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3.51 AVERAGE
3.51 AVERAGE
3.5 stars - why haven't they allowed for half star ratings yet? This book was enjoyable but not overly exciting. I love the London setting and the high society theme but it could have been a little more dramatic so that the highs were higher and the lows lower. There wasn't a whole lot of deep connection to the characters but the story was interesting: a girl who find out the father she thought was dead is alive and a Lord with a whole new family.
"Rachel Woodley isn't exactly happy working as a governess, but she appreciates her job and place in life. When her mother dies, she loses her job, her home, and all the things she held dear. When she finds a photograph that shows her father isn't dead like she thought for all these years, she goes on a mission to find him and confront him. Gaining access to an earl won't be easy however, and Rachel will have to figure out how much lying she can take." Full review at Fresh Fiction: http://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=54837
The Other Daughter by Lauren Willig
St. Martin's Press, 2015
Fiction (Historical/Romance); 304 pgs
Some of you may have heard the story about how I ended up with a copy of this book. It was a birthday gift from my daughter who was very clear in her instructions to my husband about what she wanted to get me: A "real" book ("real" meaning a paper copy and not an e-book) with no pictures and something blue. My husband wisely checked out my Amazon wish list before settling on Lauren Willig's The Other Daughter.
The Other Daughter, set in the Jazz Era, is the story of Rachel Woodley who has made her life as a nanny to a wealthy family in France. When she learns of her mother's illness, she rushes home to England to see her. A newspaper clipping among her mother's things reveal that Rachel's father, who she had long thought dead, may actually be alive--and not only that, but that he isn't who she always thought he was. He in fact is an Earl and quite well respected in the political community. He has another family, including a daughter. As she grieves for her beloved mother and tries to make sense out of her recent revelation that she may be an illegitimate child, Rachel travels to London. There, along with the help of a gossip columnist with a motive all his own, Rachel takes on the persona of Vera, and insinuates herself into the high society of London with the hopes of learning more about her father and his family and to confront him about the lie that was her childhood.
This was such a delicious read! I admit to not agreeing with Rachel at every turn, but I liked her just the same. She clearly isn't always thinking straight, caught up in her grief, anger and confusion. She finds herself all too easily fitting into the fast life of high society, and yet there's a part of her that knows she does not quite belong. Rachel lives in a time when being born out of wedlock carries a huge stigma--the scandal of her existence could put a big black mark against her father.
I loved the setting, the atmosphere, and the people. For all the drinking and partying, there are also close bonds, secrets and hardships. It gets harder for Rachel to deceive her new friends--for they truly do become her friends. Each of the characters are more than at first they may seem, with their own backstories. Simon, the journalist, intrigued me in particular--I wasn't sure, like Rachel, whether to trust him or not.
While I enjoyed this book quite a bit, there were aspects of it that left me wanting. As I mentioned previously, I didn't always agree with Rachel's choices and there were a couple instances when I was left scratching my head. As for Simon, I did not fully buy into his initial motive for helping Rachel become Vera--I am not sure why exactly, but the pieces just didn't fit as nicely together as other parts of the story.
I especially liked how everything played out, how not everything was perfectly wrapped up, and yet seemed just right for the characters, especially Rachel. Rachel's lies do have an impact on those around her, not to mention putting her in some very rough spots. This isn't a fairy tale in which the heroine is embraced despite everything. The weight she feels and the reaction of those around her--the consequences on her action--feel realistic. And it made me love the book even more.
The Other Daughter has the feel of being a light read and yet it tackles some rather heavy issues. There are comic moments and rather tearful ones. There is plenty of drama and a bit of romance with a hint of mystery. I quite enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Lauren Willig in the future.
St. Martin's Press, 2015
Fiction (Historical/Romance); 304 pgs
Some of you may have heard the story about how I ended up with a copy of this book. It was a birthday gift from my daughter who was very clear in her instructions to my husband about what she wanted to get me: A "real" book ("real" meaning a paper copy and not an e-book) with no pictures and something blue. My husband wisely checked out my Amazon wish list before settling on Lauren Willig's The Other Daughter.
The Other Daughter, set in the Jazz Era, is the story of Rachel Woodley who has made her life as a nanny to a wealthy family in France. When she learns of her mother's illness, she rushes home to England to see her. A newspaper clipping among her mother's things reveal that Rachel's father, who she had long thought dead, may actually be alive--and not only that, but that he isn't who she always thought he was. He in fact is an Earl and quite well respected in the political community. He has another family, including a daughter. As she grieves for her beloved mother and tries to make sense out of her recent revelation that she may be an illegitimate child, Rachel travels to London. There, along with the help of a gossip columnist with a motive all his own, Rachel takes on the persona of Vera, and insinuates herself into the high society of London with the hopes of learning more about her father and his family and to confront him about the lie that was her childhood.
This was such a delicious read! I admit to not agreeing with Rachel at every turn, but I liked her just the same. She clearly isn't always thinking straight, caught up in her grief, anger and confusion. She finds herself all too easily fitting into the fast life of high society, and yet there's a part of her that knows she does not quite belong. Rachel lives in a time when being born out of wedlock carries a huge stigma--the scandal of her existence could put a big black mark against her father.
I loved the setting, the atmosphere, and the people. For all the drinking and partying, there are also close bonds, secrets and hardships. It gets harder for Rachel to deceive her new friends--for they truly do become her friends. Each of the characters are more than at first they may seem, with their own backstories. Simon, the journalist, intrigued me in particular--I wasn't sure, like Rachel, whether to trust him or not.
