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Summary
Summary
On the heels of her bestsellingA Sudden Change of Heart, here is a new novel from blockbuster author Barbara Taylor Bradford- about a woman finding herself and her place in life...in love...and in the world. Valentine (Val) Denning is a young American photojournalist on the frontlines in Pec (a town in Kosovo), where she and her two colleagues- the British Tony Hampton and the American Jake Newburg- are covering the war. In a nightmarish ambush, all three are shot, and it is only when Val wakes up in a Belgrade hospital that she finds out that Tony, her lover, is dead. Equally upsetting, when she and Jake go to Tony's funeral it becomes clear that Tony was still married and Val never knew. In the wake of this traumatic event, Val goes home to New York City where she realizes that her recent experiences have not only thrown her life in turmoil, but also dramatically shifted her perspective about her future. The captivating narrative and page-turning excitement that have made Barbara Taylor Bradford an international bestseller are at their strongest here- especially as she grapples with world-scale issues: the horrors of war and how they can devastate families, lovers, countries. More than anything,Where You Belongis about a young woman's realization of her own inner strength and her ability to find her way in the world. With her signature compassion and narrative power, Barbara Taylor Bradford will once again capture the hearts of millions of readers.
Author Notes
Barbara Taylor Bradford was born in Upper Armley, Leeds, in Yorkshire on May 10, 1933. At the age of fifteen, she was working as a typist for the Yorkshire Evening Post. After six months, she was promoted to cub reporter in the newsroom. At eighteen, she became the newspaper's Woman's Page Editor and at twenty, she headed for London where she became Fashion Editor of the magazine Woman's Own. She also reported for the London Evening News, Today Magazine and other publications, covering everything from crime to show business. In 1961, she met her future husband Robert Bradford and they were married in 1963. After they married, they moved to the United States and she began writing a syndicated column, Designing Woman. The column was published for twelve years and received several awards.
Her debut novel, A Woman of Substance, was published in 1979 and she has since written over 20 novels. Many of her novels have been made into television mini-series including A Woman of Substance, Voice of the Heart, Act of Will, Everything to Gain and A Secret Affair. She also wrote children's books and eight books on decorating.
She has received numerous awards for her work including the Matrix Award from New York Women in Communication Inc in 1985, the City of Hope's Spirit of Life Award in 1995, the Five Towns Music and Art Foundation's Award of Achievement for outstanding accomplishments in the field of Literature in 1997 and the British Excellence Award in 1998. She was inducted into the Matrix Hall of Fame in 1998 and into the Writers Hall of Fame of America in 2003. In 2007, she was awarded an OBE (The Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to Literature. She is a member of the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. She is also involved in several charity projects such as Literacy Partners and the Police Athletic League of New York City. She made the New York Times Best Seller List in 2014 with her title Cavendon Hall.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Injecting her new novel with timeliness, bestselling Bradford (A Sudden Change of Heart) makes her setting war-zone Kosovo, where gorgeous and talented photojournalist Valentine Denning is covering the action with two equally gorgeous men: American Jake Newberg and Val's lover, Brit Tony Hampton. All three are caught in an ambush on the ground, and Tony dies. Val doesn't even have time to grieve for her boyfriend before she discovers Tony lied to her: he was already married. Attempting to cheer Val, Jake takes her to a beautiful villa in Cap-Ferrat, and predictably, the heroine decides that he is really the one for her. The world intrudes on their idyll when they help Franoise, the caretakers' daughter, to escape from her abusive husband. Meanwhile, Val is pestered by calls from Donald, the younger brother she resents because their mother lavished attention on him while ignoring her. Jake and Val jet back to New York, excited about a book project they've thought up, and knowing that Val has to face her family demons. There, Val is devastated when her mother finally reveals the secret of her lack of maternal feeling, and they tangle over who will take over the family cosmetics company. Val and Jake are separated when he goes back to Kosovo, but handsome artist Alexander St. Just Stevens adds intrigue to Val's lonely life. Despite a lively story line and a suspenseful buildup to various revelations, the narrative is formulaic and predictable; each new development is obvious. While this novel will probably satisfy Bradford's more loyal fans, it may not generate excitement for new readers. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
Where You Belong ($24.95; Mar.; 416 pp.; 0-385-49275-8): The latest from the prolific Bradford (A Sudden Change of Heart, 1999, etc.) that follows the adventures of Valentine ('Val') Denning'an American photojournalist who is sent to Kosovo on assignment to cover the war. Accompanying Val is her lover, Tony Hampton, who is killed in a surprise ambush. Grief- stricken at this turn of events, Val goes sadly to Tony's funeral'only to discover there the greater shock of Tony's widow, whom she knew nothing of. Afterward she returns to New York to begin her life anew'a long and tortuous process that seems more agonizing and dangerous than the worst assignment Val ever took on.
Booklist Review
Bradford's latest opens with a bang. Valentine Denning is a 31-year-old American photographer assigned the grueling task of shooting the leaders of the K.L.A. on the frontlines of the Serbian War. Working alongside her are fellow photographers and "comrades-in-arms" Jake and Tony, her lover of one year. Before the reader has a chance to know Tony, he is killed in a surprise ambush. Val and Jake are both injured, and after a brief hospital stay, they fly to Paris where physical and emotional healing begins. Dismayed by the revelations that their old friend Tony wasn't who he seemed to be, Val and Jake are drawn even closer together. They soon launch a romance that takes them from Paris to southern France and then to New York, where a bitter Val confronts another demon, her cold fish of a mother. Bradford does a sumptuous job describing the French scenery and the extravagant meals Val and Jake are always preparing, but she falls short of bringing her characters to life. Yes, Val does come across as an admirable, tough heroine who, in her quest for self-fulfillment, does not always get it quite right. But in Bradford's attempt to connect her to a large cast of characters--from Tony's widow to Val's boss to a servant's battered daughter--she loses track of what makes her main character tick. Val is kept too busy trying to deal with major human dramas in too short a period of time, and her relationships ultimately come across as shallow. --Kristin Kloberdanz
Library Journal Review
Bradford puts some romance into the war in Kosovo, of all things. After being ambushed with colleagues, including British lover Tony, American photojournalist Val awakens to find that Tony has been killed. What's worse, she discovers at his funeral that he was married. It's time out for Val so that she can discover "where she belongs." (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.