Mr. Rose carried a goldfish in a pail. It was a sultry Sunday morning, but he was wrapped in a light wool comforter. His troublesome cough had worsened, despite the sea air and the ministrations of his physician, yet the fatigue he had laboured under when he arrived in Devonshire had dissipated. He felt renewed, invigorated and full of purpose.
That morning he had written again to Mr. Hayley, recounting the secret that the Reverend Swete had imparted to him at the midweek ball, his tongue loosened by several bowls of punch: the true identity of the girl on the beach. The child’s very existence was the strongest proof of all that they had fought for and canvassed. Their beloved poet had not lived to see the fruits of his labours, but Hayley’s Life and Posthumous Writings of William Cowper Esq. would make amends and seal William’s name among the great abolitionists, helped in small part by the addition of Mr. Rose’s own reminiscences and cache of letters from dear Cowper. All in good time, he said to himself.
This imagined summer holiday gives Jane Austen the love she tells so beautifully for the world.
Official synopsis:
To her joy, brother Frank arrives, fresh from naval exploits in the war against Napoleon. His friend Captain Parker seems to be making a play for Jane’s affections, but her sharp emotional intelligence tells her that something is not quite right. Meanwhile, she assists the eccentric Reverend Swete in finding a home for his bi-racial granddaughter who has arrived from the West Indies.
Jane initially takes against another visitor to the seaside resort of Sidmouth, the lawyer Samuel Rose, but as she gets to know him, a wholly different feeling begins to blossom. . . .
This was a truly delightful novel of what Jane Austen’s six weeks while moving from her family’s country home to Bath may have been. Her parents are hoping to marry their daughters into loving relationships, hopefully while elevating their station financially.
Happiness is what matters to Jane and her sister, whose previous fiancé died. While Jane knows the solicitor looks like a better match for success, she feels more attraction initially to another man in the community. But there is more to be learned about everyone, and none of them expects their story to end by the sea.
The story was relaxing and meandering between different members of Jane’s family and her brother’s friends and contacts. The book earned 3 out of 5 stars, but would be a more compelling read for those who are already fans of Jane Austen and want to learn more about what could be imagined for the missing chapters of her life.
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Becki Bayley is a wife and mother who enjoys fresh air, feeling the sun on her skin, and reading books just for fun sometimes. Check out her adventures with her family on her Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.
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