The Ashford Affair

I don't usually like romances or anything without aliens or dragons, but this book is amazing. It could legitimately be termed straight-up historical fiction, but there are enough romantic elements to be fulfilling, too. The history is well-drawn and natural, not strained or so overly-detailed that it's distracting. The characters are realistic - varied and unpredictable, yet consistent in their own ways. Individuals. And I have to mention that each character is seen differently by every other character, adding another layer to the realism that really makes it seem like real people with real lives.

The writing is glorious and yet it keeps you moving from page to page without delay. What really impressed me most was Willig's skill in show more choosing where to move from time period to time period, where to drop in a revelation at just the exact moment and when to hold off, keeping you at the edge of your seat. It feels like an effortless book, yet it must have taken unbelievable care to create.

I read the first 50 pages one day, then the entire rest of the book in one sitting the next. Marvelous.

(Also, I should mention that it's not rapey in the slightest. Not sexist. Remarkable statement for a romance novel and a welcome breath of air.) show less

This is the second novel I’ve read from bestselling author Lauren Willig and it was just as compelling as the first.

Like the first one, this is part mystery — involving two story threads that happen years apart. One thread takes place between the years of 1906 and 1926. Six-year-old Addie comes to live with her wealthy, aristocratic aunt and uncle at their great British estate, Ashford, after her parents are suddenly killed. Though an outsider, Addie develops a close friendship with her slightly older cousin Beatrice - who takes Addie under her wing. As they grow up, glamorous Beatrice, becomes known as “Debutante of the Decade” — sought after by titled men and a recognized fashion setter among her peers. Addie, with no title show more and no inheritance, stands in Bea’s shadow. This is our glimpse into the pre-World War I world we know from Downton Abbey. Addie and Bea’s stories go on to include romance, the war, and later, a coffee plantation in Kenya.

A second story thread involves Addie’s 34 year old granddaughter, Clementine, an ambitious attorney living in New York City in 1999, expecting to soon become a partner in a prestigious law firm and hav
ing just broken up with her boyfriend. When Addie’s health begins to decline, long buried family secrets begin to surface. And most of the book involves moving back and forth in time as the reader slowly collects pieces of a very complex puzzle.

I can’t say this is great literature, but it is very good story. Imaginative and full of unpredictable plot twists to keep you reading. For me, it was a two-day read. And I plan to read some of Willig’s many other novels. show less

This book had a lot of potential, and I really liked that the central relationship between Addie and Bea is the central relationship to the book. Frederick, although he could be The Man Who Tore Them Apart is, in the end, incidental to this greater link.

Maybe three stars aren't fair, but I feel about this book the way I have felt about certain student papers I've looked over "oh, but it could be so wonderful, if only you'd-"

Instead of criticizing this book, which I did enjoy, I'm going to tell you how I would fix it.
1. Axe all, or most, of the present-day Clemmie-in-NY stuff. It's a crutch. I know that is basically the way that the Pink Carnation Books are structured (and after about the third book, I was ready to get rid of the show more present-day, too), and I know that is how so many historicals these days are structured- but I don't think we need it anymore. It is a convenient way for exposition to happen, but in the hands of a skilled writer like Ms. Willig, such explanations only serve to make everything draggy.

Here's how you could add your element of the present day:
a. Have someone (who? Addie or Bea? Frederick? Someone else entirely?) write the story. Have them make asides sometimes. Leave the book in that lovely third-person limited viewpoint that was so refreshing and leave the reader guessing as to who could be telling the story.
b. Put your modern-day researcher in two places: the beginning and the end. Period. End of story.

2. More Bea! Addie is our everywoman. She's shy, she doesn't understand what's up with these Bright Young Things, she likes to read poetry. Her eyes make sense as a way to tell the story, but those few tantalizing glances of Bea's head made me crave more. Bea is a perfect anti-heroine. She lies and cheats, flirts up a storm, is tortured inside, fakes her own death to get out of a bad marriage and somehow ends up both a Canadian citizen and living in Arizona, etc. It is also an incredible tease to let drop that she was a flyer during WWII and then not show us any of it- are you serious? Look to Blackout/All Clear (Connie Willis) if you want to show how to display character scenes without spoiling who it is.

3. More Addie! Why did we keep hearing about this newspaper she was working for and never see the darn place? Why did we hear snippets of her experience serving as a war nurse during WWI but never see any combat? Why did she arrive in Kenya and then whoops- six months later she and Frederick are telling each other about how great working on the coffee plantation is but we never even see them working together? Argh. And how about some scenes with the kids? How about some scenes of a middle-aged Addie and the kids? How about some strained dinners where Bea is absent, or the sound of breaking crockery at night?

4. Oh, and I don't buy it that the "natives" are a mystical, faceless mass of people in this book and yet our narrator never says anything racist? If you are going to get in there with the British Colonials, you need to be honest about their feelings on Darkest Africa. After all, they needed to justify their right to 1)be there 2)own land 3)live like lords and let Africans do all the work for 4)little or no pay.

