The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay
ISBN: 9781401689759 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781401689766 (ebook)
ASIN: B00XPV60IW (Kindle edition)
Publication date: November 3, 2015
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious measures to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt, and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.
In a sudden turn of events, James’s wealthy grandmother Helen hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy’s predicament better than anyone else.
As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen’s wisdom, as Helen confronts the ghosts of her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters’ beloved heroines, who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of change.
Now Lucy must go back into her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that’s been waiting for her all along.
Lucy Alling has a good job working with an interior decorator and selling collectible books. She also has a family and personal secret that might mean the loss of friends and her job. Lucy’s father was a con man and she’s picked up his skills of persuasion and pushing the boundaries of right and wrong in order to acquire and sell items. It’s only after her relationship with her boyfriend James is destroyed by her questionable talents that she begins to question her behavior and seek to change in The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay.
Lucy knows the difference between right and wrong, but she feels that sometimes the good outweighs the bad when it comes to acquiring books, upselling books, or even making dinner reservations. Her dubious bookselling skills are found out when her boyfriend realizes she’s added handwritten dedications to books in order to get more money for them. Having suffered numerous moves over the course of her childhood because of her father’s grifting skills, Lucy knows that she has no one to blame but herself. When James’s grandmother provides her with the opportunity to travel to England, Lucy looks upon this as a sign. She hopes to reunite with her father and make peace with her past in order to move forward. Will she be able to make amends to James, his family, and her employer without destroying her ties to these beloved people?
You know you’re reading a good book when time slips away from you while reading. I swore I had only sat down and started reading The Brontë Plot when I looked up and noticed that several hours had passed and it was no longer afternoon. I found this to be totally engrossing and fast-paced read, as well as one I didn’t want to end. I enjoyed the journey Lucy and Helen make in order to come to grips with their past, made more poignant as Helen was at the end of her life while Lucy is just starting out. The romance between Lucy and James was tender and reminiscent of the tumultuous relationships found in Brontë and Austen books. Ms. Reay provides characters that are wholly realistic, fully developed, and immensely likable. Lucy and James are both searching for their career niches in life and are trying to come to grips with family dynamics in their quest for doing what is right. The Brontë Plot is just as much about romance as it is about being true to oneself and doing the right thing no matter what. Ms. Reay grabbed me with Dear Mr. Knightley, continued to hold my attention with Lizzy & Jane, and has made me a devoted follower with The Brontë Plot. If you enjoy reading a story filled with soul-searching and a hint of romance (not to mention touches of Brontë and Austen), then you’ll definitely want to read The Brontë Plot. I look forward to reading many more books by Ms. Reay in the future.
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Author: thebookdivasreads
I'm a reader, an avid reader, or perhaps a rabid reader (at least according to my family). I enjoy reading from a variety of different genres but particularly enjoy fiction, mystery, suspense, thrillers, ChickLit, romance and classics. I also enjoy reading about numerous non-fiction subjects including aromatherapy, comparative religions, herbalism, naturopathic medicine, and tea.
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Sounds very cool! Thanks for the review. :)@dino0726 from FictionZeal – Impartial, Straightforward Fiction Book Reviews
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