The struggle of keeping a family together

Synopsis

It is the year 1847 in the elegant city of Bath where 18yr old Genevre Stratton is treated more as a servant than a daughter in the elegant house where bills are not paid, and the rent is in arrears. Appalled by the dishonesty and overriding social ambition beneath her parents’ veneer of respectability, only her love for her younger brother and sisters keeps her there. Left to cope alone when their false world falls apart, she fights to keep her siblings together, until poverty forces her to yield them to the care of their half-brother, George Coleman. Handsome, wealthy and charismatic, he is the enemy who becomes her lover. To surrender all to her passionate desire for him, or to keep the independence of a new-found musical career on the London stage? This is her is her choice to make, until an unexpected call of duty takes her to Paris. Must the old, dark secrets she discovers there alter the course of her life forever?

My review

At first sight, it seems that 18 – years old Genevre Stratton’s family has it all. They have an elegant house, invite many guests, hoping to climb the social ladder. But the truth is that bills remain unpaid and that rent is also not paid when due…
Adding that her mother is not really warm towards Genevre, it’s obvious that Genevre is not truly happy. But she has her father and her little siblings keeping her hanging in.
However, when tragedy strikes, Genevre has to fight to keep her family together, which is not an easy task.
And the sudden presence of George Coleman does not make things easier…

This story is categorized as a ‘historical romance’, but in my opinion, it would be more correct to be described as a ‘historical drama’.
The romance in this book isn’t the main protagonist, but Genevre’s attempt of keeping her siblings all together and make a future.

If there is one thing that stood out through the whole story, is how caring Genevre is. Despite the fact that many of her own family are acting rather selfish the whole time, Genevre loves them and just wants what’s best for her siblings. And that even if that means that she will be alone without her beloved brother and sisters around her.
She goes lengths to make sure that her siblings will never lack in anything and that made me proud of her.

Like I said, there were a lot of selfish family members, and that made me sad… Instead of thinking as an union, all pulling in the same direction, most of them just think about themselves and what would benefit only them instead of thinking about the others…

Of course also Genevre is not without fault, she makes her own wrong decisions, but she makes them thinking about others and how her choices can benefit her loved ones.
It’s obvious she has her head straight, because she realizes that one specific decision will never give her any freedom or security.

With the exception of Genevre and her real true friends, I found it hard to connect with the other characters. And I think it’s because they are the total opposite of what I’m like, and even the opposite of Genevre. They are mostly all so selfish that I found it very hard to have any sympathy for them. But of course that is also how it’s like in real life. Not everyone is as caring and loving and selfless as Genevre.

This story was both beautiful as a bit brutal. Brutal because the unfairness of everything that Genevre had to endure and seeing how her attempts of keeping the family together were in vain. But also beautiful because she never gives up hope and makes the best of every situation she is in.
And the end gave the reader not a total closure but it offers us a silver lining as Genevre is ready to embark a new adventure that will hopefully bring her the so much deserved happiness.