January 1, 2014
In the summer of 1911, the sleepy village of Linford doesn't have much to offer Cecily Chadwick. The warm summer days promise to be relatively uneventful until a mysterious countess moves into the large house at the edge of the village. Drawn to the countess' stories of precious artwork, grand ballrooms, and hushed romance, Cecily and the countess and her companion form friendships that will last long after the summer ends. When a novelist moves into the house to help write the countess' memoirs, Cecily realizes that learning more about the countess' past forces her to question her own future. Combining romance, intrigue, tragedy, and new fortunes, this novel is a testament to the power of unlikely friendship. Mixing backdrops of pastoral England, Rome, and London, Kinghorn has crafted a multilayered story of unbridled passion, intellectual pursuits, and uncovered memories. Lucinda Riley's readers will enjoy Kinghorn's manipulation of the story's time line, fans of Sarah Jio will adore the novel's romantic backbone, and historical-fiction readers will appreciate Kinghorn's eye for authentic period details.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)