Publication
Viking (2018), 400 pages
Description
Louisa Reeve, the daughter of a successful British gem trader, and her husband Elliot, a charming, thrill-seeking businessman, seem like the couple who have it all. Except what they long for more than anything: a child. While Louisa struggles with miscarriages, Elliot is increasingly absent, spending much of his time at a nearby cinnamon plantation, overlooking the Indian ocean. After his sudden death, Louisa is left alone to solve the mystery he left behind. Revisiting the plantation at Cinnamon Hills, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn towards the owner Leo, a rugged outdoors man with a chequered past. The plantation casts a spell, but all is not as it seems. And when Elliot's shocking betrayal is revealed, Louisa has only Leo to turn to.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pgchuis
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.
The story of Louisa, born and bred in Ceylon, but nevertheless firmly British, and her husband Elliot, a businessman. Elliot dies and then the secrets he has been keeping begin to emerge.The Ceylon setting was interesting, although
I thought this was fairly well plotted, but my main issues were Louisa, whose core personality traits centred round closing her eyes to things and hoping they would go away, and the fact that I found the whole book a little dull. There was far more description than dialogue and it felt staid somehow.
I think if you like this kind of novel, this is probably a good example, but I am not really the right reader for it.
The story of Louisa, born and bred in Ceylon, but nevertheless firmly British, and her husband Elliot, a businessman. Elliot dies and then the secrets he has been keeping begin to emerge.The Ceylon setting was interesting, although
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there were places where things were very explicitly explained to the reader - e.g. she slept with the window open, but it was OK because she had a mosquito net - and other places where characters recited chunks of description to one another - e.g. "please tell me how cinnamon is processed". I thought this was fairly well plotted, but my main issues were Louisa, whose core personality traits centred round closing her eyes to things and hoping they would go away, and the fact that I found the whole book a little dull. There was far more description than dialogue and it felt staid somehow.
I think if you like this kind of novel, this is probably a good example, but I am not really the right reader for it.
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LibraryThing member ecataldi
At times predictable, but still thoroughly enjoyable, this historical romance will intrigue and bewitch readers. The most endearing aspect of this book is it's lush setting on the island of Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka), Jefferies does a wonderful job detailing the beautiful smells, views, and
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setting. It made me want to move there! Louisa has a happy comfortable life. Her father and her husband work in the gemstone business and she has three wonderful dogs a large house and staff. Minus being unable to conceive a child, things are perfect... that is until her husband has a fatal accident. She soon discover that he may not have been the man she thought he was. The trail of deception and lies she starts to uncover shatters her idyllic world. Filled with romance, mystery, and a little bit of adventure this is perfect for those who like quick beach reads. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
This book felt very similar to a previous novel I read by the same author, The Tea Planter's Wife - it even featured a few of the same characters. The book is centered on Louisa, who finds herself widowed and facing mysterious debts and unfinished business her husband left behind. Most devastating
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is the revelation that Louisa's husband had a mistress and an illegitimate son. As the novel progresses, Louisa struggles to make her peace with her husband's legacy and to find new ways to seek fulfillment. A good read, but one that I wish did more justice to its locale. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Sapphire Widow by Dinah Jefferies is a historical romance that is set in Ceylon during 1935. This author knows about growing up in a British Colony as she herself was born and raised in Malaya during the last years of the British Empire. Her details and research cannot be faulted here she
When tragedy strikes, Louisa must brace herself and learn to pick up the pieces. She discovers that her partner hasn’t been the picture perfect fellow that she thought he was. Although suffering grief and shock, she is determined to get answers. Also she finds herself being threatened by strange men who are demanding she make good on her husbands’ debts.
The bulk of the book has Louisa learning to trust and find love again as she develops her business and learns to come to terms with her past. Even though the book is quite lengthy I did find that the ending felt rushed. After building the suspense slowly over the course of some 350 pages, everything is revealed and worked out quickly which didn’t ring true to me. I would have liked the plot to have been a little more developed and the characters to have been a little more believable in their actions.
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provides some interesting information on the flora and fauna of this exotic island. The story is rather typical for this type of book, the main character, Louisa Reeve, is living in a bubble, very much in love with her handsome husband and totally unaware that he is addicted to gambling and is seeing another woman, in fact, he has had a child with this other woman.When tragedy strikes, Louisa must brace herself and learn to pick up the pieces. She discovers that her partner hasn’t been the picture perfect fellow that she thought he was. Although suffering grief and shock, she is determined to get answers. Also she finds herself being threatened by strange men who are demanding she make good on her husbands’ debts.
The bulk of the book has Louisa learning to trust and find love again as she develops her business and learns to come to terms with her past. Even though the book is quite lengthy I did find that the ending felt rushed. After building the suspense slowly over the course of some 350 pages, everything is revealed and worked out quickly which didn’t ring true to me. I would have liked the plot to have been a little more developed and the characters to have been a little more believable in their actions.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
0241303761 / 9780241303764