Joanna Trollope has been writing novels for decades, and I've only just discovered her now! This book was beautifully written and engaging from start to finish. The book opens with the death of Ritchie Rossiter, a famous singer/songwriter (akin to a Tony Bennet, I guess). The story then focuses on how his his business manager / life partner for 23 years, Chrissie, and their three daughters deal with the devastation and shock of his death, which is complicated by the realization that they must now deal with Ritchie's first wife and son. Trollope manages to tell the story from everyone's point of view so that you really get to know and understand all of the characters. I will definately seek out additional books by her. She has also written some historical fiction under the name Caroline Harvey.

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I like this author so much! Learn of the duplicity of the newly deceased "husband", how his significant other & their 3 daughters handle their world turning upside down. Great character development and interactions throughout this well written novel. Their new reality evolves in interesting ways & they all have to re-evaluate their relationships w/each other, AND w/the 1st, legal wife & grown son who were left behind. You won't regret reading this psychological drama. Enjoy!

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Richie Rossiter is a famous singer-songwriter and pianist based in England who has millions of loyal fans all over the world. To those fans, Richie is living the type of life they could only dream of; he is an extremely lucky man. What the world at large could never imagine was that Richie Rossiter is actually living a secret life.

In his late forties, Richie abandoned his first wife Margaret and their young son Scott in Newcastle - in northeast England - for a young woman who believed that she could bring him stardom in London. Not only did the young woman, Chrissie, rejuvenate Richie Rossiter's career, they lived together for the next twenty-three years in domestic bliss - and had three lovely daughters: Tamsin, Dilly and Amy. However, the trouble with death is that it comes quicker than anyone might suspect, and leaves so many unanswered questions in its wake.

When Richie dies unexpectedly, Chrissie realizes she must finally tell her daughters the truth: that their parents were never married, and that the girls' father had another family. However, this is only the first of many revelations that come to light with the reading of Richie's will. It seems that he never truly forgot the family he left behind so long ago. Now two grieving families are left to confront their losses - as well as each other - and no one will ever be the same.

I must say that I absolutely loved this book. Ms. Trollope is a remarkable writer, her writing style is so poignant and insightful. Her characters are well-developed and so true to life, that I couldn't help feeling for them all. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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