Earl Tangled With Star

Sometimes we need to slow down to allow destiny to catch up with us.

World-famous classical pianist, Gabriela Baxtor-Huntington, is exhausted after years of prioritising her career. All she wants is some time to herself, away from the limelight and her commitments. But when her PA persuades her to run off to London for a holiday – incognito – what ensues is more than she bargained on. And though rest is finally on the agenda, peace is another matter.

Notorious and crusty Scottish Earl, Murdoch Barclay Buchanan, has learnt the hard way to keep a low profile when it comes to the English press. These days, he likes to keep his life simple and his mind on his work, dealing with the Buchanan family’s numerous business interests. The last thing he wants is to spend time babysitting his sister’s friend from Australia. But what starts off as a begrudging duty soon turns into something as unexpected as it is complicated.

With secrets on both sides, can two people from different worlds discover a love to overcome all obstacles?

Brought to you by Manor House Books, this classic novel has been adapted for a modern readership by bestselling romance author D.G. Rampton.

Set in Victorian England, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell was first published in 1854. This adaptation stays true to the dramatic social commentary of the original, while bringing into greater prominence the love story at its core, which is reminiscent of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Uprooted from her idyllic existence in the South of England, Margaret Hale moves with her family to an industrial town in the North, where she develops a passionate sense of social justice upon witnessing the hardships suffered by the local mill workers. Her views often bring her into conflict with wealthy mill-owner John Thornton, who befriends her family. But their turbulent relationship masks a deep attraction that cannot be subdued, and a bond that only strengthens when tested by the vagaries of fate.

What readers are saying:

"Never having read the original, I was motivated to read this due to my respect for Rampton’s talent. So glad I did! So much more than a romance, but a social critique of the hardships of the newer industrial society in the Victorian era, many of which are totally relevant today."

"I read North and South years ago, and found it over wordy ... Ms Rampton has done a really excellent job in making the book readable for a modern audience, without losing the essentials of the plot...I really recommend the revised book."

Foreword by D.G. Rampton:

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell was first published in 1854 as a serialised novel, in Charles Dickens’ magazine Household Words. It is considered to be a social novel, as it deals with themes of justice and inequality in Victorian England. It also touches upon religious philosophy, and it is poignant to reflect on Gaskell’s writing in the context of her own life, for, like her heroine, Gaskell also suffered hardships and grieved over untimely deaths.

The social and philosophical facets of the novel elevate it above the commonplace, but – as I am a romance author! – it will come as no surprise that my favourite parts focus on the intense, passionate relationship between Margaret Hale and Mr Thornton. Some of you may recognise parallels with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, however, there is a darkness to North and South that gives the romance a more complex flavour.

Why meddle with such a classic, you may well ask. Many have enjoyed the original version, that is true, but many others have never discovered the beauty of Gaskell’s words, as they prefer to watch the BBC series rather than attempt to navigate her dense, meandering prose. Her editor, Charles Dickens himself, is purported to have complained about her “intractability” for resisting his requests for her to be more concise.

Please be aware, this adaptation is for the romantic, not the classics scholar! I have vigorously abridged the novel (almost 50% has been edited out), while staying true to each storyline and character. And I have brought the romance into greater focus, giving it more room to breathe, as in the original it is often buried beneath other themes.

So make yourself your favourite beverage, find a cosy reading nook, and settle down to enjoy a captivating story that will take you on a ride of emotions, before reaching its gloriously happy conclusion.