Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she’s British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When her friend Justin uncovers the fact that she is possibly a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea and the estate of her supposed family.
The mystery of her mother’s death haunts her, and though her father is quick to accept her, the rest of the family and the servants of Whitby Park are not. Only when Brook’s life is threatened do they draw close—but will their loyalty come too late to save Brook from the same threat that led to tragedy for her mother? [from back cover]
The moment we meet Brook Eden, her playfulness and audacity invite us to join her. And from page one when she cajoles best friend Justin to teach her to drive the Rolls Royce he’s parked in front of her, we dash off with them on adventures from Monaco to England.
Roseanna White has penned complex characters with competing wants that make each person’s journey one filled with difficult choices. Add to that the fact someone desperately wants what Brook or Justin have—and will go to any lengths to get it. How can a mere slip of a girl, a newly restored heiress, protect herself from schemers hidden all around? How can two young people negotiate those dangerous days and have room left for falling in love? The journey to find out if they can will make you fly through the pages of this fascinating story.
White spins the story so well that almost all distance between reader and characters vanishes like a morning fog. We walk so intimately with Brook as she eventually finds out her name, her place, and her history that when she’s overcome with emotion because she finally belongs somewhere, our own breath catches. It all comes alive for us as if we traveled through time to the Edwardian era in sun-drenched Monaco or the chilly mists of Yorkshire.
From inciting incident, to growing trouble, to resolution, White fills the story with surprises, twists and turns like a mountain road. I particularly admire a scene when the family has been praying for a missing member, White gives the reader a glimpse of the amazing, unique way that prayer is answered, while no one in the story ~ even those who are the answer ~ has a clue. Masterful plotting and writing, there and throughout. I highly recommend this riveting tale to fans of historical romance and suspense.
