56248

Not my usual fare but reading to connect with a friend. It could do with lots of editing and the tone isn't my favorite. The drama in the middle was unexpected and ended in a shocking way with a cliffhanger so I guess I'll have to read the sequel now... ( )

Cousins Fanny, Sophie, and Amanda Broadmoor are the privileged children of Rochester, New York high society and spend their summers on their grandfather's private island, one of the Thousand Islands in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. Their parents hobnob with the other society folk who own private islands. Fanny, the youngest of the three becomes an orphan and the favorite of her grandparents at the young age of 11 after her single father (who raised her after her mother's death at her birth) commits suicide. Her cousin Sophie, recently bereaved of her mother, now is an effective orphan as her grieving father throws himself in charity work to her effective neglect. And, Amanda, the only one of the cousins who still has two parents, has only her mother as her ally in terms of her future plans. The problem that arises when the patriarch of the family, the girl's widowed grandfather, dies and leaves his legacy to be shared equally among the two surviving sons, and his granddaughter Fanny. Amanda's father, struggling with bad debt from poor investments, had counted on splitting the inheritance only with his surviving brother, and spends the remainder of the book conniving ways to deprive Fanny of her rights. The book made me want to read the next in the series to see if Fanny can assert her independence, marry her chosen suitor who is beneath her status socially, and thwart her uncle's designs on her money. ( )

Fanny Broadmoor has always loved the Thousand Islands--especially the island that her family owns. She also loves Michael, the caretaker of the boats owned by the family--but her family does not approve of her relationship with a servant. Still, after the death of her grandparents Fanny is overjoyed to learn that the entire family--including her two cousins, Sophie and Amanda--will be required to spend the summer on the island. Fanny hopes to spend as much time as possible with Michael, but she is constantly watched by her uncle Jonas, who has other ideas for her. Jonas wishes to get his hands on the fortune that Fanny has been promised in her grandfathers will--and he will stop at nothing. Even if it means ruining her happiness by forcing her to marry someone else--or worse.
A pleasant read, but it abruptly ended and so you must go on to read the other books in the series to find out what happens. The actions of the uncle are truly despicable and hard to believe at times (his character isn't fleshed out enough to give him more motivation than simple greed) Fanny's innocence and purity are a sharp contrast, and you can see her faith starting to develop as she listens to the counsel of Michael's mother. Still, the characterization is a bit thin and while the setting is grand it could have been a bit better described to really capture the beauty of the area and make you feel like you were there. ( )

As the first novel in a series, this is something that I am extremely eager to continue to the next novels. Many times if there is a series where questions are left unanswered for the next novels they are abrupt and annoying in their wait for answers. With this novel I find I have anticipation for the next book in the series, but I'm not left on a ledge in annoyance. I'm glad I've already purchased the second book, and received the third for a review - I cannot wait to read them.

This is an entertaining book. The main character, a Fanny Broadmoor has been dealt an interesting life within her extended family of loss after loss and with the issue of a possible inheritance she may be pushed even further away from them than she ever imagined. Once again Tracie Peterson has a novel with a bad guy that gets under your skin. But the difference this time is that this is a co-authored novel and this is a bad guy that you do not want to be bad. For my first exposure to Judith Miller, I must say I enjoyed it. After reading so many Peterson novels, I can tell a difference in the writing voice of this novel and I believe I have found another author in Miller to add to my reading list. ( )