Against the Stream

Against the Stream was published in paperback in these editions in 1975 (UK) and 1977 (US).

This book is about Ann, who accepts a proposal from Sir John Melton after the death of her father and only to keep her family together. Can she love this enigmatic man?

At first glance, the UK and US covers look similar; some covers are enlarged for US books, but you see a difference when you look closer. The UK cover is full length with our couple sitting on a sofa with the couple holding hands. Our UK hero looks almost exotic while his heroine wears a ring that is missing from the US cover and sparkly earrings. I like her full red skirt.

The US cover is similar, but the hero looks more English while the heroine has her eyes open, wears no ring, has a red ribbon on her neck and subdued earrings. Her blouse is flecked with blue instead of red dots. Also, you get the illusion that they are in a city with the buildings in the background, which is missing in the UK cover. A lot of differences for 2 covers that look very similar at first glance! Francis Marshall probably tweaked the UK cover for the US market! I hope that you enjoy and do click on the pictures to enlarge!

Happy New Year! I hope to bring you many new posts in 2010! Please feel free to share other Cartland covers by Francis Marshall with me!

The Adventurer

The Adventurer is next in the older series and this copy was published by Pyramid in August 1977. This story is about Helga, who is in love with Frank Swinton. When she finds out that he is already engaged, she escapes, heartbroken, to Germany. Years later, our lovers meet again can they fall in love?

Francis Marshall illustrates a beautiful cover showing our couple in a comfortable room. Our hero is extending a rose to our heroine, who is lovely in a blue gown. Our hero is handsome in a green hunting jacket. They are very elegant. I hope you enjoy this cover. Notice that I don't have the UK one. It could be because it is identical to this one. I didn't collect the UK ones if they were the same as the US ones. Enjoy!

Again This Rapture

Again This Rapture begins the series of older Cartland romances. Most of these are reprints of earlier hardcover books and most are set in modern time. The US ones were mainly published by Pyramid/Jove and the UK by a variety of publishers. I hope you enjoy these Francis Marshall covers!

This book was reprinted in 1977 by both publishers and is the story of Cynthia, who has lost her fiance, Peter, and her home, Birch Vale, due to her father's debts. After his death, she sells the house to Robert Shefford, a mysterious man that she think she hates....

The Arrow (UK) cover shows our heroine in a wedding gown with the hero bursting in on her. I like the touch of the bouquet on the floor and the hatbox ready to be carried out! It's a pretty cover and everyone likes a bride!

The Pyramid (US) cover shows our hero and heroine in front of a large car on a dark street. She is pretty with light colored hair in a Farrah Fawcett cut with our hero a handsome redhead looking at her. It's an intriguing cover with the darkness and the lights shining behind. I hope that you enjoy both FM covers for this book!

The Runaway Heart

The Runaway Heart was published by Sphere in 1980 for Barbara Cartland and is the last book I have by them illustrated by Francis Marshall. This book is about Karina, who escapes a proposal to her dull cousin by staying at a house party hosted by the rich and famous Garland Holt. She falls under suspicion for theft after his jade collection is stolen and has to prove her innocence and love! Francis Marshall creates a great cover with our couple in the back of a car. Our heroine is lovely in a blue dress and our hero is dashing in black! Notice the rug to cover their legs!! Again, this cover was only published in the UK, so very hard to find a copy in the US. Enjoy!!

 

BC.com lists this picture for this book. 

Sweet Enchantress

Sweet Enchantress is the next book that I have published by Sphere UK and illustrated by Francis Marshall for Barbara Cartland. This story is about Zaria Mansford who inherits a great legacy and a yacht. She decides to travel on the yacht incognito and meets a mysterious man!

Francis Marshall illustrates an interesting cover with our couple in Algiers. Our heroine wears a sweater like a crew member while our hero is casually dressed also. See the mysterious and dangerous man holding the gun and the turban wrapped natives. It's an interesting action cover.

The US Pyramid cover is similar but set in a city.

A Kiss of Silk

A Kiss of Silk was a 1980 version published by Sphere. This copy is a UK version and Francis Marshall didn't illustrate the US version.

This story is about Varia, who takes a job for Sir Edward, to pose as his son's fiancee as he travels to France for a business deal. She accepts, but didn't realize that the challenge would be dangerous to her heart!

Francis Marshall creates one of his "classic" cover looks for this book. I like the couple facing one another as if they realize that they're in love! The heroine wears a pretty pink gown with a blue scarf while our hero is handsome in evening wear! I really like her pixie-like haircut! Click on the photo to enlarge! Enjoy!!

