Set in the early 1800s, the narrative follows Arthur Hallom on a transformative two-decade journey through Asia. His adventures are marked by a blend of fortune and misfortune, as he navigates love, betrayal, and the complexities of power. Arthur's experiences lead him to be crowned king twice, only to face the loss of his throne on both occasions, highlighting themes of ambition and the impermanence of success.
Set in London, Java, Sumatra, Penang, Malacca and Singapore, this historical novel takes the form of two diaries of Sir Stamford Raffles' two wives: Olivia and Sophia. When Raffles sets sail from the cold, damp confines of Georgian London to make his name and fortune in the tropics, he takes with him his new wife, Olivia, a raffish beauty with a scandalous past. She infatuates both his closest friend, a poet, and one of his bitterest rivals, a soldier. Raffles sees what is going on, but he turns a blind eye - or so hopes Olivia.After Olivia's death, and back on leave in London, Raffles, a man once again in need of a wife, makes a practical marriage. Sophia, no beauty, but curious and intelligent, embraces the opportunity of an exciting life abroad. Marriage brings her great joy but also great sadness. Her life with Raffles becomes a catalogue of loss: of their children, of their possessions, of their savings. And all the while, Raffles, driven and talented, manoeuvres at the centre of global networks of power, trade, politics and diplomacy. His scheming culminates, to his eventual glory, with the founding of a new trading post: Singapore.
Annie's celebrating her engagement to William, who adores her. His six-storey house in Knightsbridge isn't exactly a turn-off either. So why do her thoughts keep turning to her ex-lover, Ming Kwan? Liz senses something's up, but has problems of her own: another month has passed and still she's not pregnant. She and Zack have so much love to give; it's just not fair. While they've been scrupulously making love according to thermometers and calendars, high-flying sister Jo has been having the most explosive sex of her life . . . with her married boss. And now she's going to have to deal with the consequences - with or without Brett. All of this seems a million lifetimes away for Caroline, who dreams of swapping coffee mornings for cocktails and wonders if her marriage to sweet but predictable Simon has passed its best-before date . . .Eight people trying to manage their lives. Four sisters always there for each other. But can they really have it all?HOLDING THE BABY just goes to show that a family doesn't always have to be 1+1+2.4 children . . .
Hunde, Katzen, eine Frau oder ein Mann - sie alle schließt die aparte Ginny als Hausgenossen aus. Erstere haben meist Flöhe, und Erwachsene sind ihr zu anstrengend. Aber ein Baby - ja, ein Baby wäre das Richtige. Also macht sich Ginny auf die Suche nach einem gesunden, attraktiven und intelligenten "Samenspender" - und findet Nick. Er ist einfach perfekt und obendrein Gott sei Dank verheiratet. Zur selben Zeit allerdings schmiedet Nicks Frau Seraph Babypläne und denkt an einen Umzug aufs Land - bis zu dem Moment, in dem Nick ihr gesteht, sich in Ginny verliebt zu haben ...§