A sweeping, breathtaking story of love and betrayal from the internationally bestselling author of The Tea Planter’s WifeCeylon, 1935. Louisa Reeve, the daughter of a successful British gem trader, and her husband Elliot, a charming, thrill-seeking businessman, seem like the couple who have it all. Except what they long for more than anything: a child. While Louisa struggles with … While Louisa struggles with miscarriages, Elliot is increasingly absent, spending much of his time at a nearby cinnamon plantation, overlooking the Indian ocean. After his sudden death, Louisa is left alone to solve the mystery he left behind. Revisiting the plantation at Cinnamon Hills, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn towards the owner, Leo, a rugged outdoors man with a checkered past. The plantation casts a spell, but all is not as it seems. And when Elliot’s shocking betrayal is revealed, Louisa has only Leo to turn to . . .
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I won a copy of this book from the Goodreads Giveaways. I was not required to give a favorable review. This was a story of how women of their time had to deal with things in such a different way from the way we deal with them now. Dealing with the not being able to carry a child and finding out her husband had but them into such financial straights and also the chance that he had a child with another women she had to find her way through with her life. This is a well written story about a strong woman.
I’m so pleased that I was given the opportunity to read this book and find a new author to watch out for. I love this author’s descriptive writing style which pulled me into the story and the life of the main female character, Louisa. She had endured a lot of heartache with her husband and after his death she endured more as she sifts her way through his double life that she knew nothing about until after he died. The characters are so well-rounded and with believable dialogue. This is a wonderfully written historical romance that I found difficult to tear myself away from even to just make a fresh cuppa, definitely an author to watch out for an add to my “must read when new books found” by list.
The story set in Ceylon (modern day Sri Lanka) in the years before WWII makes one want to visit the country.
The descriptions of the country, the cinnamon and tea plantations and the lives of the people connected with them are vivid.
I liked the progression of the characters throughout the story and found it hard to put down.
Louisa Reeve is a happily married woman to Elliott. The only strain in their relationship is that she has had several miscarriages and had a still born daughter. They really wanted children. I knew from the title that her husband would eventually die so I was waiting for it. He seemed like he loved her and all the business trips were kind of suspicious. After Elliott dies secret after secret just keep unfolding one after another. Louisa has to deal with the aftermath of these secrets and make many things right. Louisa finally figures out how to move on by keeping busy and continue to go forward with a project that Elliott wanted them to start before he passed away. It was a huge Gem Emporium and since she had money of her own she was able to complete the project.
In the middle of one of the secrets that we learn about is a man named Leo who runs a Cinnamon plantation. Their relationship starts out rocky and things don’t always go well but Louisa seems to be drawn to Leo and his plantation right from the start.
It was an interesting read.
I received this book for free from First to Read in exchange for an honest opinion. The opinions in this review are 100% my own.
An unusual story line that held my interest
The book is about love, betrayal, friendship and death. Louisa the main female character, when her husband Elliot dies unexpectedly, his secret life is revealed, and whole the story finds Louisa trying to cope with all this. There is an inadequately mystery of missing funds and some shifty characters running around, popping up now and again to do shady things. This whole part of the story line fell flat, it should not even of been part of the story, I wasn’t even interested. Louisa and Leo, new friendship/romance was sweet the the descriptive detail about the country was bright and vivid. Over all it was a okay read.
All the above