reviewsbyerin

When reduced circumstances require Mrs. Summers and her four daughters to economize, they open their Sidmouth home as a guest house. Their extra bedrooms are soon filled with visitors to the seaside town, bringing interest and intrigue to the normally quiet family.

Three of the four sisters are point of view characters: Sarah the responsible one, Emily the adventurous one, and Viola the quiet one with a scarred face and heart. Each sister has a bit of romance throughout the novel, and I wondered at times if we'd get them all married off—or if in the end any of them would have a happily ever after. I won't give spoilers, but let's say I was satisfied with the conclusion while it also leaves room for some of the storylines to continue into the next book of the series.

This novel is very character-driven, which was delightful for this reader, though I can see how some might find it boring. Also it was occasionally hard to keep track of whose point of view we were in. But I really enjoyed each sister and look forward to knowing more about them. I'm excited Julie Klassen is doing another series, as I loved her Tales of Ivy Hill books.

Readers who love Jane Austen will enjoy spotting names and dialogue that are borrowed from Austen's classic works. And if you appreciate a wide cast of characters, this book is definitely for you. So many new people to get to know!

Overall, I'd recommend this for fans of character-driven Regency fiction. You won't be disappointed!

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All thoughts in this review are my own.