Vanessa Riley

Heavy Hardcover (2 to 4 lbs)

A Novel

"Richly detailed, vividly depicted, and sweeping in scope, Island Queen is historical fiction at its absolute finest. A stunning must-read!"--Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies. Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom--and that of her sister and her mother--from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent. Vanessa Riley's novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England. From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London's elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.

Island Queen

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Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)





ONE OF USA TODAY'S "BEST BOOKS OF SUMMER!"

"This book is not only a one-sitting read, it's a slice of history that needs to be told. Utterly brilliant, powerful, and inspiring."--Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of Always the Last to Know

Acclaimed author of Island Queen Vanessa Riley brings readers a vivid, sweeping novel of the Haitian Revolution based on the true-life stories of two extraordinary women: the first Empress of Haiti, Marie-Claire Bonheur, and Gran Toya, a West African-born warrior who helped lead the rebellion that drove out the French and freed the enslaved people of Haiti. 

Gran Toya: Born in West Africa, Abdaraya Toya was one of the legendary minos--women called "Dahomeyan Amazons" by the Europeans--who were specially chosen female warriors consecrated to the King of Dahomey. Betrayed by an enemy, kidnapped, and sold into slavery, Toya wound up in the French colony of Saint Domingue, where she became a force to be reckoned with on its sugar plantations: a healer and an authority figure among the enslaved. Among the motherless children she helped raise was a man who would become the revolutionary Jean-Jacques Dessalines. When the enslaved people rose up, Toya, ever the warrior, was at the forefront of the rebellion that changed the course of history.

Marie-Claire: A free woman of color, Marie-Claire Bonheur was raised in an air of privilege and security because of her wealthy white grandfather. With a passion for charitable work, she grew up looking for ways to help those oppressed by a society steeped in racial and economic injustices. Falling in love with Jean-Jacques Dessalines, an enslaved man, was never the plan, yet their paths continued to cross and intertwine, and despite a marriage of convenience to a Frenchman, she and Dessalines had several children.

When war breaks out on Saint Domingue, pitting the French, Spanish, and enslaved people against one another in turn, Marie-Claire and Toya finally meet, and despite their deep differences, they both play pivotal roles in the revolution that will eventually lead to full independence for Haiti and its people.

Both an emotionally palpable love story and a detail-rich historical novel, Sister Mother Warrior tells the often-overlooked history of the most successful Black uprising in history. Riley celebrates the tremendous courage and resilience of the revolutionaries, and the formidable strength and intelligence of Toya, Marie-Claire, and the countless other women who fought for freedom. 

"A riveting read! Richly imagined, meticulously researched, and fast-paced...Vanessa Riley encourages us to rethink history through fresh eyes." -- Myriam J. A. Chancy, author of What Storm, What Thunder

Sister Mother Warrior

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Normal wear and tear for a paperback - nothing major or aesthetically displeasing.

Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)





"Riveting and transformative...evocative and immersive...by turns vibrant and bold and wise...discovering Dorothy's story is a singular pleasure."--New York Times (Editors' Choice)

A remarkable, sweeping historical novel based on the incredible true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas, a free woman of color who rose from slavery to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful landowners in the colonial West Indies. 

Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom--and that of her sister and her mother--from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.

Vanessa Riley's novel brings Doll to vivid life as she rises above the harsh realities of slavery and colonialism by working the system and leveraging the competing attentions of the men in her life: a restless shipping merchant, Joseph Thomas; a wealthy planter hiding a secret, John Coseveldt Cells; and a roguish naval captain who will later become King William IV of England.

From the bustling port cities of the West Indies to the forbidding drawing rooms of London's elite, Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.



