In 1773 England, Rebecca Newland believes that marriage to Baron Davis Edderle will guarantee her happiness. Davis is wealthy and titled, handsome and charming, and he loves her. She is tolerant of Davis' close relationship with his childhood friend, Michael Brooks. Michael is careless with women, and though Davis doesn't share his libertine attitude, he is nonetheless devoted to Michael. But Rebecca, unable to understand the true depth of Davis' feelings for his friend-and the secrets they share-believes this will change once they are married. When producing the necessary heir becomes more difficult than expected, she interprets the mounting distance between them as proof that Davis no longer loves her. Michael is enjoying the success of his first published novel when his father falls ill and he is faced with the financial consequences of the Earl's decadent lifestyle. His friendship with Davis and the love of Rebecca's impetuous younger sister, Susanne, pulls him out of his depression. Michael falls easily for Susanne and believes that her unconditional love will automatically make him a better man. But love isn't enough and when uncertain finances and the failure of his second novel overwhelm Michael, he slips back into old habits. As Davis and Rebecca slip further apart, Rebecca finds unexpected support from Michael. When their relationship deepens into love, their brief and passionate affair changes them both and, potentially, the next generation. Honest and authentic, The Price of A Pearl is a historical romance about love and passion, husbands and wives, friends and lovers, and the question of what it means to be true to oneself.
About the Author: Laura Carroll Butler lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, Chuck. She is the mother of two young men who are off on their own adventures. She wrote for several years for local newspapers on general interest issues while dreaming for writing her own novel. After ten years of staring at a blank page, she attended a writer's workshop with a good friend. Instead of giving her the confidence she needed to keep on writing, she decided that it was time to pursue a more practical dream. That night, she dreamt the plot for The Price of a Pearl and the next day began writing. She is currently working on another novel featuring Johanna Edderle from The Price of a Pearl and expects to revisit these characters at least one more time.