Title: The Secret Life of Violet Grant- Author: Beatriz Williams
- Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
- Published: (Paperback) May 2015 – Berkley
- Source: Publisher
My take: When Vivian Schuyler finds in her possession a leather suitcase her life is turned upside down. Not only has she made a new acquaintance (the handsome young doctor who carried the suitcase home from the post office for her) but she discovers a relative (owner of said suitcase) she’d never heard of before.
Being an inquisitive magazine writer-in-training, Vivian is determined to learn all she can about the mysterious Aunt Violet. What she finds out is that her aunt was just as driven to achieve her dreams as Vivian is. Violet, an accomplished scientist, defied society’s norms of the day and found a position in England that she thought would give entrance to a life she sought. That job led her on a journey of twists and unexpected and dramatic turns.
Vivian also bucked family expectations and landed a magazine job after graduating college. Her determination served her well when she set off on Violet’s rather cold trail. Williams’ dual storylines of the two strong women had me turning the pages. It was a compelling tale but, I have to say, I could have done without Vivian’s “cute” dialogue/narrative that wouldn’t stop. I found it to be a distraction from the story. That said, I think fans of historical fiction (heavy on romance) would probably enjoy The Secret Life of Violet Grant.
Bookfan 