If it wasn't for Charlotte Vale-Allen's name on the cover, I may not have picked up this book. In this case, judging a book by its cover would have been my loss. The title and cover art just don't do it for me. Each taken separately might have been okay; however, the combination led me to believe this was a Mary Higgins Clark-type novel. Although I'm sure Mary Higgins Clark writes some wonderful books, I've never been particularly enamored of them.

Anyway, without further digression, I just want to say that Charlotte Vale-Allen has created another great book in a long line of great books. She has the ability to pull you in to each of her character's personalities and lives and somehow the pages just fly by. At the end of each of her books you feel like these are real people you know and care about. She's a masterful storyteller who really knows her craft. ( )