The Bronte Plot ~ Review

The Brontë Plot
By Katherine Reay

Lucy Alling loves a good story and she loves to tell one on occasion.  Combined this makes her perfect for her preferred career - a seller and procurer of rare books in a Chicago shop.  But Lucy is hiding a secret - a secret that may change everything for her and not necessarily for the better.

Lucy is determined to move past her mistakes, but to do this she must first put her past behind her. But how does one move on from what was to what will be?  Lucy is about to get some unexpected help from Helen Carmichael her ex-boyfriend's grandmother.

Helen has secrets of her own and a past that is linked to Lucy's.  As these two women seek to overcome the past and its mistakes they will discover the strengths that can be found amidst the pages of heroines of old can be discovered even today.

Lucy and Helen are both burdened by the choices that they have made.  And prompted by current circumstances they set out on a journey that will bring healing by reopening old wounds.

Kathleen Reay has a talent for bringing the truths from classic favorites into our world.  The road not traveled is often just as important as the one we chose.  The question we must ask ourselves is why did we chose the path we did?  What was our motivation?

If you are looking for a story that can just take you away for awhile this one can do it.  But be forewarned you may be tempted by that all too common trap of Just one more chapter.  This book is worth the sleep deprivation though.

I was provided a copy of this book through the Fiction Guild in exchange for my honest review.


About the Book:

When Lucy’s secret is unearthed, her world begins to crumble. But it may be the best thing that has ever happened to her.

Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious liberties to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend, James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt and trouble. Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James’s wealthy grandmother, Helen, hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy’s predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen’s wisdom as Helen confronts ghosts from her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters’ beloved heroines who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of impossible circumstances.

Now Lucy must face her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that’s been waiting for her all along.