Adult Review: Ashford Affair

Addie and Bea grew up together, although they were cousins, they were as close as sisters. Addie knew that she would never have a debutante ball like Bea.  Then the war came and it changed everything.

After the war, they hit a rough patch. They didn't speak for several years, until Bea invites her to Kenya.

In present day, Clemmie's learning just how little she knows about her grandmother's life. As a high profile lawyer, she's put her entire life on hold to work for promotion. But the more she learns about her family, the more she begins to question her life choices.

As the stories weave together, the reader learns what happened to cause the rift between Bea and Addie and how they grew apart and why Addie went to Kenya to try to salvage their relationship.

My Thoughts: I loved the weaving perspectives and the shift in time periods. I loved reading the about the cousins' life. There was so much emotion: wary, anger, rage, sadness, and happiness. I couldn't put this book down! I wanted to uncover the truth about the relationship of Addie's and Bea. I wanted to find out what destroyed them. I wanted to understand why they did the things they did. Their whole world crumbled after the war as did their lives through the choices they made. I felt sorry for Addie for most of the book and I strongly disliked Bea.  I found Bea to be spoiled and expecting everything to go her way. While they were as close as sisters, it's clear that Bea was always the leader, always the important one while Addie was in the background. I enjoyed Clemmie's story -both her personal story and her quest for understanding and uncovering the truth about her grandmother's life. I love how bits and pieces unraveled. Such a wonderfully written tale that swept me away. 

Cover Thoughts: Not a huge fan
Source: My Library