With a good re-write, this could be a five-star book. show less

This is one of those mystifying books that stayed on my TBR pile for ages and ages, and then I finally picked it up, had a slow start, and basically swallowed it whole two weeks later. Can't explain the delay. I enjoyed this thoroughly, even snuck some reading in under my desk at work.

A blend of historical fiction and family saga, with a structure of intertwining present day with historical roots that's familiar from Willig's Pink Carnation series. The Ashford Affair moves between the early 20th century and the late 21st century, between London and New York and Kenya. It should be The Ashford Affairs, multiple, is something I can say without spoiling plot points. As Clemmie, the present-day POV character uncovers more about her show more grandmother Addie's early life, she uncovers secrets and shifting allegiances, betrayals, and some moments where characters are really caustic and cruel to each other.
About the cruelty: I'm usually not a fan of stories that focus on affairs/secrets, or couples being hurtful to each other... And yet, I read this and was engrossed. Maybe because Willig gets in her characters' heads enough to make them sympathetic, even in their moments of driving each other away and saying unforgivable things. Maybe insulated by the past or by the London or Kenya settings, enough to feel like it wasn't raw nerves. The end result, a fascinating book. show less

Willig branches out from her highly enjoyable Pink Carnation series in this historical fiction novel set in England and Kenya. The book is not part of a series, but an independent novel that revolves around Addie and her granddaughter Clemmie, two strong women thwarted in love. The book jumps from the beginning to the end of the nineteenth century, alternating between Addie and Clemmie's perspectives. Actually, the book includes another point of view, with occasional chapters told by Bea, a third willful woman who is central in Addie's life. The story weaves all three narratives together, and addresses not only love, but also complex family ties and upheavals in history.

Addie is the daughter of a black sheep in the Ashford family. Her show more father abandoned the aristocratic world to create a family with his artist wife; however, when both of them are killed in an automobile accident, Addie has nowhere to live except with the relatives her father left years ago. She is taken in by her Uncle and Aunt, and moves to Ashford Hall, an imposing and cold mansion, while she is still mourning and in shock. The first warmth she encounters is Bea, her irrepressible cousin who is genuinely delighted to see her. Over that first night in the mansion, Addie and Bea become the closest friends.

The book switches perspectives after this, and jumps forward to the end of the century to introduce us to Addie's granddaughter, Clemmie. Clemmie is a lawyer, recently single, and late to her grandmother's birthday. When she gets there, she tries to avoid her critical mother, tries not to get in a fight with her ex-step-cousin Jon who always rubs her the wrong way, and is confused by some cryptic comments her aunt makes. She brushes all this off, though, and tries to enjoy the party, when a much more disturbing interruption occurs. Clemmie learns that her grandma Addie is much sicker than she realized, and Clemmie is heart-broken and guilty.

The story proceeds to alternate between Clemmie and Addie. With Clemmie, the story flows in tight chronological order. She is working herself to the point of exhaustion to become partner in her law firm, and sorting through complicated feelings towards Jon (who sometimes rubs her the right way). Her grandmother's declining health spins her world around, and she starts to lose her tenuous grasp on work and private life. Moreover, she is suddenly involved in uncovering a family mystery concerning her grandma Addie, that her Aunt Anna suggested at the party, and Jon confirmed with more leading comments. Addie's narrative, on the other hand, takes several chronological leaps before focusing in a continuous narrative in one time and place. We have scenes where Addie meets Freddie, where Freddie heroically breaks Addie's heart because he thinks she is too innocent and good for him, and where Bea and Freddie decide to have an affair for their own sensual motives. After a taut sequence of chapters - where Freddie confronts Bea for dropping him and she reveals that she is pregnant, Addie is eavesdropping, and Bea's husband disastrously interrupts the argument - the scene again moves forward a large period of time. The book next picks up with Addie as she is traveling to Kenya, invited by Bea and her husband, Freddie. Addie's story dwells in this period extensively, as Addie and Freddie are finally able to untangle their romantic woes, and Bea liberates herself from her series of devastating relationships, some imposed by society and some a reaction against it.

The story is absorbing and entertaining, and I was drawn to the characters. Willig always does a fine job historically grounding her fiction, along with writing strong women that are lively and distinct and intelligent. The movement in time was completely understandable. I liked the narratives in both timelines so much that I didn't mind switching from Addie's perspective to Clemmie's, and I was invested in the plot twists for each woman. They both had their sweet romances of quite different natures, and the ending of the book was satisfying. All around, this was an entertaining bit of escapism, and my only disappointment was in comparing it to her series. Ashford Affair is a much more serious book, and this is not a defect, it is just not what I was expecting. I love the witty banter and mixture of comedy and suspense in the Pink Carnation series, and this novel had a completely different tone better suited to its story. The book is good fiction, just not my favorite by this author. show less

This is the second novel I’ve read from bestselling author Lauren Willig and it was just as compelling as the first.

