Can Juley's love survive this dark secret? - Faced with the break-up of her marriage, Juley Allen travels to Mexico, where she is unexpectedly reunited with her first love, Charles. Within a short time, it has become clear that Charles's feelings towards Juley are as passionate as ever, and their romance is reignited. But a dark cloud looms over their future, a threat which prevents Juley from disclosing her true feelings, and the hidden secrets in her past . . .
Anne Hampson was born on 28 November 1928 in England. At age six she had two ambitions: to teach and to write. Poverty after WWI deprived her of an education and at 14 she was making Marks & Spencer's blouses at one shilling (5p) each.
She retired when she married. Later, when her marriage broke up, she was homeless with £40 in her purse. She went back to the rag trade and lived in a tiny caravan. But she never forgot her two ambitions, and when Manchester University decided to trial older women she applied, and three years later had achieved one ambition, so set her thoughts on number two.
In 1969, her first novel, Eternal Summer, was accepted five days from posting and she soon had a contract for 12 more. From the caravan she went to a small stately home, drove a Mercedes and sailed on the QE2. From the first book, came over 125 more written for Mills & Boon, Harlequin and Silhouette. Alan Boon (the Boon of Mills & Boon) and she came up with the title for 'Harlequin Presents' over lunch at the Ritz. She suggested to Alan that they have a historical series. He told her to write one - it was done in a month, entitled Eleanor and the Marquis under the pseudonym Jane Wilby. She has the distinction of being number one in Harlequin Presents, Masquerade and Silhouette. Many of "Presents" have been reprinted many times (some as many as 16) and are now fetching up to $55, being classed as "rare" books.
She has had 3 awards, one at the World Trade Centre where she received a standing ovation from her American fans, who had come from many states just to meet her.
She was retired, but in 2005 she wrote two romance and crime novels, both of which were published by Severn House.
She passed away on 25 September 2014. She has been written her autobiography, entitled Fate Was My Friend.
I had very low expectations for this book since it was originally published in 2005 whereas the bulk of Hampson's best work was in the 70s, suggesting that they found this book when cleaning out the attic and decided to publish it. I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed it. It's impossible to take it seriously as a romance, so the ridiculous drama, implausible events, and the h's selfish decision regarding the H don't really register. At some point I should try to write a full recap because it is inadvertently funny because the characters have so little character development that the ridiculous things they say can't be taken seriously.