{"product_id":"first-friends-9780312306625","title":"First Friends","description":"\u003cp\u003eCass and Kate meet at school--and are firm friends for the rest of their lives. Both marry naval officers, but Cass's infidelity has far-reaching consequences for her children--and Kate's. Many of the characters in \u003ci\u003eFirst Friends\u003c\/i\u003e (published in the UK as \u003ci\u003eThose Who Serve\u003c\/i\u003e) reappear in later Marcia Willett novels, and we meet their children as well. As always, Marcia Willett's wise understanding of love, loss, marriage, and parenthood is conveyed with honesty, generosity, and compassion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBorn in Somerset, in the west country of England, \u003cb\u003eMarcia Willett\u003c\/b\u003e was the youngest of five girls. Her family was unconventional and musical, but Marcia chose to train as a ballet dancer. Unfortunately, her body did not develop with the classic proportions demanded by the Royal Ballet, so she studied to be a ballet teacher. Her first husband was a naval officer in the submarine service; their son, Charles, is now married and a clergyman. Her second husband, Rodney, himself a writer and broadcaster, encouraged Marcia to write fiction. \u003ci\u003eFirst Friends \u003c\/i\u003eis the first of several early novels published by Thomas Dunne Books; her more recent novels include \u003ci\u003eA Week in Winter, A Summer in the Country, The Children's Hour, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Birdcage.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"St. Martins Press-3PL","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50872532730130,"sku":"9780312306625","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_0e4b6c9a-ea21-4f55-ae5d-1c41f8ebbe4a.jpg?v=1737900911","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/first-friends-9780312306625","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}