The Other Daughter

June 1, 2015
Best known for her long-running Pink Carnation series, Willig has been venturing outside of the Napoleonic era for her stand-alone offerings. Her latest is set in 1920s England, where respectable governess Rachel Woodley has been dealt a double blow when her mother dies and she discovers her father, whom she'd long thought dead, is living in London with a wife and two grown children. Rachel grew up believing her father was a botanist, but the pages of a society magazine reveal that he's actually an earl with a large estate. With the help of a handsome, droll gossip columnist, Simon Montfort, Rachel reinvents herself as a socialite and works her way into the social circle of her sister, Lady Olivia. As much as she wants revenge on her father, Rachel can't help but sympathize with her repressed sister, even when she's rocked by the discovery that Simon and Olivia were once engaged. Vibrant and thrilling, Willig's third stand-alone should garner an audience beyond fans of the Pink Carnation series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

June 15, 2015

In early 1927, Rachel Woodley leaves her position as governess to be with her ailing mother, but she arrives too late and the world she knew is gone. Cleaning out their cottage, Rachel is stunned to find a current photo of her deceased father. Not only is he alive, but he's an earl with a wife and two adult children. Gaining the assistance of Simon Montfort, a gentleman with proper connections, Rachel assumes the life of a Bright Young Thing hoping to meet these strangers who are her family. Endearing characters struggle with consequences of old and new relationships that continue evolving until the final page. VERDICT Willig's (That Summer; The Ashford Affair) judicious use of 1920s slang and famous names to be spotted by alert readers creates a strong sense of place and time; she also respects the social hierarchy required to depict genuine British aristocracy of the time. This stand-alone will appeal equally to longtime Willig fans and readers looking for character-driven, historical fiction with a light touch of romance. [See Prepub Alert, 11/25/15; library marketing.]--Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2015

In the 1920s, when Rachel Woodley returns to her tiny English hometown after her mother's death, she discovers a scrapbook proving that her father is an earl with a debutante daughter--and that Rachel herself is illegitimate. Beloved author Willig trades in her "Pink Carnations" to offer a taste of revenge.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.