Count the Stars

Count the Stars was published by New English Library in 1981.  The Duke of Brockenhurst accepts a wager to travel from London to York incognito. He meets Valora at the first inn where he decides to help her escape an unwanted marriage. As they are pursued, they find that adventure has turned into love!

This is a nice cover of our couple taking a break from their escape! I like that we see a casual pose while their horses graze in the background. Though the title doesn't seem to fit the picture on the cover!!

The Horizons of Love

The Horizons of Love was published by Pan (UK) in 1980. Ina, who is returning abroad from school, is taken to a smart house party by her reluctant aunt and meets the Marquis of Chale, who is hosting the party and who may be her aunt's lover!

This is a pretty cover reminiscent of Francis Marshall and his beautiful covers. Our couple are sitting outside under some trees and enjoying the beauty of the day. The heroine is almost too elegant for the outdoors in her bright pink gown!

The Wings of Ecstasy

The Wings of Ecstasy is a Pan (UK) book published in 1981. Zena is actually the Princess Marie-Therese, who is spending a vacation in Paris before her engagement to an English Duke! She meets and falls in love with a romantic Frenchman and doesn't know how she marry anyone but him!

This is a pretty cover of our couple sitting in a box at the opera. Our heroine wears an ornate gown trimmed in blue with an elaborate hairdo and jewels. The hero is in formal wear and looking at the heroine's enjoyment of the opera. The UK covers were much nicer than the US version of these last few books!

The Heart of the Clan

The Heart of the Clan is another Arrow (UK) book published in 1981. Sona and her father travel to Scotland to witness the wedding of the Duke's heir to the daughter of a neighboring clan. However, the son of the house and another man both find Sona enchanting and the status of the wedding to unite the clans becomes disturbed.

This is a pretty cover of the hero and heroine. We see them outside a large castle with the mountains and lakes in the background. It looks as if they are meeting for the first time and both are resplendent in formal evening wear.

Money, Magic and Marriage

Money, Magic and Marriage was published in 1980 by Arrow (UK). Oletha Ashurst's father arranges her marriage to the Duke of Gorelston to keep her from becoming a prey to fortune hunters. However, she is not willing to accept this marriage and decides to join a house party incognito to discover the character of this man her father has chosen!

This looks as if it is another Francis Marshall cover. The faces, especially, look as if they were drawn in at the last minute, especially the hero's. We see a typical hunting scene and the heroine in her green dress is the most colorful part of the cover!

In the Arms of Love

In the Arms of Love, by Barbara Cartland, is an Arrow (UK) publication from 1983. Cartland wrote so many books that she had multiple publishers in the UK to produce and sell her books!

Aspasia's uncle is the rector of the parish, but the Duchess of Grimstone holds the power to force his retirement. When she exercises this, Aspasia decides to plead for his renewal. The Duchess wishes to use her in an evil plot to keep the rightful heir from the succession, but the Marquis of Thane, who Aspasia meets at the Duchess's party, is willing to help her!

This cover is another which could have been done by Francis Marshall. There is no initials, but the style is familiar. Our couple ride a horse and we get the feeling that the hero is protecting the heroine in some way.

Edit: photo from BC.com

Touch a Star

Touch a Star is a UK Corgi publication from 1982. Lina flees an unwanted marriage and finds a job in a London domestic bureau to a lady who has a scheme to use Lina as an instrument of revenge against the handsome Duc de Saverne!

On this pretty cover, we see our couple floating in a gondola. They are dressed for dinner and seem very taken with one another. I like the heroine's gown which looks as if it would still be in style if worn today! The bridge and the gondolier add detail to this moonlight cover.

For All Eternity

For All Eternity by Barbara Cartland is a Corgi (UK) edition and was published in 1982. The Marquis of Stowe is on the verge of a dreadful scandal and needs to marry in a hurry. He is on his way to propose to a duke's daughter when he meets Ajanta Tiverton and asks if she will consent to a pretend engagement until the talk dies down.

This book was also printed in the US, but the covers were not as pretty as the UK editions. This has the look of a Francis Marshall cover, but I am not sure if it is one of his works. We see our hero and heroine standing in a warm room looking at a small piece of jewelry that the heroine is holding. I like their regency dress and the style is very close to Marshall's eye and detail.

Three Days to Love

Three Days to Love is #150 in the Camfield series and was published in February 1996. It completes the Camfield series, too.

Nola Brackley doesn't like the new earl, but she warns him when a stranger plots mischief. Soon she is helping him as he tries to keep himself and his estate out of the hands of his insane cousin!

A pretty fan is the focus of the cover of this book.

After this point in time, Barbara Cartland's books were not being published in the US and the internet was so new that books weren't available on there either. Beginning in the next few days, I will have a series of UK published books on the blog. These copies were not printed in the US and are hard to find.

