The House at Riverton

Kate Morton
468 pages
Reason for Reading : I received this ARC from The Barnes & Noble First Look Book Club.

Back of the Book:
"Grace Bradley went to work at Riverton House as a servant when she was just a girl, before the First World War. For years her life was inextricably tied up with the Hartford family, most particularly the two daughters, Hannah and Emmeline.
In the summer of 1924, at a glittering society party held at the house, a young poet shot himself. The only witnesses were Hanna and Emmeline and only they-- and Grace-- know the truth."

From Me:
This was an absolutely wonderful way to start the new year. This is one of those books that leaves you feeling slightly melancholy that it has ended.

The story opens with Grace in a nursing home reflecting on her past. We know from the beginning that she has held secrets and regrets close to her heart for many years but what unfolds over the course of this book is a multi-layered story that holds many poignant moments.

Grace leaves home at a tender age to learn how to be in service to the Hartford family. She learns to care about the entire family and the entire serving staff and begins to think of them as the family she never had. She sees their faults and she protects their secrets with devotion and a strong sense of duty.

However, she is not the only one bound by duty. I watched as one by one members of the family fulfill their duties for the greater good and I began to wonder who made the greater sacrifices. The aristocracy or the servants?

The theme of sacrificial service strikes a deep chord with me and I found this particular part of the story to be very haunting.

At the end of the book, the author lists several titles that she drew information from. Not surprisingly, I already have several on my TBR list and will be all the more interested in looking at them because of this book.(5/5)