Laurie Lico Albanese Books

A dazzlingly inventive tale of troubled legacies, desire and unsung power, inspired by The Scarlet Letter. Glasgow, 1829: Isobel, a young seamstress, and her husband Edward set sail for New England, in flight from his mounting debts and addictions. But, arriving in Salem, Massachusetts, Edward soon takes off again, and Isobel finds herself penniless and alone. Then she meets Nathaniel, a fledgling writer, and the two are instantly drawn to each other: he is haunted by his ancestors, who sent innocent women to the gallows during the Salem witch trials – while she is an unusually gifted needleworker, troubled by her own strange talents. Nathaniel and Isobel grow ever closer. Together, they are dark storyteller and muse; enchanter and enchanted. But which is which?

"As the new century begins, Adele Bloch-Baucher--young, brilliant, and Jewish--is hungry for freedoms unknown to other Viennese women. Then she meets renegade genius Gustav Klimt. Even in an age when sex and art are beginning to break through the facade of convetional society, anti-Semintism simmers in the shadows of Adele's coffeehouse afternoons and cultural salons. Nearly forty years later, Adele's niece Maria Altmann is a newlywed when the Nazis invade Austria--and overnight, her beloved Vienna becomes a war zone. When her husband is arrested and her parents are forced out of their stately home, Maria must summon the courage and resilience that is her aunt's legacy is she is to survive and keep her loved ones--and their history--alive."--Page 4 of cover

The memoir offers a raw and poignant exploration of personal experiences that resonate deeply with readers. Through its honest narrative, it captures the struggles and triumphs of the human spirit, evoking both heartbreak and inspiration. The author's unique perspective promises to leave a lasting impact, making it a compelling read for those seeking authenticity and emotional depth.

Isobel, a gifted needleworker with strange talents, finds herself penniless and alone in Salem. When she meets Nathaniel Hawthorne, the two are drawn to each other. Together, they are dark storyteller and muse, but where will their affair lead?

Italy, 1456. The Renaissance is in glorious bloom. A Carmelite monk, the great artist Fra Filippo Lippi acts as chaplain to the nuns of the Convent Santa Margherita. It is here that he encounters the greatest temptation of his life, beautiful Lucrezia Buti, who has been driven to holy orders more by poverty than piety. In Lucrezia's flawless face Lippi sees the inspiration for countless Madonnas and he brings the young woman to his studio to serve as his model. But as painter and muse are united in an exhilarating whirl of artistic discovery, a passionate love develops, one that threatens to destroy them both even as it fuels some of Lippi's greatest work.