Like the first one, this is part mystery — involving two story threads that happen years apart. One thread takes place between the years of 1906 and 1926. Six-year-old Addie comes to live with her wealthy, aristocratic aunt and uncle at their great British estate, Ashford, after her parents are suddenly killed. Though an outsider, Addie develops a close friendship with her slightly older cousin Beatrice - who takes Addie under her wing. As they grow up, glamorous Beatrice, becomes known as “Debutante of the Decade” — sought after by titled men and a recognized fashion setter among her peers. Addie, with no title show more and no inheritance, stands in Bea’s shadow. This is our glimpse into the pre-World War I world we know from Downton Abbey. Addie and Bea’s stories go on to include romance, the war, and later, a coffee plantation in Kenya.

A second story thread involves Addie’s 34 year old granddaughter, Clementine, an ambitious attorney living in New York City in 1999, expecting to soon become a partner in a prestigious law firm and hav
ing just broken up with her boyfriend. When Addie’s health begins to decline, long buried family secrets begin to surface. And most of the book involves moving back and forth in time as the reader slowly collects pieces of a very complex puzzle.

I can’t say this is great literature, but it is very good story. Imaginative and full of unpredictable plot twists to keep you reading. For me, it was a two-day read. And I plan to read some of Willig’s many other novels. show less

If you’re familiar with Lauren Willig’s books, then you know she often combines narratives from the past with the present. The Ashford Affair isn’t any different and incorporates the narratives of both Clementine (in the present) and Addie’s (the past). This is Addie’s story, but in many ways, it’s also Clementine’s. Clementine is on journey to realize what truly matters in life.

Clementine Evans arrives late to her grandmother’s birthday celebration and is surprised when her grandmother calls her Bea. She asks her mother about Bea, but doesn’t get a direct answer. In fact, Clementine asks around and slowly a family secret is unearthed. Bea was a cousin of Granny Addie and through a series of flashbacks we’re told show more Addie’s story. Addie comes to live with the Earl of Ashford following the death of her parents. On her first night she’s befriended by one of the Earl’s daughters, Beatrice; Bea takes Addie under her wing and both become fast friends. As the narrative progresses, we see Addie grow up and on the night of the Earl’s eldest daughter’s presentation to society, Bea and Addie decide to view the ball in progress. Unfortunately, Bea brings along a pet mouse and accidentally lets go of it and Addie afraid it will be trampled to death goes to rescue Binky. Lucky for Binky she’s saved by a young man and Addie is instantly smitten. The next day, they run into each other and he introduces himself as Fredrick. Addie never forgets him and when she runs into him several years later she’s surprised and happy he remembers her. Fredrick and Addie spend time together attending a series of lectures and musical concerts and she introduces him to Bea. Addie is heartbroken when Frederick marries Bea and she goes on with her life as best she can. Five years later, she’s asked to visit to Kenya and putting her feelings aside for Fredrick she decides to visit. The Ashford Affair is a beautiful story about a love between two people and the heartache that comes with having to live with one’s mistakes.

In terms of characterization, we have rich strong characters, but admit I wish we had more of Fredrick’s perspective. Especially when he’s trying to come to terms with what to do with Addie before he marries Bea. I would have loved to have read something about his thoughts of Addie in Kenya with him and Bea or what he was thinking when her visit was announced. Bea comes off as a spoiled bitch. I realize she’s a woman trapped in a world that is changing around her and she’s unsure of how to proceed. The year she was presented to society, she was the débutante of the year and highly sought after. As a daughter of an earl, she was brought up with the expectation of marrying into the aristocracy and not having to make her own way. I keep thinking about Bea and as much as I want to judge her and hate for what she ends up doing, I can’t because in the end, she made the ultimate sacrifice. Fredrick once accused her of being jealous of Addie and I have to agree with his assessment, but for Bea, the jealously wasn’t that Fredrick was interested in Addie. It was the fact Addie was going to leave her and have a happy life, while Bea remained miserable. As for our present day characters, it’s interesting how much Anna resembled Bea in her personality and her life choices; whereas Marjorie took after Addie. Clementine is a hybrid of the both women; having Bea’s features and Addie’s drive for success.

Fans of historical fiction are in for a real treat as Willig does a great job incorporating life in England before the First World War to how everyone adapts to the changing world afterwards. We go from soirees to the heat in Kenya. Willig gives us rich descriptions and when Addie complains of the heat and her sweat stained dress, you can vividly picture it. The Ashford Affair is well written and the only real complaint I have is that, it ended way too quickly. Then again I read this in less than two days. As for the mystery surrounding the family secret, I do wish Willig would have focused on a few key scenes. That being the photographs Clementine finds, but in the end Addie and Bea are allowed to keep their secrets. It’s because of that, I’ll let the past stay shrouded in mystery.

If you only read a few books a year, this is one book you have to read. If you’re looking into trying a new genre or are in a reading funk, pick up The Ashford Affair. To say I loved it is an understatement because I more than loved it. It’s a beautiful story and I’m not ashamed to say I broke down into tears more than once. This is one book I’ll be rereading more than once. show less