Title: Love in a Mist by Sarah Harrison
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Genre: Historical (70s & 90s), Fiction
Length: 224 pages
Book Rating: C+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Who knows what secrets lie within a marriage …? Sarah Harrison’s compelling new romantic drama.
Everyone envies young Flora Mayfield: she has the best parents in the world. A successful, handsome father and a gorgeous, vivacious mother who adore each other, and no siblings with whom to share the limelight of their love and attention.
But Flora has always known there’s something rather different about her family life. Her parents, Nico and Zinny, set an impossible standard – of beauty, of success, of romance. Clever, plain Flora feels condemned to live in their shadow. But just as she begins to blossom, having fallen in love for the first time, a devastating piece of news forces Flora to confront her parents about the past, unearthing a series of shocking secrets and causing Flora to question her very identity.
Love in a Mist is a compelling tale about the corruption of lies, the terrifying discovery of truth and the hard-won freedom, finally, to love.
Review:
Love in a Mist by Sarah Harrison is an intriguing novel that reads like a memoir.
Flora Mayfield lives with her parents Nico and Zinny in a seaside town along the British coast. Her mom is glamorous and beautiful whereas her dad is more playful without much ambition. They are so in love that Flora sometimes often feels like an afterthought to their lives. An only child, Flora is rather introverted with few friends. It is not until she is an adult that Flora uncovers the truth about the odd dynamic between her and her parents.
After reaching adulthood, Flora eschews going on to university and she enjoys the various jobs she undertakes. It is not until she begins working for college professor and mystery writer Edwin Clayborne that she is completely content. She and Edwin have a easy working relationship and she is content with her life. However, Flora’s relationship with her parents remains a bit distant but an unexpected letter leads to a shocking revelation.
Weaving back and forth in time, Love in a Mist is a somewhat slow-paced novel with an interesting premise. Flora is a delightful narrator but she is rather prone to introspection. The plot is well-written and Sarah Harrison’s descriptive prose brings the various settings vibrantly to life. An overall enjoyable read that keeps readers in suspense right up until the novel’s surprising conclusion.
