Carolyn Ruffles pulls you into her worlds, whether they be historical or contemporary, and the world of Featherby is no exception.
Estelle is rich, privileged, an admired socialite and highly regarded author of historical romance. She’s doing fine, even into her 70s, until a mugging leaves her with panic attacks any time she attempts to leave the house. Fortunately it’s a big house, and Estelle has a devoted companion and a small staff. Still, she misses her former life and wants desperately to be able to move on.
When she invites several close friends and relatives – including her long-estranged daughter Sally – to Featherby for a weekend, Estelle unwittingly sets more in motion than she plans.
There are a lot of characters in this book, but the author builds each so distinctly that it’s no time at all before you’re familiar with each one. They’re not predictable however, just like real people, and I found myself going back and forth on a couple before deciding whether I liked them or not! More importantly, these distinct people have their own histories, desires, and motivations – and in some cases, secrets – which the author weaves seamlessly into the tale to give us a richly layered plot which could go in any direction.
I had to keep reading to find out what really was going on with Sally, what did Julianna do, was Ben serious, and would …. no, that would be a spoiler.
Well done, Ms Ruffles. A lovely, well-written read which kept me engaged throughout.
Find Featherby here
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