Reckmire Marsh

by Sara Hylton

For young Joanna Albemarle, Reckmire, her father's ancestral manor, is a place forbidden by her domineering mother. When Joanna's parents are posted overseas, Reckmire becomes her home as last, and there she meets her father's relatives, finds new friends and discovers first love.

660 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Sara Hylton lives in Bury, Lancashire.

Reviews

[Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Other reviewers are correct that the story is depressing, if reasonably compelling, and most of the characters unlikable. It's also poorly written. Much more telling than showing, and even then some of the characters' shifts are incomprehensible. Many of the more important events take place off-stage, or are glossed over very quickly. It is also rife with copy-editing failures (including the particularly funny substitution of "gentile" for "genteel"). I'm amazed that this woman has several published books to her name--this read like a self-publshed first novel.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to read something sad and depressing, then this is your book. Sometimes you wonder what is the point of this story. The protagonist is a lonely woman trying to please her selfish mother and stand up for herself at the same time. She doesn't make good decisions and ends up trapped in a loveless marriage. It gets worse and worse. The ending is horrible before Joanna can finally run to Italy to be with the love of her life.

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS)]

I kept reading hoping the story would get better. It was a soap opera in progress and way too depressing.

Argh! People with no spines, a whiny self-centered mother, a mean-spirited man. Why, oh why, did it take me so long to drop it? I think if I had managed to finish it I would given the story one star.

[Melinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very heavy sad book. You understand at the end that the heroine is now happy and living a satisfying life but you still go away from this book feeling depressed.