Darjeeling Inheritance

The Colonials #1

by Liz Harris

Darjeeling, 1930

After eleven years in school in England, Charlotte Lawrence returns to Sundar, the tea plantation owned by her family, and finds an empty house. She learns that her beloved father died a couple of days earlier and that he left her his estate. She learns also that it was his wish that she marry Andrew McAllister, the good-looking younger son from a neighbouring plantation.

Unwilling to commit to a wedding for which she doesn’t feel ready, Charlotte pleads with Dan Fitzgerald, the assistant manager of Sundar, to teach her how to run the plantation while she gets to know Andrew. Although reluctant as he knew that a woman would never be accepted as manager by the local merchants and workers, Dan agrees.

Charlotte’s chaperone on the journey from England, Ada Eastman, who during the long voyage, has become a friend, has journeyed to Darjeeling to marry Harry Banning, the owner of a neighbouring tea garden.

When Ada marries Harry, she’s determined to be a loyal and faithful wife. And to be a good friend to Charlotte. And nothing, but nothing, was going to stand in the way of that.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Historical Romance

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2021

About the author

Born in London, Liz Harris graduated from university with a Law degree, and then moved to California, where she led a varied life, from waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company.

Six years later, she returned to London and completed a degree in English, after which she taught secondary school pupils, first in Berkshire, then Cheshire, and then in Oxfordshire.

In addition to the eighteen novels she’s had published, she’s had several short stories in anthologies and magazines.

Liz now lives in Windsor, Berkshire. An active member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Historical Novel Society, her interests are travel, the theatre, reading and cryptic crosswords.

To find out more about Liz, visit her website at: www.lizharrisauthor.com. You can sign up to her monthly newsletter from her website, and as a thank-you gift, you’ll receive a free book, Word Perfect, a romance set in California.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was 1930 when Charlotte Lawrence returned to the family tea plantation in India, Sundar, after eleven years virtually imprisoned at the boarding school in England, looking forward to catching up with her beloved father and mother. But Sundar seemed empty when she arrived and it was when she saw the estate's assistant manager, Dan Fitzgerald, that she received a terrible shock. Her father, Charles, had died only two days before her arrival. Charlotte was devastated, and then shocked to learn her father had left Sundar to her. He had also arranged for her to marry the son of the adjoining plantation, Andrew McAllister, so the two plantations could be combined.

Beside herself with grief, she was not ready for marriage, and Andrew was prepared to wait. Charlotte wanted to learn the life of the tea plantation as she’d loved working by her father’s side when she was young. So Dan proceeded to teach her the detailed and many facets of the tea making.

When Charlotte had sailed for India, she’d had an English woman, Ada Eastman as her chaperone. Ada was travelling to Darjeeling to marry Harry Banning, giving her a new start to her life. But Ada hadn’t changed, much as she thought she could and would…

Darjeeling Inheritance by Liz Harris started off well – an historical fiction novel which is up there with my favourite genres. It was interesting with descriptions of tea making as Charlotte was learning, of the small township of Darjeeling and the many tea plantations in the area. But around the halfway mark the book started to deteriorate – into a steamy, wild sex romp – and that’s not what I signed up for! So consequently, I was disappointed.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlotte Lawrence has spent eleven years at boarding school in England and she’s excited to be returning home to Darjeeling and her family’s tea plantation. When she arrives, the house is empty, her mother Winifred and father Charles are not home and she’s told the terrible news. Her father Charles died a couple of days earlier, from dysentery and she’s devastated.

Charlotte inherits Sundar, Dan Fitzgerald’s the assistant manager, Charlotte wants to learn everything she can about running a tea garden and Dan agrees to show her. It involves early mornings, really long days, delegating jobs to the workers and negotiating with old fashioned tea merchants.

Charlotte’s fathers wish is for her to marry Andrew McAllister, the younger son of Douglas, combine their plantations and create a tea dynasty. Charlotte’s only eighteen, she upset by her father’s death, and she doesn’t want to rush into marriage, she needs time to get to know Andrew and it’s a big decision. An English woman’s role in Darjeeling in the 1930's was to marry, have children and make friends in the small social group, would Charlotte be happy with this lifestyle and she wouldn't be involved in the running of the estate!

