Readers are introduced to the dramatic world in England and an artistic lifestyle in France as they become steeped in the lives of a theatrical family. Desiree, a leading actress, and her daughter Noelle have a special relationship. After Desiree's death, however, a secret the woman had kept is revealed, and Noelle is shattered. She flees to France to try to put her life in order. Then her mother's former understudy writes to inform her that she has married the man Noelle loves. YAs will enjoy the theater background and the trials of a struggling artist. The history of the early 1900s is intriguing but not overwhelming. Although there are many twists in the plot and a great many characters, the story is still easy to follow. Once into it, readers will be kept guessing until the very last chapter. An excellent choice for Holt fans and for those who love historical romances.

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I had a hard time staying interested in this book in the beginning. It got better as it went on but was not one of my favorites.

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Noelle, daughter of London musical theatre celebrity Desiree, narrates the story. The settings range from England's London, Kent & Cornell, to France's Paris and its countryside. Set in the 1860's, the story does capture the excitement of theatre first nights, discovery of past civilizations (Roman ruins in Kent), and heritage. Deceit and manipulation, and their motives, are woven throughout the plot without judgement by the author, or the narrator. In my opinion, the global theme is that every action, regardless of the decision behind it, impacts others. The characters never come alive for me, but the sounds of the cities, the haunting loneliness of areas outside large cities, and the excitement of discoveries sustained my interest. I found myself wanting to research London theatrical history, France under the Bonapartes, and Roman forays into England. Narrator Noelle, for all her innocence, does have a cynical component to her personality, which she tries to suppress. Characters gain depth (but not life) through Noelle's faithful recounting of conversations with the other characters; everyone she knows has something to say about someone else she knows. In addition to these filtered reports, Noelle adds her own impressions of each character. On the whole, I enjoyed the book, and found myself looking forward to reading it, although I would not classify it a page-turner. Setting and theme were more provocative than character and story.

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A bit of a slow read but an interesting story.

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Romantic suspense.

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Victoria Holt is always great for romance & suspense...diaster strikes Noelle's world & a dark secret forces her to flee to Paris. She finds joy but also discovers secrets, scandals, and death.

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not my favorite, but i enjoyed it.

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