Ratings1
Average rating4
I really enjoyed the incredible plots twists in this book. In fact, there are so many that it makes it nearly impossible to review without giving some amount of spoilers...but I will do my best to keep them out.
At the beginning of the book we meet the Mayfields, who are leaving Bath posthaste because Sir John is desperate to separate his wife from the lover she refuses to give up. It is said that Marianna considers her marriage a farce and hopes her lover, Anthony Fontaine, will end it soon. Instantly I had a million questions: is she a fortune-hunter? Is there a long-standing reason she puts more faith in Fontaine's care of her than her husband's? Is the marriage real? Is she plotting with a murderer? One sentence opens so many possibilities, and some are sure to play out in the tale that follows.
Then there is Hannah Rogers, who obviously had some history with the family, and who comes almost at the time of departure to receive pay that was long owed her. Marianna, knowing she must leave for regions unknown within hours, leaving behind all servants per Sir John's requirement, asks Miss Rogers to go with her as paid companion. And, surprisingly, Hannah Rogers does go, bringing with her an air of quiet, tortured desperation that hints of many, many more secrets.
And then, before they reach their destination, there is a tragic carriage crash that leaves all in the vehicle hurt or dead.
The biggest weakness of the story is actually the characterization. The plot and writing are excellent, but secondary characters such as Fontaine and James Lowden (I couldn't stand either!) are not as well fleshed-out, so they sometimes do things that feel off for the character. I'd have liked a few more hints of their actual personalities.
For readers of Christian fiction: this is tagged for the general market, so some themes are more adult: adultery, a child born out of wedlock, etc. Scenes are kept clean, but some themes might bother certain people. Recommended 18+.
For secular readers: there are some spots near the end where a clergyman's daughter speaks of her heartfelt faith and her previous actions vs. her beliefs.