Now an Amazon Best Seller
#3 in Time Travel Romance, #3 in Time Travel Science Fiction, #5 in Time Travel Fiction
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Gary Dickson is an inveterate traveler and a Francophile sans merci. Educated in Switzerland in history, literature, and the classics, Gary lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Susie.
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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.
For Advance Praise of An Improbable Pairing, scroll down.
The unintended consequences of acing a test… or when all else fails, try blackmail.
In July of 1964, after marrying in Paris, Desirée and Scott Stoddard are honeymooning in the South of France when their idyll is interrupted by a notice from Scott’s draft board advising him that his status is being reviewed. Desirée, the former French countess who is already three months pregnant, doesn’t understand why her new husband, an American, must traipse off to some military base in Germany to be tested.
Scott’s remarkable scores on the tests attract the attention of the CIA, and Scott, much to his dismay, becomes part of their world of intrigue and deceit. How can he get back to the life that he and Desirée had envisioned? When all else fails, blackmail is the answer.
A Spy with Scruples plunges readers into the complicated political world of Cold War Europe. From neutral Switzerland to the aristocratic salons of Paris to bombed-out Berlin, Scott ingratiates some and offends more. But he has a plan.
He has always lived in mystery; will she be the one to discover his secret?
Robert Valmer moves from Rome to Beverly Hills in 2015, where against his better judgment, he falls for Alexis Roth, PhD, psychologist to the stars. But Alexis wants to know everything. Start from the beginning, she says. The beginning? Can he really tell her about how he fled France during the French Revolution in 1789 or about Italy during World War II? If he tells her even a little, will she think of him as a liar or a freak rather than a lover?
He tries to deflect her probes, pleading shyness, but she knows that reticence is often the veil behind which secrecy lurks. His practice of stonewalling only further ignites her burning curiosity.
As the pressure for honesty mounts, he does what he’s always done—flee. But Alexis is not a lover to be easily dismissed. She follows him to Europe, determined to track him down for an explanation. Where can she start when her quarry doesn’t want to be found? Each clue she uncovers leads her deeper into intrigue.
An Oddity of Some Consequence is a glamorous tale of mystery, romance, and the fountain of youth.
Now an Amazon Best Seller
#3 in Time Travel Romance, #3 in Time Travel Science Fiction, #5 in Time Travel Fiction
In 1963, Gary arrived in Europe a naïve young man attending The University of Lausanne in the Faculty of Letters. At the time, the exchange rate for the dollar was very favorable, and he took advantage of his generous university allowance by seeking out the best Parisian hotels and restaurants. As a result, these gastronomic forays played a large role in his education outside the classroom.
The Poetry of Good Eats is a dual French/English collection of delectable poems and recipes.
Endorsements
“An Improbable Pairing is an entertaining romp through Europe’s high society of the 1960s, featuring a lovable young American rogue who aspires to love above his station and the countess who possesses the wit and charm to conquer him. Upon opening this book, you might feel you’ve stumbled into a Technicolor world starring a young Paul Newman and Audrey Hepburn, their romance blossoming amid the sparkling sights of Europe. Grab a box of popcorn and enjoy!””
“For traveled citizens of the world, Gary Dickson’s An Improbable Pairing is a look back on glory enjoyed by the lucky few in a manner all his—experienced young and clearly owned. Reminiscent of Hem- ingway, Fitzgerald, and Ford Maddox Ford—with nods to Elliot’s poetic sense and bright flashes of Henry James—a young American encounters Old World and an older woman with a modern ethic. To add some intriguing tang to this classic, coming-of-age romance, stir in the author’s encyclopedic love of fine cuisine, fashion, fine wines, great architecture, and beautiful women. All of this adds up to a com- pelling travelogue of culture and a complicated love. Eyes, ears, and all senses wide open and on high alert.”
“An Improbable Pairing, set in Paris and Geneva in the 1960s, is a delightful and architecturally cinematic romantic romp, about lovers you actually root for, written with tenderness and wit by a certifiable bon vivant. I absolutely adored it. I had so much fun. My heart was in my mouth up to the last minute. A page turner.”
“Une merveilleuse histoire ou chaque personnage démontre l’importance d’avoirl’espritouvertaumonde,lafacultédepouvoirembrasserdifférentes cultures et de créer de cette manière une vie ensemble, au début improbable, mais finalement si riche, remplie d’amour. J’attends la suite!
A marvelous tale in which each character demonstrates the impor- tance of an open mind, the ability to embrace different cultures, and to create in this manner a life together; while in the beginning improba- ble, it is in the end so rich, and so filled with love. I await the sequel!”
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