Review - Cinders & Sapphires (At Somerton #1) by Leila Rasheed

Title: Cinders & Sapphires

Author: Leila Rasheed

Series: 1st

Pages: 400

Published: January 22nd 2013 by Disney-Hyperion 

ISBN: 9781423171171

Source: Publisher via Netgalley

 

Description: One house, two worlds...Rose Cliffe has never met a young lady like her new mistress. Clever, rich, and beautiful, Ada Averley treats Rose as an equal. And Rose could use a friend. Especially now that she, at barely sixteen, has risen to the position of ladies’ maid. Rose knows she should be grateful to have a place at a house like Somerton. Still, she can’t help but wonder what her life might have been had she been born a lady, like Ada. For the first time in a decade, the Averleys have returned to Somerton, their majestic ancestral estate. But terrible scandal has followed Ada’s beloved father all the way from India. Now Ada finds herself torn between her own happiness and her family’s honor. Only she has the power to restore the Averley name—but it would mean giving up her one true love . . . someone she could never persuade her father to accept.

I Give This ...

  

I keep seeing this compared to the show Downton Abbey.  Apparently I need to watch this show because I really enjoyed this book.

I don't normally go for the gossip and cattiness that comes with well-off people, especially teenagers.  But, there's something about Regency England that I just love.  And honestly, cattiness and gossip are just part of the nobility.  I was hoping to get something different with Ada and her sister Georgia.  And I was partly right.  Ava is not only beautiful, she's smart.  She wants to go against the grain and attend college.  Something relatively unheard of in that day and age.  Her sister isn't entirely that same mold, but I liked her nonetheless.  She's that girl you want to protect no matter what.

The problem lies in the fact that the sisters have spent most of their lives in India, far away from the glaring eyes and loose tongues of The Ton.  They haven't learned yet how to guard their secrets and maybe even their hearts.   Her father's quick departure from India has left the family as the hot topic on the gossip chain.  His quick engagement leaves more questions than answers.   Her soon to be stepsister and stepmother will stop at nothing to bring those of the Somerton house to their knees.  But, it turns out they are hiding just as many secrets of their own.

A pages turner for sure.  I love the idea of the nobility, but every once in awhile a book comes to light that reminds how hard and dangerous that kind of life could be.  It didn't take much to bring you down, and then life could turn around and bring you back up.  I eagerly await the next book in this fun series!