Notorious Lady

An evocative historical novel about the life of Margaret Blessington! Perfect for fans of Tracy Chevalier, Maggie O'Farrell, Hilary Mantel, and Margaret George. She's the toast of London ... but who can Margaret turn to when she's in need?

1797

Bullied by her abusive family, Margaret 'Sally' Power considers herself worthless. Never does she suspect that one day she will dazzle the social world of London with her beauty and wit...

As the ugly duckling matures into a beautiful swan, 'Sally' finds herself turning many heads. But after a brutal forced marriage at the age of fifteen, she swears never again to give her heart - or her body.

Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Charles John Gardiner, the first Earl of Blessington, who offers her a life and marriage on her own terms. Suddenly she's the toast of London society - but shunned by the women of the ton for her chequered past and hedonistic lifestyle.

Her lively chronicles of the Blessingtons' travels in Europe mark the beginning of a career as a writer, but, caught up in her adventures, Margaret neglects her marriage, and an act of selfishness is destined to cast a long shadow over her future...

Back home, her celebrated literary salons attract luminaries such as Charles Dickens and Benjamin Disraeli. But when tragedy strikes with her husband's sudden death, her future looks increasingly uncertain.

As she teeters on the brink of ruin, who can Margaret count on to help her? Are her past mistakes set to blight her life for ever?

And will she ever find the kind of love she has always secretly hungered for?

NOTORIOUS LADY is a vibrant historical biographical novel of the Countess of Blessington: a trailblazing woman who refused to be defined by her circumstances.