I went into this book quite blind, but what I found was a refreshing surprise that quickly found a special place in my cold, black heart. It is in the style of a private journal as Cassandra Mortmain details the lives of her poor, eccentric, but loveable family living in a tumbledown English castle. She writes about her unpredictable writer father, her ditzy but loving stepmother, her sister Rose who dreams of escaping poverty whatever it takes, and her younger brother Thomas.
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Cassandra's voice flows naturally and the book reads like a dream; you feel like you're Cassandra's best friend, whispering secrets and hopes together. I loved all of the characters: dramatic Topaz, dear Stephen, the enigmatic Simon & Neil... and my darling Heloïse. I was so happy that the pupper was so heavily featured in this, anything she did just made me smile!
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I thought I didn't like books that were quite heavy on the romance, but this was so much more, the way it was written completely sucks you in! And as Cassandra says, what is a book if you don't wonder about the characters long after you've finished it? I'm definitely still thinking about them after the ending!
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Beautiful scenery, loveable but flawed characters, this book is just charming! 5 lovely stars.