Secrets & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed
Leila Rasheed’s At Somerton Secrets & Sapphires was a delightful, easy read about late Edwardian England when status mattered no matter who or what you were. The primary plot takes place at Somerton House as the Averley family is returning from a luxurious life in India under a somewhat ominous shadow of humiliation due to Lord Averley losing his high position as a result of a scandal. Lady Ada Averley has returned with her father, her sister Georgiana, and a secret of her own that, depending on her class in life, might destroy everything that her family holds dear, particularly how other people view their family and social standing.
Secrets & Sapphires by Leila Rasheed
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She must contend with her own thinking while juggling the love of her family and a broken heart, leaving out everyone else. Ada’s father, however, makes matters worse by announcing his upcoming marriage to a widow. If the union occurs, Ada will have to deal with a snooty step-sister as well as two step-brothers who would cause more issues.
The only time Ada’s step-sister Charlotte is happy is when she is causing trouble and, more importantly, when she is the centre of the glorious attention. However, the house has other secrets that are just waiting to be revealed, and someone is looking forward to the time when she can disrupt the house in so many ways.
This is a lovely book, and I really enjoyed the way the author approached the late Edwardian period in history. She touched on all the different issues that affected households at the time, but she also demonstrated how education was only available to male heirs of the household or to males whose parents could afford to support them while receiving it.
