Author: Hester Fox
Started: June 9, 2023
Finished: June 11, 2023
Format: Digital
Genre: Fantasy
Ivy Radcliffe is making her way in life after losing her family in one form or another during WWI. When she suddenly inherits Blackwood Abbey and the title of Lady Hayworth her entire world changes. The dark and mysterious abbey has a sense of foreboding and Ivy is unsure if she will ever fit in. Drawn to the library, Ivy begins to have debilitating headaches, and swatches of her memory begin to fade. When she learns of the curse upon her lineage, Ivy knows that she must be the one to end it.
The premise of this story had such promise but never fulfilled its potential. I found the story's pace to be excruciatingly slow and even when it should have picked up it didn't. I found no attachment to either the main characters or the side characters. Usually, I would have DNF'd a book like this but I didn't for two reasons: 1. my daughter chose it from my TBR for me, and 2. I was hoping the 2nd half of this story would pick up. I truly wish this book had been better.