Webb begins by telling two stories. One is set between 1902 and 1905 and focuses on a young woman named Caroline who comes from money and society. When she meets a dashing young man at a party in NYC, she is instantly swept off her feet. The fact that he lives out west on a ranch, does not phase her in the least. That is until she is brought to the wild west to live and keep house. It is here that she lessons some of life’s hardest lessons. The second story takes place on a grand estate in modern day England where two sisters are brought together to go through their grandmother’s belongings after her death. They have not been to the mansion in years, since their cousin disappeared from the grounds and was never found. When they come upon a neighbor from their childhood, they must face the demons that have plagued them for decades. Both women hope that their time at the family estate will bring them solace and direction to their lives.
The characters are well developed, with the exception of Erica, and intriguing. I definitely felt drawn into the story and cared about their situation. The storyline that centered around Caroline was extremely interesting and reminded me a great deal of “Gap Creek” or some of Willa Cather’s works. I was less interested in the modern day characters though I still found them compelling at times. Perhaps it is the fact that I have read many of novels in this genre, but I could definitely see the big reveal coming and became frustrated when the characters kept circling around it. The biggest disappointment was Erica (one of the two sisters) who I thought to be childish, immature, and at times very dense. Still, as a first novel I think that Webb did a great job and I look forward to her future pieces.
-DLP
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