Their search takes them back to the 1940s when Harry, a former heir to Wharton Park, married his young society bride, Olivia, on the eve of World War II. When they discover an old diary, Julia seeks out her grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed the estate. There she reunites with Kit Crawford, heir to the estate and her possible salvation. Years later, while struggling with overwhelming grief over the death of her husband and young child, she returns to this tranquil place. Spanning from the 1930s to the present day, from the Wharton Park estate in England to Thailand, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a concert pianist and the aristocratic Crawford family, whose shocking secrets are revealed, leading to devastating consequences.Īs a child, concert pianist Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park, the grand estate reminiscent of Downton Abbey where her grandfather tended exotic orchids. If you are a frequent reader of this blog, I have also recommended The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton ( see my past post).įrom beloved New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley, a “sweeping, poignant saga that will enthrall fans of The House at Riverton, Rebecca, and Downton Abbey” ( Shelf Awareness). The first 40 pages or so were slow for me, but once I got through those, things picked up and it was a great work of historical fiction with a little mystery and intrigue– that I would recommend. I just finished The Orchid House, by Lucinda Riley – which I really loved. While books are on my mind, I thought I would post a few that I have read recently. If you have any book recommendations, please post a comment below! I just downloaded The Goldfinch, and may start that today… I am back in Bermuda again and am in need of a good book.

On Grace by Susie Orman Schnall