{"title":"Books by Natasha Solomons","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781529158793","title":"I, Mona Lisa","description":"FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A beautifully written, literary tour-de-force' John Ironmonger, author of \u003ci\u003eNot Forgetting the Whale\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A wonderfully written story of art, but also of obsession, friendship and love - I absolutely adored this novel' Jillian Cantor\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Mona Lisa has hung in the Louvre for over two-hundred years. She has watched alone in silence as millions of people have admired her behind the glass.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow, she is finally ready to tell her own story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOver five centuries, from da Vinci's bustling Florentine studio to the opulent French court, Mona will be desired, stolen, heartbroken, curious, furious, and above all, she will be heard.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Solomons' prose is lyrical and her detail immense. No longer can I look at the Mona Lisa without hearing her. But more, now I know her' \u003ci\u003ePRESS ASSOCIATION\u003c\/i\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43128655413426,"sku":"9781529158793","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781529158793.jpg?v=1786022222"},{"product_id":"9781786582645","title":"Fair Rosaline","description":"\u003cp\u003e'IRRESISTIBLE' JENNIFER SAINT\u003cbr\u003e'SPELLBINDING' ELODIE HARPER\u003cbr\u003e'BEGUILING' WILLIAM BOYD\u003cbr\u003e'GRIPPING' ISABELLE SCHULER\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE UNMISSABLE UNTELLING OF \u003ci\u003eROMEO AND JULIET\u003c\/i\u003e, NARRATED BY ROSALINE, THE WOMAN ROMEO 'LOVED' FIRST.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFierce, feminist and intensely gripping - \u003ci\u003eFAIR ROSALINE\u003c\/i\u003e takes  everything you \u003ci\u003ethink\u003c\/i\u003e you know about \u003ci\u003eRomeo \u0026amp; Juliet \u003c\/i\u003eand turns it on its head . . . \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first time Romeo Montague sees young Rosaline Capulet he falls instantly in love. Rosaline, headstrong and independent, is unsure of Romeo's attentions but with her father determined that she join a convent, this handsome and charming stranger offers her the chance of a different life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSoon though, Rosaline begins to doubt all that Romeo has told her. She breaks off the match, only for Romeo's gaze to turn towards her cousin, thirteen-year-old Juliet. Gradually Rosaline realises that it is not only Juliet's reputation at stake, but her life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith only hours remaining before she will be banished behind the nunnery walls, will Rosaline save Juliet from her Romeo? Or can this story only ever end one way?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA subversive, powerful untelling of Shakespeare's best-known tale, narrated by a fierce, forgotten voice: this is Rosaline's story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'An excellent spin on a timeless classic'\u003cbr\u003eJennifer Saint\u003cbr\u003e'I have not been able to stop thinking about this book . . . \u003ci\u003eFair Rosaline\u003c\/i\u003e is a gripping, spellbinding and wonderfully immersive'\u003cbr\u003eElodie Harper\u003cbr\u003e'Brilliant and beguiling . . . A terrific novel - very clever and alluring'\u003cbr\u003eWilliam Boyd\u003cbr\u003e'Thought-provoking . . . a rich and atmospheric'\u003cbr\u003eKatherine J. Chen, author of \u003ci\u003eJoan\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e'A gripping story of female agency and strength. Rosaline is a compelling heroine and I was rooting for her from the first page\u003ci\u003e'\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eIsabelle Schuler, author of\u003ci\u003e Lady Macbethad\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Intelligent, imaginative, irreverent. A gripping \u003ci\u003eRomeo and Juliet\u003c\/i\u003e for the 21st century'\u003cbr\u003eAnnabel Abbs\u003cbr\u003e'A brilliant, feminist re-imagining of\u003ci\u003e Romeo and Juliet\u003c\/i\u003e. I absolutely devoured this'\u003cbr\u003eJillian Cantor, \u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of\u003ci\u003e Beautiful Little Fools\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Exquisitely written, wonderfully lyrical and richly immersive - this a story we all know made fresh and chillingly relevant'\u003cbr\u003eEllery Lloyd\u003cbr\u003e'A deliciously dark take on the iconic love story'\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWoman \u0026amp; Home\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e'A dark, powerful and thought-provoking novel'\u003cbr\u003eCulture Fly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSELECTED AS ONE TO WATCH IN 2023 IN THE \u003ci\u003eEVENING STANDARD\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003eEDITOR'S CHOICE IN\u003ci\u003e THE