The Price is Love

The Price is Love is the second of the Sphere books published in the UK. This book was printed in 1980. It is about Dacia, who travels to Rome with Sir Marcus as his nurse after an accident lands him at her doctor father's house. She's not excited about the prospect since he's a difficult patient, but falls in love with Rome and maybe with Sir Marcus!

Francis Marshall shows our couple getting out of a horse drawn carriage near the Trevi (?) fountain in Rome. Our heroine is a pretty redhead with a beautiful pink gown while our hero is handsome in black formal wear. It's a beautiful cover and I was happy to find a copy since the US editions weren't illustrated by Marshall.

The Thief of Love

The Thief of Love was published by Sphere (UK) in 1980 and is one of five covers Sphere did for Cartland that were illustrated by Francis Marshall! They are all pretty and I hope you enjoy them very much!

This story is about Alloa, who has an opportunity to travel through France with wealthy relatives. She meets a man who is stealing an heirloom and also steals a kiss from her! She is torn between duty and a handsome, reckless stranger!

Francis Marshall shows our couple in a bar or restaurant. Our heroine is pretty in blue and our hero is handsome in a black formal suit. I like the big bulbous light fixtures above the tables! These were hard to find and exciting to see new covers by Marshall! Click to enlarge!

A Song of Love

A Song of Love was published by Pan in 1980 and illustrated by Francis Marshall for author Barbara Cartland. I'm pretty sure that this had a US copy, but not this pretty FM cover illustration! I collected the Cartland books that had FM illustrations over those published in the US that didn't.

This book is about Trina, whose mother is engaged to a French Comte and has to lease out his castle, since he is poor. Trina becomes intrigued at an old story about a past Comte who has hidden a fortune and seeks to find it to save her mother and hopefully marry the grandson of the lady leasing the castle!

Francis Marshall shows our couple in the dungeon of the castle and our heroine is very pretty in a white gown trimmed in gold, while our hero is handsome in a black suit! It's fascinating how Marshall seems to make this space feel large and light! I found this book in a used bookstore, but eBay and the internet are great places to find books from the UK!

A Heart is Stolen

A Heart is Stolen was published in 1980 by Corgi, a UK publisher. This book is unique in that didn't have a US copy published! In 1980, Barbara Cartland began a magazine series here in the US and this book was serialized in the magazine, so I guess they assumed that it didn't need to be published in the US. I searched for years for a copy (thank you, internet)!

A Heart is Stolen is about the Marquis of Veryan who leaves a house party due to a persistant woman and hides in a small estate he owns near Brighton. He meets a mysterious neighbor and finds a true love near the sea!

I like this cover by Francis Marshall! It's definitely action packed, with the hero punching the villain! The heroine is pretty in her old fashioned green gown and the room in which they stand is elegant. It was exciting to finally find a copy of this book and see the Marshall cover. At the time, I was searching for all of the FM covers and the internet was a great resource. I hope you enjoy this cover.

Love at the Helm

Love at the Helm is # 163 in the Bantam series. This book was published in October 1982, but had an earlier publication in hardcover which is why we have the cover by Francis Marshall, who died in 1980. This is the last FM cover I have published by Bantam. Next post I will show other Marshall covers before picking up on the other Bantam Cartland books, which were illustrated by another artist.

This story is about Captain Conrad Horn, a hero from Trafalgar, whose next mission is to travel to Antigua to report on the American privateers and carry his distant cousin to her future husband. How she saves him and then he in turn saves her is the plot of this romance! Barbara Cartland was helped by the Earl Mountbatten of Burma, the Admiral of the Fleet and she designated the profits from this book to go the Mountbatten Memorial Trust. He helped her with the naval information on a few of her books and she was greatly saddened at his assassination.

Francis Marshall illustrates a beautiful cover for this book! We see our couple on board ship in handsome uniform and elegant dress! We can tell that they are in love and will have to solve the problems that keep them apart! Marshall does a brilliant job at showing the ship and all its details!

Next post I will show other Cartland books illustrated by Marshall, but published by different publishers! She was such a prolific author that different publishers in Britain printed her books! You've seen a few from the earlier posts in this blog: Corgi, Arrow, and Pan! I will begin to show others soon, so keep watching and enjoy!

Lost Laughter

Lost Laughter is #132 in the Bantam series and was published in January 1981. It is the last Francis Marshall cover in the numerical series. There is one other book from Bantam that has an FM cover and was first published in hardback. Marshall unfortunately died in 1980 and Cartland had to find another illustrator that met her high standards for covers.

This book is one of my favorites! It's about Jemima and Viscount Ockley. He marries her on the rebound after being rejected by Jemima's stuckup cousin, Niobe. Jemima is looking to leave since she is treated cruelly as a poor relation. Now they have to make the best of a unexpected situation!

