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reneesuz's review
3.0
Bill is a woman who has always had her life controlled by men; first her father and then her second husband. Now even as a widow, Mr Parks the estate executor is trying to convince her that she must leave her inheritance to her sons but Bill has other plans for the fortune. Through flashbacks we learn of Bill's past from her late teen years to her marriage to Mark. We of course learn of her 'love child' to whom she would like to leave some of her fortune but will she be able to locate her?
In general I am not a fan of books with flashbacks but since the chapters were clearly marked with the time period I was able to keep things straight in my mind. I felt the ending was somewhat abrupt and would have liked more plot development.
In general I am not a fan of books with flashbacks but since the chapters were clearly marked with the time period I was able to keep things straight in my mind. I felt the ending was somewhat abrupt and would have liked more plot development.
ladyhighwayman's review
3.0
3.5
A nice little book about young love, secrets and mistakes.
The story is about a woman named Bill. Taking place in South Africa, the story goes back and forth between the 'present day' - which is the mid 1950s - and the 1920s and 30s. Present day Bill is a widow with her two sons away at boarding school. She is faced with her own immortality, when she has to consider who to leave her money and possessions to in the case of her own death.
We also see her past. In the mid-1920s as a 17 year old, she falls in love and elopes, only to have the marriage annulled by her family and finding herself pregnant, which she is made to keep secret. Never finding out what happened to the child after giving birth, Bill continues her life and ten years lady she becomes a companion to a older lady. Events soon lead to Bill eventually marring and having her two boys.
We see Bill coming to terms with who to leave her money to, and we see all the important people in her life, from her siblings to her sons to her servants and others. We get to know Bill as she goes over the decision in her mind, constantly changing her mind and being pressured into a decision by outside people.
Honestly, no one part grabbed me. Instead, Love Child is a constantly flowing story. The switching back and forth between time periods was done well and did not hinder the flow of the story at all. I found Bill to be a very interesting character who was often too hard on herself – she was never able to figure out who she really was.
Love Child isn't a long book, but it doesn't need to be. It was a satisfying read set in a unique time and place that I haven't come across often. It was engaging and beautifully written – a nice, solid read.
A nice little book about young love, secrets and mistakes.
The story is about a woman named Bill. Taking place in South Africa, the story goes back and forth between the 'present day' - which is the mid 1950s - and the 1920s and 30s. Present day Bill is a widow with her two sons away at boarding school. She is faced with her own immortality, when she has to consider who to leave her money and possessions to in the case of her own death.
We also see her past. In the mid-1920s as a 17 year old, she falls in love and elopes, only to have the marriage annulled by her family and finding herself pregnant, which she is made to keep secret. Never finding out what happened to the child after giving birth, Bill continues her life and ten years lady she becomes a companion to a older lady. Events soon lead to Bill eventually marring and having her two boys.
We see Bill coming to terms with who to leave her money to, and we see all the important people in her life, from her siblings to her sons to her servants and others. We get to know Bill as she goes over the decision in her mind, constantly changing her mind and being pressured into a decision by outside people.
Honestly, no one part grabbed me. Instead, Love Child is a constantly flowing story. The switching back and forth between time periods was done well and did not hinder the flow of the story at all. I found Bill to be a very interesting character who was often too hard on herself – she was never able to figure out who she really was.
Love Child isn't a long book, but it doesn't need to be. It was a satisfying read set in a unique time and place that I haven't come across often. It was engaging and beautifully written – a nice, solid read.
librarygirl55's review
1.0
Well that was disappointing! Quick read, got through it in an afternoon. It was so beautifully written, until you reach the last couple chapters and it almost feels as if the author handed it off to a high school student to finish. Could definitely have been a much better ending.
ladyhighwayman's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
A nice little book about young love, secrets and mistakes.
The story is about a woman named Bill. Taking place in South Africa, the story goes back and forth between the 'present day' - which is the mid 1950s - and the 1920s and 30s. Present day Bill is a widow with her two sons away at boarding school. She is faced with her own immortality, when she has to consider who to leave her money and possessions to in the case of her own death.
We also see her past. In the mid-1920s as a 17 year old, she falls in love and elopes, only to have the marriage annulled by her family and finding herself pregnant, which she is made to keep secret. Never finding out what happened to the child after giving birth, Bill continues her life and ten years lady she becomes a companion to a older lady. Events soon lead to Bill eventually marring and having her two boys.
We see Bill coming to terms with who to leave her money to, and we see all the important people in her life, from her siblings to her sons to her servants and others. We get to know Bill as she goes over the decision in her mind, constantly changing her mind and being pressured into a decision by outside people.
Honestly, no one part grabbed me. Instead, Love Child is a constantly flowing story. The switching back and forth between time periods was done well and did not hinder the flow of the story at all. I found Bill to be a very interesting character who was often too hard on herself – she was never able to figure out who she really was.
Love Child isn't a long book, but it doesn't need to be. It was a satisfying read set in a unique time and place that I haven't come across often. It was engaging and beautifully written – a nice, solid read.
A nice little book about young love, secrets and mistakes.
The story is about a woman named Bill. Taking place in South Africa, the story goes back and forth between the 'present day' - which is the mid 1950s - and the 1920s and 30s. Present day Bill is a widow with her two sons away at boarding school. She is faced with her own immortality, when she has to consider who to leave her money and possessions to in the case of her own death.
We also see her past. In the mid-1920s as a 17 year old, she falls in love and elopes, only to have the marriage annulled by her family and finding herself pregnant, which she is made to keep secret. Never finding out what happened to the child after giving birth, Bill continues her life and ten years lady she becomes a companion to a older lady. Events soon lead to Bill eventually marring and having her two boys.
We see Bill coming to terms with who to leave her money to, and we see all the important people in her life, from her siblings to her sons to her servants and others. We get to know Bill as she goes over the decision in her mind, constantly changing her mind and being pressured into a decision by outside people.
Honestly, no one part grabbed me. Instead, Love Child is a constantly flowing story. The switching back and forth between time periods was done well and did not hinder the flow of the story at all. I found Bill to be a very interesting character who was often too hard on herself – she was never able to figure out who she really was.
Love Child isn't a long book, but it doesn't need to be. It was a satisfying read set in a unique time and place that I haven't come across often. It was engaging and beautifully written – a nice, solid read.
bobareann's review against another edition
2.0
It was ok. The motivations of the characters didn't make any sense and some of the most potentially interesting situations were glossed over.
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