A Rather Curious Engagement »

C.A. Belmond has published short fiction, poetry and humorous essays. She was awarded the Edward Albee Foundation Fellowship and was twice a Pushcart Press Editors' Book Award finalist. Belmond was a writer-in-residence at the Karolyi Foundation in the South of France, and her original screenplays were shortlisted at Robert Redford's Sundance Institute and the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference. She has written, directed and produced television drama and documentary, and has taught writing at New York University.

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.

Publishers Weekly

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)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.