The Best of Daughters

While waiting on baited breath for Season 4 of Downton Abbey to begin, I was contacted with an opportunity to review a book that is a definite read for fans of the series. Best of Daughters by author Dilly Court takes readers into the look at the Lennox family living in Pimlico, London in 1912 just on the cusp of the future World War 1. As most aristocratic families of that time, the Lennox's hoped for a rich future through the marriage of their daughter Daisy and her childhood best friend Rupert Pendleton. Both families hoped that they would marry as they have been in one another's company for as long as they can remember, but like most women, Daisy had hoped to marry for love. She can't seem to see past Rupert as being anything more than her dearest friend.

However when her father's business partner runs off with money from his company, he is left to declare bankruptcy and relocate the family to their country house leaving London far behind. Unable to find the man, his family is left with nothing more than a roof over their heads and the rich and wealthy lifestyle is now something in the past, one her complaining and bitter mother Gwendolyn can't seem to forget. Her mother believes that with her marriage to Rupert, they will no longer have to struggle with doing their own chores and living below their means like the common villagers do, but Daisy can't bring herself to find the love Rupert so desperately desires from her. Especially when she finds heated passion in the eyes of the mechanic, Barnaby Bowman, who has been hired on to repair the family car.

Bowman is nothing more than a player of female hearts and he has his eyes set not only on conquering Daisy but also the only maid and friend Daisy has, Ruby. If he can't have Daisy, Ruby will be a great substitute, but no matter how much the truth confronts her, Daisy is drawn like a moth to a flame every time her and Bowman encounter one another. Now sitting on the brink of London going to war with Germany, life is about to change for Daisy is many unexpected ways when both Rupert, her brother Teddy and Bowman are all called into battle. Will her love for any of them make a difference or will Daisy wind up as an old maid on the spinster shelf?

I received The Best of Daughters by Dilly Court compliments of TLC Book Tours and Random House Publishing Group for my honest review and received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. I would rate this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and would have given it a higher rating had the book not contain any profanity, but it does contain some thus the need to rate the novel according to my own review scale. However this is such a great inbetween meal to indulge in while waiting for Downton Abbey to pick back up and along the way gives readers insight not only into the issues dealing with the women's suffrage movement but also their involvement in the FANYs or First Aid Nursing Yeomanry which helped out in the war efforts. I can't wait to read more of Dilly's novels and this one even includes an interview with Dilly Court as well a sneak peek into her next novel The Workhouse Girl.

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The Best of Daughters by Dilly Court

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• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Arrow (March 18, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0099562588
• ISBN-13: 978-0099562580
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces