I feel that books that are written based on an actual person, in this case the author's family members, are more appealing to me because they are based on reality. In this case I felt the strongest character was the island of Jamaica, the history and the descriptions were wonderful. When I first started reading this book, I enjoyed reading about their lives, together or not, and the children of course. A book told in alternating chapters, Henry's and than Rachel's because a bit tedious so in the second half of the book when additional character's viewpoints were told, it was a very welcome relief. I can't say that I particularly liked any of these characters, though at times I felt sorry and did perhaps understand Rachel and the way she acted much better, than the others.

While I was reading this book, I liked it but when I put it down it never compelled me to pick it back up. So this was a good story, not a very exciting one, though with all the discoveries made about their characters it could have been. Maybe it was meant to follow the languid day to day existence in the Jamaican heat.

ARC from publisher. ( )