Ada Eastman, chaperoned Charlotte on the journey from England, she’s marrying Harry Banning and he’s a neighbor of the Lawrence’s and the McAllister’s. For Ada moving to Darjeeling is a chance for a fresh start, Harry’s a steady chap, she will have financial stability, and live close to her new friend.

Darjeeling Inheritance is a story about family, loyalty, expectations, friendship, romance, secrets, betrayal, and set in a beautiful location. I didn’t realize growing tea was so involved, I enjoyed how the whole process was included in the narrative and I’m a tea lover.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, a fascinating story, well researched, lots of descriptive information and four stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/

[Amrita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was difficult for me to review. I grew up reading books such as this one, including the ones by MM Kaye, whom the author credits as part of her research in writing this book, and I really enjoyed them. However, it was much easier to gloss over some of the more problematic issues of stories such as this when it was written in the middle of the 20th century by people who were steeped in Raj culture than reading something written today by a person to whom the Raj is just as foreign as it is to me, a modern day Indian.

It's a bit hard not to read this book and see it as "a bunch of racists engage in drama at a hill station" - especially when the author herself seems aware of the fact. I suppose the great difference between a mid-20th century product of the Raj author and a modern author is that the former really felt no need to stress upon the racism of their characters because it was as natural to them as breathing air whereas the latter needs to pause and specify in detail for historical authenticity, even if said exposition is delivered by a man who is just as much of a racist as the people he's talking about. It's really hard to engage with characters who are explicitly written as racist and feel anything for them but contempt. I think I might have felt more kindly towards this book if the author had just let the characters live and die by their actions and words.

The other problem with this book is that the putative villain of the story is actually rather sympathetic. She behaves badly and is clearly a mess, but she's a very understandable mess and far more interesting than the actual female lead who is just as colorless as multiple characters point out. From the synopsis, I initially thought the FL was going to be fierce and a rule breaker but actually, she just subsides into the role the ML imagines for her. In so many of these stories, misogyny walks in lockstep with the racism and it is no different here. Each of the women characters, dead or alive (or offstage and voiceless as in the case of the Indian one), is at the mercy of a patriarchal system of barter - and the male lead is a clear proponent of it which might be true to the age but certainly doesn't endear him to me as a reader.

The story itself moves at a good clip and is atmospheric - if you've never been to Darjeeling and would like a sense of what the town is like, this book is a pretty good representation of it as it lives today - Keventer's stands at the same spot as does the Planter's Club and Tiger Hill and the monastery at Ghoom and so on. It wasn't clear whether the author had ever actually been to Darjeeling though and I'll say that it does lean heavily into the "insects and snakes" trope of India which is not only outdated but also largely exaggerated.

2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.0 for taking me back to Darjeeling.

My thanks to Netgalley and Heywood Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sundar

An enchanting story set in the foothills of the Himalayas, the tea region of Darjeeling in the country of India a young girl discovering life and love in her childhood home of Sundar. It tells of the beauty of the Sunrise, the majesty of the tea gardens and the interesting history of how the tea is processed.

Charlotte grew up on the tea plantation in India, then as a young girl she was sent to school in England. After her father dies she returns to Darjeeling and the tea garden of Sundar. She finds she has inherited Sundar and that her father's wishes were for her to marry the son of the McAllister's and merge their tea gardens together. Her mother is anxious for her to marry so she can return to England as she has never liked India. Charlotte is not sure about any of it.

The story is that of Charlotte, how she learns about Sundar and how tea is processed. It is about her learning about life and her feelings and what she wishes in life as opposed to what other's have planned for her. Will she follow her father's wishes, or will she find her own way.

The book is filled with love, romance, beauty, but also betrayal and family secrets long left alone. In a small place where the servants know more about the family than their own family and where rumor is common and customs are rich we follow along with the Lawrence and McAllister families as the drama plays out.

It was an interesting read and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it.

Thanks to Liz Harris, Heywood Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.

[Ari]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is colonizer romance in the backdrop of my colonized ancestors, yes?

With all due respect, fuck this shit. I am tired of white people thinking colonized India is a romantic getaway where their colonizer characters get to have an HEA.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Harris has successfully transported me to 1930s India in her five-star novel set on a tea plantation in Darjeeling! I’ve read books set in colonial India before, but Harris has a superb gift in making life during the British Raj come to life. Harris’s strong sense of place, evident in her skyscapes, distinctive dialogue, syntax, as well as specifics of the 5 senses, helps readers effortlessly make the imaginative leap back into the fascinating world of the past.

