"His Hour" by Elinor Glyn is a captivating romance novel that delves into the intricacies of love amidst societal expectations and power dynamics. Set in the backdrop of high society, Glyn masterfully weaves a tale of forbidden love, where passion collides with ambition and class conflict. The story follows the journey of two star-crossed lovers entangled in a web of intrigue and scandal. Amidst the opulence of wealth and the allure of power, their love blossoms, defying societal norms and expectations. However, their romance is fraught with betrayal and seduction as they navigate through the complexities of their forbidden affair. Glyn's rich narrative unfolds with gripping drama, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the characters grapple with their desires and the consequences of their actions. With her signature style, she explores the depths of human emotions, portraying the characters' vulnerabilities and strengths in equal measure. "His Hour" stands as a timeless testament to Glyn's prowess in crafting compelling love stories that transcend societal boundaries. It's a tale of passion and resilience, where love conquers all, even in the face of adversity.
Elinor Glyn was a British novelist and scriptwriter who specialized in love fiction, which was deemed scandalous at the time, yet her works are very moderate by contemporary standards. She popularized the concept of the it-girl and had a huge impact on early 20th-century popular culture, maybe even on the careers of prominent Hollywood stars like Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, and, most notably, Clara Bow. Elinor Sutherland was born on October 17, 1864, in St Helier, Jersey, in the Channel Islands. She was the younger daughter of Douglas Sutherland (1838-1865), a civil engineer of Scottish heritage, and his wife Elinor Saunders (1841-1937), from an Anglo-French family who had established in Canada. Her father was claimed to be linked to the Lords of Duffus. Her father died when she was two months old, and her mother went to the parental home in Guelph, Upper Canada, British North America (now Ontario), with her two daughters. Elinor was taught here by her grandmother, Lucy Anne Saunders, the daughter of Sir Richard Willcocks, an early Irish police magistrate who assisted in the suppression of the Emmet Rising in 1803.
