Love's Melody Lost [Paperback]

Radclyffe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2004

A secretive artist with a haunted past and a young woman escaping a life that proved to be a lie find their destinies entwined.

Victim of a terrible accident, famed composer and pianist Graham Yardley loses her sight, her heart and her soul. Wealth and fame mean nothing after the devastating loss of her beloved music; her life is reduced to silence, darkness and bitter regret. In a bleak mansion atop windswept cliffs, the blind woman withdraws from the world, her once consuming passions now a source of anguish and fear. Then Anna, a lost woman seeking a place in the world, comes into her life and awakens feelings she thought were dead forever. A fragile melody of love is played between these damaged souls, a song made sweeter and stronger by the day... but will their blossoming romance be destroyed by an outsider's greed or will it succumb to the discord of Graham's tormented heart?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Radclyffe lives with her partner, Lee, in Philadelphia, PA where she both writes and practices surgery full-time. A member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Pink Ink, and the Romance Writers of America, she admits to a life-long love affair with fictional romances of all persuasions. Since discovering lesbian fiction at the age of twelve while reading Ann Bannon’s Beebo Brinker, she has collected it, written it, and finally, one career later, published it. The common theme throughout her traditional romances and action/mystery series is a celebration of the power and passion of love between strong, valiant women.

She states: "I first began writing love stories about women more than two decades ago because the very act of giving form to the characters that populate my imagination is a personal pleasure. I would write even if there were no one else to read what I had written. Several of my published works are expanded versions of those early private stories. In addition, there weren't many romances involving two women available at that time, and I longed to see our stories told. Today, we are fortunate to have many writers and presses bringing us a vast array of fine lesbian fiction. The new titles come much faster now than they did in the decades when a new book or two every year felt like a gift, but I still treasure every single one. These works are our history and our legacy, and I am proud to contribute in some small way to those archives."

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Bold Strokes Books; Revised Edition edition (August 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933110007
• ISBN-13: 978-1933110004
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #326,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Radclyffe, a retired surgeon and full time author-publisher, has published over thirty-five novels as well as dozens of short stories, has edited numerous anthologies, and, writing as L. L. Raand, has authored a paranormal romance series, The Midnight Hunters. She is a eight time Lambda Literary Award finalist in romance, mystery and erotica--winning in both romance (Distant Shores, Silent Thunder) and erotica (Erotic Interludes 2: Stolen Moments edited with Stacia Seaman and In Deep Waters 2: Cruising the Strip written with Karin Kallmaker). A member of the Saints and Sinners Literary Hall of Fame, she is also a 2010 RWA/FF&P Prism Award Winner for Secrets in the Stone, an Independent Publisher's award winner (IPPY), an Alice B. Readers' award Winner, and a finalist for the Benjamin Franklin award, the ForeWord Review Book of the Year award, and the 2010 Heart of Excellence Readers' Choice award. She is also the president of Bold Strokes Books, one of the world's largest independent LGBT publishing companies.

She states, "I began reading lesbian fiction at the age of twelve when I found a copy of Ann Bannon's Beebo Brinker. That book and others like it convinced me that I was not alone, that there were other women who felt like I did. Our literature provides support and validation and very often, a lifeline, for members of our community throughout the world. I am proud and honored to be able to publish the many fine authors at Bold Strokes Books and to contribute in some small way to the words that the celebrate LGBTQ experience."

You can visit Radclyffe at http://www.facebook.com/Radclyffe.BSB?ref=ts

Or buy her books direct from the publisher at www.boldstrokesbooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Engaging and Beautifully Written, March 12, 2006

By 

NJ Cat (North East) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Love's Melody Lost (Paperback)

Several reviewers have outlined the story for you (perhaps at times too much?) so I will simply say, I have read all of Radclyffe's books prior to this. This one, Love's Melody Lost, is unique, insightful and endearing. I want to know more about the characters, I want to read the second and third installments if they are to be written. The description of the music alone was all-involving, and I appreciated the inclusion of that in the novel. Radclyffe is an excellent author, and a certain gift to our community. I thank you, Radclyffe.
A wonderful read - highly recommended!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Graham Can Tickle My Ivories Any Time..., January 29, 2006

By 

K. Johnson (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love's Melody Lost (Paperback)

What an incredibly sexy character... Graham Yardley is an incredibly gifted pianist, perfect "gentleman," beautiful, and wealthy to boot. Not only does she play beautifully, but she is a fine composer as well. The only blemish is that she was blinded by a terrible accident and has been a recluse ever since.

In need of household help, Graham's attorney hires recently-divorced Anna Reid to manage Graham's estate. Anna is drawn to the mysterious musician and immediately feels extremely protective of her. Over time, Anna's patience and understanding develop into true feelings for Graham. Uncertain of her ability to love another, Graham resists Anna's unintentional pull. Dealing with past loves and current trust issues, it is uncertain if the two women will ever get their relationship worked out.

A segue from Radclyffe's usual storylines, 'Melody' is a fantastic book. It's one that should be permanently in every card-carrying lesbian's collection. As with everything "Rad", this one is highly recommended and should be enjoyed with Mozart playing in the background...

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music to My Eyes, June 12, 2006

By 

P. Bigelow (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Love's Melody Lost (Paperback)

The plot of this book is as described elsewhere.

Whether you read Radclyffe's series books, like the Justice series or the Honor series or the Provincetown series, or you read one of her stand-alone romances, you can not go wrong.

I have been reading lesbian fiction for many years, and can honestly say that I have never come across a writer that has so affected me. Her characters are strong, intelligent, and romantic. Naysayers will say that Radclyffe's characters are too perfect almost never flawed - either in looks or character. That may be true, but aren't you tired of the genre's penchant for ordinary? Radclyffe's characters are always enchanting, intoxicating, enticing, and intense. The stories, particularly in the series books, are all first class. Most of her series books are page-turners. And in two of the books, I actually turned to the last page to make sure that the main characters survived - something I never do.

Radclyffe let us believe, at least for the duration of each of her books, that the grand passion, the true love, the happy-ever-after are all possible. She lets us believe that being a strong, intelligent woman does not mean that we will be alone and/or isolated.

The only caveat I have is to read the series books in order. And if you enjoy watching a writer grow, then read the non-series books in the order they were written and watch Radclyffe's talent grow before your very eyes.