A Rather Curious Engagement (Penny Nichols Series #2)

by C. A. Belmond

Overview

Belmond's much-beloved debut novel, A Rather Lovely Inheritance was "a rare gem" (Romance Reviews Today) and "An entertaining yarn with family drama and intrigue aplenty." (Booklist). Now, in the eagerly anticipated sequel, A Rather Curious Engagement, our American freelancer-turned-heiress Penny Nichols is back for more fun--and another engaging international romp with her English hero, Jeremy.

Penny has the great London flat, the classic car, the villa in France, the fabulous bank account, and a great guy to share them with. So everything's perfect, right? Right? Er, well...

Pursued by gigolos, gold-diggers, an ex-wife, and highly aggressive salesmen chasing after their millions, Penny and Jeremy decide to take the summer off and sock away most of their inheritance for one year. But they allow themselves one big "splurge" from their wish list--and that's where all the trouble begins. At an auction on the French Riviera, Penny and Jeremy win much more than they bargain for, uncovering a centuries-old rivalry involving the theft of a priceless treasure linked to Beethoven's Germany, the mysterious island of Corsica, a luxurious 1920s yacht, and a medieval castle on Lake Como, Italy.

A Rather Curious Engagement is a stay-up-all-night read, with an irresistible, unbeatable heroine seeking answers to intriguing questions about history, art, fortune, and love. It's the perfect companion to the first novel.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440629501
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/01/2008
Series:	Penny Nichols Series , #2
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
Sales rank:	738,554
File size:	443 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

C. A. Belmond was awarded an Edward F. Albee Foundation Fellowship and was twice a Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award finalist. A writer in residence at the Károlyi Foundation in the south of France, her original screenplays were shortlisted at Robert Redford's Sundance Institute and at the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference. Belmond has written and produced television dramas and documentaries, and taught writing at New York University.

Editorial Reviews

In Belmond's lilting sequel to A Rather Lovely Inheritance, heroine Penny Nichols exults in being released from her stodgy American life and learns that being newly rich is not all champagne and roses. Her barrister boyfriend, Jeremy Laidley, also an heir to Penny's great-aunt's vast fortune, wants to use their wealth wisely. Penny agrees, planning to pool their resources and eventually create a joint enterprise that will utilize Penny's "natural-born snooping ability" and Jeremy's legal expertise. Taking a summer off to explore their options, Jeremy decides to splurge on a vintage yacht at an auction. But their dreamboat vanishes from its berth and later turns up, damaged, in a nearby harbor. Penny's determined to solve "Le Boat-Jacking," leading them to the yacht's previous owner, Count Hubert von Norbert, in Lake Como and some seafaring surprises. It's fluffy and fun, even if you don't have your own yacht. (July)

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Publishers Weekly

Penny Nichols battled nefarious relations over her inheritance in Belmond's first outing, A Rather Lovely Inheritance (2007), and this time around she is finally able to enjoy it. Penny and her boyfriend, Jeremy, who also inherited a sizable sum, decide to set off for the French Riviera with the hopes of purchasing a yacht called Liesl's Dream. Jeremy wins the yacht, but after its maiden voyage, it is stolen. After the ransacked yacht is recovered, Penny is determined to learn what the thieves were after. She and Jeremy journey to Lake Como, where the former owner of the yacht, Count Hubert von Norbert, resides. The aging count believes the robbers were after a valuable metal figure, the Beethoven Lion, once in his family's collection but since lost. The count's son, Kurt, hires Penny and Jeremy to find the lion for his father, leading them on an adventure across Europe. Belmond's second novel is bound to charm romantic suspense fans.
—Kristine Huntley

Booklist

"In Belmond's lilting sequel to A Rather Lovely Inheritance, heroine Penny Nichols exults in being released from her stodgy American life and learns that being newly rich is not all champagne and roses. Her barrister boyfriend, Jeremy Laidley, also an heir to Penny's great-aunt's vast fortune, wants to use their wealth wisely. Penny agrees, planning to pool their resources and eventually create a joint enterprise that will utilize Penny's “natural-born snooping ability” and Jeremy's legal expertise. Taking a summer off to explore their options, Jeremy decides to splurge on a vintage yacht at an auction. But their dreamboat vanishes from its berth and later turns up, damaged, in a nearby harbor. Penny's determined to solve “Le Boat-Jacking,” leading them to the yacht's previous owner, Count Hubert von Norbert, in Lake Como and some seafaring surprises. It's fluffy and fun, even if you don't have your own yacht."-Publisher’s Weekly

From the Publisher