Customer Reviews

Willows on the Windrush (Sagas of a Kindred Heart, Book 2)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The quaint village of Stow-on-the-Wold, in the heart of England's Cotswolds, is the idyllic setting for this romance novel. Sydney Barrington, a young and successful CEO from America has just learned that she has inherited a stately English manor house - from a total stranger. She comes to Stow to investigate and makes several startling discoveries: First, the manor's owner is still very much alive, the house is an ersatz orphanage, an IRA terrorist is lurking nearby, and the young lord of the manor is a drop-dead-gorgeous commander in the Royal Navy.

This story succeeds as an enticing travel guide to the beautiful Cotswolds, and to Stow in particular. Having spent time in this charming village years ago, I was anxious to revisit it in these pages. The glowing descriptions of the gently rolling hills, yellow with limestone, and the old thatched-roofed cottages made me smile, and for that alone, I can say I enjoyed the book. The plot, however is silly and the writing is amateurish. There is a huge cast of characters, each with his own overly-intricate subplot; the rather thin story is so jam-packed with information that it topples under the weight. The dialogue has no British slang or expressions. Add to that, the fact that all the characters - strangers, it would seem, initially - ultimately turn out to have had close relationships in the past seems way too contrived. The romance angle isn't fully developed and seems almost an after-thought.

It's a tepid story that fails to engage the reader, except to leave one with a burning desire - no, need - to visit the beautiful Cotswolds and stroll beside the babbling Windrush, and watch the sheep graze in bucolic splendor. Recommended only for undemanding readers.