The story continues...

This sequel to The girl who dared to Dream is not only giving Mabel Oakley a voice but also Lucinda McFarlane. In the girl who dared to Dream Lucinda was not really very nice, a bit arrogant and spoiled, but in this book her true nature is revealed, and she is definitely not like her mother!

Lucinda not yet eighteen is being introduced to make her debut for this year’s season. She and David Melcome fall for each other and have plans to marry. Lucinda is being shown around by David to his family home in the country and is impressed and overwhelmed by the grandeur of it.

Mabel on the other hand is doing her utmost to keep on running the printing company she inherited from Thomas Clarke. She has a good eye for business and thrives pretty well. She moved the printing company to the workshop in the garden of their new house, the house which came with the inheritance too, so is basically working from home.

Next to Lucinda and Mabel we also get to meet Mavis, daughter of Doreen, the life in help from Andrew Oakley, and Annie an old friend of Mabel back from her schooldays.

Diney describes the live of the gentry and the working class and the differences between those, you really get a feel of life in the pre-World War 1 era. The installation of electricity but also the will of women to speak out and choose for themselves.

It says that Lady Diana Fosse-Bury plays a role in the book, but this is a smaller role than Lucinda and Mabel have, the book is mainly focused on the latter.

The epilogue is entirely devoted to Lucinda which I had not expected, it was a perfect ending and there is clearly room for a part three in which these girls have become women who don't let themselves be pushed around!

Thanks to Head of Zeus Ltd and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy.

Characters 8| Atmosphere 8 | Writing style 8 | Plot 9| Intrigue 8| Logic 8| Enjoyment 9 | Score 8.29 = 4 stars