The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig

I liked some of this and didn't like some of this.


I appreciated the historical setting: Kenya, the look into the flapper lifestyle, the parties, the difference between classes. That kind of drama is always intriguing. I liked the modern-day heroine and the conflicts she faced. It was realistic and I could relate to her...

I could relate to her much more than I could related to the historical heroines. We have two cousins playing tug of war with a man, a man so not worth it in my opinion. Bea is a snot-faced tramp. She looks down on others, is promiscuous with no regard to anyone else, steals her cousin's man, must always be the center of attention. 

Addie is spineless. She follows her cousin around like a puppy. She lets her man slip right out of her hands, and is just... You know, perhaps I'm the only one, but when I'm wronged, that's it. You ain't coming back. Let's move on, you know? I never came to respect Addie any more than I did Bea.

The romance: I didn't feel it between anyone but Clemmie and Jon. That was my favorite romance.

This is entertaining and well researched, but for me to thoroughly enjoy a novel, I must like the main players at least somewhat. I didn't like them, so I had some difficulty with it.

For those wondering what the heck this book is about, I'll post the blurb here rather than summarize it:

As a lawyer in a large Manhattan firm, just shy of making partner, Clementine Evans has finally achieved almost everything she’s been working towards—but now she’s not sure it’s enough. Her long hours have led to a broken engagement and, suddenly single at thirty-four, she feels her messy life crumbling around her. But when the family gathers for her grandmother Addie’s ninety-ninth birthday, a relative lets slip hints about a long-buried family secret, leading Clemmie on a journey into the past that could change everything. . . .

What follows is a potent story that spans generations and continents, bringing an Out of Africa feel to a Downton Abbey cast of unforgettable characters. From the inner circles of WWI-era British society to the skyscrapers of Manhattan and the red-dirt hills of Kenya, the never-told secrets of a woman and a family unfurl.

Three bikes. I got this from Amazon Vine.