Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Family Affairs

Rate this book
Her story is one of rags to riches. But money and prestige cannot protect Kelly and her loved ones from tragedy.

From early beginnings as the illegitimate daughter of a housekeeper, Kelly Anderson is transformed into a sophisticated society hostess. Her journey from poverty and shame to wealth and prestige is an eventful one, with many twists and turns. It is a life full of love, passion, ambition and family loyalty.

Kelly makes many sacrifices for the men in her life, but her most important role is as mother to three very different young women. Though not her daughters by birth, her ties to Laura, Julia and Kate are thicker than blood. Can Kelly save them from heartbreak and scandal? Shall each find her own place in what is still a man's world?

And is there to be lasting happiness and love for Kelly? Or will dark forces and shocking events destroy all that she loves and has fought for?

512 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1980

165 people are currently reading
119 people want to read

About the author

Catherine Gaskin

93 books71 followers
Catherine Gaskin (2 April 1929 – 6 September 2009) historical fiction and romantic suspense.

She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).

Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
328 (52%)
4 stars
175 (27%)
3 stars
95 (15%)
2 stars
23 (3%)
1 star
9 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Jane.
394 reviews5 followers
August 19, 2012
Just enough British class friction on the heels of Downton Abbey to keep me happy!
Profile Image for Kimmi Mimmi Bookstagram.
59 reviews
August 30, 2019
Felt like this i watching an old English TV show sort of like Downtown Abby style. I can see why people would enjoy this book. It wasn't really my cup of tea...
242 reviews
April 2, 2022
Really long family saga. But a page turner.
Profile Image for Delene.
90 reviews
February 27, 2014
I read it a long time ago and didn't really remember it too much. I really did enjoy it this time. It has great character development and a complex - yet believable story line. Gives you something to think about...
Profile Image for Katherine.
4 reviews
October 12, 2015
Despite the ending, I loved reading this book and escaping into Kelly's world throughout her many years.
Profile Image for Claire.
30 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2023
Was just waiting for the main character to stop revolving her life around men/ other people which never really seemed to happen. However, a truly unexpected twist at the end!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.