Emails from Lamb Readers Around the World

This is a small selection from the many emails I receive on a regular basis from Charlotte Lamb fans around the world. Here, only initials of readers are given, plus - when known - their country of origin.

If you would like to send an email, letting me know your favourite Lamb novels or how her romantic novels have affected you, I would be very glad to hear from you. Though if you don't want your email to be published on this blog, please state that in your email and your wishes will be respected.

If you can help with any of the queries below, please leave a Comment after this post or email me with your answers.

Please send your emails to charlottelamb @ poetrycornwall.demon.co.uk

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Hi Jane, I wanted to drop you a line to let you know what a huge fan I am of your mum's work. I especially loved her books from the late 70's. I just reread Dark Dominion and am now rereading for the umpteenth time, the Silken Trap. So fabulous and I'm so glad that you have that tribute website in her honour.


I have copies of all her early books starting where Oriel is the heroine and a Heathcliffe type her match. My favourites include: Long Surrender (can't believe she did that in a weekend), Pagan Encounter, Dark Dominion, the Silken Trap and Temptation.


Again, thanks for having that website.

I've always wondered as to what happened with other Mills & Boon authors. ie. Sally Wentworth, Lillian Peake, Roberta Leigh/Rachel Lindsay. Did your mum know them?

Thanks,
G. (Canada)


REPLY: I don't know if my mother knew those particular authors, but she certainly knew others from the M&B stable. Some of them were close friends. Anne Weale, for instance, and Carole Mortimer - who lived half an hour's drive away from us. The novel mentioned above, with Oriel and Devil Haggard, is the magnificent Call Back Yesterday (1978) - one of my own all-time favourites, too!

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Dear Jane

Your mother was my favorite romance author as well as the author of my favorite book ever. I wish I could remember which title I wanted, but I sure remember the story line. I read several of hers back to back in 1980, so you can see my confusion.

The one I am looking for is the one where the heroine is vacationing in Greece, falls in love with Julian (I think that's his name) and goes back home to prepare for the wedding. When she re-arrives in Greece, she is greeted by the man's father who tells her that his son has jilted her and insists that she marry him instead to save the family honor. After reluctantly marrying him, they fall in love.

I would really like to get a hold of this book again. Can you help me?

Thanks!

M. T.
A HUGE LAMB FAN


REPLY: I'm still trying to work this one out! If anyone can help, please Comment below. There are several set in Greece which I have available, but none of the story lines seem to match.

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I so enjoyed the new look of the blog, Jane! and thank you for all the older titles you mentioned - many I had not know about - especially the three historicals. I'll have to make it a point to search those out.

I too enjoyed her Desert Barbarian - it's interesting that the book starts out in the desert but ends in India (or somewhere like that when Stonor saves her from a tiger). Your Mum was such a good writer. I have a box of her books alone that I would not part from. I used to buy her books just from her name alone and was never disappointed.


I've also wondered about books by Sarah Holland - were these by a sister of yours? I'll look around for a copy of your book. I've been searching for some of your mother's earlier works and hope to get some before the mail rates change over here.

You asked about favorites: of the many I have four:
1. Frustration
2. The Devil's Arms
3. Temptation
4. Abduction

Regards,
A. - who looks forward to your entry when you have time!

REPLY: Sarah Holland is my elder sister. She wrote about a dozen M&Bs in the nineties.

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Jane, I really loved all of Charlotte Lamb's books back when I discovered them in the 70's. There was one that stuck in my mind but I can't remember the title. It was about a woman who lost her memory but was told that she was married to this artist who seemed to hate her. Later it was discovered that he was married to her twin instead of her. Please could you tell me the name of the book as I would love to get it again to read.

I can give you more of the plot if that will help. The hero lived with his mother in the country and when the heroine came to stay with them, she showed that she could cook (made stuffed apples) and couldn't swim when the hero said that she could swim like a fish and didn't cook. She later regained her memory and confronted her sister who said that she left her luggage behind when she fled after hearing bad news.

Thank you heaps

C. (Australia)

REPLY: This search went on for several emails. I don't think it was ever resolved, so if anyone out there recognises this plot ... I was sure I knew this one, but then couldn't seem to pinpoint it. If only my mother had written fewer books; over 150 romances is a large number of plots to hold in your head all at once!

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My wife Usha is a great fan of your mother and has read all her novels till date. The Barbary Wharf series of 5 books is her most favourite of all the romantic novels. She has read those novels during her college days in 1994-5.

However they are not available in India now. I have been trying to buy these 5 novels published in 1992 on the internet for almost 2 years now as I want to gift it to my wife as a surprise. However I have not yet been successful.

Today, your blogspot has rekindled hope in me that I may be able to buy it for her. Can you please help me in this regard. I will be very grateful to you if you can. Please let me know.

Thanking you,

A. (India)

REPLY: This one was easily resolved by pointing the gentleman in the direction of ABE books, later receiving this reply from him:

Dear Jane. Thanks a million for the prompt reply and advice. I had searched earlier on Ebay but did not find the full set of 5 books. However, I was not aware of the other site ABE. I just surfed through that site and am glad that all the 5 books are available, though with different bookstores. Looks like I finally will get the full Barbary Wharf collection for my wife.

Thanking you,

A. (India)


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Jane, thanks for your reply. I was able to get hold of The Tilthammer through an online book dealer I often use. I'm reading it now and really enjoying it. I had no idea your mother had written so many long historical novels or used so many other pen-names. Thanks again for putting your time into the website, I'll try and check it as often as possible and look out for news of other Lamb novels I've never read!

Thanks!

J.F. (Texas)

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Dear Jane

I was so sorry to hear about your mother's death when The Boss's Virgin came out, and I've often wanted to write to your family to express this, but did not know how.

A new Charlotte Lamb book was my reading highlight, and I've collected all of your mum's books since I was 13, and living in Mauritius. I learned a lot from her - grammar, phrasing, new vocab and how to become more assertive, confident and independent as a female going thru her teen years in a male-dominated country.

I'm a mum of 1 aged 37, and I now have every one of her books, except for one called Starcrossed, which I've never managed to come across in English. Mills and Boon could not confirm or deny that they put it out, neither could Harlequin, and this is one that I'm still after, and I would pay a considerable amount for it. I keep posting requests on ebay, to no avail! I do have the French version, but so much is lost in the translation that it's as if it was written by a different author. I've also repeatedly asked M&B if they are likely to publish a tribute to your mum, but apparently they have no plans to do so. Why not, if they've managed to do it for other authors?

I don't have a favourite author any more, as no-one has lived up to your mum for me. I'm glad I found your site - thank you.

Regards

R.R. (London)

REPLY: This desire for a tribute has been a common theme in many emails from Lamb fans. If you too would like to see Harlequin publish a tribute to Charlotte Lamb, or re-issue any of your favourite Lamb novels, please contact them via their eHarlequin website http://www.eharlequin.com/ or via M&B here in the UK at Mills & Boon.co.uk.