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Alice Jacobs has finally found the family she always wanted! The Arnold family have worked the farmland for as far back as they can remember. Well-respected and comfortable in their small, close community, it seems nothing could upset their quiet everyday routine. Then Ellie enters their lives! With her shy smile and kind nature, Alice wins the hearts of the Arnold family. Decent and well respected, Tom and Nancy Arnold have raised two very different sons, Frank and Joe. Frank is a devious, brutal man. Seeing Alice as the key to his fortune, he is determined to have her for himself. However, his younger brother Joe has fallen in love with Alice, so when she and Frank become engaged to marry, Joe leaves home, determined to put a distance between himself and temptation. He reluctantly returns when Frank summons him to be his best man. Alice finds herself inexplicably drawn to Joe, but feeling it to be her duty, she goes ahead and marries Frank, not wishing to hurt him. On their wedding night Frank shows his true colours and when he forces Alice to reveal a devastating secret, his evil nature reaps a shocking revenge. In his blind hatred, intent on punishing those who have crossed him, Frank plans the final, ultimate retribution. An act that could tear apart not only the Arnold family, but shatter the lives of those around them forever. Unless someone can stop him!
A young woman's search for belonging leads her into the heart of a fractured family, where a volatile rivalry between two brothers threatens to destroy everything she holds dear. Alice Jacobs enters the lives of the respected Arnold family, only to find herself caught between the manipulative, brutal Frank and his kind-hearted younger brother, Joe. As she navigates a forced engagement and a marriage built on duty rather than love, she must confront Frank's dark nature and the devastating secrets he uses to exert control. The narrative follows the escalating tension within the household as Frank’s vengeful schemes push the family toward a breaking point, forcing Alice to decide between her obligations and her own survival.
This work is characterized by the conventions of the British family saga, focusing on the interplay between domestic stability and the disruptive influence of a central antagonist. The narrative structure relies on the classic conflict of two brothers vying for the same woman, a trope that drives the emotional stakes of the plot. Readers likely engage with the story through its focus on the moral failings of the primary antagonist and the resilience of the protagonist in the face of domestic entrapment. The pacing suggests a focus on character development within a confined, rural setting, highlighting the impact of personal secrets on the broader family unit.
Page Count:
408
Publication Date:
2010-01-01
Publisher:
Harper
ISBN-10:
0007301456
ISBN-13:
9780007301454