Monday, November 30, 2009

Punished with Love


Punished with Love is #124 in the Bantam series and was published in July 1980. It is the story of Latonia, who changes places with her cousin in order to help her cousin marry the man she loves. Latonia travels in her place to India to visit her cousin's uncle, Lord Branscombe. Once he finds out he has been deceived, he proposes a plan to save her reputation: to marry him!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple outside in India. Our heroine wears a blue bustle dress over a white petticoat and looks cool and comfortable. Our hero wears his military uniform and is a dashing Cartland hero! Note the menacing figures in the background. This is another of the "pink" covers.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Bride to the King


Bride to the King is #123 in the Bantam series and was published in July 1980. It is the beginning of 6 "pink" romances, where Bantam changed the covers to a 1/2 picture and framed Cartland's name in pink, her favorite color. I think consumers didn't care for it as much as the full covers, since they changed back after 6 books.

This title is about Zosina, daughter of the Arch Duke of Lutzelstein. Her marriage has been arranged to the King of Dorsia, but she falls in love with the Regent, Sandor, instead. Find out what happens next in this dramatic story by Barbara Cartland!

Francis Marshall shows our couple as they meet. Our heroine, pretty in pink, curtsying to the hero. Unfortunately, it's not as big of a picture, but you can see others in the background and a fern blocking a window. Another great cover by Marshall. Click on it to enlarge.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

The Perfection of Love


The Perfection of Love is #122 in the Bantam series and was published in June 1980. It is the story of Darcia, who leaves the convent in which she has been educated to join her father. Once in London, she remembers a young man who used to visit her father's house and finds out that he's rebuilding his house after a fire. How Darcia meets this Earl and they fall in love is the plot of this romantic story!

Francis Marshall shows our couple at a picnic. I like her 1880's dress with the bustle, tight vest, and pert hat! Note the picnic hamper and plaid blanket. Our hero wears a brown jacket which is typical of the era. Click on the picture to see a full view.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Little White Doves of Love


Little White Doves of Love is #121 in the Bantam series and was published in May 1980. It is the story of Nolita Walford, who is left penniless after the death of her parents. Her aunt finds a job as a companion to the Marquis of Sarle's 12 year old daughter. How she helps a surly girl and her impatient father is the plot of this story by Cartland.

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple outside at a lake when the heroine is teaching the girl how to fish. Our heroine wears a white muslin bustle gown, which was popular in the 1880's. Note the pink dress and sash which the girl wears. Our hero is handsome in riding dress. It's a pretty and tranquil place. An unusual cover by Marshall!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Free From Fear


Free From Fear is #120 in the Bantam Series that was illustrated by Francis Marshall and was published in May 1980. It is the story of Yolanda and her brother, who kills a man in a duel. They run away to France, which in 1803, is relatively at peace after the revolution. They decide to masquerade as married servants and get a job with an actress who is interested in the Duke of Ilkeston. Romance, plots, and spies fill this terrific romance of Barbara Cartland's!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple in an outside waterfront scene. Our hero helps the heroine into a rowboat, which is going to take them to England and safety! She wears a typical white muslin day dress with a large sash. The scarf would have been used by servants instead of a hat or bonnet. Our hero wears a long coat and boots. Note the other people: the official on the dock and the oarsman in the boat. They wear the clothing of their station.

France in 1803 was in a time of calm, but before and after they would be at war with England. People of French heritage and English visitors were caught when war broke out and had to stay in France. The lucky ones managed to escape across the channel.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Imperial Splendour


Imperial Splendour is #119 in the Bantam series and was published in April 1980. It is the story of the Duke of Welminster, who meets a ballet dancer in Russia. He finds out that she is the daughter of a famous French musician. When she disappears, he sets out to find her because he has fallen in love with her!

Francis Marshall shows our couple at a ball. Our heroine is dressed as a princess and very beautiful in white and royal blue. Our hero is dashing in black. I like the people dancing in the background and the little details like the ermine fur on her cape.

This story is set during the Napoleonic Wars when France and Russia were enemies.


 This image is from the Eternal Collection #242 edition of the same title. It's fun to run across a new Francis Marshall picture!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Power and the Prince


The Power and the Prince is #118 in the Bantam series and was published in March 1980. It is the story of Alana, who has been working at the vicarage after the death of her father. She is persuaded by a neighbor to attend a house party in order to save her friend from an arranged marriage to Prince Ivan! How everything works out is the plot of this great romance by Barbara Cartland!

