{"title":"Melissa Ashley","description":"\u003cp\u003eWelcome to our collection of works by Melissa Ashley, a celebrated author known for her exquisite storytelling and rich historical narratives. Her books artfully blend meticulous research with imaginative prose, offering readers an immersive journey into different eras.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Bee and the Orange Tree\u003c\/em\u003e takes you to late 17th-century France, weaving the fascinating story of the feminist writer Marie Catherine d’Aulnoy alongside the world of fairy tales and women's rights. This novel unravels the complexities of a unique woman’s life and her imaginative legacy, which resonates through time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnother feather in Ashley's cap is \u003cem\u003eThe Birdman’s Wife\u003c\/em\u003e, a tribute that brings to life the untold story of Elizabeth Gould, a remarkable artist whose work was crucial in her husband John Gould's acclaimed ornithological publications during the 19th century. This novel paints Elizabeth not just as an illustrator but as an integral player in the artistic and scientific pursuits of her era.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMelissa Ashley's novels fall under the Historical Fiction category, and they are perfect for readers who appreciate deeply researched, character-driven stories that transport them to different historical settings. Dive into her books to explore worlds where the past is beautifully intertwined with narrative flair.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-bee-and-the-orange-tree-by-melissa-ashley-9781922400321","title":"The Bee and the Orange Tree","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's 1699, and the salons of Paris are bursting with the creative energy of fierce, independent-minded women. But outside those doors, the patriarchal forces of Louis XIV and the Catholic Church are moving to curb their freedoms. In this battle for equality, Baroness Marie Catherine D'Aulnoy invents a powerful weapon: \u003cem\u003efairy tales\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Marie Catherine's daughter, Angelina, arrives in Paris for the first time, she is swept up in the glamour and sensuality of the city, where a woman may live outside the confines of the church or marriage. But this is a fragile freedom, as she discovers when Marie Catherine's close friend, Nicola Tiquet, is arrested, accused of conspiring to murder her abusive husband. In the race to rescue Nicola, illusions will be shattered and dark secrets revealed as all three women learn how far they will go to preserve their liberty in a society determined to control them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis second book from Melissa Ashley, author of \u003cem\u003eThe Birdman's Wife\u003c\/em\u003e, restores another remarkable, little-known woman to her rightful place in history, revealing the dissent hidden beneath the whimsical surfaces of Marie Catherine's fairy tales. \u003cem\u003eThe Bee and the Orange Tree\u003c\/em\u003e is a beautifully lyrical and deeply absorbing portrait of a time, a place, and the subversive power of the imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47082692673772,"sku":"9781922400321","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/12414333482872.jpg?v=1765276846"},{"product_id":"the-birdmans-wife-by-melissa-ashley-9781925870077","title":"The Birdman's Wife","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA woman overshadowed by history steps back into the light . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtist Elizabeth Gould spent her life capturing the sublime beauty of birds the world had never seen before, but her legacy was eclipsed by the fame of her husband, John Gould. Now, \u003cem\u003eThe Birdman's Wife\u003c\/em\u003e at last gives voice to a passionate and adventurous spirit, who was so much more than the woman behind the man.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn England's golden age of discovery, as John Gould and his peers fuelled popular imagination with their scientific findings, Elizabeth deftly navigated a world that few women were permitted to enter. Juggling an artistic life with her roles as wife, lover, helpmate and mother, she breathed wondrous life into hundreds of exotic new species. A woman ahead of her time, she continually defied convention, eventually embarking on a trailblazing expedition to collect and illustrate Australia's 'curious' birdlife.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Birdman's Wife\u003c\/em\u003e is a multi-award winning novel, and an indelible portrait of an incredible woman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47082697556204,"sku":"9781925870077","price":24.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/19026103482873.jpg?v=1765276936"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/melissa-ashley.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}