Reviewed by Cocktails and Books on
I really wish I could rate parts of this book separately; the second half is easily a 4 cocktail read, but the first half of the book was a struggle for me.
Eleanor is the oldest of 3 girls adopted by a country vicar. As her father marries, she is losing her “place” in his household and discovers that she really longs for adventure. Her younger sisters conspire to have her take a journey to find their biological parents with the assistance of Taliesin, a longtime family friend and Gypsy turned gentleman.
I had a hard time with the first part of the book. Neither Eleanor nor Taliesin really struck a chord with me and I could not really relate to either of them as they both seemed to run hot and cold with each other and the reasons why weren’t clear. As the story progressed and we learned more about both characters and their history together, Eleanor’s feelings and motivations started to make more sense to me and I started to like her. I never really got a good feel for Taliesin, so while I was intrigued by him, I can’t say that I ever really liked him.
As Eleanor’s journey continues, there are several times when Taliesin tries to go his separate way but for some reason he comes back. After an adventure where he risks everything for her, Taliesin slips away supposedly for good and Eleanor wises up and goes after what she wants. There was a sense of “Finally” when Eleanor stopped waiting and started acting.
The second half of the book was packed with romance, intrigue, and adventure. There were secrets and histories revealed that I never would have expected. I loved the second half of the book! If you can put up with a slow start, this is definitely a book to read.
Reviewed by Elizabeth B. for Cocktails and Books
Reading updates
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- 2 March, 2015: Reviewed