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From the author of The Personal History of Rachel Dupree, shortlisted for the Orange Award for New Writers and longlisted for the Orange Prize.
1900. Young pianist Catherine Wainwright flees the fashionable town of Dayton, Ohio in the wake of a terrible scandal. Heartbroken and facing destitution, she finds herself striking up correspondence with a childhood admirer, the recently widowed Oscar Williams. In desperation she agrees to marry him, but when Catherine travels to Oscar's farm on Galveston Island, Texas—a thousand miles from home—she finds she is little prepared for the life that awaits her. The island is remote, the weather sweltering, and Oscar's little boy Andre is grieving hard for his lost mother. And though Oscar tries to please his new wife, the secrets of the past sit uncomfortably between them.
Meanwhile for Nan Ogden, Oscar’s housekeeper, Catherine’s sudden arrival has come as a great shock. For not only did she promise Oscar’s first wife that she would be the one to take care of little Andre, but she has feelings for Oscar which she is struggling to suppress. And when the worst storm in a generation descends, the women will find themselves tested as never before.
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Characters that draw you in
- Kevin Stokes
Delightful!
Yes I would. I really enjoyed the character portrayal. The development of the marriage and the unfolding of the trust, love and committment between Catherine and Oscar
I liked the two main characters Catherine and Nan. My favorite was Catherine. She started off so pretentious through social breeding. As she came "down" in her lot in life to marry beneath her, I truly enjoyed how she managed this with such credibility. She was judged harshly in Nan's eyes because she never really took to the "expected" role of a dairy farmer's wife. She slept in, contributed minimally to the running of the household. But none the less, she fell in love and became a mother, and eventually she earned Nan's compassion and respect.
I really enjoyed how Catherine and Oscar's love unfolded. He was so patient with her. I liked him so much more when Catherine discovered the letter.
Read this book!
- Jillian
