Cupid's Capers. Vintage Romance Fiction

Baltimore: O'Donovan Brothers Publishers, 1945. First Edition . Decorated Cloth. Fine/Very Good Plus. Octavo. Clyde Squires. Baltimore: O'Donovan Brothers Publishers, 1945. First Edition. Illustrated by Clyde Squires. Octavo, red cloth binding with gilt cover illustration and gilt spine lettering, red dustjacket illustrated in white with the same illustration which is in gilt on the book cover proper. 232 pp. Book is Fine, showing only some possible extremely faint soiling on cover and a bit of offset from the rear-of-book illustration to the facing blank verso. Jacket is at least a VG+, with a couple of small chips and some toning at top of rear cover. An extraordinarily scarce work of 1940's romance and show-biz adventure by Florence Kaiss, in the even rarer dustjacket. Superb and stylish illustrations by Clyde Squires (Charles Clyde Squires), who studied with Howard Pyle, F. W. DuMond, and Robert Henri, and in addition to illustrating books provided much work, including covers, for the likes of Life Magazine, Argosy, and the Elks Magazine. A perfectly manifested example of a perfectly American genre, this one has "collectible" written all over it. For display; serious curb appeal. The story - from the dust jacket: "CUPID'S CAPERS is a story of stage and screen. It is colorful and human, and written with charm and distinction. The heroine, lovely Fay Rogers, has ambition, talent, and that rare attribute - common sense. By a strange coincidence offered a spot in a big musical show, Fay starts her career in the glamorous and exciting world she has so long dreamed of. Here she meets Joyce Hall, a show girl who is a real trouper and who becomes her loyal friend and counselor. Here also she meets the scheming and treacherous show girl, Eve Marsh, against whom she has constantly to be on guard. Cupid capers through the story, playing an important role. He pursues Fay - in the form of Larry Simmons, irrepressible, tow-headed suitor from her own home town; Jerry Grant, the mysterious and handsome dance director; Tom Whiting, the wealthy playboy and playwright; Tubby, the lovable big boy who doesn't want to grow up; Jimmie O'Neill, the promoter. But Fay flees from them all, her heart set on her career. Then just as her dreams are about to be realized, tragedy strikes. She turns blindly to the man she knows she doesn't love, thinking that marriage to him will save her further heartbreak and disappointment. Into this situation steps the loyal Joyce, to stand valiantly at Fay's side in the heartbroken and bewildered days while she tries to choose wisely. Marriage and career hang in the balance - until at last Fay makes the decision which banishes her own uncertainty and lets her face the future strong and unafraid." A virtually unreplaceable piece of Americana. L104