Hawthorne's Cottage

by Connie L. Reeves

Appleton-on-Rye, a small hamlet in England about an hour from London, is an idyllic setting. But over the next few months, three generations of women, along with their friends and neighbors, will experience a multitude of joys, sorrows, and tragedies. As secrets come to the forefront, relationships begin to unravel. Wynter Blandford, primary cellist for the London Symphony Orchestra, bought Hawthorne's Cottage for herself and her daughter, Miriam, several years ago on the outskirts of the village. After a deadly fire at her mother's home near London, Wynter uncovers something clandestine that her mother, Thelma Parker, had kept hidden for years and refuses to forgive her for it. When Miriam, who is going to attend university in the fall, deceives her mother in planning a weekend away, she finds herself horribly wounded by someone she thought was a friend. Having been betrayed long ago by Miriam's father, Wynter has remained tight-lipped about him for years. Once Miriam finally learns who he is, Wynter goes ballistic. Vivian Peterson, a fairly new arrival to Appleton-on-Rye, turns Dylan Roberts' life upside down with the shocking news that he's adopted and is her biological son. With her further request that he donate bone marrow to his biological father dying of leukemia, Dylan is overwhelmed. This news and its consequences jeopardize his engagement to Grace Worthy, one of Miriam's best friends. Will they be able to push past their anger and misunderstandings so that peace can reign again in Hawthorne's Cottage and Appleton-on-Rye? Only time will tell; only love will heal.

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 22, 2007

Reviews

[Lauraileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book written by one of my best friends, Connie Reeves. Fantastic first effort, enjoyable story and characters.