While I enjoyed this book quite a bit, there were aspects of it that left me wanting. As I mentioned previously, I didn't always agree with Rachel's choices and there were a couple instances when I was left scratching my head. As for Simon, I did not fully buy into his initial motive for helping Rachel become Vera--I am not sure why exactly, but the pieces just didn't fit as nicely together as other parts of the story.
I especially liked how everything played out, how not everything was perfectly wrapped up, and yet seemed just right for the characters, especially Rachel. Rachel's lies do have an impact on those around her, not to mention putting her in some very rough spots. This isn't a fairy tale in which the heroine is embraced despite everything. The weight she feels and the reaction of those around her--the consequences on her action--feel realistic. And it made me love the book even more.
The Other Daughter has the feel of being a light read and yet it tackles some rather heavy issues. There are comic moments and rather tearful ones. There is plenty of drama and a bit of romance with a hint of mystery. I quite enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more by Lauren Willig in the future.
I really want to say THANK YOU to St Martin's Press (via Netgalley) for allowing me read this ARC. You made this Lauren Willig fan's day! I was so thrilled to be allowed to read this and review it.
This is another stand alone from Lauren Willig and it is a fun read. You will get swept into the gaiety and frivolity of the culture of the Roaring Twenties as you read. As is part of life, not everything can be ridiculous and light... Rachel Woodley is a governess working in France when she tragically receives news of her mother's illness. She leaves her position and life behind in France and journeys home to discover her mother is dead. As Rachel grieves she learns her long dead father is actually very much alive, an earl, head of a prominent family, and she has a half sister. A benefactor with dubious intentions (blackmail, boredom, revenge?) allows her to wade through the glittering circles of the elite to meet her father and half sister. Rachel begins to become a "bright young thing" and develops a worldly persona that is at odds with the roots her mother instilled in her. As she becomes embroiled in this world, Rachel learns truths take different forms, all that glitters fades, and all the makeup and alcohol in the world cannot take away pain.
I read this book over a long Sunday afternoon. The story was beautifully written but short. I felt if this book was lengthier the story might have been a tad richer and less contrived in some parts. Overall, a great book for a Lauren Willig fan!
Great listen. Fun cast of characters, a little deception and love winning out at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Audio book review.
Such an unexpectedly good book! Definitely a different ending than what I pictured halfway through, but so worth the read! I love the character development, the characters do feel true-to-life with problems and motivations that fit their circumstances. I also LOVE the dialogue! It's so much fun to read banter back and forth in this sort of stuffy proper language. Originally, I thought the book took place during the 1800's, like Austen's time, but not the case! I love the progressive female lead character, and I LOVE her perfect match at the end of the book. He's her exact counterpoint, and I was all smiley reading their awkward admission of their feelings at the end of the book. I love this whole book, definitely 5 stars!
Such an unexpectedly good book! Definitely a different ending than what I pictured halfway through, but so worth the read! I love the character development, the characters do feel true-to-life with problems and motivations that fit their circumstances. I also LOVE the dialogue! It's so much fun to read banter back and forth in this sort of stuffy proper language. Originally, I thought the book took place during the 1800's, like Austen's time, but not the case! I love the progressive female lead character, and I LOVE her perfect match at the end of the book. He's her exact counterpoint, and I was all smiley reading their awkward admission of their feelings at the end of the book. I love this whole book, definitely 5 stars!
There is a romance at the heart of this novel but I found Rachel's journey from loving, obedient daughter dutifully fulfilling her mother's plan as a governess to a bereft daughter discovering her father is alive (and is an Earl!) and then a young woman alone in the world wanting to understand her place in it to be entertaining & compelling
I have a new favorite audiobook narrator and it is Nicola Barber. She narrated both this one and The Tapestry which I listened to not too long ago. She does a fabulous job of bringing the author's words to life, infusing them with the emotion and humanity that make listening such an incredibly rich experience.
I have to admit, I came into this audiobook expecting a certain story based on the description -- poor girl seeks revenge after discovering that she is the daughter of an earl who abandoned her and her mother to marry a wealthy heiress. What I got was a much more complex tale of the search of identity and one's place in the world, set in England in the 1920s. Highly recommended.
I have to admit, I came into this audiobook expecting a certain story based on the description -- poor girl seeks revenge after discovering that she is the daughter of an earl who abandoned her and her mother to marry a wealthy heiress. What I got was a much more complex tale of the search of identity and one's place in the world, set in England in the 1920s. Highly recommended.
I liked this book. It was refreshing to read about someone searching for her past that was still a linear novel. I did listen to it in one day, which was a plus. I listened to it while my dog ran away, unknown to me, since I was busy listening, so I'll always probably not remember it with the right amount of fondness!
The characters were likable and flawed. I love that it took place during the Jazz Age and mixed classes. Getting a look at the very upper class of England from the educated lower class and cynical upper class point of view was fun. And, I don't think I would be far off from guessing that one main character might be a bit of an F. Scott Fitzgerald!
The characters were likable and flawed. I love that it took place during the Jazz Age and mixed classes. Getting a look at the very upper class of England from the educated lower class and cynical upper class point of view was fun. And, I don't think I would be far off from guessing that one main character might be a bit of an F. Scott Fitzgerald!