In the heart of tumultuous times, amidst the grandeur of Victorian opulence, there existed an American socialite whose influence altered the course of the Anglo-Irish treaty: Lady Hazel Lavery Boston-born Hazel ascended from her Irish roots to become the quintessential Society Queen of Chicago, and later London, where she lived a delicate dance between two worlds: one with her esteemed husband, Sir John Lavery, a portrait artist to royalty, and the other with Michael Collins, the daring Irish rebel whose fiery spirit ...
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In the heart of tumultuous times, amidst the grandeur of Victorian opulence, there existed an American socialite whose influence altered the course of the Anglo-Irish treaty: Lady Hazel Lavery Boston-born Hazel ascended from her Irish roots to become the quintessential Society Queen of Chicago, and later London, where she lived a delicate dance between two worlds: one with her esteemed husband, Sir John Lavery, a portrait artist to royalty, and the other with Michael Collins, the daring Irish rebel whose fiery spirit ignited her heart. Together, they formed a love triangle that echoed through the corridors of power at 10 Downing Street, London. Hazel's wit and charm touched on the lives of the who's-who of England including Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and Evelyn Waugh. The image of her memorable face graced the Irish note for close to half-a-century. ADVANCED PRAISE "The Many Lives & Loves of Hazel Lavery sweeps the reader along in a riveting tale of thwarted desires, crushing duty, and inescapable destiny. Lois Cahall captures beautifully the echoes of past conflicts resonating anew." - Amanda Foreman, author of the prize-winning bestsellers, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire and A World on Fire: An Epic History of Two Nations Divided "Lois Cahall is a storyteller of verve and vibrant enthusiasm, and that is precisely who is needed to tell the tale of a woman who lived so many lives on a worldwide stage... Cahall tells the story with evident love and admiration for her intrepid subject, and Hazel Lavery is a name that we should all know." - Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller "Far too little is known about Hazel Lavery, but that is about to be remedied thanks to Lois Cahall's intimate portrait of this fascinating woman. She was an artist and a muse whose rare beauty made her both the subject of great art and the object of great passion. Cahall has mined real gold here in this novel, filled with meticulous research and a driving narrative. I was fascinated from beginning to end." - Renee Rosen, USA Today best-selling author, Let's Call Her Barbie "Like one of John Lavery's portraits, Lois Cahall's Hazel Lavery oozes love and passion, intrigue and imagination. To that canvas add chiaroscuro-loyalty and infidelity, diplomacy and assassination-and you have a novel almost Shakespearean." - Larry Loftis, New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Spy
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