About the book…
1929. When a passionate love affair threatens to leave Lucy in disgrace, she chooses a respectable marriage over a life of shame. With her husband, coffee plantation owner James, she travels to her new home in India, leaving her troubled past behind her.
Everything in India is new to Lucy, from the jewel-coloured fabrics to the exotic spices. When her path crosses that of Gowri, a young woman who tends the temple on the plantation’s edge, Lucy is curious to find out more about her, and the events that lead her to live in isolation from her family…
Now. With her career in shatters and her heart broken by the man she thought was her future, Kayva flees from bustling Mumbai to her hometown. A crumbling temple has been discovered in a village nearby, and with it letters detailing its tragic history – desperate pleas from a young woman called Gowri.
As Kavya learns of Gowri and Lucy’s painful story, she begins to understand the terrible sacrifices that were made and the decision the two women took that changed their lives forever. Can the secrets of the past help Kavya to rebuild her life?
A breath-taking journey through the rolling hills of India, deep into the secrets hidden within a family. For fans of Santa Montefiore, Dinah Jefferies and Victoria Hislop.
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About the author…
Renita grew up in a picturesque coastal village in the South of India, the oldest of three children. Her father got her first story books when she was six and she fell in love with the world of stories. Even now she prefers that world, by far, to this.
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My thoughts…
This is the first book I've read of Renita's and now I've got to go back and read all her others. This was such a beautiful read with characters that you can't help rooting for. The story is set between the 1920's and the present day and is told from the viewpoint of four very different women - Lucy, Gawri, Kavya and Sue. Each from different backgrounds and upbringings, each with a reason to want to escape to another life. Each thought they had it all before life puts them on a different path.
I particularly loved reading about India, a country that is on the top of my must visit places. So many different cultures and traditions played out across the pages, some uplifting and vibrant like the beautiful silks and sari's and some dark and tragic - I found it very moving and humbling to read about Gowri in particular.
This was more than just a good read for me, the words Renita wrote painted a picture so vivid I literally flew through the pages, a very thought provoking, emotional read. I sat for a long while after finishing the book just contemplating how very different peoples lives can be - we all have hopes and dreams of living happy lives and sometimes the tiniest thing can shatter them. A Daughter's Courage is a wake-up call, nothing should ever be taken for granted because in the blink of an eye it can all change.
I highly recommend A Daughter's Courage on so many levels, family, friendship, love, hope, tragedy, travel and characters who have the greatest grit and determination - a must read.
