A STORY OF THE ENDURING POWER OF LOVE

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Forbidden Love... A wartime mystery... A lifelong search for the truth

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"This is a unique story of love between Catholic, Olive (Bell) and Jewish, Ben (Bloom) that endured for over fifty years.  The doggedness, through veils of despair and family hardships sustained over this long period by Olive, who never forgot nor ever gave up her determination to find Ben and close the chapter on their lives, fills every page.

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In many ways, this is a tragic story of two people who found that religion stood in their way to a union of happiness and caused problems to their children. Religion forced them into a life of deceit with Ben’s family...

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This is not a biography and although I have endeavoured to keep to the accuracy of this remarkable tale, certain family conversations have been written for the tenor of the characters as they clearly would not have been recorded.

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The Gods Divided has been a labour of love. I have found myself entwined in the lives of Ben and Olive and their families.  It is as if I had been present as a silent witness to their movements and actions.

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I hope that I have achieved in the presentation of this remarkable story a live and beautiful relationship which will endure." - Richard Sotnick

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Click here to contact us to obtain an advance review copy of The Gods Divided

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About the Author

Richard Sotnick was senior partner of a family law firm in Portsmouth, Fareham and Southampton from 1970 to 1984. In the late 1960s he became involved in politics in Portsmouth, becoming the city’s political leader in 1973 and Lord Mayor in 1978–9. From 1979–87 he was Chairman of the Portsmouth Cultural Festival and a Director and Trustee of the Mary Rose Trust, and in 1985 he was elected an Honorary Alderman of the city.

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His passion for music, and his role in founding the London String Quartet Foundation led to him being awarded the Walter Wilson Cobbett Gold Medal by the Company of Musicians and to honorary fellowships from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Portsmouth University.

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Richard’s first book The Coburg Conspiracy: Royal Plots and Manoeuvres, is the story of how Queen Victoria’s uncle worked behind the scenes to ensure the Coburgs dominated monarchies throughout Europe.

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His first novel, Retribution, was a fast-paced thriller revealing corruption among the powerful on an international scale. It holds a mirror to England's legal system and asks whether it is fatally flawed by self-importance and the inability to judge.

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Richard lives in North London with his wife, Ruth, with whom he has three daughters: Juliet, Lisa and Karen.

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Click here to contact us to obtain an advance review copy of The Gods Divided

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Praise for Richard’s earlier works:

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Retribution

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“... a fast-paced thrilling ride all over the world culminating in an ending that exceeded all expectations... Throughout the book, the author slips in interesting facts, quotes and musical and literary references that I also found interesting and worthy of inclusion rather than being distracting... As the story was reaching its end game, I was both eager to find out what happened but, at the same time, sad to know that the book was coming to its end. I tried to read slower, to keep the anticipation going but was totally swept away with the story and couldn't help but just giving in and letting it take me on the ride.  All in all, a brilliant legal thriller.” – Kath

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“The story line kept me gripped throughout and I really enjoyed the unexpected twist towards the end. I found there was a good balance of extremely likable characters and some very hateful ones. From money laundering to police corruption and to me the shock of just how deceitful and self serving some in the legal system can be, I can highly recommend this interesting legal thriller.” – Sue McQuaide Kitt

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“Fantastic book, highly recommend it. Interesting and well developed characters and a gripping plot that highlights the failings of the justice system. The plot is clever but believable...” – Lisa Coffman

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The Coburg Conspiracy

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"An important addition to Victorian studies and a fascinating book. Deploying new material from the Coburg archives, The Coburg Conspiracy illuminates the darker side of Prince Albert's impoverished and ambitious family... He also convincingly explores the evidence for and against Albert's illegitimacy." – Sarah Bradford, bestselling author of Diana and Elizabeth

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"A fascinating, riveting tale based on ground-breaking research." – Majesty magazine

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"Great detective work." – Dr Christian Goeschel, Birkbeck College, University of London