Books by Margery Sharp

In 1950s London, a career girl decides it's high time she snared herself a husband Professional dog photographer Louisa Datchett is indiscriminately fond of men. And they take shocking advantage of her good nature when they need their problems listened to, socks washed, prescriptions filled, or employment found. But by the age of thirty, Louisa is tired of constantly being dispatched to the scene of some masculine disaster. It's all well and good to be an independent womanand certainly better than a ';timid Victorian wife'but the time has come for her to marry, and marry well. With the admirable discipline and dedication she's always displayed in any endeavor involving men, Louisa sets out on her own romantic quest.

In 1930s France, a free-spirited mother undertakes to derail her very proper daughter's engagement Julia Packett has barely laid eyes on her daughter, Susan, since leaving her with her well-heeled in-laws following the loss of her husband in World War I. Now thirty-seven, Julia's lack of prospects hasn't dimmed her spirit or her appetite for life. But when Susan asks her to come to France for the summer to persuade her grandmother to allow her to marry, she sets sail with the noblest intentions of acting the paragon of motherhood. At her mother-in-law's vacation villa in Haute Savoie, however, Julia sees that her priggish but lovely daughter is completely mismatched with a man much more suited to herself: a charming, clever playboy. The arrival of Susan's legal guardian, the distinguished Sir William Waring, further complicates the situation. Soon Julia's efforts to pass herself off as a lady and secure her daughter's happiness spin out of control, leading to romantic entanglements and madcap adventures that will challenge preconceived notions about the ultimate compatibility of any two people who fall in love.

A Jazz Age socialite impulsively adopts an orphaned boy in this humorous, heartwarming tale In 1929 London, twenty-eight-year-old Lesley Frewen lives a privileged, cultured life. But one thing is missing: love. When her aunt's female companion suddenly dies, leaving behind a young son, Lesley decides on a whim to adopt four-year-old Patrickthough she doesn't have any particular affection for children. As soon as Patrick moves in with her, Lesley gets to work using her connections to enroll him in the finest boys' school. But she quickly discovers London is no place to raise a child, and they relocate to the tiny village of High Westover. The hamlet boasts a post office, a church, and a vicarage. There's an apple orchard and children for Patrick to play with. However, the country comes with its own set of daunting challenges: Lesley can't imagine how she'll entertain her friends there! But ultimately life with Patrick will change her, bringing out her capacity to love and showing her the difference between pleasure and happiness.

An unconventional parlor maid upends the lives of an aristocratic family in prewar England Cluny Brown refuses to know her place in society. Last week, she took herself to tea at the Ritz. Then she spent almost an entire day in bed eating oranges. So, to teach her discipline, her uncle, a plumber who has raised the orphaned girl since she was a baby, sends her into service as a parlor maid at one of England's stately manor houses. At Friars Carmel in Devonshire, Cluny meets her employers: Sir Henry, the quintessential country squire, and Lady Carmel, who oversees the management of her home with unruffled calm. Their son, Andrew, newly returned from abroad with a Polish emigre writer friend, is certain the country is once again on the brink of war. Then there's Andrew's beautiful fiancee and the priggish town pharmacist. While everyone around her struggles to keep pace with a rapidly changing world, Cluny continues to be Cluny, transforming those around her with her infectious zest for life. ';An entertaining story of England just before the war . . . Top drawer reading.' Kirkus Reviews

* An elegant, witty and poignant tale of love lost -- and love regained* Light, tender and ridiculous