Lynn Austin: All My Secrets

 By Kelly Bridgewater

Bestselling author Lynn Austin returns with a luminous work of historical fiction set amid the opulence of Gilded Age New York, where three generations of women in one family must reckon with the choices they have made and their hopes for the future.

New York, 1898. The only thing more shocking than Arthur Stanhope III’s unexpected death is the revelation that his will bestows his company—and most of the vast fortune that goes with it—to the nearest male heir, leaving his mother, wife, and daughter nearly impoverished. His widow, Sylvia, quickly realizes she must set aside her grief to ensure their daughter, Adelaide, is launched into society as soon as the appropriate mourning period passes. If Sylvia can find a wealthy husband for Addy before anyone realizes they’re practically destitute, there will be little disruption to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to.

Sylvia’s mother-in-law, Junietta, believes their life could use a little disruption. She has watched Sylvia play her role as a society wife, as Junietta once did, despite what it cost them both. Junietta vows to give her granddaughter the power to choose a path beyond what society expects.

But for Addy to have that chance, both mother and grandmother must first confront painful truths about their own choices. Only in bringing their secrets to light can they hope to reshape their family inheritance into a legacy more fulfilling than they ever dared dream.

 

My Thoughts:

All My Secrets by Lynn Austin is a reminder of the bad results of holding grudges and allowing God’s forgiveness to come into a family and change each individual lives. Three different women joined together by blood, but three different life’s paths make them realize how close and important they are actually to one another. The plot was organized into three different perspectives from each individual woman. Current time of 1898 and back to the past to hear the older women’s stories. A little bit of romance. A little bit of learning about the harsh realities of life outside their cushy wealthy lives. The heroines were defined, unique, yet Austin did a wonderful job at allowing them to change from the characters at the beginning of the book to the end except for the matriarch of the family. She already had the transformation, but she wanted to share it with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. The story was written well, and the plot captured my attention, and I couldn’t wait to see how the story ended. Overall, All My Secrets by Lynn Austin is a   story that will capture the reader’s attention and make them question any slight grudges they may be holding in their lives. I will own a copy of this novel to put in my library.

I received a complimentary copy of All My Secrets by Lynn Austin from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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