I just finished two exams this week – and I felt really really good about them. So I decided to go to Indigo and splurge a little on myself as a reward for my good performance. This novel was one that I chose, as it was resting on the recommended table. I usually do not make impulsive buys because I like to choose the books I buy carefully. I am a poor student (just like most students – haha) so I only like to buy books that I know I will keep reading over and over again. But this was a one time thing so I decided to go ahead and take the plunge!
Amber Alton loves Black Rabbit Hall. It’s where her family can truly be themselves. She loves spending time with her twin brother, her younger siblings, and her parents. She loves the woods and the beach and the house itself. Time seems to pass by differently here – slower, and softer, and happier. But one stormy evening in 1968 is all it takes to unravel this whole family apart.
More than three decades later, Lorna Dunaway has made it her mission to get married in Black Rabbit Hall. It has a charm that only an old home can carry and it is just perfectly haunting. But after meeting with the proprietress, Lorna begins to feel as if there is more to this house than just its appearance. There are memories in this home, memories that are bringing out hidden things from her own past – and Lorna soon finds herself consumed by the desire to seek out the mysteries of Black Rabbit Hall as well as those in her own life.
This novel reminded me a great deal of The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton in its style and story plot. I won’t say any more about the plot because I don’t want to reveal anything but I could see a lot of similarities between the two novels. The characters from the past were well-developed but there were some instances where I really did not like the way the relationships between the characters were going (again, I’m not going to elaborate as that would give away too much of the story). While the novel itself was quite good, I don’t think it is quite deserving of being a contender for Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It was easy to predict where the story was going and I found myself more intrigued by the storyline in the past than the storyline in the future. Either way, it was a good effort on the part of the author. If you liked The Forgotten Garden, then I am sure you will enjoy this novel!
Happy reading ~