Ceylon, 1935. 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...
Kindle Edition, 365 pages
Published April 5, 2018
by Penguin
2.5/5 stars
Dinah Jefferies is an author that I have been wanting to read for a while. I’ve heard great things about her book The Tea Planter’s Wife, but it was this The Sapphire Widow as my first foray into her writing. Plus I had it on my Kindle.
The Sapphire Widow is the story of Louisa, a recent widow, which takes place in 1935 Ceylon. This was a atmospheric story in that the author vividly described the scenery, the sunsets, basically setting the scene and placing me there. Louisa's story following the death of her husband is one of revelations, secrets and her journey through them all.
I found this to be a slow paced story, though well researched, not as gripping as I hoped it would be. The plot itself was familiar and given that it took me a couple weeks to read this not as captivating. I found I struggled to connect with any of the characters and honestly feel any emotion through this tragic situation.
All in all in OK read for me and I will probably try The Tea Planter's Wife to give this author a second chance.
My thanks to Crown Publishing for a digital copy in exchange for a honest review.
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