Illusions of Happiness

May 15, 2013
At the start of this dramatic novel, Lord warns readers that Madeleine Ingleton will be contemplating suicide. The story then turns to Madeleine's graduation from a Swiss finishing school in 1914, when her parents chose her fianc'. Instead of following their wishes, Madeleine becomes pregnant by a local dairy worker and is thrown out of the house. A wealthy widower then marries her for companionship, an arrangement that works until she falls in love with his nephew. Lord has her protagonist trace the child she placed for adoption and go through many more torments, including a miscarriage, widowhood, and lost love. Madeleine is so beaten down she does not want to go on. Lord ensures that Madeleine is a sympathetic character as she faces painful choices in a tale that captures the emotions and dilemmas facing women during this less-than-liberated time. A somber yet intriguing historical saga with a satisfying ending that will appeal to fans of Danielle Steel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)