It is 1875 and the young adventure seeking Sutherland sisters are at it again. Elinor and Lucy are hiding under a dressing table in the ladies room at Government House on the Isle of Jersey. They are waiting for their idol, actress Lily Langtry, scheduled to arrive any minute. They have cut out peepholes using scissors so that when Ms. Langtry appears to primp, they will have a good look at this beauty. Hailed as "The Jersey Lily," Ms. Langtry, is lovely, has been painted by many artists, and reported to be dallying with the Prince of Wales. She did, however, marry Mr. Langtry "because he owned a yacht." When Lily spies the young girls they come out from under the table. Ms. Langtry laughingly shakes their hands, telling them they are very clever. Then with the glass of champagne she was holding, she toasted them hoping they would leave Jersey and wishing them wonderful future endeavors Their pasts would meet again but many years later.

The Sutherland girls had dreams and were always ahead of their time. In that era, it was still a man's world. They longed to be independent both financially and personally. When Lucile began to design and create her beautiful gowns, each with a personalized name, she changed the world of fashion. She introduced her goddesses, now referred to as models who "strut the runway." After a bad first marriage she found love with a Scot, Cosmo Duff-Gordon, who I adored. He helped her with the financial woes of her first Lucile Salon and she continued to open shops and design beautiful dresses and even sexy underwear as Lucile Ltd. Cosmo traveled with her when possible but returned to Scotland, which he loved, and oversaw his vast properties there. They married and had a long, but bumpy time together.

Elinor has one dream. To write, be published, and become famous. She has a serious love affair with Dr. Morell Mackenzie, a brilliant doctor. He dies of a heart attack. She meets Clayton Glen, a country squire, owner of estates, and breeder of Jersey cows. He, however, loves to travel the world and leaves his properties to be managed. He courts Elinor and promises to take her to all the faraway places she dreams about. He drinks too much, is unfaithful to her and their marriage becomes a sham. Her books became popular and risque. She continues and is invited to Hollywood to work on a screenplay. There she meets Hollywood Royalty, including Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino. In a glamorous and glitzy setting, Elinor makes tons of money and her books become movies.

Karen Harper is a sterling storyteller and historical fiction is my favorite genre. Well researched, she captures the locales in Jersey, London, Paris, New York, Hollywood, and Scotland. These amazing sisters, competitive, complex but always determined become the IT GIRLS. They always live up to their pledge to each other "onward and Upward" and in the end they become friends. An enjoyable read filled with facts, trivia, adventure and love. Bravo, Ms. Harper, I am a fan!

Book Summary

From New York Times bestselling author Karen Harper comes a novel based on the lives of two amazing sisters . . .

One sailed the Titanic and started a fashion empire . . .

The other overtook Hollywood and scandalized the world . . .

Together, they were unstoppable.

They rose from genteel poverty, two beautiful sisters, ambitious, witty, seductive. Elinor and Lucy Sutherland are at once each other’s fiercest supporters and most vicious critics.

Lucy transformed herself into Lucile, the daring fashion designer who revolutionized the industry with her flirtatious gowns and brazen self-promotion. And when she married Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon her life seemed to be a fairy tale. But success came at many costs—to her marriage and to her children . . . and then came the fateful night of April 14, 1912 and the scandal that followed.

Elinor’s novels titillate readers, and it’s even asked in polite drawing rooms if you would like to “sin with Elinor Glyn?” Her work pushes the boundaries of what’s acceptable; her foray into the glittering new world of Hollywood turns her into a world-wide phenomenon. But although she writes of passion, the true love she longs for eludes her.

But despite quarrels and misunderstandings, distance and destiny, there is no bond stronger than that of the two sisters—confidants, friends, rivals and the two “It Girls” of their day.