BOOKSELLER\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eONE OF THE BEST BOOKS FOR AUGUST IN THE\u003ci\u003e I NEWSPAPER\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57685963899253,"sku":"9781786582676","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":43205045813426,"sku":"9781786582645","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781786582676.jpg?v=1792599226"},{"product_id":"9781786583536","title":"Cleopatra","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'\u003ci\u003eWonderful\u003c\/i\u003e. A fresh and lively take on a well-known tale'\u003ci\u003e The Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e'A sensuous tale, richly drawn' \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTHE UNMISSABLE NEW RETELLING OF THE LIFE OF ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST POWERFUL, ENTICING AND MISREPRESENTED FEMALE FIGURES - THE LEGENDARY QUEEN CLEOPATRA\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCleopatra, Egyptian Princess, grows up the favoured daughter of the Pharoah, hiding amongst the scrolls in the great library of Alexandria with her beloved slave Charmian, longing for the chance one day to write her own story.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThen when her father dies, willing that Cleopatra rule with her selfish brother Ptolemy, danger stirs. As the young Egyptian Queen sails the Nile to greet her people, he plots to destroy her and take the throne for himself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut while Ptolemy has the power of Egypt behind him, Cleopatra has her wits. And when the great Caesar arrives from Rome, she realises he could be the key to her salvation - though courting this powerful man could cost her everything.\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCan Cleopatra save her life, her throne, her beloved Egypt and finally command her own history?  \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eA powerful, sensuous new retelling, this is a captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's time to meet the real Cleopatra.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e'\u003cb\u003eVibrant and enthralling.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eA glorious retelling of one of the most misrepresented female figures in history' \u003ci\u003ePlatinum \u003c\/i\u003emagazine\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e'The fabled Egyptian queen bursts into fierce and complex life' Caroline Lea\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Vivid and compelling' Anya Bergman\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Shows us the true Cleopatra in all of her pride and glory' Luna McNamara\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'As glorious and enthralling as its heroine' Naomi Kelsey\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A dazzling tale writhing with tension like a desert snake' Rachel Louise Driscol\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Thrilling. . . brings the ancient world vividly to life' Cathryn Kemp\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Solomons breathes life into the myth. Gripping' Elizabeth Lee\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eREADER REVIEWS\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***** \"I was absolutely bewitched\"\u003cbr\u003e***** \"This book was both intimate and refreshing, vivid. I felt both the sticky heat of Egypt, and the cool breeze of the Queen's apartments at night.\"\u003cbr\u003e***** \"10\/10 a much needed exploration into one of the most infamous women in ancient history\"\u003cbr\u003e***** \"It shows her not so much as the beautiful seductress we see in other stories but clever and young ruler, and later mother. I liked seeing her grow as a person and ruler, but what I enjoyed most was her relationship with her slave and companion, it added a vulnerable side to her character that we rarely see.\"\u003cbr\u003e***** \"Solomon's gift is to immerse you in an immediately believable world and to connect you with character from the start. I found myself constantly wanting to check details reading Cleopatra, fascinated by the woman coming alive before me.\"\u003cbr\u003e***** \"I raced through the final section, heart wrung for the women whose story is forgotten in the plays. Just brilliant!\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":57685893874037,"sku":"9781786583543","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Hardback","offer_id":55205982470517,"sku":"9781786583536","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781786583543_46ceaaf8-817f-443f-a8cf-53d3f227b605.jpg?v=1792599123"},{"product_id":"9780099510659","title":"House of Gold","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePerfect for fans of \u003ci\u003eTHE TEA PLANTER'S WIFE\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'This has everything - engaging characters, a thrilling story and beautiful scenery' \u003c\/b\u003eKATIE FFORDE\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe start of a war. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe end of a dynasty.