It’s the sixties, and London might be swinging, but not for our girl Edith. Raised in a miserable home full of anger and hate, life for poor Edith seems to hold little hope. But she finds plenty when she teams up with her older gay cousin, Ronnie, who makes her his mission with a plan to transform her - just like Cinderella - into the fabulous young woman he knows she deserves to be.
Once free of her abusive father and her weak, defenseless mother, the changes are swift and dramatic as, suddenly, life is an exciting adventure, full of twists and turns. Edith’s coming of age becomes a roller-coaster ride of glorious highs and frightening lows, until her father comes back to haunt her. But will a dazzling - yet thoroughly unconventional - Prince Charming step up to claim her? And, if so, where will it take her and how will it end? Who will win and who will lose?
💕 Always double-check the price before you buy 💕
 |  By now, Edith has become Sophia, ruthlessly determined to achieve the sort of success she had, until now, only dared to dream of. Even her sexual awakening is orchestrated for best results, and her confidence with eligible young men grows. When Ronnie finds her a wealthy man, Toby Winters, life seems ready to take a dramatic - and unexpected - turn that could complete the job that he alone started. Toby is an increasingly famous man with money, looking to hide his troubled and amoral past from too many prying eyes. Sophia can help him do that. It seems to be the perfect match, made in heaven, where love is not required. But, if not, then what is it? And does Sophia’s coming of age reach the triumphant climax that seems to be waiting for her? The roller-coaster ride continues, full of more glorious highs and frightening lows as the Vietnam War demonstration in London ends abruptly for Sophia with tragic consequences, and the greatest day of her young life, when the Fab Four - ‘The Beatles’ - play especially for her, is nearly destroyed when history repeats itself. Will she survive it? And, if she does, how will she deal with it? And will she seek revenge? ‘Love for Sale’ is the second book in ‘The Cost of Loving’ Series. If you enjoyed ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, then you will love Martin Humphries’ next volume in this bitter-sweet voyage of discovery through some of the most exciting and turbulent years in recent memory.  |
 | Scandal, murder, blackmail and suicide are all part of life when you set out to become celebrities, especially when you have eyes for someone else and revenge on your mind. Sophia and Toby create a whiff of self-made scandal that boosts their reputations sky high. Soon enough, Toby is becoming a ‘star’ and they are pulled headlong towards the dazzlingly bright lights of Hollywood. Sophia takes a lover under the most unlikely circumstances, as Toby finds his own pleasures elsewhere. It’s all part of the deal they’ve made with each other. Yet, despite all the good fortune, there are dark clouds and hard truths to be dealt with, including a wicked father who has plagued Sophia’s life for far too long. Along the way, an old friend returns from the dead, and a young man enters Sophia’s life whose story distresses her to the point that she feels forced to intervene. The consequences are so tragic they tear her apart. Was it her fault? Or would it have happened anyway? Toby and Sophia wonder if life will ever be the same again when their European vacation, to get away from so much turmoil, ends in Toby’s attempted murder. Is it all simply too much for our star-struck, but beleaguered pair? |
 | Sophia’s and Toby’s stars are in ascendency as they visit America to meet with a leading Hollywood producer who has been impressed by Toby’s on-screen charisma. It’s a hugely exciting time for them both, and they revel in the thrill of it all. L.A. dazzles them, a new young man catches Toby’s eye, and the fun of sunny Southern California begins to take a firm hold. Sophia takes the opportunity to meet up with her cousin, Norma, who is still loving her Hollywood life, although it has become complicated. She enlists Sophia’s help to unravel it, but will it all end in tears - or worse? Along the way, Sophia learns far more about the victims of the Vietnam War than she would prefer to, and decides to take action of her own to protect some of them. Meanwhile, Toby has enemies of his own to destroy before they destroy him. There are so many battles to fight. Who wins? Who loses? And at what cost? Toby, meanwhile, still craves revenge for his near-death experience at the hands of a beautiful rent boy, as a blackmailer who will stop at nothing forces him to consider some very drastic action. How close to the edge is Toby willing to risk going without falling? |
