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Hannah #2
Dancer of Dreams
Two beautiful, passionate women, Hannah and Michele Verner--mother and daughter--pursue their personal dreams from the courts of France to the plantations of Virginia as they seek passion, fame, fortune, and true love
1984 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Patricia Matthews
91 books23 followersPatricia Anne Klein Ernst Brisco Matthews
aka Patricia Ernst, P.A. Brisco, Patty Brisco, Pat A. Brisco, Pat Brisco, Patricia Matthews, Laura Wylie, Denise Matthews
Patricia Anne Klein Ernst was born on 1 July 1927 in San Fernando, California, USA, the daughter of Gladys Gable and Roy Oliver Ernst. Her mother enrolled her in the famous Meglin Kiddies school, but she recorded only two of her songs professionally for one demo tape. She studied at California State University, Los Angeles, were she worked as secretary to the General Manager of Associated Students by the California State College.
In 21 December 1946, she married Marvin Owen Brisco and moved to Arizona, they had two sons: Michael Arvie and David Roy. By 1961, the marriage had ended in divorce. Focused on her writing career, she returned to California, where she met the writer Clayton Matthews in a local writers' group. After Matthews divorced his first wife, he and Patricia married in 3 November 1972 and lived near San Diego.
She started to write poetry, juvenile books, a play, fantasy and mystery short stories, which she signed under different names: Patricia Ernst, P.A. Brisco and Pat A. Brisco. Using the names Patty Brisco and Pat Brisco, she wrote gothic novels.
When the market for gothic novels softened, at the suggestion of the Clayton's agent, Jay Garon, she began to write romance novels under her second married name, Patricia Matthews in 1976. She become a popular writer, called "American's First Lady of Historical Romance". She and her husband also collaborated on several romance and suspense novels using the pseudonyms Laura Wylie and Laurie Wylie. She and her husband wrote five Casey Farrell mystery novels together, and she wrote three on her own, the Thumbprint Mysteries, set in the American South, westat the fourth- sixth- and eighth-grade reading levels, yet offer characters, situations, and concerns appropriate for adult readers. With Denise Hrivnak, she also wrote under the pseudonym Denise Matthews.
Her husband Clayton died in 25 March 2004. Patricia Anne Brisco Matthews died at 5:30 a.m. 7 December 2006 in the familiar house of Brisco in Arizona.
aka Patricia Ernst, P.A. Brisco, Patty Brisco, Pat A. Brisco, Pat Brisco, Patricia Matthews, Laura Wylie, Denise Matthews
Patricia Anne Klein Ernst was born on 1 July 1927 in San Fernando, California, USA, the daughter of Gladys Gable and Roy Oliver Ernst. Her mother enrolled her in the famous Meglin Kiddies school, but she recorded only two of her songs professionally for one demo tape. She studied at California State University, Los Angeles, were she worked as secretary to the General Manager of Associated Students by the California State College.
In 21 December 1946, she married Marvin Owen Brisco and moved to Arizona, they had two sons: Michael Arvie and David Roy. By 1961, the marriage had ended in divorce. Focused on her writing career, she returned to California, where she met the writer Clayton Matthews in a local writers' group. After Matthews divorced his first wife, he and Patricia married in 3 November 1972 and lived near San Diego.
She started to write poetry, juvenile books, a play, fantasy and mystery short stories, which she signed under different names: Patricia Ernst, P.A. Brisco and Pat A. Brisco. Using the names Patty Brisco and Pat Brisco, she wrote gothic novels.
When the market for gothic novels softened, at the suggestion of the Clayton's agent, Jay Garon, she began to write romance novels under her second married name, Patricia Matthews in 1976. She become a popular writer, called "American's First Lady of Historical Romance". She and her husband also collaborated on several romance and suspense novels using the pseudonyms Laura Wylie and Laurie Wylie. She and her husband wrote five Casey Farrell mystery novels together, and she wrote three on her own, the Thumbprint Mysteries, set in the American South, westat the fourth- sixth- and eighth-grade reading levels, yet offer characters, situations, and concerns appropriate for adult readers. With Denise Hrivnak, she also wrote under the pseudonym Denise Matthews.
Her husband Clayton died in 25 March 2004. Patricia Anne Brisco Matthews died at 5:30 a.m. 7 December 2006 in the familiar house of Brisco in Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 12, 2017
Wonderful Mother-Daughter romance in a unique 18th century setting!
This is one of the best 18th century historical romances I have ever read. It gives you two incredible women having two great love affairs in two settings. Hannah is the kind-hearted mistress of a vast and luxurious plantation in colonial Virginia, while her daughter Michele is an aspiring ballerina studying in Paris. Both women are brave, outspoken, proud, determined, and very passionate about claiming the love they deserve once they meet the right man. And boy do they ever!
What I love best about this book is not just the strong, feisty heroines and the gorgeous heroes -- a hunky Scots laird and a smoldering colonial squire -- but the amazing settings and the unforgettable supporting characters. Long before gay men were commonplace in historical romance, this book (written in 1984) featured a cultured French dance instructor named Andre who serves as Michele's mentor and friend. Andre is so believable and real. He's not perfect, he can be a bit of a worrier, but he's so gentle and understanding quietly protective. Really he is almost fatherly towards Michele. All of the other dancers are described so well, and we see both the glittering splendor of Versailles and the decadent life of the nobility. Even when Michele visits Scotland, Ian's home and family are so vivid and real -- right down to the adorable Scots lass who volunteers to serve as Michele's personal maid!
People think romance novels are disposable trash, like newspapers, but this wonderful book has been on my keeper shelf for over twenty years. I can't recommend it highly enough!
This is one of the best 18th century historical romances I have ever read. It gives you two incredible women having two great love affairs in two settings. Hannah is the kind-hearted mistress of a vast and luxurious plantation in colonial Virginia, while her daughter Michele is an aspiring ballerina studying in Paris. Both women are brave, outspoken, proud, determined, and very passionate about claiming the love they deserve once they meet the right man. And boy do they ever!
What I love best about this book is not just the strong, feisty heroines and the gorgeous heroes -- a hunky Scots laird and a smoldering colonial squire -- but the amazing settings and the unforgettable supporting characters. Long before gay men were commonplace in historical romance, this book (written in 1984) featured a cultured French dance instructor named Andre who serves as Michele's mentor and friend. Andre is so believable and real. He's not perfect, he can be a bit of a worrier, but he's so gentle and understanding quietly protective. Really he is almost fatherly towards Michele. All of the other dancers are described so well, and we see both the glittering splendor of Versailles and the decadent life of the nobility. Even when Michele visits Scotland, Ian's home and family are so vivid and real -- right down to the adorable Scots lass who volunteers to serve as Michele's personal maid!
People think romance novels are disposable trash, like newspapers, but this wonderful book has been on my keeper shelf for over twenty years. I can't recommend it highly enough!
December 22, 2008
This is the story of a woman in Williamsburg, VA in colonial times who after her second husband dies finds he mortgaged the plantation. She has to go to the equivalent of a loan shark to borrow money until the current cotton season is sold. She has a teenage daughter who travels to France to become a ballet dancer. The story of the daughter in France and her thoughts and feelings and the mother in Williamsburg and her thougts and feelings are twisted toughout the story. The "loan shark" wants the plantation and is willing to get it by whatever means necessary. The first lien holder falls for the mother but the "loan shark" tries to prevent them being together. It is an average written historical romance with a little intrigue thown in.
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November 4, 2008F Mat
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January 25, 2016Fun reading.
July 7, 2016
Now, I must find t he first one!
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January 10, 2019Found my list of reading from high school!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews