An Improbable Pairing
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2.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
It began as a simple flirtation . . .
In September of 1963, Scott Stoddard, an American graduate student, is traveling to Switzerland, when he meets the Countess de Rovere, a French divorcee; he is smitten, and she is intrigued. What begins as a little coquetry soon becomes a serious love affair, much to the consternation of the Countess’s ex-husband and mother, not to mention the Countess’s friends of European high society. A meeting of equals poses problems enough, but what about one between two people who seem to have so many differences? And when a man of traditional attitudes couples with an independent and self-confident woman, something’s got to give. It won’t be the countess. As their liaison transcends an affair that cannot be dismissed, they all agree that something must be done.
An Improbable Pairing is a historical romance that chronicles the enduring themes of a young man’s coming of age and the rebellious love of the mismatched. This pas de deux, set in the golden years of 1960s Paris, Geneva, Gstaad, and Cannes, provides an insider’s peek into the worlds of haute couture, three-star gourmet restaurants, and lavish hotel suites—the domains of rank and privilege. But society’s privileged resist when an interloper threatens to upset their cozy structure.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Themes of role reversal, seduction, and culture clash abound in Dickson's wistful historical debut. It's the summer of 1963, the pinnacle of America's Camelot era, and 22-year-old Scott Stoddard is about to depart New York, bound for Geneva and graduate school. As he waves to his parents from the ocean liner's rail, he notices an older woman of unequaled beauty and sophistication in the dockside crowd. Although the Countess Desir e de Rovere is clearly out of his league in both years and style Scott can't stop thinking about her. Luckily, they meet on the ship, and eventually she seduces him amid the luxurious playgrounds of the mid-century European jet set. But before they can have their happy ending, the couple must overcome obstacles such as differences of age, culture, and religion. There's little in the way of tension, but this undemanding, pleasant tale features capably drawn characters who appear to float unmoored inside a romantic travel brochure. (BookLife)
