Sara Smythe,
illegitimate daughter of an earl, finds in Theodore Camden’s offer
to be managerette of the Dakota, the fabulous apartment he designed
in New York City, the chance to make something of herself. The
temptation to see more of Theo and experience gilded age society even
at a distance is hard to resist.
Bailey Camden, fresh
out of rehab, has tasted the riches of New York too exuberantly. Now
the ex-party girl and interior designer is homeless, out of work, and
out of resources. Bailey is not related to Theo. However, her
grandfather was Theo’s ward. Bailey grew up with her “cousin”
Melinda. Now Melinda is her only hope to get her life back together.
Melinda hires Bailey
to oversee the renovation of the Camden apartment in the Dakota.
Although Bailey doesn’t like Melinda’s ideas, which destroy much
of the historical detail in the apartment, she has no choice but to
help if she wants a roof over her head.
Bailey meets Renvo,
the building manager, who shares her interest in preserving the
historical detail of the old building. In the storeroom where he
keeps all the moldings and furniture no one wants in their modern
apartment, Bailey discovers Sara Smythe’s belongings and unravels
the secrets of her family.
The gilded age in
New York is beautifully depicted in the novel. The changes that take
place over the hundred years make a vivid contrast between the modern
Dakota and the original building. The descriptions are compelling,
so
much so that the Dakota becomes a character in the novel.
This is another
novel, of which there are a number lately, told from the point of
view of two characters separated by many years. Usually, I find one
or the other character more interesting, but in this case, I was
captivated by both Sara and Bailey. They are strong, independent
women who experience difficult trials and are not beaten by them.
If you enjoy a novel
with a complex plot and rich historical detail, you’ll enjoy this
book.
I received this book
from Dutton for this review.
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