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Florida

"Acclaimed historical novelist Vanessa Riley is back with another novel based on the life of an extraordinary Black woman from history: Haiti's Queen Marie-Louise Coidavid, who escaped a coup in Haiti to set up her own royal court in Italy during the Regency era, where she became a popular member of royal European society"--

Queen of Exiles

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Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

Illinois

Rogues & Remarkable Women

Critically acclaimed author Vanessa Riley infuses the ballroom settings of Regency England with Jamaican flair her Rogues & Remarkable Women series featuring a secret society of widows battling society to regain their money and a chance at love everlasting. In this sweeping, swoon-worthy final installment, an English spy must follow his neglected wife through the streets of London as she investigates her sister's death with the aid of the Widow's Grace. Can they find common ground and learn to work together? This vibrant and inclusive historical romance is perfect for Bridgerton binge-watcher! Founded by the ton's most ingenious countess, the secret society The Widow's Grace comes to the aid of ill-treated widows and wives and helps them regain their fortunes, their families, and sometimes discover true love... For adventurous Jamaican heiress Cecilia Thomas, marrying charming military lieutenant Lord Gantry to save him from danger--and herself from mercenary suitors--was a painful mistake. Instead of a passionate life together, she's stranded at his chilly Mayfair mansion with his unaccepting family. Worse, she finds he is actually a spy dedicated to duty over wedlock--and secrets over trust. So when she hears her sister has been driven to her death, Cecilia is determined to expose the powerful man responsible. Assisted by The Widow's Grace, she flees to Covent Garden with a new identity. But can she elude her formidable husband--even as the desire between them continues to flare even hotter? Always calm, forever controlled, Gantry has put everything aside to hunt down the traitor who nearly killed him. It's only when Cecilia leaves that he realizes his real duty should have been to her. As she continually outwits him through London's most perilous streets, Gantry realizes his wife is a resourceful, courageous woman he longs to truly know. But when her pursuit threatens influential enemies, will his and Cecilia's only chance to gain justice separate them once and for all? RAVES FOR VANESSA RILEY "Bridgerton fans, if you read just one book on this list, make sure it's Vanessa Riley's terrific An Earl, the Girl, and a Toddler." --Popsugar "Riley gifts readers a sparkling love story." --Entertainment Weekly on A Duke, The Lady, and a Baby

A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie *SIGNED*

2c8e84a0-0004-44e6-8f69-4b81ef8c23a0-1

Ohio

A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie

California

Kelly Bowen

Grace Burrowes

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

Georgia

A Regency Novella Trio

Love by the Letters

35a6a0d4-4acb-4e4e-a954-22e1d19136c2-0

Washington

In this sweeping, swoon-worthy second installment, a shipwrecked woman searches for her memories and becomes entangled with a conflicted nobleman who holds more answers than he realizes...

An Earl the Girl and a Toddler

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Maryland

Award-winning author Vanessa Riley turns all convention on its head for the first in an enchanting, dazzlingly diverse new Regency romance trilogy featuring a duke, three sisters, and a tantalizing bet with a most desirable reward... “A triumphant return to romance….Riley renders the Regency in living color, with impressive historical detail and an admirably diverse cast. Historical romance readers will be entranced.” –Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW “The perfect historical read.” —Julia Quinn, #1 New York Times bestselling author When a duke discovers the woman he loves was tricked into marrying another, the master chess player makes the now-widowed Viscountess the highest-stakes wager of his life in a last-ditch effort to win her affection: he will find husbands for her two sisters—or depart forever... Georgina Wilcox, a wallflower with hidden musical talents, is furious when her reclusive older sister—the recently widowed Viscountess—refuses sorely needed help from the Duke of Torrance, the only gentleman who has shown kindness to the bereft Wilcox sisters. Georgina decides to get back at her sister and shock the Viscountess by kissing the first willing stranger she meets in the enchanting gardens of Anya House. Unfortunately, her sister is not the sole witness. A group of reporters and the ton’s leading gossips catch Georgina in a passionate embrace with a reticent composer, Lord Mark Sebastian. The third son of an influential marquis, the tongue-tied Mark is determined to keep the scandal from ruining Georgina’s reputation and his own prospects of winning the celebrated Harlbert’s Prize for music. Under the guise of private voice lessons, the two embark on a daring gamble to fool the ton into believing that their feigned courtship is honorable while bolstering Georgina’s singing genius to captivate potential suitors. Sexist cartoons, family rivalries, and an upcoming ball test the fake couple’s resolve. Will their sudden fiery collaboration—and growing attraction—prove there’s nothing false about a first kiss and scandalously irresistible temptation?

