The It Girls: A Novel

Description

From New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper comes a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters . . . One sailed the Titanic and started a fashion empire . . . The other overtook Hollywood and scandalized the world . . . Together, they were unstoppable. They rose from genteel poverty, two beautiful sisters, ambitious, witty, seductive. Elinor and Lucy Sutherland are at once each other's fiercest supporters and most vicious critics. Lucy transformed herself into Lucile, the daring fashion designer who revolutionized the industry with her flirtatious gowns and brazen self-promotion. And when she married Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon her life seemed to be a fairy tale. But success came at many costs-to her marriage and to her children . . . and then came the fateful night of April 14, 1912 and the scandal that followed. Elinor's novels titillate readers, and it's even asked in polite drawing rooms if you would like to "sin with Elinor Glyn" Her work pushes the boundaries of what's acceptable; her foray into the glittering new world of Hollywood turns her into a world-wide phenomenon. But although she writes of passion, the true love she longs for eludes her. But despite quarrels and misunderstandings, distance and destiny, there is no bond stronger than that of the two sisters-confidants, friends, rivals and the two "It Girls" of their day.

New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper is a former high-school and college English teacher. Winner of the 2005 Mary Higgins Clark Award for her outstanding novel, Dark Angel, Karen is the author of twelve romantic suspense novels, two historical novels and a series of historical mysteries. Karen and her husband, who divide their time between Columbus, Ohio, and Naples, Florida, love to travel both in the U.S. and abroad.

"The It Girls is a glorious romp through the lives and loves of the scintillating Sutherland sisters. Karen Harper does a wonderful job of bringing Lucile and Elinor to life in this richly imagined and impeccably researched novel. Readers who enjoy historical fiction are in for a treat!" -- Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Came Home "[...] fans of Kathleen Tessaro and Penny Vincenzi will enjoy the layers of intrigue and the sweeping plot. Harper's ability to shift between raw ambition and tender compromise makes this family-focused novel a genuine delight." -- Booklist "In this fictionalized biography, Harper defines "it" as the charm and charisma that defined the Sutherland sisters. Not only is this a fabulous portrait of the time, but it is also a deftly crafted portrait of the complexity of sisterhood." -- RT Book Reviews (starred)