Fiercombe Manor: A Novel by Kate Riordan, 4 stars
The tale in this book is based on an age old problem that some young romantics face. Alice, 22, was a good student and her parents were proud of her. Upon finishing school, she obtained a good job. Then she met a man who drew her heart to him. He was handsome and considerate but he was married. That didn't seem to matter. She was in love and like some young women found herself going to bed with him. It was only once but she became pregnant. Her parents not wanting to endure the shame of their daughter having a baby out of wedlock so her mother contacted a friend to help. She said her daughter had lost her new husband and found herself pregnant. When the baby was born it would be put up for adoption. At the time Alice didn't know what else to do. Off she went to Fiercombe Manor.
The Manor is an interesting old house where a beautiful young woman once lived. Alice becomes fascinated by her story and little by little searches for information. The woman, Elizabeth, seems to have totally disappeared. Why? Where did she go? No one seems to know. Alice finds a photo she believes is of Elizabeth and a diary written in pencil and pen which gives her snatches of the woman's life. As the story unfolds Alice discovers that Elizabeth lost child after child as she attempted to have an heir for her husband. Will Alice, too, lose her child? She begins to wonder and so do those around her. I liked the story from beginning to end.
The tale in this book is based on an age old problem that some young romantics face. Alice, 22, was a good student and her parents were proud of her. Upon finishing school, she obtained a good job. Then she met a man who drew her heart to him. He was handsome and considerate but he was married. That didn't seem to matter. She was in love and like some young women found herself going to bed with him. It was only once but she became pregnant. Her parents not wanting to endure the shame of their daughter having a baby out of wedlock so her mother contacted a friend to help. She said her daughter had lost her new husband and found herself pregnant. When the baby was born it would be put up for adoption. At the time Alice didn't know what else to do. Off she went to Fiercombe Manor.
The Manor is an interesting old house where a beautiful young woman once lived. Alice becomes fascinated by her story and little by little searches for information. The woman, Elizabeth, seems to have totally disappeared. Why? Where did she go? No one seems to know. Alice finds a photo she believes is of Elizabeth and a diary written in pencil and pen which gives her snatches of the woman's life. As the story unfolds Alice discovers that Elizabeth lost child after child as she attempted to have an heir for her husband. Will Alice, too, lose her child? She begins to wonder and so do those around her. I liked the story from beginning to end.
