Olivia : $b or, It was for her sake

"Olivia: or, It was for her sake" by Charles Garvice is a romantic novel written in the late 19th century. The book introduces the charming young Olivia Vanley, who finds herself entangled in a web of mystery and intrigue involving a new neighbor, Mr. Faradeane, who has mysteriously purchased a local property. As the story unfolds, themes of love, societal expectations, and personal secrets begin to emerge. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to a picturesque village in Devonshire where Olivia lives with her family. During a tea gathering with an old solicitor, Mr. Sparrow, and her aunt, Miss Amelia Vanley, they discuss the strange behavior of Mr. Faradeane, who has taken up residence at The Dell—a cottage he recently bought under mysterious circumstances. Olivia's curiosity is piqued as the conversation reveals that Faradeane prohibits female visitors and maintains a reclusive lifestyle, raising speculations among the guests. Amidst this chatter, Olivia's thoughts drift towards her feelings for Lord Granville, a young man with whom she shares a deeper connection. The blend of romance and the enigma surrounding Mr. Faradeane sets the stage for the unfolding drama and relationships within the story. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Charles Garvice was a prolific British writer of over 150 romance novels, who also used the female pseudonym Caroline Hart. He was a popular author in the UK, the United States and translated around the world. He was ‘the most successful novelist in England’, according to Arnold Bennett in 1910. He published novels selling over seven million copies worldwide by 1914, and since 1913 he was selling 1.75 million books annually, a pace which he maintained at least until his death. Despite his enormous success, he was poorly received by literary critics, and is almost forgotten today.