A Gamble at Sunset

257b07ee-7cd1-4d36-8760-5bd80f6ce522-0

Michigan

Bringing a vibrant edge and welcome diversity to the Regency genre, this exciting historical mystery from award-winning author Vanessa Riley features an engaging heroine with an independent streak, a notorious past, and a decided talent for sleuthing . . . Pressed into a union of convenience, Lady Abigail Worthing’s marriage to an absent lord does at least provide some comforts, including a box at the Drury Lane theater, owned by the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Abigail has always found respite there, away from the ton’s judgmental stares, the risks of her own secret work to help the cause of abolition—and her fears that someone from her past wants her permanently silenced. But on one particular evening everything collides, and the performance takes an unwelcome turn . . . Onstage, a woman emits a scream of genuine terror. A man has been found dead in the prop room, stabbed through the heart. The magistrate, keen to avoid bringing more attention to the case and making Lady Worthing more of a target, asks Abigail not to investigate. But of course, she cannot resist . . . Abigail soon discovers a tangled drama that rivals anything brought to the stage, involving gambling debts, an actress with a parade of suitors, and the very future of the Drury Lane theatre. For Abigail the case is complicated further, for one suspect is a leading advocate for the cause dearest to her heart—the abolition of slavery within the British Empire. Uncovering the truth always comes at a price. But this time, it may be far higher than she wishes to pay.

Murder in Drury Lane

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Virginia

Connecticut

A Gamble at Sunset 2024

Created by a shrewd countess, The Widow's Grace is a secret society with a mission: to help ill-treated widows regain their status, their families, and even find true love again--or perhaps for the very first time . . . When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband's mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune--and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child--until The Widow's Grace gets her hired as her own son's nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honor--and unexpected passion . . . A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin's dangerous financial dealings for Lionel's sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she's breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defenses. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust--but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

Duke the Lady and Baby

98b03457-f1d0-4382-ab5e-ed4c93b9949d-1

South Carolina

Iowa

Fans ofBridgerton will love these two Regency romances for the price of one, featuring two best friends, each determined to advertise for love.

The Bittersweet Bride: Widow Theodosia Cecil needs a husband and needs one fast to protect her land, so she places an anonymous ad in the paper. She's delighted she spends her remaining weeks exchanging flirtatious letters with the perfect man... Until she meets him and realizes he's the son of the man trying to steal her land.

The Bashful Bride: When sparks fly between timid heiress Ester Croome and a handsome actor, they're quick to elope. But when she discovers there is so much more to him than meets the eye, in order to save the marriage the shiest woman alive must publicly woo the most desirable man in England...her husband.

The Brides of London: an Advertisements for Love Collection

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New York

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Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

Vanessa Riley

Sister Mother Warrior

Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

Vanessa Riley

Queen of Exiles

Vanessa Riley

A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie *SIGNED*

Vanessa Riley

A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie

Vanessa Riley

Queen of Exiles

Kelly Bowen; Vanessa Riley; Grace Burrowes

Love by the Letters

Vanessa Riley

Sister Mother Warrior

Vanessa Riley

An Earl the Girl and a Toddler

Vanessa Riley

A Gamble at Sunset

Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

Vanessa Riley

Murder in Drury Lane

Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

Vanessa Riley

A Gamble at Sunset 2024

Vanessa Riley

Duke the Lady and Baby

Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

Vanessa Riley

A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie

Vanessa Riley

Sister Mother Warrior

Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

Vanessa Riley

The Brides of London: an Advertisements for Love Collection

Vanessa Riley

An Earl the Girl and a Toddler

Vanessa Riley

A Gamble at Sunset

Vanessa Riley

Island Queen

A Duke, the Spy, an Artist, and a Lie SIGNED