Readers who love a strong female protagonist are going to love Charlotte Lawrence. Just as she returns to the plantation after 11 years at boarding school in England, the 19-year-old discovers that her father has died and left her the estate. His last wish was that she’d marry, Andrew McAllister, the good-looking son of the neighbouring plantation. Choosing not to be railroaded into a commitment she’s not ready to make, she throws herself into her plan to run the plantation single-handedly. The plantation’s assistant manager, Dan Fitzgerald, aids her in her quest. Can she hold off her suiter’s advances long enough to take the reins of the plantation? Or will she realize her ambition is too grand a scheme and relent to a partnership, loveless or not?

Robert Burns captured it best when he penned “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” On paper, Charlotte’s plan could be simply executed. However, when expectations meet the arrogance, greed, deception and lust of human nature, a carefully planned future gets re-written. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Flexibility and the ability to press pause often give us perspective and that is exactly what this heroine needs.

I was fascinated learning about India; communicating in Nepali versus Hindi, about plantation life, harvesting and processing tea, and the unspoken hierarchy that existed within this culture. I was swept away by the lush and exotic setting with its sandalwood, turmeric and cardamom, and the meticulously crafted and endearing characters. This is the first of three books in the series, 'The Colonials.'

This is a fabulous novel that needs to top your list come October 1st, 2021.

I was generously gifted this advance copy by Liz Harris, Heywood Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Cathy S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darjeeling inheritance is a historical romance, emphasis on the romance. In my twenties I would have loved this book. The more the romance the better, if there was an historical setting that was a bonus. Today in my sixties I find my reading tastes have done a 180. While enjoying some romance in a book,I’m looking for more historical detail and depth then this book offers. This is not said to slam the book, simply to point out a fact that may bias my review.
The book is a simple story, simply told. The main character is an 18 year old woman, Charlotte who has returned to India after an absence of 11 years during which she attended school in England. Upon her return she finds her much loved father died two days prior, leaving her the family’s tea garden as her inheritance. Being 1930’s India she is told she will not be able to successfully run the business because she a female. She is left with two choices sell the garden or marry a neighbors’ son and merge the two farms. She cannot imagine selling so she chooses the later BUT can she go through with marriage to a man she does not love or is love possible? This is the dilemma Charlotte faces.
Of course my summary does not include the twists and turns present of which there are quite a few. Unfortunately I was able to predict them at about a quarter of the way through. The writing in general, with the exception of a few run on sentences, was nicely done. The main characters were adequately developed and the pacing of the book was even with each scene moving the plot forward.
I cannot recommend this book for readers like myself who are looking for more complex themes and storylines. However if a simple nicely told romance is what your looking for this just might be the book for you.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, Heywood Press, through net galley. This fact in no way influenced my review.

[Oh Look,AnotherBook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a book by Liz Harris before, The Lengthening Shadow (The Linford Series) and although the rest of that series is on my ‘to buy’ list of books (which is incredibly long), I definitely could not pass up the opportunity to read this book when it presented itself. So, I made space for the title on my ‘to read’ list (which is decidedly shorter than the ‘to buy’ list, but also rather long) and found myself counting the number of books I had left before I could read this one.

After spending a miserable eleven years at a boarding school in England, Charlotte Lawrence finally returns to her family’s tea plantation, Sundar, in India to find that her father died suddenly, only two days before she arrived, and that the estate now belongs to her. With such information comes immense shock, and Charlotte struggles to process that her father is gone. It is clear that the estate was left in Charlotte’s name, rather than Charlotte’s mother’s name, as Charlotte’s mother would have simply sold the estate and moved back to England, as she has been longing to do ever since she moved to India. Charlotte shared her father’s passion for the plantation, and he must’ve known that she would do what was necessary to keep the plantation alive and to look after it, to love it, as he had.

But, when Charlotte’s mother gives her an ultimatum, to sell the estate or to marry Andrew McAllister, whose father also owned a tea plantation, Charlotte rebels. She does not want to marry someone she doesn’t know, even if it would guarantee that Sundar would live on. Instead, she turns to Sundar’s assistant manager, Dan Fitzgerald, and asks that he teaches her how to run the estate.

