This is a change from the trend of books I’ve been reading and it made a very distinct impression on me. It is definitely one of the better reads and I wouldn’t mind buying this book!
Orphaned at a young age, Gemma is taken in by her uncle and comes to live with him in Scotland, leaving behind her beloved home in Iceland. When her uncle passes away, she find herself being treated like a servant by her aunt and her cousins. When the opportunity to study in a boarding school as a working girl presents itself, Gemma jumps at the chance. Although an excellent student, life at the school is a struggle as Gemma is forced to perform hard labour. When the school is on the verge of shutting down, Gemma endeavors to find a job and secures one as an au pair for a young girl. There, she meets the young girl’s uncle and there is no denying their affection for each other. But Gemma soon discovers a secret that threatens to tear their relationship apart.
This book was like a Jane Austen novel with traces of Jane Eyre but in a modern way. I couldn’t put it down and the character development was amazing! One thing that I really liked about this novel is that as Gemma grows older and older, you could yourself point out the flaws that she has and also see how her perspective on life is not always the full story. This is truly a great book and I would recommend this to many many many many people!
Happy reading ~