From internationally selling author, Wendy Nelson-Sinclair, comes a modern story that shines a light on a heartbreaking secret buried for well over a century.A series of envelopes are suddenly placed in Lizzie Bennett’s hands. Immediately, Lizzie finds herself at the center of a mystery and within hours, she uncovers an unknown secret about her favorite author.Edith Blackwell is a reclusive … Blackwell is a reclusive English spinster whose writing is the polar opposite of what is known about her life. Described as a mixture of Virginia Woolf and Edgar Allan Poe, Edith Blackwell’s inner landscape is far more complex, romantic, and dangerous than her reality. After her death by suicide, Edith’s rumored final novel, The Secrets of Water, was never found in its entire form. That is until it mysteriously lands in Lizzie’s hands.
By following the trail, Lizzie comes to learn the truth of Edith’s personal life, but also comes to grips with the truths of her own life, especially her complicated relationship with Sebastian Sanders, the man she loves.
With Sebastian in tow, Lizzie journeys across the wide Atlantic to Northern England only to find herself on an adventure that dispels long-held myths, uncovers long-buried truths, and reveals Edith’s life to be vastly different from the one known to history. As Lizzie searches for the truth, she comes to understand that her own story is far different from the one she’s always been told.
The Secrets of Water is a romantic mystery with no cheating and ends with HEA.
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“The Secrets of Water” by Wendy Nelson-Sinclair is one that tugged my heartstrings like a harp. This beautiful story is woven between two parallels of time, following young Lizzie Bennett and Edith Blackwell’s journey. Miss Blackwell has been a favourite author of Lizzie and has an inkling that there is more to her than what has been captured by history so far. The dual narratives worked exceptionally well that captured my full attention. From a young age, the odds have been against Edith with loss and pain being her companion for most of her life. She escapes from the brutalities of her reality by creating and weaving magical worlds with her words. Edith’s final manuscript holds a heartbreaking secret with an unexpected twist. When this lands in Lizzie’s hands, she will be the catalyst that forever changes Edith’s narrative and reveals what the walls of Blackwood Farm have known all this time. Wendy brings both worlds to life with wonderful narrations and memorable, well-developed characters. I teared up on reading and absorbing Edith’s and Lizzie’s loss. This book is a wonderful fusion of romance and suspense, and the ending couldn’t have been more perfect. A 4.5 star read! I look forward to reading more of Wendy’s work.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and this honest review is left voluntarily.
I have come to love Wendy’s books, and “The Secrets of Water” is no different! I enjoyed the way the story played on Jane Austen’s character names, and also the manner with which she made the business of researching history come across as important as it is. There is no greater joy than learning something new about a person, event, or item of history. Even hundreds of years later, papyrus and cave writings, jars, resting places of pharoahs are all being found! The fact that Wendy blended intrigue, research, love, and loss altogether so well is amazing! You may guess the ending, but you will never guess *how* it gets there, and that is the fun! You will fall in love with a handful of characters and despise a few others because they are very well written and appeal to the good and bad sides of our personalities. I only wsh Wendy had quit her day job sooner so she would have even more books for me to read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a journey. Lots of twists and turns. Plenty of drama to keep you turning the pages. Great characters and story. Hard to put down. Grabs you from the first page. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a good story but not my type of story. I should have looked more closely at the discription, having said that. I thought it was well written and there was suspense and mysteries to solve. How what you know about someone or think you do when in fact you do not. I thought the characters were well written and the story was solid and the book flowed. All thing considered it really is a great book. Any short coming is on me not Wendy Nelson-Sinclair because she wrote a fabulous story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.