I know very little about the production of tea, even though I drink a lot of it. While I am not sure PG Tips makes their tea as it was made in the 1930s, it was still incredibly interesting. Fun fact: it takes ten thousand lots of two leaves and one bud to create just one pound of tea. At least, it does for the tea they are growing at Sundar! I learnt so much about tea in this book, and, like Charlotte, I was desperate to know more. I loved learning alongside her, and watching over the scenes as Dan shows her the ropes, teaches her about the production of tea, and how all of the different stages worked. Another fact: the leaves produced in autumn have a much more robust flavour!

This book is not without family drama. There are several different dramas, although somehow, they all seem to tie into one, as if they are all a different string and the author is slowly braiding them all together to tie them all up in a lovely knot at the end. The McAllister’s have their own demons, with Mr McAllister’s wife dying from an opium overdose many years previous, and a general uncertainty that the person accused of giving her the drug in the first place was actually the person guilty. The Lawrence’s have their own backstory, and Charlotte’s mother is more than desperate to leave, even going as far as to call her daughter selfish for not wanting to marry someone she doesn’t know. There is another family as well, consisting of Ada and Harry Banning. Ada travelled to India with Charlotte, to marry Harry, and their relationship isn’t all that Ada seems to have been hoping for.

One of my favourite types of evening is, after my small people have gone to bed, my husband and I sit down together, with a hot drink (or an ice cream, it depends on the day). I will read, and he will either sit with his laptop, researching things about cars that he plans to rebuild, even though I have forbidden him to spend money on a car that is BROKEN and DOESN’T WORK and is USELESS, or he will spend the entire evening happily scrolling through Facebook, or will stick on some headphones and watch a movie. I do watch movies with him, but I’m not a big fan of movies that mess with your head, and he loves them. So we do our own thing. I digress. It took me only three evenings to read this book, and all through the day, I would find myself waiting for the evening so I could pick it up again without any interruptions. I also drank copious amounts of tea while reading it, I don’t think I’ve ever drunk so much tea in such a short time frame in my life. It made me want to get a teapot, so I wouldn’t have to get up and reboil the kettle when I had finished a cup, but I would rather spend my money on books instead.

All in all, if you have never read a book by this author, then you are sorely missing out, and should do so immediately. I really enjoyed every second of reading this book, and have added the next book in the series (even though it isn’t out yet) to my ‘to buy’ list.

*I received a copy of this novel from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Linnea Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually do not read historical romance, but I found Darjeeling Inheritance by Liz Harris to be a multi-layered story about a young woman finding her place in a stratified colonial society. It is set in the backdrop of a 1930 tea plantation at the foothills of the Himalayas, which is rift with political unrest and inequities for women, hired help, and natives. The scene in the prologue, occurring in 1919, hints at the strong bond between a young girl, Charlie, and her father, who has tragically lost all of his sons in their childhood as a result of the harsh conditions of the country.

Chapter 1 picks up later in 1930, when Charlotte returns with a chaperone, Ada, to the family's tea plantation after being educated in England. Upon her arrival, the assistant manager, Dan, sadly informs her that her father has just died. To her shock, Charlotte learns that she has inherited the entire estate. Her grieving mother presents two options only available to a single woman at that time: sell the estate or marry Andrew, the son of another plantation owner. Since childhood, Charlotte always held the same love for the estate as her father and refuses to sell it. Still, she wants to honor his wishes to marry Andrew, but first, wants to learn more about the tea business.

Dan graciously agrees to teach Charlotte about the operations, much to the chagrin of everyone around her. Determined, Charlotte endures the harsh conditions as she learns about planting, harvesting, and processing tea from Dan, who treats her more like an equal and becomes her close friend. Meanwhile, the true natures of Andrew and Ada, whom Charlotte considers a close friend, comes to light. Charlotte must make a final decision to set the date for the wedding as dark secrets bubble to the surface. Will she do as the colonized society expects— marry Andrew—or seek an independent pathway with Dan for whom she has a growing attraction?

Author Liz Harris has masterfully written a multi-layered historical romance containing elements of betrayal and debauchery in a colonized society hiding dark secrets in which natives are taken advantage of. As with all romances, the story focuses on the development of the romantic relationship that seems impossible between Charlotte and Dan in the stratified society. The dialogue captures the essence of the characters and the vivid description of the landscape foreshadows dangers lurking in the lush landscape. The depth of the story rises above most romances because it pulls no punches and honestly reveals the inequities in a colonized society. It also provides a well-researched background on how tea is planted, harvested, and processed for commerce. For these reasons, the story immediately hooked me and I eagerly read to the end to see if Charlotte defies expectations to find herself and true love.

I heartily recommend Darjeeling Inheritance for those who enjoyed reading a richly textured story about a young woman who defies cultural expectations in the midst of betrayal by those closest to her. The novel honestly depicts a colonized society that hides its abuses and dark secrets.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

1930s Darjeeling. The era was an interesting one. The British are firmly in control and intend things to stay that way. A more liberal minded Britisher would think that giving some kind of liberty to the Indians is on the cards but the majority do believe, very sincerely that they are a superior race and it is their views and their opinions that count. The tide is turning however and with Gandhi on the horizon things are never going to be the same for the British Raj.

In Darjeeling Charlotte returns from her extended boarding school stay in England to find her father dead and her mother determined to leave India on the next boat. Persuading her mother to stay so that she will get married and take over the reins of Sundar, the tea property bequeathed to her by her father was no easy task. Charlotte persuades her mother that she is willing to keep an open mind to marry Andrew, because that was the wish of her late father who wanted to join the two properties together.

What no one accounted for was that Charlotte though young and very inexperienced in life had a mind of her own and was determined to make her own way in Darjeeling.

The complications of the newly married Mrs. Banning making a play for Andrew, Charlotte's intended was a spoke in the wheel for the smooth courtship that was envisaged.

The story meanders through the daily workings of a remote tea plantation with an insular tight knit community, where gossip is rife because there is nothing else to do. Everyone's business is known if not to the other, by their servants who pick up all the information very fast. It was a good life, an interesting one but only if you liked the country, the flora, the fauna and the weather. Otherwise it was devastating with also a major loss of life especially of children.

This was a very descriptive read one of the history, then the geography of Darjeeling in the 1930s. The description of the daily lives of both the Britishers and the Indians added a lot of interest to the story.

[Yvonne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eighteen-year-old Charlotte Lawrence returns home to India after an absence of eleven years to find that her father has died. She inherits the family's tea plantation, Sundar, and learns of her father's plans for her future. He wanted her to marry the son of a neighbouring tea plantation owner, thus merging the two plantations and ensuring a male runs Sundar. So that she can return to England, her mother is eager for Charlotte to marry Andrew McAllister immediately, but Charlotte would like to get to know Andrew first.

Determined to run Sundar by herself should her marriage to Andrew not go ahead, she asks Dan Fitzgerald, Sundar's manager, to teach her the tea business. After pointing out the many reasons why a woman tea planter would never be accepted, he agrees. Charlotte's training begins on the terraces, where the camellias are grown, and follows the process through to the factory operations.

Meanwhile, Ada Eastman, who chaperoned Charlotte on the voyage out to India, marries Harry Banning, another successful plantation owner. With Harry away all day attending to business, she is lonely and craves excitement. Unbeknown to Charlotte, her attention turns to Andrew, who is reputed to be a gambler and a philanderer, but even he is unprepared for the lengths to which Ada will go to get what she wants.

Darjeeling Inheritance is an entertaining story. The characters are varied and well-developed. Described so vividly, Darjeeling and the surrounding tea plantations provide a colourful backdrop to Charlotte's dilemma. Her determination to run Sundar is commendable, given that the tea business was a male province. Learning about it with her was very interesting.

Darjeeling Inheritance will appeal to those who like historical romances set in exotic locations.

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a participant in a blog tour.

***https://adarngoodread.blogspot.com

[Morgan Rohbock · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 25%

After reading Tapestry of Light by Kimberly Duffy, I was looking for more books on the colonization of India and how it impacted the country. This book held so much promise as a historic romance set in Darjeeling on a tea plantation. The British fought over the land surrounding Darjeeling to have a foothold in the Himalayas between Bhutan and Nepal. Later, they found the climate suitable for tea so they converted it to tea gardens aka tea plantation where locals worked for low wages to support the East India Co. Unfortunately I had to go learn this on my own as I read this book rather than from this book itself.

