You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
This request comes from Kelly, who read this book a long time ago:
First of all, I love your website, your posts on FB, and HABO in particular. Today, I am hoping that HABO can work its magic for me. I read the book in question many moons ago in high school, so between 1988 – 1991. I borrowed the book from the library, so I'm not sure how much older than that time frame the book might be, but if I were to guess, I'd say it was probably not older than from the mid 80's. The only thing I vaguely remember about the cover was that it had purple and green on it.
The plot of the book was somewhat novel, in that it revolved around mining slate in England. The hero owned the slate mines, where much EVIL had occurred (bad working conditions for the miners, probably, it's hard to remember), but I don't think the hero had caused the evil, rather he had inherited it and didn't give a toss one way or the other. The heroine is from the town, and (for reasons that escape me) represented the miners. I think there's some sort of wager between the hero and heroine. I remember distinctly that there is a very naughty scene that takes place on a pool table (see the tie in with slate mining?).
I've been trying to find this book for years, hoping that I will come across it in a flea market or something, but no such luck. I'd like to think I didn't just make this up.
Love on the pool table! Does anyone recall this book? I admit it sounds really familiar to me, but I can't find it in my shelves or in my online list of books I've read. Do you recognize this romance?
sounds like Thunder & Roses by Mary Jo Putney
Forever and Ever by Patricia Gaffney.
No, actually I think seton’s right—I misread.
Definitely THUNDER & ROSES by Mary Jo Putney.
It’s either A Fire in the Heart or My Only Love by Katherine Sutcliffe.
Another vote here for Thunder and Roses. It’s a billiards table (it’s twice as big as a pool table, so more room for fun and games).
That definitely sounds like Thunder and Roses to me too.
It’s definitely Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney, one of my all time favourites. Claire is the Methodist school teacher and Nicholas is the Gypsy earl. First time I’ve ever known a HaBO, yaaaay!