Seven Siblings. Seven Years. Seven Spellbinding Novels.1975. New Orleans. The Deschanel siblings are far from children now, some having kids of their own, others settling into the possibility, as they make choices that will shape their futures forever.Charles, the playboy, finds new meaning as a father, and swears off his old life, littered with indiscretions. Augustus, the fixer, sees his … fixer, sees his marriage further dissolve just as he learns his wife is pregnant. Colleen, the adherent, is head over heels in love in Scotland, but worries their relationship won’t hold up once he learns her dark secret. Evangeline, the genius, escapes to New England, letting her education be the balm of choice for her broken spirit. Maureen, the haunted, discovers her true purpose as a mother, but fears her arranged marriage will create the instability that drives her daughter down a path too similar to hers.
Elizabeth, the anguished, recovers from the damage wrought by her past choices, and finds penance in helping Augustus with his own struggles. But, for the first time, she will have to do it without her lifeline, Connor, who has been sent away by his parents.
As the family progresses through the seventies, they’ll discover the power of secrets, lies, and a fate they cannot escape, no matter how wealthy or powerful they are.
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By 1976 the Deschanel siblings are parents and their childhood is long gone. Charles is torn between love for his son by the wife he despises and the prospect of having children with a woman who is welcoming to him. Augustus is a widower and focuses on his daughter Anasofiya to the exclusion of almost everything else. Colleen is married to the love of her life as she has to step into the shoes of the family matriarch. Genius Evangeline is in her new world in Cambridge but has to confront fears she and hoped were left behind long ago and Maureen’s life is turned upside down in an unlikely connection. Elizabeth tried hard to be a caretaker for Augustus and Anasofiya while avoiding seeing her own future. The family will keep on moving through the seventies realising the power of fate they cannot avoid mixed n with secrets, lies and deceit.
This was a rollercoaster as many of their lives seemed to implode around them while the more stable influences tried to hold everything together for the rest of the family. Many of the events from previous years in the series came to fruition and it was interesting to see how each of these progressed. I think these books benefit from reading them in sequence and it helps to understand the family members and history behind many of the relationships. Well written, everything was clear and easy to understand. Very enjoyable.
This was a great one. I enjoyed seeing the siblings finding happiness even through the tragedies. Without giving it all away this was a great read and hard to put down. Cannot wait to see what happens next.
The author at least warns us about just how emotional this red will be but trust me its so much more. This is a yer of different kinds of tragedies for this clan and while the focus is mostly on Colleen, Charles and Augustus don’t believe the others are spared. Charles grows into his role as father in a way only Charles can. He still make some questionable but Charles like decision but come on. We accept them all for what they are as we witness Augustus breaking, held together by the love he holds dear for Anna. Colleen has her own war to deal with and her broken heart but while some turns out great the family is dealt many blows. See this side, the people behind the Crimson Series is so much more profound after reading the series. No you do not need to read the series first I personally think you have the advantage of seeing it fresh and going from start to finish. It’s an amazing read and for me it’s all the more so because I know them, have cried over them, have pulled for them in the midst of their trials. For them this was a year of deep loss the impact which is yet to be felt softened only by the life that flourish in the children that were birthed. A wonderful read and addition to the series.
In 1975: The Seven, some loves are lost and some are rekindled, there are births, deaths, and the righting of paths…at least for the time being.
The story of the Deschanels in the 1970s is coming together. For fans of the House of Crimson and Clover saga, the future has become clearer with fantastic backstory explanations. For new readers, this 1970s series is a great place to start. With each installment Ms. Cradit gives readers the drama they crave, the answers they need, and she even includes some happy-for-nows.
In 1975 readers see the passive-aggressive behavior of the possessed or mental ill Ekatherina. Being highly sensitive, Augustus is uxorious in his responses to Ekatherina’s acrimony. When tragedy strikes, can the self-righteous Noah “walk the talk” and accept his lover for who she is? When crass Charles and acidic Cordelia come to loggerheads, he finds an unique if not wholesome solution. Unfortunately, conniving Catherine may throw a wrench in the works, but Charles knows Colin remains clueless to his wife as usual.
“Are we ever ready for any of the shit life throws at us?”
The novella culminates when the family is together again for Christmas at Ophiele—including new additions to the clan and some lost souls.
“The memory of Maddy was dimmest here, for they’d treated Ophélie as a summer home only, until after she died and Mama had the idea that the family estate was where they needed to be to heal. Her ghost was everywhere anyway, no matter where they were on Christmas Eve, because this would always and forever be Maddy’s day. She’d unintentionally sealed her name on all future December 24ths and there was nothing to be done about it.”
This is the best installment to date. It included a strong plot with most of the Deschanel siblings’ stories moving forward. Certainly, as Ms. Cradit gets closer to the end of this series, she is weaving the young sibling’s stories into the already established future of House of Crimson and Clover, and it is a delight to read her tapestry. There were a few crass phrases and sex scenes that I felt were unnecessary and detracted from the story, but overall, the writing quality and world building are excellent. I am really looking forward to the rest of the series, especially Elizabeth and Evangeline’s stories.