The Fire of Love

The Fire of Love is an Arrow (UK) publication and my copy is from 1972. Carina takes a position as governess but is pulled into an intrigue after she is commissioned to deliver a young boy to his father. What follows is a story of intrigue that twists and turns into a story of love!

Francis Marshall creates a dramatic cover for this book with our heroine in a stark black gown, standing over a smoking revolver! The hero runs up behind her and we see the feet of the victim on the floor! The colors in the cover are evocative of the title: Fire of Love! Click to enlarge!

Escape From Passion

I have an August 1977 Pyramid edition of Escape from Passion! Fleur is a victim of WW2 and its horrors. She joins the household of Sir Norman Mitcham for a job and finds herself falling in love with him, but can he love her in return?

Francis Marshall creates a pretty cover for this book, which is set during WW2. Our heroine is blonde and pretty in a pink blouse while our hero is dashing in a black suit. The room they stand in is almost indistinct. Very hazy looking.

This is one of Cartland's more serious romances. Cartland herself lived through WW2 and lost both of her brothers in the conflict. It isn't as light and fluffy as others.

The Enchanted Waltz

The Enchanted Waltz copy I have was published by Arrow (UK) in 1975. This story is set during the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Wanda Schonborn is orphaned and sent by her mother to live with the Prince Clement de Metternich. The prince realizes that she is his illegitimate daughter and decides to use her to further his quest for power in Europe. While there, she meets the dashing Englishman, Richard Melton, also there on a mysterious mission!

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple at an elegant ball. Our heroine is pretty in white trimmed in blue and our hero's coat compliments her dress. I like the fluidity of motion of their dancing. The other couples in the background are interesting to view, also! It's a pretty cover and very typical of Marshall's work in the 1970's.

The Congress of Vienna was held in Vienna, Austria in 1815 to put Europe back together after the first capture of Napoleon. He would later escape and fight one last battle at Waterloo before a final surrender.

The Enchanted Moment

The Enchanted Moment was published by Arrow (UK) in 1971 and Pyramid (US) in 1976.

This is a story about Sally St. Vincent, who leaves the countryside after her aunts death and travels to London to live with her mother, the actress Lynn Lystell. Secrets abound when she is engaged to Anthony Thorne, but attracted to his brother, Guy!

Francis Marshall illustrates both covers for this book and the Arrow one shows our couple outside. They are dressed rather formally and seem to have been walking. I like the dog on this cover, which is unusual!

The Pyramid cover has the hero in a knights armor, which seems very funny! Our heroine is simply dressed in a sweater and they seem to be walking over rough terrain in a dark forest. I like how her clothes and haircut are in fashion NOW!

Cartland trivia: Barbara usually used names that ended in "a" for her heroines and this is one of the few books that didn't!

The Enchanting Evil

The Enchanting Evil is next in our Barbara Cartland series featuring the artistic covers of Francis Marshall! This book has three different FM illustrations.

The Enchanting Evil is the story of Melinda, who escapes her relations and goes to London in search of work. What she finds is an extraordinary offer to pose as the wife of the Marquis of Chard! Can she escape the evil following her and find love?

The Arrow (UK) cover shows our couple sitting on a sofa. Our heroine is pretty in white trimmed in blue and dressed in the fashions of the mid 1800's. Our hero gazes at her and we also see others sitting at a table, either eating or playing a game. This cover seems more "quickly drawn" than the US version below it. This edition was published in 1970.

The Jove (US) version was published in 1978 and is essentially the same pose and picture in the UK book. I think that it's better drawn, smaller, and more intimate. We see the sweet expression on the heroine's face and the tender look that the hero gives her. There are also others in the background, but they are standing. The green sofa and palm tree are in both covers. Which cover do you like and why?

The third photo comes from an old hardcover jacket version and would be one of the first ones illustrated by Francis Marshall!

Elizabethan Lover

Elizabethan Lover is an Arrow (UK) publication and my copy is dated 1975. In the forward, Cartland acknowledges that this is her 50th book and dedicates it to her "wonderful mother, with all my love".

This is a tale of Rodney Hawkhurst, a privateer who needs backing for an expedition to "plunder the Spanish main"! He hopes to acquire finances from Sir Harry Gillingham and he consents if Hawkhurst will allow his son to join the voyage. Rodney has fallen in love with Hawkhurst's daughter, Lizbeth.

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple on board ship. They wear traditional Elizabethan male clothing and we can surmise that our heroine has probably been a stowaway. This is another of Marshall's covers that I think was done earlier and the heads of the people drawn in later. Look at the heroine's and let me know what you think!

In 1588, Elizabeth's navy was triumphant in defeating the Spanish Armada, who had intentions of overthrowing Elizabeth and her Protestant religion and bring England back into Catholicism.

A Duel of Hearts

A Duel of Hearts was published by Arrow (UK) in 1972. This is another of the novels that was adapted for television around 1991. Lady Caroline is saved by Lord Brecon from a seduction, but finds Brecon Castle full of terrifying secrets from which she finds a true love in the midst of gloom.

Francis Marshall illustrates our couple in riding gear and sitting outside with the castle looming in the background. Our hero is a regency buck in his top hat and long coat. Our heroine is bright in an emerald green habit with a magnificent hat! To me, this seems like many of FM's older covers: a picture that has been designed for a future book with the faces drawn in at the last minute. This may not be true, but it seems like the heroine's faces are sketched in afterwards. What do you think?