Reviewed by Francine.
Book Blurb:
England, 1799
Major Matthew Southam returns from India, hoping to put the trauma of war behind him and forget his past. Instead, he finds a derelict estate and a family who wish he'd died abroad. Charlotte MacKinnon married without love to avoid her father’s unpleasant choice of husband. Now a widow with a young son, she lives in a small Cotswold village with only the money she earns by her writing. Matthew is haunted by his past, and Charlotte is fearful of her father’s renewed meddling in her future. After a disastrous first meeting, can they help each other find happiness at last?
Review:
The gentle romanticism of this love story is as much to do with a house and its landed estate, as it is to do with a friendship that develops between Major Mathew Southam, and Charlotte McKinnon. Each has a story to tell, and their existence within the locality of Edgecombe unfolds in a delightful and charming way. Although the reader expects from the outcome their paths will cross and have a happy ever after; it is the way in which they encounter one another, and the way in which they conduct themselves throughout that ultimately brings alive the charm of the rural way of life.
Aside from the complexities of men returning from war situations, the major’s past appears by far more complex than that of Charlotte’s, but she too bears an ongoing dilemma that must be addressed. Thus, as they, and others, (wonderfully depicted characters) gradually adjust to changes in personal circumstances, poignant moments of reflection, harrowing nightmares, family betrayal, and envy, make this novel a compelling and at times, a heart-rending read. It’s a lovely, lovely love story in which others find happiness, or sense of contentment and belonging! As the title states, there are two Mrs McKinnons, but although Mary's story runs parallel with Charlotte's it is a love story within a love story, so two for the price of one.
Amazon
