Silver Wishes: Book 1 in the Jubilee Lake series

I have to admit that I am not usualy taken with historical romance novels and this book did not convince me otherwise. Given that it was not a bad book to read. It would be an easy book to read while traveling or commuting since it was so simplistic.
The two protagonists, Elinor and her maid/best friend, Maude, escape from the life of drudgery and mental abuse they have living with Elinor's step father. They sneak out a window during the night and manage somehow to make their way to a fairly hidden village in Lancashire where Maude has a distant relative. It is very unbelievable that these two "sheltered" and unworldly women accomplish this but they do. There they find a warm welcome and new home with Walter who never pushes for an explanation of their past experiences and reasons for showing up without warning on his doorstep. The book continues along this line introducing new characters occasionally.
Unfortunately "Silver Linings" never felt natural to me. The characters seemed superficial and vapid. Plot lines were left dangling. I know this is the first in a series but it felt as if the author arbitrarily divided a longer book and sent some chapters to the editor.

It is 1895 and Elinor has been living alone with her tyrannical stepfather in Lancashire but when he dies suddenly she feels freedom beckoning. Her elation is short-lived as she soon discovers that her stepfather has left everything to his awful nephew who is also determined to marry Elinor. Aided and abetted by her maid and best friend Maude, the two of them flee from the area and end up staying with Walter, a distant relative of Maude’s who lives in a remote village where they hope they will be safe. Walter has recently lost his family in a tragic accident and is hoping that one of his grandsons from America will come over to help out and eventually inherit the farm. When Cameron arrives, he fits in really well but is everything quite the way it seems?

On the plus side, the storyline was good and the book was quite gripping at times. It was also very easy to read.

However, it was not all good. Although it was easy to read, it was quite badly written and the character development was sadly lacking. The characters didn’t seem to be rounded, plausible people and I didn’t really feel that I got to know any of them, nor did I empathise or even like them particularly. With the exception of Walter, who was a wonderful character, they were all a bit wishy-washy. A strong central character would have improved things. For me, this weakness was highlighted in the attitude towards marriage. Yes I know it’s set in the late 1800s and that society had certain expectations in that regard but individuals could have their own views on the subject and none of these characters did – they all conformed to the societal norm.

Despite all of these issues, the book was heading for 3 stars (just) until I reached the very end. I was horrified to find that I had invested all that time in getting there only to find that the book was totally unfinished, so many loose ends. Presumably it’s the first part of a series but even so, it should. There were so many loose ends. Even if it is part of a series, a book should stand-alone in its own right and this one clearly doesn’t - we are just left hanging as most of the strands of the story are not explained or resolved. I am afraid I downgraded it to 2 stars as a result.

I had never come across Anna Jacobs before and I am afraid I may not be reading more of her books any time soon. Just not my cup of tea.

Not my chosen genre, but a book that will hold broad appeal. Whilst it doesn’t set the world on fire, it is a comfortable read. The characters are well drawn and the book flows, with an ending that will not disappoint romantics. A good book for a train journey.

A brilliant hard to put down book mostly set in a village in Lancashire in 1895. I loved the family dynamics and the anticipation of what will happen next. Elinor and Maude came across as weak women which was disappointing for me I but loved the male characters Cam, Bryn and Walter. Even the baddies were written well leaving me interested in their lives. A good mixture of suspense and romance
I am looking forward to book two in the Jubilee Lake series.

Set in Lancashire at the end on the 19th century this new saga series is potentially onto a winner. I liked the main characters ( Maude and Elinor) and you have a immediate affinity with them, you are wanting them to escape, to get the life they deserve.
Anna Jacobs takes you on a journey with her description of the landscape, the people and the age that it is set in.
I quite enjoyed it.