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Set in York, England, November 1864 you are introduced to the very sad displaced family in which Katherine McKenzine, age 21 has now become the official head of her six siblings. Losing their parents and sister to typhoid was bad. Discovering that because of a total disregard of financial planning they were up to their ears in debt leaving them not only mourning their parents and a life was once filled with comfort and plenty to one of insecurity and hunger was even worse. After selling everything to settle what family debts they could, they now had no home, very little in the way of possessions, and very little money. As the eldest it would be up to Kitty to keep the family together and out of the workhouse. It was a overwhelming task for one so young but one in which this very brave and strong lass would overcome with hard work and ingenuity to rise like a phoenix out of the ashes. *** This was a short but a well written read that captured me from the very beginning. Kitty McKenzie was a marvelous character that positively glowed by being extremely well developed and one, which the reader will cheer as she struggled to keep her family together with strength and dignity. Her many brothers and sisters were used in the story judiciously giving the story both momentum and balance, but the endearing friendship she made with Max and Connie Spencer as almost surrogate parents added some poignant moments that were endearingly beautiful and emotionally charged. Kitty’s struggles overcoming one hurdle after another were inspiring and her eventual love interest with Ben Kingsley was sweet though not without problems considering his witchy mother. Whitfield writes with intelligence, warmth and compassion and while leaving you satisfied with one chapter of Kitty’s life completed, makes you hunger for the sequel to see where the next chapter of her journey takes you. This is a lovely story I highly recommend. Marilyn Rondeau, RIO – Reviewers International Organization
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KITTY MCKENZIE
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