There was so much promise in the premise of this novel and I enjoyed the descriptions of walking the lands of the tea garden. Liz Harris's descriptions were gorgeous but the book fell short for me. I ultimately had high expectations for the historic fiction aspects when this book is more a romance with historic elements (a woman must be married rather than run a tea plantation!). In the first 25% of this book, it failed to touch on deeper topics on how British colonialism impacted Darjeeling and its inhabitants. As a read I was left feeling like Darjeeling and the tea plantation was a convenient setting for a novel that chose not to recognize the trauma created by tea plantations that still exist today. I think this was not the book for me and will look for some type of history book on this region instead.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Darjeeling: it's one of my favourite places on earth. From my favourite hotel room, I can see both the Planters' Club and Keventers so reading 'Darjeeling Inheritance' was like a trip to a familiar place. Yes, it's true that I know it 80+ years after the book is set, but it's easy to recognise the location and the atmosphere.

Charlotte is fresh back from boarding school in the UK, chaperoned on her voyage by Ada, an older woman travelling to India to marry a dull but dependable tea plantation owner. On arrival, Charlotte finds her father has just died, she has inherited his tea plantation, and her mother wants her to marry the son of the neighbouring plantation owner. Can Charlotte take time to discover who she is and what she wants before 'settling' for life as a tea-wife?

There is absolutely nothing in this book that I couldn't have predicted after the first few pages. The plot plays out exactly as I expected, but oddly, I'm not too bothered about that. Great literature it's not, but it's a pleasant jaunt through simpler times when British plantation owners held sway and feared the influx of well-to-do Indian folk spoiling the exclusivity of their bolt-hole, and when men were men and women were supposed to be grateful. Did I entirely believe young Charlotte wanted to learn the tea making process (when she was terrified of snakes and leeches)? Not entirely, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. And I was more than satisfied with the predicted ending.

[Jennyfer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Darjeeling Inheritance

The year is 1930. Charlotte Lawrence returns to her family's tea plantation in Darjeeling, India, after 11 years at boarding school, accompanied by her friend and chaperone, Ada Eastman. Charlotte longs to see her family again, but when she returns home, her world is turned upside down by the death of her father. As she is the sole heir, Charlotte now owns the plantation, but in an era when women simply didn't run businesses, Charlotte must either marry - so her husband can take over - sell, or buck trends and do it herself.

Meanwhile, her friend Ada is destined to marry a neighbouring plantation owner, despite a questionable past, and nothing will stop her from being a good wife. Or will it?
---
I really wanted to like this book. The settings and descriptions are beautifully written, utterly immersive, and I loved the idea of Charlotte forging her own path and running the plantation herself. However, I found there was too much "forbidden romance" foreshadowed throughout the story, culminating in a predictable ending for my taste.

3 stars, though, because the bits I did like were really, really good.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Heywood Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I really wanted to love this book but in the end it wasn't for me. The character development was nice and the scenes in the book came to life. It was easy for me to imagine myself with the characters. But, the main character spends the entire book thinking about when she should marry the guy her father arranged her to marry. And not quite understanding why she hasn't set a date (She has the exact same conversation about this for three chapters in a row with different people). This caused me to get a bit annoyed at her because I was expecting a strong female character who was breaking conventions. And instead her learning to run the tea plantations was only mentioned every now and again and had no real impact on the story. Others might really enjoy this book but in the end it wasn't for me.

[Milatra · Rating 4 out of 5]

India 1930

18-years old Charlotte returned her home in India from England where she had been studying for 11 years in the school. She discovered that her father died two days ago, leaving her the estate with a tea garden.
She have to decide how to dispose of the inheritance. Which way she would choose, will she sell it, or will she marry a neighbor man so that he can continue to manage the estate, or will she manage it herself?
It is a nice love story, that has a little slow beginning but interesting plot and nice characters, except Charlotte's friend Ada (she really annoyed me)
I would recommend it to everyone who like reading love stories.

Thanks to Liz Harris and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book a higher rating if not for the sexual content.
It is well-written and an intriguing story. Charlotte Lawrence returns from boarding school in England to Sundar, the tea plantation owned by her family in India. She finds an empty house. She learns that her beloved father died a couple of days earlier and that he left her his estate. She learns also that it was his wish that she marry Andrew McAllister, the good-looking younger son from a neighbouring plantation in hopes that they will, with their marriage merge the 2 plantations.

