In the small village of Batyevka, a tale unfolds that is as old as time itself. Betrayal is a sweeping saga that explores the tangled web of love and hate, hope and despair, faith and doubt. At its heart lies Basha, a Jewish woman who, after her harrowing imprisonment in the palace of the cruel Russian Czar, returns to her village transformed from tragedy queen to tragic hero. Her story, told to the entire village, sets the stage for a cascade of events that will ripple through the lives of all who hear it.
Enter Becky, a woman whose ambitions and desires clash with the societal expectations of her time. Becky’s life is a tapestry of relationships, each more complicated than the last. She is torn between the steady yet uninspiring Milt and the charming, carefree Orlando. While Milt’s letters are filled with steady devotion, Orlando’s passionate missives reveal a love that Becky both craves and fears.
Becky’s journey of self-discovery is fraught with turmoil. She is a woman caught between the mundane and the magnificent, the safety of the known and the allure of the forbidden. As she navigates her tumultuous relationships, Becky must decide whether to settle for the stability of a conventional life or to embrace the thrilling uncertainty of true love.
When Orlando returns, Becky is faced with the ultimate choice: to continue living in the shadows of her desires or to step into the light of a new and uncertain future. Her decision will shape her destiny and the lives of those around her, leading to a poignant and powerful conclusion.
Betrayal is a story of passion and perseverance, of heartbreak and hope. It is a reminder that love, in all its forms, is the most powerful force of all.
ISBNs
978-1-63777-611-7 / 978-1-63777-612-4
Genres
Historical fiction – czarist Russia
Literaruy fiction
854 pages
Language: English
Imprint: Red Penguin Books
Beverly Belsky Taylor has a master’s degree in psychology and worked as a probation officer for many years with problem families, delinquent children, and abused women. Among her varied experiences, Ms. Taylor includes, living in Italy and studying philosophy at the University of Florence. After her retirement, she volunteered in the Israeli Defense Force at the outbreak of the war with Lebanon. She published a book of poems and one of short stories. One story and other articles appeared in “Jewish Currents.” Another was in “The Reporter,” a newspaper in Florida. Her play “Spinning and Spinning” was listed in the theatre yearbook, “Best Plays of 1995-96.” Ms. Taylor has written many other plays, stories, and poems, which will be available on Amazon as the Collected Works of Beverly Taylor. She has had plays produced in New York and Florida to good reviews. She has written four historical dramas, of which three are of major Jewish historical figures. Most recently, she lived back in Brooklyn where she grew up. During the pandemic in which she was isolated in her apartment, Beverly wrote a new play, Do Jewish Lives Matter, available as a book under the name Leah Miller on Amazon. Another book published as Leah Miller is Kahane, also available on Amazon. A play titled Jabotinsky by Beverly Taylor is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Reviews
Betrayal draws you into the lives of women bound by circumstance and yearning for freedom. Lush, lyrical, and deeply human, it’s a story that lingers long after the final page.
Set against the backdrop of czarist Russia, Betrayal captures the ache of forbidden love and the courage it takes to defy expectation. Deftly written, it is both intimate and epic.
From Basha’s haunting past to Becky’s turbulent heart, the novel intertwines generations of women whose choices redefine love, loyalty, and destiny. Every chapter glows with wisdom and empathy.