UNITED KINGDOM AUTHOR · ROMANCE · FICTION
Violet Winspear
Violet Winspear was born on 28 April 1928 in England. She worked in a factory since 1942, when in 1961 she sold her first romance novels to Mills & Boon. In 1963, she became a full time writer.She wrote from her home in the south-east England, that she never left, but she meticulously researched her far-flung settings at the local library. She never married, and had no children. She inspired her nephew Jonathan Winspear to write. Violet said: "The real aim of romance is to provide escape and entertainment", but when in 1970 she commented: "I get my heroes so that they're lean and hard muscled and mocking and sardonic and tough and tigerish and single, of course. Oh and they've got to be rich and then I make it that they're only cynical and smooth on the surface. But underneath they're well, you know, sort of lost and lonely. In need of love but, when roused, capable of breathtaking passion and potency. Most of my heroes, well all of them really, are like that. They frighten but fascinate. They must be the sort of men who are capable of rape: men it's dangerous to be alone in the room with." The comment, that they were 'capable of rape' caused a big controversy, uproar and lead to her receiving hate mail. In 1973, she became a launch author for the new Presents line of category romance novels. Mills & Boon/Harlequin Presents books were more sensual than the previous line, Romance, under which she had been published. She was chosen to be a launch author because she, along with Anne Mather and Anne Hampson were the most popular and prolific of Mills & Boon's British authors. Considered a legend in the romance community and influenced many authors, including Muriel Jensen, Jane Porter, Trish Morey and Sandra Marton. She also inspired her nephew Jonathan to write. She pased away at the beginning of 1989 after a long battle with cancer.
Another spring shower was in the offing, but Katherine St. John took little note of the overcast sky hanging heavily above her.
— from Secret Fire, 1987
Most acclaimed
Love's agony
Would he misconstrue her love as pity? Angela Hart's love for Enrique de Zaldo was only intensified by the tragedy of his blindness. She had loved him all her life. Called by his Spanish father to their Mediterranean island, Angie hoped to nurse Rique out of his despair. Patience and compassion would surely conquer his bitterness. But it wasn't enough. What Rique needed was to feel the passion of a woman. And Angie knew she had to be that woman, even though it meant Rique would despise her for it....
Rapture of the desert
Chrys didn’t trust men, and she had no intention of allowing herself to fall in love with one and sacrifice her career as a ballet dancer as a result. And when an unhappy accident meant that she must rest for a year and forget her dancing altogether during that time, she was even more determined not to get involved in any romantic situation. It was not, therefore, the best time for her to meet Anton de Casenove, who was just the type of man she most needed to be on her guard against – half Russian prince, half man of the desert; a romantic combination. Conscious of his overwhelming masculine appeal, Chrys hurriedly got a job that would take her right away from him, into the heart of the Arabian desert. But Anton de Casenove was a determined man…
Lucifer's Angel
"Do yourself a favor," Lew said. "Forget me." Fay had worked desperately in the train crash--using all her nurse's knowledge. Even Lew didn't know all she'd gone through that night to save his life. But what could she do now to save their marriage? Was it worth saving? There'd been so many mistakes, so much bitterness and hurt in their past. Was it possible that she and Lew, despite their differences, could really have a future together?