The Orchid House

Spanning from the 1930s to the present day, from the Wharton Park estate in England to Thailand, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a concert pianist and the aristocratic Crawford family, whose shocking secrets are revealed, leading to devastating consequences.

As a child, concert pianist Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park, the grand estate where her grandfather tended exotic orchids. Years later, while struggling with overwhelming grief over the death of her husband and young child, she returns to this tranquil place. There she reunites with Kit Crawford, heir to the estate and her possible salvation.

When they discover an old diary, Julia seeks out her grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed the estate. Their search takes them back to the 1940s when Harry, a former heir to Wharton Park, married his young society bride, Olivia, on the eve of World War II. When the two lovers are cruelly separated, the impact will be felt for generations to come.

I started reading this book in the early afternoon and it had me spellbound until I was finished.  It alternated between two stories (separated by 70 years) of family history, secrets, grief, hurt, loss and reconciliation.   So wonderfully written, the author brings to life the settings of Thailand and Wharton Park, I felt as if I were right there with these characters.  A couple of  twists that made the books such a delight!  A great read.

Author: Lucinda Riley
Published: February 2012
Pages: 447
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Source:  Atria Books
Finished: 7/7/12


This complimentary review copy was received thankfully from Adiya Mobley and Atria Books a division of Simon and Schuster and in no way influenced my review of this book. These are my personal thoughts and reactions to the reading of the book.