Gossamer Wings (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: pit rows, Anne Whitfield, Gossamer Wings, Miss Woodruff (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Blurb Grace Woodruff, the backbone of her troubled family, finds that its disintegration and the return of a lost love strains her emotional stability and sends her on a journey to discover a new path that, along the way, makes her re-evaluate exactly what it is she wants and how she can achieve it, but what will it cost her?

Product Details

• Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Vintage Romance Publishing; Special edition (October 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097853686X
• ISBN-13: 978-0978536862
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,885,835 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historical women's fiction at its finest!, November 9, 2006

By	Jacquie Rogers "author of Faery Special Romances" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Anne Whitfield has penned a wonderful historical novel addressing hurtful family issues as well as triumphs. Gossamer Wings is set in 1870 Leeds, England, in a time when women had few choices.

Despite the abuse of her father, the emotional abandonment of her mother, and the unpredictability of her six sisters, stalwart Grace Woodruff keeps the family together through thick and thin. But all she really wants is her own family.

Gossamer Wings is a story of serious family issues, of love lost and love gained, of financial strife and crossing class lines. Ms. Whitfield brings amazing strength of character to Grace as well as depth of emotion to all characters--characters you're sad to leave at the end. I would recommend Gossamer Wings to anyone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A strong historical saga, April 22, 2007

By	Gerri Bowen "Gerri Bowen, author." (Hanover, PA USA) - See all my reviews

Anne Whitfield has the ability to write entrancing historical sagas about families--sometimes dysfunctional, but always interesting. Gossamer Wings has a very interesting dysfunctional family.

Grace Woodruff doesn't back down from the challenges her family presents her. She is a strong woman, but also as vulnerable as the rest of us. It is she who leads her family, all of them inclined to thwart her, some even turning their backs to her when Grace follows her conscience. Yet she isn't able to put away her feelings for her first love, which intrudes into her life time and time again. Rising to the problems each family member presents, learning along the way, Grace slowly comes to the point where she chooses her destiny and love.

Gossamer Wings was a gratifying read, a book I highly recommend.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable Deeply Moving Victorian England Historical, December 3, 2006

By	M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

After finishing GOSSAMER WINGS by newer author Anne Whitfield I applaud this author for this immensely satisfying and fine example of a riveting Victorian historical. I can promise that once started you will not put it down until the final page is turned.

In Leeds, England 1870, Grace Woodruff, eldest of seven daughters is mired in responsibility. Grace runs the household and serves as a buttress between her sisters and the father who sees all his daughters as nothing but worthless commodities to be wed in order to forge business ties, gain wealth and ingratiate himself with the nobility. But fate is about to deal the entire Woodruff family some devastating blows and losses that will send this dysfunctional family spiraling out of control leaving Grace to stand alone in forging a new way of life in trying to manage both household and her heart.

*** What an amazing story from this newer author that chronicles a strong and resilient young woman's journey as she put aside her own broken heart in order to battle and stem the tide of the downward disintegration of her family from the result of their father's perfidious ways. Grace was a terrifically strong and resilient heroine whose loving heart and loyalty to her siblings was unwavering and constant in a life turned upside down. Coming on the heels of the authors fabulous debut of KITTY MCKENZIE this sticks to a common theme of featuring a well to do family that must learn how to live in reduced circumstances while surmounting real problems that people face even today. Whitehead excels with a deft hand in creating superb depictions of her characters with amazing depth. Frankly, if you've ever been a fan of Catherine Cookson, you are going to love Anne Whitfield. This was a remarkable, deeply moving and powerful read I hated to see end and one in which I highly recommend.