The Affair

LOVE. GLAMOUR. SECRETS.

Rome, 1961. As the cameras roll on Cleopatra, the world is transfixed by the love affair emerging between Hollywood’s biggest stars: Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.

But on the film set, tensions are running high. The money is running out, and a media storm is brewing over the Taylor-Burton relationship. When historical advisor Diana Bailey starts work on the film, she wants nothing more than to escape from her own troubled marriage and start anew. But as the heady world of Hollywood envelops her, secrets begin to emerge in the cast and crew. Is everything as it seems? And what really hides beneath the glamour of the famous film?

An enthralling story of love and passion from the bestselling author of The Secret Wife, set against the stunning backdrop of one of the most iconic Hollywood movies ever made.

Reviews

PRAISE FOR GILL PAUL:

‘With beautifully drawn characters and sensitive detail, The Affair draws you in and you won't want it to end. An accomplished, energetic, original new voice in fiction’ Kate Kerrigan

‘A fabulous evocation of sixties Rome and film star glamour, full of passion and romance – I loved this delicious novel’ Lulu Taylor

‘A page-turner of a novel’ Hello! magazine

‘Meticulously researched and evocatively written, this sweeping story will keep a tight hold on your heartstrings until the final page’ Iona Grey

‘A cleverly crafted novel and an enthralling story: the heartbreak genuine, the research brilliant. I love the way the present narrative throws light on the past story so that the transitions are smooth. A triumph.’ Dinah Jefferies

‘This was just magical. At the last line, tears rolled down my cheeks. Highly recommended.’ Louise Beech

'A heart-warming affirmation of the tenacity of human love' Liz Trenow

'Gill Paul has crafted a beautiful book. The passages set in Russia in 1914 are so richly described and researched that I felt as if I was living in the pages myself. I adored it.' Amanda Jennings

‘Gill Paul has clearly done her research in this absorbing story that cleverly blends imagination with historical fact. Tragic, touching and authentic-feeling.’ Kate Riordan

‘A terrific adventure story, full of romance and atmospheric detail – a great escapist read’ Liz Trenow

‘Paul’s beguiling and compelling story captures all the thrilling and sometimes tawdry realities of life on a film set with its warring egos, inherent glamour and fascinating backstage detail as well as delivering a pulsating parallel love story to the famous Taylor-Burton romance. A gripping read perfect for those lazy summer days!’ Blackpool Gazette

About the author

Gill Paul is a full-time writer of both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of Titanic Love Stories, a non-fiction book about honeymoon couples on the Titanic. Her debut, Women and children First, a fictional story set on board the Titanic was published earlier this year. Gill lives in London.