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eVIENNA, 1911\u003c\/b\u003e. Greta Goldbaum has always dreamed of being free to choose her own life's path, but the Goldbaum family, one of the wealthiest in the world, has different expectations. United across Europe, Goldbaum men are bankers, while Goldbaum women marry Goldbaum men to produce Goldbaum children.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSo when Greta is sent to England to marry Albert, a distant cousin she has never met, the two form an instant dislike for one another. Defiant and lonely, Greta longs for a connection and a place to call her own. When Albert's mother gives Greta a garden, things begin to change.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut just as she begins to taste an unexpected happiness, the Great War breaks out, threatening to tear everything away. For the first time in two hundred years, the family will find themselves on opposing sides. How will Greta choose between the family she's created and the one she was forced to leave behind?\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56223143100789,"sku":"9780099510659","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780099510659_7bc90c34-1cc0-428a-8b10-5fee10412aee.jpg?v=1786011568"},{"product_id":"9780340995662","title":"Mr Rosenblum's List: or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eList item 2: Never speak German on the upper decks of London buses.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJack Rosenblum is five foot three and a half inches of sheer tenacity. He's writing a list so he can become a Very English Gentleman.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eList item 41: An Englishman buys his marmalade from Fortnum and Mason.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's 1952, and despite his best efforts, his bid to blend in is fraught with unexpected hurdles - including his wife. Sadie doesn't want to forget where they came from or the family they've lost. And she shows no interest in getting a purple rinse.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eList item 112: An Englishman keeps his head in a crisis, even when he's risking everything.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJack leads a reluctant Sadie deep into the English countryside in pursuit of a dream. Here, in a land of woolly pigs, bluebells and jitterbug cider, they embark on an impossible task...\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56286241915253,"sku":"9780340995662","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780340995662_8fd80129-5c81-4aaa-9d3a-020c23b72610.jpg?v=1786013832"},{"product_id":"9781444736373","title":"The Gallery of Vanished Husbands","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eAt thirty a woman has a directness in her eye. Juliet Montague did anyhow. She knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to buy a refrigerator.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut in a rash moment, Juliet commissions a portrait of herself instead. She has been closeted by her conservative Jewish community for too long, ever since her husband disappeared. 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His beloved wife has died, he's unable to write a note of music, and no, he does not want to take up some blasted hobby. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThen one day he discovers that his troublesome four-year-old grandson is a piano prodigy. The music returns and Fox is compelled to re-engage with life - and, ultimately, to confront an old family rift.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDecades earlier, Fox and his brothers return to Hartgrove Hall after the war, determined to save their once grand home from ruin. But on the last night of 1946, the arrival of beautiful wartime singer Edie Rose tangles the threads of love and duty, which leads to a shattering betrayal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWith poignancy, lyricism and humour, Natasha Solomons tells a captivating tale of passion and music, of roots, ancient songs and nostalgia for the old ways, of the ties that bind us to family and home and the ones we are prepared to sever. Here is the story of a man who discovers joy and creative renewal in the aftermath of grief and learns that it is never too late to seek forgiveness.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56299856920949,"sku":"9781444736410","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781444736410_afb73a82-5246-4042-a045-74ba333fe565.jpg?v=1786020787"},{"product_id":"9780340995693","title":"The Novel in the Viola","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the spring of 1938 Elise Landau arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay. A bright young thing from Vienna forced to become a parlour-maid, she knows nothing about England, except that she won't like it. As servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn, Elise wears her mother's pearls beneath her uniform, and causes outrage by dancing with a boy called Kit. But war is coming and the world is changing. 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