeries. When Marius insists she promote her upcoming auction, she agrees to talk to Jack Chalmers, a reporter Marius has handpicked. Little does Marius suspect that Annette and Jack will immediately recognize each other as soul mates. And little does Annette know that when Marius is in Barcelona supposedly working on a book about Picasso, he's actually emulating Picasso's philandering behavior. The plotlines proliferate until we realize that secrets from Jack's childhood are the key to unlocking the dilemmas keeping him and Annette apart.

Vintage Bradford, with lavish descriptions of the pleasures of palate and palette, victims as virtuous as they are gorgeous, cruel lotharios and a satisfying if somewhat far-fetched resolution.