 | The eighties have arrived. Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister, and the gloom of the seventies makes way for the ‘can-do’ attitude of the new decade, as Toby and Sophia ride the crest of a wave that seems endless. But Sophia opens a Pandora’s Box that simply cannot be closed, as their lives - and the lives of so many others - come crashing down. Sophia, after re-discovering her own mother’s love, is determined to find Toby’s. Along the way they make some shocking discoveries, one of which stretches their resilience to its limits. But there’s more when Toby’s past comes back to haunt him, as the ghosts of his childhood, and its long-buried memories, return like demons that he seems powerless to shake off. They lead him to challenge and crush some of the most powerful deviants in the country. But who will be crushed? Them or Toby? Or even Toby’s loved ones? |
 | One of Hollywood’s greatest matinee idols has placed Sophia firmly in his sights. Will she decide to become the most famous movie star wife of the 70’s? Especially as the Hollywood spotlight now shines so brightly on her. But what a pair they would make. Toby feels the threat of this new rival for Sophia’s attentions intensely. But what should he do? What can he do? What would become of him without her? And could he survive the public’s scrutiny if she is no longer by his side? Much is at stake for everyone - but especially Toby - as he resolves to slay the demons that have plagued him for so long. He is on a crusade that could destroy him, and the glittering life he’s created for himself and Sophia. Then along comes AIDS, and everything changes again. ‘Love Hurts’ is the sixth and final book in ‘The Cost of Loving’ Series. With the same page-turning pace of the previous volumes, Martin Humphries’ bitter-sweet voyage of discovery through some of the most exciting years in living memory reaches its close. Complete Sophia’s and Toby’s journey that is ‘The Cost of Loving’ today. Travel with them as they complete the roller-coaster ride of pleasure and pain, wins and losses, joys and sorrows. And find out why love really does hurt – and how much. |
It tells of the excitement of the sixties, its changing mores, trends and attitudes, as well as the closeted, anxious world of gay life in a society that is not even close to accepting such perversions, despite so much social change. An arranged marriage to a man with so many secrets to hide, unlocks the door to her amazing future as Sophia opts for head over heart. It’s a thoroughly unconventional match, but one that’s clearly made in heaven, and where love is not required. That, Sophia decides, can come later, if at all.
As Hollywood discovers this new power couple, there are dark and murky corners where skeletons dwell. And, as Sophia opens up a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of troubles that tumble out and multiply, they are forced to confront their demons. Memories of child abuse and pedophilia re-surface to overwhelm them, as they try to exorcise the ghosts of the past, no matter what the cost.
Eventually, everything they have worked so hard to achieve is put to the test when the horrors of the AIDS plague confront them, bringing fear and loathing into far too many people’s lives as, all about them, too many friends are destroyed.
Who will win? Who will lose? It’s the game of life, and who is strong enough to survive?
WARNING: Be sure you have plenty of free time because, at almost 1,500 pages in six volumes, it’s long, and you simply will not be able to put it down.
Five more volumes, 'Love For Sale', 'Free Love', "Love Don't Cost a Thing', 'The Price of Love' and 'Love Hurts' complete this dramatic coming of age story that spreads over two decades and two continents. It is a bittersweet, rollercoaster ride of a life lived in the spotlight and with the dark side well hidden from view.
After so many decades of life, Martin is full of stories that need to be told and is busy working on several of them right now. These include a sequel series to 'The Cost of Loving' that follows our cast of characters through 'The Plague Years' of the 1980's and beyond, when AIDS changed everything.
Martin lives quietly on Gabriola Island, one of the Gulf Islands off Vancouver, on Canada's wild and rugged west coast, but enjoys some excitement vicariously through his lively cast of imaginary characters.
It's a wonderful place to write, surrounded by so many other creative people, his partner of twenty three years, Paul, and the best dog in the world, Alfie.
Martin's web site is www.martinhumphriesauthor.com and you can contact him there, or on Facebook.
Win am eCopy of the series!
(5 winners)
No comments :
Post a Comment
PLEASE NOTE: I do not moderate comments, but some go to Spam anyway. Rest assured, I check regularly and will publish non-Spam comments shortly!