Published by Bookouture Genres: Fiction, Mystery
Format: ARC, eBook
This was a gripping family drama that is overflowing with secrets and reveals. It’s compelling and evokes emotions. The author does not shy away from difficult subjects but instead handles them with care. I enjoyed how the book was told in the present day intertwined with the past. It’s moving, heartbreaking and raw.
Three sisters were living in Swan Hall in Ireland, by a lake in an area seeped with history. Sounds like the beginning of a fairy tale, right? Unfortunately, it is not. They have lost their Mam to the lake and now their beautiful younger sister, Nuala has drowned in the lake as well.
Aisling, the oldest sister left Ireland amid a personal scandal and raised her daughter, Iris, in New York. Aisling has not informed her daughter about her past or her father’s identity. Aisling focused on giving her daughter a good life. Iris is shocked by her mother’s untimely death and shocked when she receives a letter from her aunt, Maeve inviting her to come to Ireland.
Maeve, the middle sister, stayed in Ireland and took care of their father until his death. She has always lived at Swan Hall. She has secrets – but all of them did.
In Ireland, Iris meets family she never knew she had and learns not only about her mother’s past but about her family members as well. What she learns is shocking and as she tries to wrap her mind around things, Iris learns even more.
This was a beautifully written book about one’s family’s history, their shared pain, their losses, their secrets, and their home. Whew! You can feel the sadness of some characters seeping through the pages, the pain of other characters and their heartache. The author did a fantastic job of transporting readers to Swan Hall where we are silent observers of the women in this book.
Gripping, moving and powerful.
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.