Rachel and Anthony Brinkley live an idyllic life. Anthony is a well-known artist. Rachel has devoted herself to bringing up their three sons and maintaining a vibrant, creative home. Rachel loves being at the centre of her family. One by one the sons grow up, marry and have homes and families of their own.
The first two daughters-in-law can’t resist Rachel’s maternal control and Anthony’s gentle charm, and settle into their husbands’ family without rocking the boat. Everyone enjoys dinners and weekends at their country home, it's a place of happy conversations and generous hospitality, steered by Rachel. It all works very well until daughter-in-law number three joins the happy group.
Charlotte, young, beautiful and spoiled has no intention of falling into step with the Brinkleys, and before long the other daughters-in-law are moving around to her way of thinking. Soon Rachel’s sons begin to think of their own houses as home and of their mother’s house as simply the place where their parents live. Rachel finds that her control begins to slip away. Her daughters-in-law are usurping her position, they have become more important to her boys than she is. She doesn’t cope well.
This is a nice story, and an interesting study of the manipulative and selfish undercurrents in family relationships. Some of the characters are a tad predictable but I did enjoy it.
〜 Stay Safe & Well 〜
Polly x
The author sounds very familiar so I must have read another of her books.
ReplyDeleteShe has written quite a few.
DeleteI like book recommendations..talk about manipulative..have you watched Betty on Netflix?
ReplyDeleteNo I haven't watched that, I will look for it.
DeleteThis sounds interesting, Polly. Thanks for telling us about it. I love your book thoughts.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanie.
DeleteI think I read one of Joanna Trollope's books years ago, but I don't remember which one.
ReplyDeleteMy mum was an avid reader, borrowing 4 books at a time from the library. Quite often she would start one and say "Oh bother I've read this"! I keep a note of ones I've read so I don't do the same!
DeleteI've generally enjoyed her writings, I'll put that one on my list. Glad you found my new blog.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting book !
ReplyDeleteThanks for your lovely comment on my blog.
Have a lovely weekend,
Sylvia
There's something curiously addictive about books depicting happy families that come under some sort of malign influence and gradually become very unhappy families. It only takes one manipulative individual to cause havoc.
ReplyDelete