The Cavendon Women (Cavendon Hall #2) by Barbara Taylor Bradford

 

Summary (from the publisher): From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a stunning and dramatic saga of love and loyalty. The aristocratic Inghams have been served by the Swann family for centuries. The Cavendon Women follows these two families' journeys from a weekend in the summer of 1926 through to the devastation of the financial crash of 1929.

It all begins on a summer weekend in July of 1926, when, for the first time in years, the Earl has planned a family weekend. Everyone is intrigued by the invitation, and everyone has their own reasons for accepting it. As the family members come together, secrets, problems, joys, and sorrows are revealed. And as old enemies come out of the shadows and the Swanns' loyalty to the Inghams gets tested in ways none of them could have predicted, it is up to the Cavendon women to band together and bring their family into a new decade, and a new way of life.

Told with Barbara Taylor Bradford's trademark attention to detail and passionate prose, The Cavendon Women will grip readers as they follow the beloved characters through times of triumph and turmoil.

Review: In this second installment in the series, the aristocratic Inghams and their loyal servants the Swanns stories are continued. The novel covers the period from 1926 to 1929. The Ingham daughters - Deirdre, Daphne, DeLacy, and Dulcie are now all grown women and pursuing love and careers. The Ingham heir, Miles, is trapped in a loveless marriage but still deeply in love with Cecily Swann, who has become a prestigious dress designer and shop owner. Overshadowing all of the family drama is the impending financial crash of 1929 and the family's struggle to repair, maintain, and hang on to their great ancestral home Cavendon Hall. 

The dialogue in this series is remarkably stilted and everyone is constantly falling madly in love. Great drama abounds at every turn - including love affairs, murders, and secret plots. But despite it all - or perhaps because of the drama - I was once again sucked into the story. The intrigue kept me reading so I could find out what could possibly happen next. It reads like the script of a soap opera or at best an episode of Downton Abbey, which it closely resembles with its upstairs/downstairs perspective shifts. My other great complaint is the absolutely monstrous size of the cast of characters. There are just too many people to focus on to give anyone their proper time in the spotlight. An entertaining, light read that I enjoyed on the beach. 

Stars: 3

Related Title: 

Cavendon Hall (Cavendon Hall #1) by Barbara Taylor Bradford