Holly Oaks has been the home of
Adelaide's family from before the Civil War. The house has seen a lot
of tragedy. During the Civil War, Susannah Page, Aldelaide's
great-grandmother, was rumored to be a Union spy after hiding Union
soldiers during the battle of Fredericksburg. Adelaide’s daughter,
Caroline, ran away from home as a teenager and hasn't been home
except to leave Sara with her mother. More recently, Adelaide's
granddaughter, Sara, has died. Sara's husband, Carson, and her two
children are still living at Holly Oaks, but is this the right place
for them after Carson marries Mariella?
Some people think the ghost of Susannah
hovers over the house. Adelaide think it's the house itself that is
the source of tragedy. At the core of this conflict is finding out
what Susannah really did. This is where the Civil War part of the
story comes to life when Susannah's letter to her cousin come to
light. I thought the letters were the best part of the book. I had
hoped for more intertwining of the Civil War. In fact, I think
Susannah's story would have made a better novel.
I found the plot disjointed. The story
seems to be about both Marielle coming to terms with life at Holly
Oaks and Adelaide settling her doubts about whether the house is the
problem, or whether it's the ghost of Susannah.
The characters are thin and not really
believable. Marielle never comes to life as a new wife struggling to
find a place in the first wife's home. Adelaide is inconsistent. She
is the one person at the beginning of the story who knows the true
story of Susannah Page, but somehow she forgets this in the middle
and starts to believe in the ghost. Pearl, Adelaide's friend, is
completely unbelievable. Her rudeness is something I find it hard to
believe anyone would tolerate.
The book in an unfortunate blend of
modern romance and historical fiction. Neither comes across as very
well done. I can't recommend the book. If you love Christian fiction,
you may enjoy it, but if you're looking for historical fiction or
traditional romance, try something else.
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