Unwilling to commit to a wedding for which she doesn’t feel ready, Charlotte pleads with Dan Fitzgerald, the assistant manager of Sundar, to teach her how to run the plantation while she gets to know Andrew. Although reluctant as he knew that a woman would never be accepted as manager by the local merchants and workers, Dan agrees. His teaching her about the tea industry is some of the best parts of the book.

Other parts of the book, including her chaperone from the boat (coming to marry a neighboring tea producer) and relations with other neighbors become a bit soap-opera-like.

I enjoyed learning about this part of India, at the base of the Himalayas. And this era at the end of the British influence in India.

The characters are well developed and interesting.

[Vivien FitzGerald-Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love tea…

If you do love tea, then this is a fascinating read. You’ll never think in the same way about tea once you read about tea gardens, tea production and the passion of the tea estate owners. Liz Harris obviously did thorough research into life in India. Her descriptions of the breath taking landscape make one want to journey there. The characters are well rounded and the plot well developed. I enjoyed every page.

[Miss Joanne C Higgins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely atmospheric read

The descriptions of the foothills of the himalayas is intoxicating and the characters are well rounded. A page turner with small community and its responsibilities and challenges well explored. The only small disappointment was the almost rushed ending. It was still lovely but needed a little bit more depth for me to give it 5 stars. A good read still though.

[Dolores Soldo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. While the plot is predictable like most romance novels I have read, the characters are complex enough to be interesting, especially that of the female villain, and the descriptions of the Himalayan setting, the team making process, and the culture of the Raj period in India are rich in detail and scope.

[Linn A Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the Darjeeling inheritance I found it a bit predictable especially with Charlotte eventually ending with Dan. Adas behaviour was awful. Going off with Charlottes so called fiance is there a follow up. It left further questions

[Jillean Ansley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do some readers almost rewrite the story in their review of a book.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it. I have two of this authors books and will be buying more.

[Julia Reynolds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable

Rather basic plot, left little to guess at,very predictable I'm afraid. Ok for an average and basic read. Bit boring I'm afraid.

[Mrs Maureen Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

A lovely romance story. The descriptions of the process of making tea made it very
Interesting . I would recommend it

[Katalin Ralph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like her other book, Simla Mist, I loved the descriptive historical backdrop and the family relationship and friendships.

[Sylwia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked reading about that time in history, I'd prefer just a little less romance.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

I loved this book so very much! I read it in 2 days. It would have been one had I had the opportunity. I knew Charlotte would fall in love with Dan. AWESOME STORY!

[Olivia Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

very enjoyable

I very much enjoyed learning about growing tea. I can remember back to the 1960’s when tea chests were used by removal firms.

[Beatrice Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Charlotte Lawrence returns home to her father’s tea plantation, Sundar, after eleven years at boarding school in England, she expects a warm welcome, full of hugs, smiles, and people desperate to welcome her home. Instead, when she arrives, she stands on an empty doorstep, with silence surrounding her. It doesn’t take long for the welcome she imagined to be tarnished when she learns that her father died not two days ago.

Full of grief that she will never again talk to her father, Charlotte slowly learns what situation she now finds herself in. Her father changed his will not long ago, leaving the estate in her name instead of his wife’s. With the disbelief that she now owns the place she loves so much, Charlotte is dealt another blow – her two options are either to sell the estate or to marry Andrew McAllister, the son of Douglas McAllister, who owns the plantation next to Sundar. Charlotte’s father and Douglas McAllister had been talking about the union, without telling Charlotte – such a marriage would unite the two plantations, and together, they could weather any storm that came their way.

But Charlotte has just spent eleven years of her life at a school she hated, feeling trapped and counting down the minutes until she could be home and feel free again. Rushing into a marriage with someone she doesn’t know would simply trap her again, and she is not keen to do so, even if it was her father’s wish. Instead, Charlotte has come up with another option – she can learn how to manage the estate herself.

I absolutely adored Charlotte. She has a mind of her own and she does not let others push her around, even if some may try to. She can be naive, and several of the other characters call her so, but she is also incredibly stubborn. If she knows what she wants, she will work as hard as is necessary to achieve her goals. When the idea comes to her mind to run the plantation herself, she goes to Dan Fitzgerald, the estate’s assistant manager, and asks that he teaches her all he knows. He may have reservations about the idea and doubts that the workers would listen to her, let alone the necessary merchants, but Dan agrees to teach her, and he does not sugarcoat the work, nor does he treat her as incapable of doing it, just because she is a woman. As he shows her the different stages of tea production, often getting her out of bed much earlier than she would like, Dan proves that he is dependable, as well as incredibly kind. He goes out of his way to help Charlotte, and I found myself falling more and more in love with him as I read.

