A Women’s Fiction dual narrative that is set in the same beautiful mansion in both contemporary South Australia and in the 1930s. How much of who we are is destiny and how much chance?In 1934, the three Miss Allens – Ruby, Adeline and Clara – arrive in the seaside town of Remarkable Bay for their annual summer holiday. It’s the last time they’ll spend summers as a family. Adeline is engaged, Ruby … Adeline is engaged, Ruby is weighing up an offer, and Clara is just eighteen and about to start her life. But by summer’s end, the lives they have known will change irrevocably and a mysterious secret will tear the family apart.
Eighty–two years later, Ruby’s great–granddaughter Roma Harris moves to the now sleepy Remarkable Bay, retreating from tragedy. Roma’s distant cousin Addy arrives too, fleeing a life with too much drama. It’s only when the women discover an old guest book that they start asking questions about the mysterious third Miss Allen. Who was she? Why has she disappeared from the family’s history?
If they solve this mystery from their past, could it change the women’s futures?
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Ah, the mystery of the past…….a beautifully told story about growth, grief and mystery. Well written and delightfully nostalgic,
Very interesting.
This book has such good bones, much like Bayview. But MAN did that ending fall short. You’ve got a good story with the original three Miss Allens and you’re building up to a good story with the next three, but then it ends in sappy romance without joining the two storylines. I had it pegged by the middle of the book when Keira came on board and a casual mention of an adopted grandma, but then nothing happened with it. The house could tell an incredible story but it is left in the dust.
Addy Obfuscate (if you’re going to use a $5 word, six times in the same context is distracting) and Roma Lemon Slice spent way too many pages in their own heads, telling and retelling and telling again their mental angst over the lives they’ve lived.
I really wanted to see how the author could tie up the ends and connect the two stories so you’d see how the old three Miss Allens evolved into the new three Miss Allens. And it fell flat into a squishy emotional ball of marriage and men. Blah.
A lot less introspection and a lot more Cain and Clara would have gone a long way.
And this book needs an editor. The names were messed up (Ruby for Roma and Addy for Roma) a few times.
The book started out slow but the interest built up when going back in the history of the family to today’s recent family members. I found it worth the read.
Good read. Sad in part.
Interesting historical juxtaposition of characters but not very well written; dragged or seemed to predictable at times.
A very enjoyable read that spans generations
Not my favorite
Thankful Times Have Changed
Friends, kindly and frequently thank our mothers, grandmother’s and great grandmothers, for forging our way in the 21 century. Validation is in this book. Good read.
Well written saga between 1930’s Australia and present day in a costal scenic setting.
The book was very good until the end which was anti climatic. A better ending would have been finding Clara’s desendents and bringing them into the Allen family. It was a great idea to be telling two stories of the same family at the same time, one in early 1900 and the other in 1934. This author should keep writing.
The history mystery is really enjoyable. The current day story is just okay.
I enjoyed reading this book. I read the reviews prior to purchasing this book and feel some of the criticism was to harsh. It was interesting and entertaining
I enjoyed the book but it is terribly translated on Kindle…way too many grammatical errors for me to truly enjoy.
Beautifully written and endlessly fascinating.
Unusual premise. Very interesting.
Book was just too trashy. Took too long to get to the real plot of the book.
I really enjoyed the the current day characters in comparison to the early characters. It made me realize just how much things have changed in a couple generations.
I really enjoyed reading this. Very likeable characters with real issues.
Tales from the past blending with the future.