The Empty House....meh..
Coming Home and The Shell Seekers set a very high bar for Rosamunde Pilcher novels. While I didn't expect any of her other work might reach the epic length or sweeping writing style, this book was a disappointment. Honestly, I made myself finish it then scratched my head thinking, WTF.
Virginia Keile is a 27 year old widow. She is boring, self absorbed and a poor mother. Not an intentionally cruel mother to her two young children, rather negligent to their needs. Virginia has lost her husband but her young children also experienced loss as they are now without their father. So what does she do? She leaves Scotland and heads to Cornwall to stay with a friend of her mother's while pining over "the man who got away" just prior to her marriage.
No please, don't comfort your children. Keep your head in the clouds and day dream about a rude man who you wished you had married instead. The ending seemed rushed and unrealistic, as if a deadline had come up and Pilcher thought - better wrap this up and get it to print!
I am a huge fan of Rosamunde Pilcher so it would be disingenuous of me to say how much I loved this book, just passing it off as her off her game. Loved the setting but not the story. 2 stars
⭐⭐
