The Mistress
The Mistress book cover

The Mistress

Mass Market Paperback – August 1, 2003

Price
$17.54
Publisher
Mira
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1551667577
Dimensions
4.25 x 1.07 x 6.63 inches
Weight
7.2 ounces

Description

"Susan Wiggs delves deeply into her characters' hearts and motivations to touch our own." -- Romantic Times When Susan Wiggs's recent novel, Fireside , landed at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, the author responded by jumping fully clothed into her swimming pool. In February. In the Pacific Northwest. After thawing herself out, the author put on her lipstick and vacuumed the living room. Why? Because on the tiny island where she lives, news travels fast. She knew her girlfriends would show up momentarily - which they did - with the customary champagne and bags of Cheetos. She toasted her loyal readers, whose unflagging interest in her books propelled her sales upward. She toasted her friends and family as well, since they have always been the source of her inspiration. From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people. At the age of eight, she self-published her first novel, entitled A Book About Some Bad Kids. Today, she is an international best-selling author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries. Her Lakeshore Chronicles novels celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the nuances of human nature that make headlines every day. She lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest and is perpetually working on her next novel.

Features & Highlights

  • Most days Kathleen O'Leary is a penniless maid. But tonight she takes a risk and masquerades as a glamorous heiress, thanks to a borrowed gown and her friends' sense of adventure. To her surprise, the ruse succeeds--even Dylan Kennedy, Chicago's most eligible bachelor, seems enraptured.But like Kathleen, Dylan isn't who he says he is. And before their true identities can be revealed to one another, fire erupts, sending rich and poor alike running for their lives. Now, though virtually strangers, Kathleen and Dylan must rely on each other for survival. And when the embers cool, they'll find that the greatest risk has been to their hearts....

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(121)
★★★★
25%
(101)
★★★
15%
(60)
★★
7%
(28)
23%
(93)

Most Helpful Reviews

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History made real...

Wow- this book read like an eyewitness account of the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871 and the rebuilding that followed for months afterwards. Seeing the events through the eyes of Kathleen, Dylan, Bull and other characters in this story gave it life, and made it real and tangible to the reader! The fire blazed off the pages and I could feel its heat.

The romance was almost secondary. I loved the character of Kathleen. Part-Cinderella and part-My Fair Lady, she was a maid who attended a society event and passed herself off as a Lady. She was feisty, brave and proud. Someone to admire for more than her outward beauty. Dylan was a bit harder to like - too rough around the edges and too set on an unscrupulous lifestyle, determined not to change. But in his heroism, he showed caring and a softer-side. Lots of sexy scenes. Maybe too many. Unfortunately, the story seemed to drag a bit during these scenes, and they could have been condensed to make the it flow better through the more important historical events.

The lesson Katie taught Dylan, that the riches of love and family is worth more than money, is something those of us who are products of a material society need to reflect more upon.
12 people found this helpful
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I love Susan Wiggs!

I enjoy every one of Susan's books. Yes some are better than others, but she has good stories with characters I miss when the book ends.
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Set in Great Fire in Chicago

This is set in Chicago during the Great Fire of 1872.

The heroine of this novel is Kathleen O'Leary, the daughter of the infamous Mrs. O'Leary who has been blamed for the devastating fire.

Susan Wiggs is a very good author who just keeps getting better and better. This is the kind of book I know I'll be reading again.