Growing up together in a mysterious castle in northern Queensland, Rose and Vivien Blake are very close sisters. But during the Second World War their relationship becomes strained when they each fall in love with the same dashing but enigmatic American soldier. Rose's daughter, Linda, has long sensed a secret in her mother's past, but Rose has always resisted Linda's questions, preferring to focus on the present. Years later Rose's granddaughter, Stella, also becomes fascinated by the shroud of secrecy surrounding her grandmother's life. Intent on unravelling the truth, she visits the now-ruined castle where Rose and Vivien grew up to see if she can find out more. Captivating and compelling, Castle of Dreams is about love, secrets, lies - and the perils of delving into the past...
"In his chateau and elsewhere, la Sceve undertakes a series of complex and often comic experiments: he records his own dreams and speculates on their relation to waking life; he studies sleeping cats, rabbits, and other animals (and observes rapid eye movement almost two centuries before modern science discovers it); he records the sleep and dream experiences of a Swiss soldier and a pair of Siamese twins. And, because sleep and dreams are often in close proximity to the erotic, he considers the relation of dreaming and sexual activity, heroically undertaking firsthand research with various women (with the notable exception of his wife).".
A ruined castle deep in the rainforest holds a secret that unites three generations of women: two sisters who find themselves in love with the same man as the Second World War rages and, decades later, a young woman determined to uncover the secrets in her grandmother's hidden past.
Everyone is in line to the throne of Castle Perilous in the series that’s “thought-provoking . . . crazy . . . weird . . . [and] unexpected” (TV Tropes). Who will claim the throne now that Lord Incarnadine, King of the Realms Perilous, is dead? Under a mysterious spell cast by a mischief-maker, all of Castle Perilous's 144,000 creatures of curiosity clamor for the crown. Outside of the castle's coveting fray, Gene flies off with an adventurous Amazon in supernatural manifestation and Lord Inky explores the dark mysteries that lurk in the realm of the dead!
Can money buy you happiness? Impoverished Lady Viola and her twin brother David Northcombe find that their fortunes change dramatically when their entrepreneurial father dies unexpectedly, leaving them a vast fortune that will change their lives forever. Returning home to England, still reeling from their dramatic change in circumstances, fate seems to have smiled on them when the handsome, but impoverished, Duke of Glentorran dramatically rescues them from the perils of the sea off the coast of Scotland. Loyal to his family and friends, the Duke has little left but his pride and his determination to live up to his responsibilities to the people of Glentorran. In moments Viola and the Duke realise that they have met before, and the spark previously lit between them is still alive. Eager to be loved for herself and keen to test rumours that the Duke is nothing more than a fortune hunter, Viola begs her brother to keep their inheritance secret, leading the Duke to believe that their finances are similarly dire. Having spun a web of deceit that becomes hard to unravel, Viola soon finds herself plunged into a state of despair - desperate to keep the Duke's friendship and respect, but wishing to tell the truth, which could mean losing him. And amongst the faded glories of the Glentorran Castle estate it seems that love is in the air as David finds himself falling for Meg, the Duke's shy and pretty sister. As they grow closer his loyalties become increasingly divided. Should he keep his newly found wealth a secret from the woman he loves, to please his sister? Or should he risk damaging Viola's budding relationship with the Duke by telling the truth? Love, friendship and trust are tested to the limits as the young lovers battle with their consciences, sense of duty and the promise of eternal happiness. If you like Downton Abbey you will love Barbara Cartland
