From the blurb:

The year is 1930. Beautiful, witty Devon is the daughter of a prominent Virginia family. Many men have fallen under her spell, but none has captured her heart, until she meets New York tycoon John Alexander. Their future seems assured: they will marry, raise a family, turn their country estate into the best Thoroughbred farm in the nation. But what Devon cannot foresee are the conflicts that will drive away her husband or the tragedy that will devastate their marriage.

Be transported from lush Virginia hunt country to sophisticated New York and the embassies of Paris. Travel from the Hollywood glamour of Hearst castle in its heyday to the turmoil of war-torn Cairo, and the enclaves of aristocratic England. Devon’s tale takes you through the decades from peaceful pre-war America to the danger of World War II, and the racial unrest of the South of the 1950s and’60s.

Enjoy the thrill of Thoroughbred racing with one of the first women to break into the male-dominated sport and one of the first African-American men to become renowned as a world-class trainer.

Sublime writing and heartfelt romance.

There’s much to love in this book:

The writing style, which is effortless to read and highly evocative.

The romance, which is wonderfully true to life and mature.

The poignancy, which had me reaching for the tissues.

The settings, which are painted so richly one feels transported to the times and places.

The eras depicted, which add such layers of depth and meaning to the book.

The ‘epic’ feel the story, which makes for very satisfying reading of a story spanning some years.

The characters, who are so easy to empathise with; especially the heroine, who is to be admired for her resilience and strength.

The plot, which is intelligent and gripping – I especially loved the family connections and the exploration of the horse-racing world.

In all, a book I highly recommend for first-class escapism.

Regret Not a Moment is available now from Amazon; click on the book cover below to visit the store.