Donna Russo Morin has 4 audiobooks on Listento.it, narrated by 4 narrators. The most-rated is Gilded Summers.
Gilded Dreams
Summary
From the best-selling author of Gilded Summers comes a powerful novel of the last eight years of the American women’s fight for suffrage. The battle for the vote is on fire in America. The powerful and rich women of Newport, Rhode Island, are not only some of the most involved suffragettes, their wealth - especially that of the indomitable Alva Vanderbilt Belmont - nearly singly-handedly funded the major suffrage parties. Yet, they have been left out of history, tossed aside as mere socialites. In Gilded Dreams, they reclaim their rightful place in history. Pearl and Ginevra (Gilded Summers) are two of its most ardent warriors. College graduates, professional women, wives, and mothers - these progressive women have fought their way through some of life’s harshest challenges, yet they survived, yet they thrived. Now, they set their sights on the vote, the epitome of all they have struggled for, the embodiment of their dreams. From the sinking of the Titanic, through World War 1, Pearl and Ginevra are, once more, put to the test as they fight against politics, outdated beliefs, and the most cutting opponent of all...other women. Yet, they will not rest until their voices are heard, until they - and all the women of America - are allowed to cast their vote. But to gain it, they must overcome yet more obstacles - some that put their very lives in danger. An emotional and empowering journey, Gilded Dreams is a historical, action-packed love letter to the women who fought so hard for all women who stand on the shoulders of their triumph.
©2020 Donna Russo Morin (P)2020 Donna Russo Morin
The Courtier of Versailles
Summary
France, 1682. Louis XIV, the Sun King, is at the height of his power. The court at Versailles is a paradise for privileged young women. Jeanne Yvette Mas Du Bois is unlike most other courtiers: her thirst for knowledge often incurs her father's brutal wrath. But her uncle encourages Jeanne's independence, secretly teaching her fencing in the palace's labyrinthine basement. When two of the king's Musketeers are beset by criminals, mere feet from Jeanne's fencing lesson, she intervenes and saves one of the Musketeers' lives. Hidden behind her mask, Jeanne is mistaken for a man. As "Jean Luc", she is admitted to an inner circle where she learns of an assassination plot against the Queen. As Jean Luc, she is permitted to bring her intelligence and swordsmanship to bear. And as Jean Luc, she is free to love the man of her choosing...even if she can never have him. With the Queen in jeopardy and her own double life making her privy to the tangled intrigues at court, Jeanne finds herself in a powerful, yet increasingly perilous position. Brimming with lush period detail and vivid, unforgettable characters, The Courtier of Versailles will take you into an intriguing world of pageantry, adventure, betrayals, and secrets.
©2018 Donna Russo Morin (P)2019 Donna Russo Morin
Portrait of a Conspiracy
Summary
Seeking to wrest power, members of the Pazzi family draw their blades in a church and slay the beloved Giuliano. But Lorenzo de' Medici survives the attack and seeks revenge on everyone involved, plunging the city into murderous chaos. Bodies are dragged through the streets, and no one is safe. Five women steal away to a church to ply their craft in secret. Viviana, Fiammetta, Isabetta, Natasia, and Mattea are painters, not allowed to be public with their skill but freed from the restrictions in their lives by their art. When a sixth member of their group, Lapaccia, goes missing and is rumored to have stolen a much sought after painting before she vanished, the women must venture out into the dangerous streets to find their friend. They will have help from one of the most renowned painters of their era: the peaceful and kind Leonardo da Vinci. It is under his tutelage that they flourish as artists and with his access that they infiltrate some of the highest, most secretive places in Florence, unraveling one conspiracy as they build another in its place.
©2016 Donna Russo Morin (P)2016 Tantor
Gilded Summers
Summary
"A lush and evocative novel of the Gilded Age period, brought vibrantly to life in this powerful work." (Anne Girard, author of Madame Picasso) Pearl and Ginevra grow up in the era known as the Gilded Age in Newport, Rhode Island. One lives above the stairs, the other below. Surrounded by Astors and Vanderbilts, Pearl fills her days with teatime and shallow friendships, yearning for something more. A chance meeting with Mary Cassatt sparks her secret desire to be an artist. Meanwhile, Ginevra, fresh off the boat from Italy, finds her own dreams out of reach as she joins the unwelcoming household as a servant and seamstress. Kindred souls, the girls become fast friends but must keep their friendship hidden from Pearl’s controlling mother. Every summer, they meet in a hidden spot beneath the weeping beeches to talk of art and life, and their struggles to break the barriers of their lives. Soon, the two young women must decide who they want to be in this world, and survive what it takes to get there…no matter what it takes.
©2018 Donna Russo Morin (P)2020 Donna Russo Morin