Julia Conley has
been out of work for several months when she inherits the ancestral
home of her mother's family. Julia's mother died when she was five,
and Julia and her father left England for New York. Her father
encourages her to go to England and see the house, but Julia has
mixed feeling. She fears encountering all the sadness that surrounded
her mother's death. The death her father never talks about.
The house outside of
London turns out to be filled with more junk than treasure, but
suspiciously, Julia's cousins are eager to help clean it out. There
is a mysterious portrait in the drawing room of a woman in Victorian
dress. Julia finds herself drawn to the portrait wondering who the
woman was.
Imogene Granthan
lived in the house in the middle 1800's. Much younger than her
husband, she was repressed and unhappy until Gareth Thorne was
commissioned to paint her portrait. It is this portrait that has
piqued Julia's interest.
The novel toggles
back and forth between Julia's story and Imogene's. Although it can
be difficult to follow two story lines, these are held together by
the portrait. As Julia learns more about the picture, Imogene's life
unfolds in the background.
There is enough
mystery and romance to keep the book interesting. Julia is a likable
character. Her cousin Natalie is the kind of girl you love to hate.
The setting is well done. The author makes the dusty old house come
to life. If you like romance and mystery, this is a good pick.
I reviewed this book
for the Amazon Vine Program.
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