I like the action in this cover by Marshall. It shows our heroine in a work apron doing what she has to for the priory. Note the buckets and money that they've made from the spa water! It's a great cover and it's sad to know that it's the end of Marshall's covers for Bantam.

Signpost to Love

Signpost to Love is #131 in the Bantam series and was published in December 1980. It is the story of Baptista, who is rescued by the Earl of Hawkshead after a carriage accident in France. He takes her to Paris, where he hopes to give her to her mother, but he realizes on the journey that he's fallen in love with the sweetest girl he's ever met!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple as they attend an event in Paris one evening! She is pretty in a pinkish gown and our hero is handsome in black formal wear. I like the fountain and lights that seem to shine on this cover! Another great cover by Marshall!

The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl

The Goddess and the Gaiety Girl is #130 in the Bantam series and was published in November 1980. It tells the story of Laurentia who is persuaded to masquerade as a certain Gaiety Girl in order to raise money to pay for operations for her father and the Gaiety Girl. She meets the Duke of Tregaron, whose predecessor married Katie, the Gaiety Girl, and falls in love with him, but can't tell him who she really is!

Francis Marshall illustrates our cover with the couple sitting on a settee. She is beautiful in white and our hero looks amazed at first seeing her! Again, an wonderful cover done before Marshall's death!
I like the trim of color around the illustration better than the large pink covers! I think the purchasers did also since this design continued for a while with the Bantam books.

Love for Sale

Love for Sale is #129 in the Bantam series and was published in November 1980. It is one of the last books that Francis Marshall illustrated before his death.

This story by Cartland is about Udela and how she meets the Duke of Oswestry after his evil brother planned to send her to a brothel. The duke rescues her and they concoct a plan to be engaged while the duke sorts out both his and Udela's troubles.

Francis Marshall died in 1980 and this is one of his last covers. It shows our couple after the hero has rescued the heroine from his brother. She wears a traveling dress and in the background we see horses and a large house. The detail of the planter and stairway is beautiful. Amazing for a man of 80!

The Prude and the Prodigal

The Prude and the Prodigal is #128 in the Bantam series and the last of the "pink" covers. It was published in October 1980 and is the story of Prunella and her sister, Nanette. Nanette is off in London having a season when a young man from a local family falls in love with her. Prunella doesn't approve and visits his relative, the Earl of Winslow to get his help in breaking off the match. What happens next is classic Cartland!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple after riding. They sit on a bench and our heroine looks a bit like her name, which isn't the most attractive, in my opinion! She wears a pretty emerald riding dress and our hero is in dashing regency wear. It's a pretty cover and a great story by Barbara Cartland!

Ola and the Sea Wolf

Ola and the Sea Wolf is #127 in the Bantam series and another of the "pink" covers. It was published in September 1980. It is the story of Ola, who is running away from an evil stepmother and unwanted marriage, runs into the Marquis of Elvington. He decides to take her to her destination: a convent in France, but after crossing the channel and encountering some adventures, he decides to marry her instead!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple in one of their adventures! It looks as if they have found each other and are still in peril. Our heroine wears a simple white muslin dress, but notice the blood dripping from her shoulder! Our hero embraces her and is planning on helping her recover. It's a great action cover from Marshall!

Lucifer and the Angel

Lucifer and the Angel is #126 in the Bantam series and was published in September 1980. It is another of the "pink" covers that Bantam briefly experimented with at this time. This story is about Anita and her sisters, who decide to visit richer relatives while their mother is in Switzerland for her health. Anita goes to Harrogate and meets the Duke of Ollerton. She is able to visit with the Dowager Duchess after her aunt tries to marry her off to an old man and begins to fall in love with the duke. It's a great love story by Cartland set during Victorian times. Francis Marshall paints our couple in a stable with a beautiful black horse. Our heroine stands out in a pink gown. Note her Victorian hairdo! Our hero is handsome in riding dress! It's another great cover by Marshall!

Picture on BC.com shows couple opposite of actual cover!

The Dawn of Love

The Dawn of Love is #125 in the Bantam series and was published in August 1980. It is a story based on Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, which most people know as My Fair Lady! A group of bored aristocrats, after seeing the play, Pygmalion, decide to see if it's true that you can pass off a young girl by training her into polite society.

Francis Marshall paints our couple in a room with beautiful paintings and other people looking on. It's a pretty cover with our couple in Edwardian dress. I really like the redhead wearing green in the background! This is another of the "pink" covers from Bantam.

This book was set in 1913, before WW1 had begun and it was one of the last times of real elegance for the aristocracy. The coming war would change much of the social strata in Britain with a larger middle class and aristocrats unable to afford their large estates and taxes.