Stonebridge
Linda Griffin
20th Century Historical Romance/Ghost
After the death of her mother, Rynna Dalton comes to live with her imperious great-grandmother and her bookish, disabled cousin Ted at Stonebridge Manor. Almost immediately she is aware of a mysterious presence, which she believes is the spirit of her mother’s murdered cousin, Rosalind. Rynna is charmed by Rosalind’s lawyer son Jason Wyatt, who courts her, and she agrees to marry him. Meanwhile, Ted and Rynna become good friends.
But Stonebridge holds secrets that will profoundly affect her future. Why is Ted so opposed to the match? Why does Rosalind seem to warn Rynna against it? And how far will Jason go to possess Stonebridge—and the woman he professes to love?
Uncaged Review: This is a well written book, and it kept my interest, to a point. There are a lot of triggers in this, so be warned before you pick it up. Rynna goes to live with her great grandmother at Stonebridge, a huge manor that looks like it was stuck in time. Except for the music room, where Rynna feels the most warmth. Her Aunt Rosalind was murdered by her husband, and Rynna feels her warm presence. Also at Stonebridge, is her cousin Ted, who is disabled from arthritis and spends the majority of his life in a wheelchair. Then there is the other cousin, Jason, and he’s a successful lawyer and the son of Rosalind. Jason is charming and great to be around, and Rynna falls for him easily. But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…
I had a few issues with this one. I don’t think second cousins should marry. I think that relationship is too close, so to me it felt like incest. And the abuse – and Rynna’s stupid decisions – it doesn’t matter what the time stamp on it is, she made some bad decisions throughout most of the book. The one character I had the most attachment to was Ted. The paranormal part of this is very minor, and I wish there would have been a bit more to it, but the ending was satisfactory. If you have been in an abusive relationship or traumatized in any relationship, this may not be a book for you. I think there should be a warning in the blurb area. Other than those issues, the story has a good suspense, if not a little drawn out, with a clever plot.
Reviewed by Cyrene
4 Stars
