A fascinating look at not only an intriguing area and time period, but an engaging reflection of family relationships

Synopsis 

The saga continues. In book number two of the Somerville trilogy, the period from 1945 to 1962 is covered. Where ‘Willow Grove Abbey’ ended, ‘St. James Road’ begins, drawing the reader back into the imperfect orbit of the Somerville family. Sophia has begun a new life. 

The war has ended, it is 1945, and England has begun the healing process, after five years of tumult. This second novel in the Somerville trilogy delves into the aftereffects of World War II, and focuses attention on those who are left to carry on, as England struggles to recover. The world is changing rapidly, and so is Sophia’s life. Leaving behind her beloved childhood home, Willow Grove Abbey, Sophia and her dearly beloved husband, Dr. Spencer Stanton set out on a new adventure, with a move to Tunbridge Wells, and a lovely old Victorian house on St. James Road, along with a new way of living. 

It doesn’t take long for Sophia to realize that just because the war has ended, the turmoil and heartache have not. She may not be living at Willow Grove Abbey any longer, but the mayhem and chaos persist. Her parents, the Earl and Countess Somerville, discover that not all woes can be erased with money and power; Sophia realizes that as she develops meaningful values of her own, manipulation and lies will cause her to fight to maintain her own identity. Sorrow and anguish abound, and as soon as one misery is behind, new distress appears. 

Edwina has moved to New York, but she has not disappeared from Sophia’s life. Nor has her son, Kippy. Sophia continues with her journey of growth, and Isabella has become an adult. Can Sophia save ‘Willow Grove Abbey’ from the unscrupulous intentions of Edwina’s family? Old secrets once again come to the surface as Edwina casts her shadow upon Sophia’s existence. Written in the first person, the reader is led further down the road through more serendipitous happenings’, and the now familiar characters are stunned by the Fate that may lay in store for them. ‘St. James Road’ is definitely a page-turner, and a must-read for anyone who loved Willow Grove Abbey.