France 1919: Jessie is celebrating the last heady days of her honeymoon. But when her husband suddenly disappears she finds herself bereft. Until a chance encounter thrusts her into the centre of the intoxicating world of Parisian high life.
Hollywood 1945: Lisa has come a long way from her quiet, unassuming life in London and is taking Hollywood by storm. But all that glitters is not gold, and as the smoke and mirrors of the lifestyle she so longed for shatter around her there are some secrets she can never escape.
London 1965: Cat, headstrong and independent, drawn to danger and passionately opposed to injustice, has no idea of the legacy that precedes her. Once past secrets are unveiled, she has the chance to find out what liberty really means...
An evocative story of survival, betrayal and the invincibility of love.
Although Liberty Silk is the first book by the author written as Kate Beaufoy, I've been a fan of hers for years having read all of her Kate Thompson novels so I was intrigued when I first heard about this change in writing direction.
Liberty Silk is a timespan novel which takes us on a journey through the years from the early twentieth century through to the 1960s introducing us to three strong women, Jessie, Lisa and Cat. Jessie was madly in love with her painter husband Scotch when she suddenly finds herself pregnant and alone in Paris in 1919, Baba is desperate to make a name for herself in post-war Hollywood as an actress as Lisa La Touche, and eventually we meet Cat who is trying to make a name for herself as a photographer in war-torn countries and it's through her that the story comes full circle...
At first it's not obvious what the connection is between the three women but over time as the story unfolds it all becomes clear. My favourite characters were both Jessie and Lisa who both endured heartache and had to make the ultimate sacrifice that is truly unimaginable but it's through these experiences that their futures are shaped and makes them stronger.
I loved the fact that this story was inspired by letters from Kate's own grandmother, Jessie Beaufoy, and a beautiful Liberty Silk dress, and from these starting points she has written a story that draws you in from the very first page.
Liberty Silk was a brilliantly crafted story from Kate Beaufoy which was simply stunning, I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical timespan novels and have already given a copy to a friend and bought a copy to give away in next month's blogiversary giveaway.
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