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About The Book

The first book in a series from #1 internationally bestselling author Lucinda Riley, author of The Midnight Rose—hailed as “an extraordinary story [and] a complex, deeply engaging tale filled with fascinating characters” (Library Journal).

Maia D’Apliese and her five sisters gather together at their childhood home, “Atlantis”—a fabulous, secluded castle situated on the shores of Lake Geneva—having been told that their beloved father, who adopted them all as babies, has died. Each sister is handed a tantalizing clue to her true heritage—a clue that takes Maia across the world to a crumbling mansion in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Once there, she begins to put together the pieces of her story.

Eighty years earlier in the Rio of the 1920s, Izabela Bonifacio’s father has aspirations for his daughter to marry into the aristocracy. Meanwhile, architect Heitor da Silva Costa is devising plans for an enormous statue, to be called Christ the Redeemer, and will soon travel to Paris to find the right sculptor to complete his vision. Izabela—passionate and longing to see the world—convinces her father to allow her to accompany him and his family to Europe before she is married. There, at Paul Landowski’s studio and in the heady, vibrant cafes of Montparnasse, she meets ambitious young sculptor Laurent Brouilly, and knows at once that her life will never be the same again.

In this sweeping, epic tale of love and loss—the first in a unique, spellbinding series—Lucinda Riley showcases her storytelling talents like never before.

About The Author

Photograph © Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva

Lucinda Riley was the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels, including The Orchid House, The Girl on the Cliff, and the Seven Sisters series. Her books have sold twenty million copies in thirty-five languages globally. She was born in Ireland and divided her time between England and West Cork with her husband and four children. Visit her website at LucindaRiley.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (May 5, 2015)
  • Length: 480 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781476759913

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Raves and Reviews

"Riley has written another intricately plotted, compelling family saga, which presents historical and cultural attitudes of the time and place in which her characters live. Like the famous statue that brought the lovers together and hovers over Rio today, the story is elegantly sculpted and rich with history... the book will please fans of romance as well as historical fiction lovers."

– Library Journal

"A brilliant page-turner, soaked in glamour and romance."

– The Daily Mail

"Riley is a skilled storyteller of epic romances, intertwining established history with imagined backstories. An engrossing, sweeping tale, the first in a new series that explores the mythology behind the constellation, The Seven Sisters will appeal to fans of Kristin Hannah and Linda Gillard while leaving readers anxious to learn about the histories of the stars’ other namesakes."

– Booklist

"Lucinda Riley is one of the strongest authors in this genre of historical fiction. Her ability to weave stories together, using modern-day and historical settings, is top notch...This novel will appeal to readers of multiple genres as it contains excellent historical detail, heart-wrenching romance, and an engaging mystery."

– Historical Novel Society

"Riley launches her most ambitious and exciting writing project to date...…a labyrinth of seductive time-switch stories, the enchanting brand of novel writing which has made Riley one of the best women’s fiction authors on the market… An epic start to an epic series."

– The Lancashire Evening Post

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More books from this author: Lucinda Riley

More books in this series: The Seven Sisters