Parisian Promises

Cecilia Velastegui

Description

Paris, 1973: in the midst of a turbulent period of student unrest, political protest and terrorist threats, Monica, a naive and idealistic American college student, arrives in Paris eager to live out her rose-colored dreams. Along with her three friends, Monica soon discovers a Paris not pictured in guidebooks or dreamy black-and-white photographs: a place both seductive and dangerous.The young women, who each dreamed of love at first sight, instead find themselves in a complex tangle of temptation, sex, love, and betrayal. In a city famed for its beauty, the friends soon lose sight of their moral compasses, and discover the seamy side of the Parisian adventure.Monica's passionate involvement with two men puts her in grave danger. Drawn to Christophe, an idealistic young aristocrat, she's also completely in the sway of Jean-Michel, a radical South American whose charisma and elan camouflage his despicable modus operandi. Her best friend Lola, who idolizes the life of Parisian courtesan La Belle Otero, seems consumed by sex and frivolity, but may also be Monica's greatest protector.Monica's Paris education, both sexual and intellectual, leads her on a perilous journey. Embroiled with ETA terrorists, implicated in a crime, psychologically tortured, and endangering not only herself but everyone she knows and loves. Monica's decisions impact everyone from her American friends to her elderly landlady, a former French resistance fighter who sees her own sensuous youth reflected in the current-day struggles.Velastegui spins a provocative and mesmerizing tale about the loss of innocence, the allure of desire, the power of both betrayal and redemption, and the danger in romanticizing the most loved and iconic of cities: Paris.

Sujets

• Historical fiction

Informations

• Publié par: Libros Publishing LLC
• Date de parution: 03 février 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780990671312
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

A N O V E L

Parisian Promises

Cecilia Vel á stegui AUTHOR OF AWARD WINNING TRACES OF BLISS

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Novels By Cecilia Velástegui

MISSING IN MACHU PICCHU TRACES OF BLISS GATHERING THE INDIGO MAIDENS

En Español VESTIGIOS DE DICHA CONVOCANDO A LAS DONCELLAS DEL INDIGO

Children’s Book OLINGUITO SPEAKS UP! Olinguito alza la voz

LALO LOVES TO HELP A Lalo le encanta ayudar

THE HOWL OF THE MISSION OWL

A N O V E L Parisian Promises

Cecilia Vel á stegui

This is a work of historical fiction. Apart from the wellknown historical peo ple, events, and locales that figure in the narrative, all names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to current events or locales, or to living persons, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © Cecilia Velástegui, 2012 All rights reserved

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONTROL NUMBER: 2014934027 Velástegui, Cecilia Parisian Promises: a novel/Cecilia Velástegui

ISBN: 9780985176914 Hardcover

Published y Libros Publishing 24020 Camino del Avion #A225 Monarch Beach, California 92629 U.S.A.

Printed in the United States of America

Book Designed by Karrie Ross: www.KarrieRoss.com Author’s photograph: Lisa Renee Photography George Sand photograph credit: Getty Images La Belle Otero photograph: Author’s collection All other images: iStockphoto

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, store in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and pun ishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyright materials. Your sup port of the author’s rights is appreciated.

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For Loreal and Jay-Paul In honor of their first wedding anniversary

Chapter: One: Two: Three: Four: Five Six: Seven: Eight: Nine: Ten:

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Contents

Part One

Parisian Promises..................................................1 The Faux Che .......................................................9 La Belle Otero.....................................................15 Taking Command ...............................................23 Trawling for Babes on the Seine..........................35 Madame’s Rant....................................................43 Le Sept ...............................................................55 Breaking Monica.................................................65 Mind Control......................................................79 Madame’s Advice ................................................95

Part Two

Eleven: The Insanity ofl’amour.....................................105 Twelve:L’Amour Fou......................................................115 Thirteen: Crestfallen or Carefree ......................................127 Fourteen: Madame la Vicomtesse......................................139 Fifteen: No Fool Like and Old Fool ..............................151 Sixteen: Pure Love and Pure Hate ..................................163 Seventeen: The Indelible Mark ...........................................177

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Cecilia Velástegui u u

Eighteen: Inside the Cave.................................................183 Nineteen:C’est Choutte.....................................................193 Twenty: Madame is in Love ...........................................205 TwentyOne: The Missing .................................................215

Part Three

TwentyTwo: The Interview ..............................................227 TwentyThree: The Heart Bleeds .........................................239 TwentyFour: Heart Stands Still .........................................251 TwentyFive: Heart’s Content ............................................261

Afterword ..........................................................................273 About the Author................................................................275

Il n’y a qu’un bonheur dans la vie, c’est d’aimer et d’être aimé.

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There is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved.

George Sand