Sandra Evans

I’ve seen recommendations for this in three women’s magazines and I am unable to understand the draw. I would say Agbaje-Williams’ writing style is good at drawing you in, but the story just plain sad to me. Two friends, one domineering who looks down on her friend for deciding to marry and lead a basic life, the other lacking any ambitions in life other than having the good things and a lot of wine. All three characters narrate, and yet none of them seems to have a beating heart.

Ok for a summer read. Has-been royals in a has-been castle with generations of behaving badly sort of resulting in a comeuppance. It tries to say say a lot, but only gets halfway there. Could have been edited down a bit—probably in terms of characters. You get interested in Arabella and Tuffy, but they don’t get much more. The middle son is abandoned, the big love story has little motivation.