Book review: The Shadow Sister - Lucinda Riley (The Seven Sisters #3)

Star D'Aplièse is at a crossroads in her life after the sudden death of her beloved father - the elusive billionaire, named Pa Salt by his six daughters, all adopted by him from the four corners of the world. He has left each of them a clue to their true heritage, but Star - the most enigmatic of the sisters - is hesitant to step out of the safety of the close relationship she shares with her sister CeCe. In desperation, she decides to follow the first clue she has been left, which leads her to an antiquarian bookshop in London, and the start of a whole new world . . .

A hundred years earlier, headstrong and independent Flora MacNichol vows she will never marry. She is happy and secure in her home in the Lake District, living close to her idol, Beatrix Potter, when machinations outside her control lead her to London, and the home of one of Edwardian society's most notorious players, Alice Keppel. Flora is pulled between passionate love and duty to her family, but finds herself a pawn in a game - the rules of which are only known to others - until a meeting with a mysterious gentleman unveils the answers that Flora has been searching for her whole life . . .

As Star learns more of Flora's incredible journey, she too goes on a voyage of discovery, finally stepping out of the shadow of her sister and opening herself up to the possibility of love.

Transporting readers from the majestic mountains and lakes of Cumbria, to the glorious 'Garden of England' in Kent, The Shadow Sister is the third spellbinding story in the Seven zsisters series.

My opinion.

I literally only put this book down to eat, sleep and work. And reluctantly so.

My expectations for this one were pretty high. I've loved everything I read so far by Lucinda Riley, and the first two installments in The Seven Sisters series were, to be honest, simply brilliant. The Shadow Sister might just be my favourite in the series so far... although I probably felt this excited about the previous two as well. The amount of detail and research that goes into these profound characters and various complicated and surprising plot lines is, as always, astonishing. Lucinda Riley's talent to completely capture her readers knows no bounds.

Through the story of her two elder sisters, we already caught a few glimpses of Star, who up until the start of this book remained a complete mystery. I loved getting to know her, her interests and, of course, especially her family history. Maybe it's her ties to England or her love of books, but I fell in love with her character and this story immediately. Could not put this down.

As another sister's mystery is solved, the questions surrounding Pa Salt and the girls' unusual childhoods remain. I cannot wait to discover more of Atlantis' hidden secrets.

What a brilliant series.

 

Read the first two brilliant installments in The Seven Sisters series: