Books Read: Catherine King - The Lost and Found Girl

Source - Received from the publisher to review

Promises
Beth thought marrying gentleman farmer Edgar Collins would rescue her from a life of endless servitude, but her future would be bleaker than she could ever imagine.

Pain
When the legitimacy of her twin babies is questioned, the tiny infants are sent far away.  James is adopted by Edgar's uncle, the very wealthy Lord Redfern, master of Redfern Abbey.  But Daisy is sent to a cold-hearted childress couple who raise her to be a maid, rather than a daughter.

Passion
When Daisy, at sixteen, finally escapes her hard life with her adoptive brother Boyd, they arrive at the Abbey to seek work.  Little does Daisy know that her real flesh and blood is the next in line to be the lord of the Abbey.  There is a strange connection between Daisy and James, something they can neither explain nor ignore.  But will the truth be discovered in time?


I'd like to thank Frances from Little Brown Book Group for sending me a copy of this book to review.  This is definitely not the type of book that I would normally read but as mentioned previously I've set myself several challenges this year which includes reading books that I wouldn't normally read.

The book begins with the arranged marriage of Beth to farmer Edgar where she thinks she will finally be lady of the house.  But sadly for her she has simply swapped one life of servitude for another as she is expected to wait on Edgar and his mother and produce an heir to claim a long-lost family title.

When she gives birth to twins, a week apart, the legitimacy of her daughter Daisy is doubted and both babies are cruelly snatched from her.  Her son, James, is taken by his father to his great-uncle as heir to the title but her daughter is handed over to a couple who had earlier taken in another child, Boyd, but this is no loving family.

As a result of her children being taken from her, Beth suffers a breakdown and is giving 'medicine' to calm her but it's a long time until she is able to regain health and with the aid of her friend, Abel, hope that one day she will be reunited with her children. 

The story then leaps forward to when Daisy is a teenager when she decides that she cannot take anymore of the beatings so she and her brother Boyd decide to run away.  They stumble upon the Abbey where they both secure jobs.  When Daisy first catches a glimpse of James there is an instant connection between them but they do not realise that there is more than being gentry and servant that prevent them from having a relationship....

Will they discover they are brother and sister before it's too late and will Beth ever see her children again, you'll just have to read the book for yourself to see how it all pans out. 

Despite this not being the type of book that I would normally read I actually found it easy to read and would definitely recommend it if you like reading period dramas.