by Audrey Howard
Abby Murphy is working-class poor Irish in Lancashire, England in the 1860s. She lives in a sod cottage with her parents and many siblings and plans to marry her childhood friend and sweetheart Roddy Baxter.
One day a horrific accident happens at the glassworks that employs most of the village, the son of the owner is killed. The owner, Mr. Goodwin, has no other children and therefore the glassworks will pass out of the family that has owned it for many generations.
Mr. Goodwin arrives one day at the doorstep of Abby's cottage demanding she come away with him; Abby is actually his illegitamate granddaughter and the heiress to the glassworks. Abby is forced away with him and then pushed into a marriage with Noah Goodwin, the manager of the glassworks. Their marriage is one of convenience so that the works will stay in the family and so Abby will have children and continue the Goodwin line. In order to ensure Abby's marriage to Noah, Mr. Goodwin arranges the kidnapping and forced enlisting of Roddy Baxter so that he will not stand in the way. With Roddy out of the picture Abby and Noah commence with their marriage. But, Roddy returns a year later more determined than ever to have Abby. Abby must choose between her husband and sweetheart and be prepared to give up what that choice entails.
This book is a long read at 457 pages, it's a complex story with a likeable cast of characters. However, it's painful to read Abby's choices. I was cringing the whole time and actually flipped to the back of the book to see the ending. It takes awhile to figure out what time period it is set in because no actual dates are mentioned until about halfway through the book. Noah is not always likeable but you can tell he (sometimes) has a good heart. Roddy is earnest and honest but quite frankly a little annoying, at least to me, after awhile.
I did like the story though; I don't know that I would read it again but all in all it was enjoyable.
No comments:
Post a Comment