Francis Marshall shows our couple after she has beautifully played the violin. Our hero dries her tears while holding her close. It's a striking cover with both in black and the piano and violin prominent. I love her bustle dress which was fashionable in the 1870's.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Love in the Clouds

Love in the Clouds is #117 in the Bantam series and was published in March 1980. It is the story of Chandra, who travels to Nepal with Lord Frome after her father becomes to sick to do so. He is seeking the Lotus manuscript and Chandra and her father are translators who can help. How they find love is the romantic plot of this exotic novel by Barbara Cartland.

Francis Marshall shows our couple in Nepal as they seek the manuscript. Notice the small mountain horse that she sits upon and the natives behind. I like the illusion of clouds floating around them as they stand. It's hard to tell if they're departing or arriving! It's an interesting cover for an interesting book!

Friday, November 6, 2009

A Gentleman in Love


A Gentleman in Love is #116 in the Bantam series and was published in February 1980. It is the story of Thalia, who is a milliner while she and her mother wait for her exiled father to return to England. She meets the Earl of Hellington in the dressing room of an actress and he becomes intrigued with her. Find out what happens next in this romantic story from Barbara Cartland!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple at a restaurant. He is handsome in regency evening attire while she is pretty in a simple pink dress with dark blue accessories. I think it's interesting that she's not wearing a hat, even though she's a milliner! Notice all the details of the table and background, too!

Restaurants were popular in regency times and many offered private rooms for intimate dinners. Some of the great hotels offered meals and it was a creative outlet for chefs to start a restaurant and hopefully gain a clientele. Food and its serving was an important artistic feature of the regency.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Women Have Hearts


Women Have Hearts is #115 in the Bantam series and was published in January 1980. It is the story of Kelda, who is an orphan working as a teacher in a school when she is told to escort one of the students to her uncle in Dakar, Senegal, Africa! She is excited to be able to leave her drudgery and finds love at the end of the journey!

Francis Marshall shows our couple in an outdoors scene. Our heroine looks cool in white muslin and glances back at the hero, who is dressed in typical hot climate clothing for the 1900's! Notice the colorful native ladies in the street!

The French colonization of Senegal was different in that it was encouraged for European women to emigrate and Cartland mentions that in 1926 there were 1500 women who made an impact on the social life of the country.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Only Love


Only Love is #114 in the Bantam series and was published in January 1980. It is the story of Iola and how she escapes an unwanted marriage by becoming a governess to Sir Wolfe's daughter. How he rescues them from a kidnapper and they fall in love is the plot of this story!

Francis Marshall shows our couple in a small room where he is rescuing the heroine and his daughter. I think what's most interesting in this cove is the little girl! She is dark haired and looks like her father! I like how she is being held tight by the heroine.

Barbara Cartland's older books are hard to find. Check your local used bookstore or eBay for her books!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Explosion of Love


The Explosion of Love is #113 in the Bantam series and was published in December 1979. It is the story of Princess Marie-Celeste, called Zaza, who longs for some freedom and escapes with her music teacher to Paris for a holiday. Unfortunately, her teacher injures his ankle and they are helped from the train by a mysterious man who she falls in love with. There is also danger lurking as revolutionaries plot to over throw the government. Another exciting Cartland novel!

Francis Marshall paints our couple at a dance under the moonlight. She wears a typical dress from the 1890's with a cute small hat while our hero is dressed in a black suit. I like his effort with motion; you can almost see our couple swinging into the turn! It's interesting to see the background people dancing and sitting at tables. Enjoy this Marshall cover!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Love Has His Way


Love Has His Way is #112 in the Bantam series and was published in November 1979. It is the story of the Marquis of Sarne and how he is drugged and tricked into marrying Romana by his arch enemy, Lord Kirkhampton. How Sarne wins in the end and finds out that Romana is the perfect wife for him is the plot of this exciting Cartland novel!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple either at a duel or holdup. Our heroine is pretty in riding dress and the hero is dashing in a brown regency cut jacket. It looks as if they are in the woods, but Marshall creates a large tree as the background and to focus on the couple. I like that you see a bit of her striped waistcoat and shoe peeking out from her dress. It's an interesting cover for an interesting story!

It's also hard to believe that this book is 30 years old! BarbaraCartland.com is publishing 160 books that she left unpublished after her death and I highly recommend them!