Summerset Abbey
3 primary works
Book 1
In a sprawling manor on the outskirts of London in 1913, three young women seek to fulfill their destinies and desires amidst the unspoken rules of society and the distant rumblings of war ... Sir Philip Buxton raised three girls into beautiful and capable young women in a bohemian household that defied Edwardian tradition. Eldest sister Rowena was taught to value people, not wealth or status. Everything she believes will be tested when Sir Philip dies, and the girls must live under their uncle's guardianship at the vast family estate, Summerset Abbey. Rowena must decide where her true passions - and loyalties - lie. Frail in body but filled with an audacious spirit, Victoria Buxton secretly dreams of attending university to become a botanist like her father. But this most unladylike wish is not her only secret: Victoria has stumbled upon a family scandal that, if revealed, has the potential to change lives forever ... Prudence Tate was lovingly brought up alongside Victoria and Rowena, and their bond is as strong as blood. But by birth she is a governess's daughter, and to the lord of Summerset Abbey, that makes her a commoner who must take her true place in society: as lady's maid to her beloved "sisters." Prudence doesn't belong in the downstairs world of the household staff any more than she belongs upstairs with the Buxton girls. And when a young lord catches her eye, she begins to wonder if she'll ever truly carve out a place for herself at Summerset Abbey.
Book 2
Rowena and Victoria Buxton and Prudence Tate were raised together as sisters, though Pru is the daughter of the Buxton's governess. As a result, she never really belonged in either world -- downstairs with the household staff, or upstairs with the Buxton daughters. After Pru's desperate marriage and move to London, Rowena and Victoria fear they have lost their beloved friend forever. Guilt-ridden and remorseful, Rowena seeks comfort from a daring flyboy and embraces the most dangerous activity the world has ever seen. Victoria defies her family and her illness to make her own dream of becoming a botanist come true, despite the fact that this role is deemed most unladylike. As England and the world step closer to conflict, the two young women flout their family, their upbringing, and their heritage to seize a modern future of their own making.
Book 3
Aristocratic and free-spirited sisters Rowena and Victoria, as well as their maid and dear friend Prudence, navigate the uncertain social and political climate of WWI-era England. Their lives are the talk of society-- but the daring missions they undertake will teach them the true meaning of love and sacrifice.