A collection of three historical novels by Donna Russo Morin, now available in one volume! Gilded Summers : Pearl and Ginevra's lives couldn't be more different - one living a life of luxury while the other works as a servant. But a shared passion for art ignites an unlikely friendship that must be kept hidden from Pearl's controlling mother. As they navigate their way through a society that seeks to suppress them, the girls must decide who they want to be and what they're willing to do to break free - even if it means resorting to murder. The Courtier of Versailles : Set in the dazzling world of Louis XIV's court at Versailles in 1682, "The Courtier of Versailles" follows the story of Jeanne Yvette Mas du Bois, a young woman who craves knowledge, purpose, and adventure. Her thirst for independence leads her to train in the art of the sword with her uncle Jules. When she saves the life of a Musketeer and is mistaken for a man, Jeanne becomes Jean-Luc and enters an inner circle where she discovers a plot to assassinate the Queen of France. In her double life, Jeanne is in a powerful but increasingly dangerous position as she navigates the intrigues of court and her own heart. This lush and detailed historical novel is filled with unforgettable characters and secrets waiting to be uncovered. The Glassmaker's Daughter : In 17th century Venice, the secret of Murano glassmaking is fiercely guarded, and the price of revealing it is death. But Sophia Fiolario, a talented glassmaker, must hide her skills because she is a woman. When a powerful nobleman proposes to her, Sophia faces a difficult choice: accept and give up her passion, or risk everything to continue her craft. As she navigates the treacherous waters of Venetian society, Sophia's fate becomes entwined with that of Galileo Galilei and his revolutionary invention. With danger lurking around every corner, Sophia must decide what she is willing to sacrifice for love, family, and the art she holds dear.

In a studiolo behind a church, six women gather to perform an act that is restorative, powerful, and illegal. They paint. Under the tutelage of Leonardo da Vinci, the six show talent and drive equal to that of any man, but in Renaissance Florence they must hide their skills, or risk the scorn of the city. A commission to paint a fresco in Santo Spirito is announced and Florence’s countless artists each seek the fame and glory this lucrative job will provide. Viviana, a noblewoman freed from a terrible marriage and now free to pursue her artistic passions in secret, sees a potential life-altering opportunity for herself and her fellow female artists. The women first speak to Lorenzo de’ Medici himself, and finally, submit a bid for the right to paint it. But the church will not stand for women painting, especially not in a house of worship. The city is not ready to consider women in positions of power, and in Florence, artists wield tremendous power. Even the women themselves are hesitant; the attention they bring upon themselves will disrupt their families, and put them in danger. All the while, Viviana grows closer to Sansone, her soldier lover, who is bringing her joy that she never knew with her deceased husband. Power and passion collide in Donna Russo Morin's 'The Competition', a sumptuous historical novel of shattering limitations, one brushstroke at a time.

From the bestselling 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 single-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 thrive. 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.

In 15th century Florence, five women and a legendary artist weave together a dangerous plot that could bring peace - or get them all killed. Seeking to wrest power from the Medici, members of the Pazzi family 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. Vibrant and absorbing, Portrait Of A Conspiracy is the first novel in Donna Russo Morin's Da Vinci's Disciples series.

Count Witon has grown weary of the constant war between the races. Together with his wife Belamay, and Persky - first of a rare Human / Elf breed - Witon plans to create a new society: an utopia for anyone who longs for peace. They recruit pilgrims from every city and species, and set off to a promising island found by chance in the middle of the churning ocean. The journey there is fraught with challenges, and none of them is as dire as the one they face at their destination. Will they have the strength and determination to give birth to a new time?

She was the only woman in Venice who knew the secret...and it made her a criminal. The Murano glassmakers of Venice are celebrated and revered. But now three of them are dead, killed for attempting to leave the city that both prizes their work and keeps them prisoners. For in the 17th century, the secret of their craft must, by law, never leave Venetian shores. Yet there is someone who keeps the secret while defying tradition. She is Sophia Fiolario, and she, too, is a glassmaker. Her crime is being a woman. Sophia knows her family would be crushed by scandal - or worse - if the truth of her knowledge and skill with the glass were revealed. But there has never been any threat...until now. A wealthy nobleman with strong connections to the powerful Doge has requested Sophia's hand in marriage, and her refusal could draw dangerous attention. Yet to accept, to no longer make the glass, would devastate her. If there is an escape, Sophia intends to find it. Between creating precious glass parts for one Professore Galileo Galilei's astonishing invention and attending lavish parties at the Doge's Palace, Sophia crosses paths with influential people, including one who could change her life forever. But in Venice, every secret has its price. Soon, Sophia must decide how much she is willing to pay for her family, the glass, and love.

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's Secret will take you into an intriguing world of pageantry, adventure, betrayals, and secrets. “Russo Morin debuts with a novel as opulent and sparkling as Louis XIV’s court and as filled with intrigue, passion and excitement as a novel by Dumas…a feast for the senses.” -RT Book Review

"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.