The tragedies of a family over generations

Synopsis

Three sisters. Three ships. One heartbreaking story.

1911. As Emma packs her trunk to join the ocean liner Olympic as a stewardess, she dreams of earning enough to provide a better life for both her sisters. With their photograph tucked away in her luggage, she promises to be back soon – hoping that sickly Lily will keep healthy, and wild Ruby will behave. But neither life at sea nor on land is predictable, and soon the three sisters’ lives are all changed irrevocably…

Now. When Harriet finds her late grandmother’s travelling trunk in the attic, she’s shocked to discover a photo of three sisters inside – her grandmother only ever mentioned one sister, who died tragically young. Who is the other sister, and what happened to her? Harriet’s questions lead her to the story of three sister ships, Olympic, Titanic and Britannic, and a shattering revelation about three sisters torn apart…

My review

Now that her daughters have their own lives, and she is living on her own, Harriet has decided to sell her home and to live on a smaller scale. While cleaning out the attic, she finds her late grandmother’s travelling trunk. And she is truly surprised when she finds a picture in it of three sisters. Who is the third sister? Because her grandmother only mentioned one sister, who died tragically and on a young age.
Harriet is determined to find out what happened to the three sisters, whose lives seems to be linked with three sisters ships, Olympic, Britannic and Titanic. And knowing the history of the latter, is that a sign of the fate of one of the sisters?

When I start reading a story from this author, I know that I will think I know where the story will go to, but will also be surprised by some twists I didn’t see coming.

Dual timelines is not something new for this author, thus also for me while reading her book. But this story was even more heart – gripping.

What immediately stood out, was the similarity between Emma and Harriet.
Both women have a ‘rebel’ in their family, causing many problems and heartache.
For Emma, it’s her sister Ruby that is just simply doing what she wants, and not listening to just anyone.
Harriet is heartbroken because her daughter just avoids any contact except a call once in a while, but refuses to give any details where she is staying.
Harriet even never saw her own granddaughters!

However, despite the fact that both women are struggling with a family member, their stories couldn’t be more different.
I loved reading how Emma is trying to build a life of her own. It all starts when she starts as a stewardess on the ocean liner Olympic.
Even if that wouldn’t be a career I would choose myself,  I was curious to read how Emma would cope.
Reading how Emma is finding her feet on the cruise, making friends and even a lingering love interest, made me forget about everything around me.
But seeing how Emma, even if her own dreams take her more and more away from her family, her love for her mother and sisters is obvious from every page. Whatever she is doing, her sisters and mother are always on her mind. And her sense of protecting every member of her family results in changing her own plans. And that is something I admired in her, no matter what her own desires are, her family comes first, no matter what.

Harriet is already of a certain age and has lived her life, with lots of happy moments, but also with many sad ones. Not only is she still grieving over the loss of her husband and her absent daughter, also her grandson Jerome is literally fighting for his life. Oh Jerome’s story is just heart – breaking!!!
Harriet is a character that just wants to help everyone, and even if her desire of one big happy family is a right cause, she sees how her dream is falling apart, as she realizes that she actually hasn’t have contact with many family members…

Both stories were a rollercoaster of emotions, there were many tender moments, but also devastating moments. This book shows us that life can be truly hard, and no matter what our good intentions are, you only have a certain level that you can determine how life goes.
Yet no matter what curveballs life throws us, there is always a shimmer of hope. And it’s obvious that both characters take their strength from that belief, and after every setback they manage to keep their hopes up.

I found this a beautiful, emotional story about strong women whose lives are somehow entwined. A story about hope, determination and most of all, forgiveness. Because holding on to the bad things in the past will never do any good.