This is a novel of drama and intrigue, and there are several characters who, in particular, help to increase those aspects of this novel. Ada Eastman chaperoned Charlotte on the journey back from England, and they became fast friends. But Ada has a past that she would rather keep hidden, and while her marriage to Harry Banning gives her the safety of a married woman, Harry does not satisfy her. I was not the biggest fan of Ada and found myself increasingly disliking her, and for good reason. I will not tell you that reason, though, you must read the book and find out yourself!

Andrew and Charlotte’s marriage may already have been decided for them, but it is not yet set in stone. As Charlotte starts to get to know Andrew, learning more about the man she has been told to marry, she finds that she is not entirely opposed to the idea. As we learn more about Andrew when Charlotte is not around, however, I started to dislike him as well. He doesn’t think of Charlotte as a person of her own mind, but rather as someone he can pretend around, and make her fall in love with him, while he continues doing whatever he wants. Andrew does have a redemption arc, but I had already made up my mind enough about him to properly appreciate this.

Although not entirely at the forefront of this novel, the process of tea production is described in great detail, and it is clear that the author knows everything and anything there is to know about this subject. I think I am rather like Charlotte, desperate to know it all, and if I had the opportunity to learn about the estate as she did, I would certainly take it. I could understand her frustration when people around her didn’t care about the things she was talking about, and I would love to sit down with her and let her tell me all about the tea leaves, and how to know which ones are the perfect ones to pick.

I have read a book by Liz Harris before, and I said in my review that her writing is so absolutely brilliant that I would happily buy and read her books. After reading this book, my views have not changed in the slightest, although there is a slight issue of finding the time to read more books! This novel is an absolute masterpiece, and I cannot wait to read book 2 in the series. I will be counting down the weeks!

* I received a copy of this book from The Coffee Pot Book Club for review consideration.

[Bookfan36 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief synopsis from the book cover:

Darjeeling, 1930

After eleven years in school in England, Charlotte Lawrence returns to Sundar, the tea plantation owned by her family, and finds an empty house. She learns that her beloved father died a couple of days earlier and that he left her his estate. She learns also that it was his wish that she marry Andrew McAllister, the good-looking younger son from a neighbouring plantation.

Unwilling to commit to a wedding for which she doesn’t feel ready, Charlotte pleads with Dan Fitzgerald, the assistant manager of Sundar, to teach her how to run the plantation while she gets to know Andrew. Although reluctant as he knew that a woman would never be accepted as manager by the local merchants and workers, Dan agrees.

Charlotte’s chaperone on the journey from England, Ada Eastman, who during the long voyage, has become a friend, has journeyed to Darjeeling to marry Harry Banning, the owner of a neighbouring tea garden.

When Ada marries Harry, she’s determined to be a loyal and faithful wife, to be a good friend to Charlotte, and nothing, but nothing, was going to stand in the way of that.
My rating:

Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Romance
Historical Fiction


Review:

Set in the beautiful remote hill station of Darjeeling, India during the 1930’s the book tells the story of Charlotte Lawrence who is returning home after she has been away for several years at a boarding school in Britain. Her homecoming does not turn at all out the way she expected, hoping to be reunited with her family and friends instead she returns to an empty house and soon learns that her father has passed away and she inherited Sundar the family tea plantation, It was also her father’s wish that she married Andrew the son of a neighbouring plantation. Determined not to marry a complete stranger, Charlotte buys herself some time to get to know her future husband and convinces Dan the plantation manager to teach her more about running a tea plantation.

Overall:

The story is nicely written, set in a beautiful location which is described vividly and in great detail. Woven into the story was the explanation of the process of growing and producing tea, this added an extra layer to the story that was very interesting. The whole book has an authentic feel to it and appears well researched. The characters were interesting; their actions explained well, this made them realistic. This is one of those books that captures you from the start, transports you away to a different place and time and doesn’t let you go until the very end.

Review copy provided by Netgalley at no cost to me.