Fascination in France

 Fascination in France is #149 in the Camfield series and was published in January 1996. The UK version was published in 1993 and was written for Home Shopping Direct customers!

Lady Celita Dale and her friend Judy travel to the chateau of the Duc of Sahran, to whom Judy is betrothed. Judy, however, is in love with another man and Celita is bound to help her, even to the point of marrying the Duc herself!

The US cover has a sachet against a lacy fabric with an elegant fan. Another Victorian photo cover. The UK cover features our couple sharing a kiss. We see hidden treasure behind the door where they are standing. Again, I like the artistic covers with couples.

An Icicle in India

An Icicle in India is #148 in the Camfield series and was published in December 1995. Mavina Lonsdale is able to return to India after she inherits a legacy. On her way, she meets Major Wicke, who keeps an eye on her after some unwanted attention from another traveler. Once in India, they travel together to her father's regiment's fort.

On this cover, we see some glass teardrops that could be taken for icicles! Again, the Victorian influence is seen on this photo cover.

Passage to Love

Passage to Love is #147 in the Camfield series and was published in November 1995. Lady Imilda Bourne is engaged when her stepmother traps her into a compromising situation with the Marquis of Melverley. She flees to the place where no one will look for her: Melverley Hall!!

Not much to say about these Victorian themed covers except that all things Victorian enjoyed a burst of popularity in the 1990's.

Love in the Ruins

 Love in the Ruins is #146 in the Camfield series and was published in October 1995. The UK Mandarin copy was published in 1992. Mimosa's father dies while they are visiting the ruins in Tunisia. When he dies from a snake bite, she is determined to return to England and fate shows a way, until she meets the Duke of Alrock and begins to second guess her masquerade!

The Camfield copy has a photo of an ornate fan on its cover. The Mandarin copy features a picture of our couple standing near some ancient ruins. The heroine wears a pretty blue gown with a matching parasol while the hero is cool in a light suit.

Beyond the Stars

 Beyond the Stars is #145 in the Camfield series and was published in September 1995. We also have a UK Mandarin copy that also dates from 1995.

The Earl of Ardwick is furious when he is jilted by a society beauty for a grander title! He meets Lupita and her brother who have been in an accident and decides to see if she will help him by attending the Devonshire Ball with him and in exchange, he will help her keep her little brother safe!

The Camfield copy is another of our photo covers with a necklace of pearls being the dominant feature. The Mandarin copy shows a scene from the famous ball where we see our couple dressed in costume. I am not sure why the US publisher didn't use the photo from this book.

Someone to Love

Someone to Love is #144 in the Camfield series and was published in August 1995. The Duke of Stalbridge is in a dilemma! He has promised his family that he is engaged, but doesn't propose at the last minute to a faithless beauty. Stunned, he looks for a substitute and finds Zoe in an orphanage, a girl who has lost her memory after an earthquake in Turkey! She is willing to perform in his charade, but she has a secret of her own!

I like the purple flowers and lettering on this cover. Again, they have a Victorian look that was popular in the mid-90's. Not my favorite kind of book covers, but with the popularity of photography and computers, it was cheaper to produce for a book.

Edit: New photo is from the Eternal collection #369. It's too bad that this wasn't on the US cover originally! 

Running from Russia

Running from Russia is #143 in the Camfield series and was published in July 1995. The Viscount Bredon, on his way back home from Russia, finds Princess Yentha hiding inside a large trunk inside his train cabin. She is fleeing an arranged marriage and is also half English, which is why she chose the viscount! With the help of his valet, she is able to be in a disguise of one sort or another until they are safe!

A pink cover for this book along with a fan and berries in the photo. I find these books make it hard for me to remember the story without a picture of a couple on it. What do you think?

The Protection of Love

The Protection of Love is #142 in the Camfield series and was published in June 1995. Meta Lindley becomes a spy on the orders of Queen Victoria! She and her brother rent out their home to a Russian Prince and Meta is to act as a governess to his sister. Soon both brother and sister fall in love and decisions need to be made!

The mid 1990's are the beginning of the era of photo covers. I believe that it was getting too expensive to contract out the art to artists and the ability of graphic design using computers had become cheaper to use to create cover art. On this cover, we see a goblet with roses inside along with a letter all in a Victorian style. We have no clue from the cover about the story at all.

BC.com has this photo for this title and it's so much prettier than the boring USA cover art!

The Patient Bridegroom

The Patient Bridegroom is #141 in the Camfield series and was published in May 1995. The Earl of Rayburne, on return from India, finds his estate neglected. His uncle has stolen his fortune and the earl agrees to an arranged marriage with his father's enemy. Ansella Frazer agrees but is terrified of this stranger and soon the couple are united as danger creeps into their married life.

These covers remind me of the Victorian fashion which made a bit of a comeback in the 1990's. There was a magazine that promoted it called Victoria and this cover is evocative of that style. Thanks to Julia for the screenshot of the audiobook cover published in 2006.