Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

This is one of those books that automatically comes with the byline, "If you loved Gone With the Wind..." The sales pitch is spot on. Forever Amber IS Gone With the Wind. Granted, it's in England in the 1800's but Scarlett and Rhett are both present and accounted for in characters Amber and Bruce. The likenesses in the characters' personalities are so close to those in Gone With the Wind I sometimes found myself anticipating plot elements from Gone With the Wind, confusing myself as to which story I was actually reading. I loved Gone With the Wind. I couldn't put it down the first time I read it over ten years ago. When I finished it, I was at a loss as to what to do with myself, so consumed by the book as I was. If I had read Forever Amber first I think I would have been engrossed in it to that same degree; however, since it seemed to mirror that old favorite of mine I couldn't love it with equal fervor. It is a good read and I'm glad to add it to my list but I wouldn't recommend reading the two classics back-to-back. Amber is an infuriating and frustrating heroine who you can't help but root for. She's selfish and shocking in the extreme except for those times she gives her all without reserve to someone else, effectively stealing the reader's heart and forcing you to forgive her all other trespasses. I had similar feelings about main man, Bruce Carlton. He's such a smart, handsome, charming, jerk you can't help but love and hate him, simultaneously. Much like Rhett and Scarlett... 

You will find an official plot line description at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5368.Forever_Amber?from_search=true.