The Girl on the Cliff by Lucinda Riley - Review

About the Book:

To escape a recent heartbreak in New York, Grania Ryan returns to her family home on the rugged, wind-swept coast of Ireland. Here, on the cliff edge in the middle of a storm, she meets a young girl, Aurora Lisle, who will profoundly change her life.

Despite the warnings Grania receives from her mother to be wary of the Lisle family, Aurora and Grania forge a close friendship. Through a trove of old family letters dating from 1914, Grania begins to learn just how deeply their families’ histories are entwined. The horrors of World War I, the fate of a beautiful foundling child, and the irresistible lure of the ballet give rise to a legacy of heartache that leaves its imprint on each new generation. Ultimately, it will be Aurora whose intuition and spirit may be able to unlock the chains of the past.

Sweeping from Edwardian England to present-day New York, from the majestic Irish coast to the crumbling splendor of a legendary London town house, The Girl on the Cliff introduces two remarkable women whose quest to understand their past sends them toward a future where love can triumph over loss. 

About the Author:

Lucinda Riley is the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Orchid House and The Girl on the Cliff. Born in Ireland, she now lives in the English countryside and in France with her husband and four children.

My Opinion:

Grania, a sculptress comes home to Ireland after suffering a miscarriage. She leaves her love, Matt without saying a word and he doesn't understand why. While out walking one day Grania meets a young girl, Aurora. Aurora is the daughter of the local "gentry" and Grania's mother warns her away from the family without giving her any real reason. Grania persists in her relationship with the lively young girl and soon finds herself caring for Aurora when her father needs to go away.

While there she uncovers the secrets that entwine the two families. They are some pretty compelling secrets at that. I'm certainly not going to tell you! You'll have to read the book.

This is my second book by Ms. Riley, the first being The Orchid House (see my review HERE).
Like that book, this one develops its tale slowly and carefully to keep the reader involved and engaged. The story is about perceptions and how they can change how we view people on one level and how not letting go of the past can cause hurt and pain well into the future.

The characters are all pretty well developed and interesting and it was a book that kept drawing you back in despite some issues with American slang. Any time one of the US based characters entered the scene there was almost a break in the story and mood. It was a bit disconcerting but when the tale was in Ireland and England the book flowed beautifully. I found myself floating along and entranced in this tale of a young girl and her new friend. The ending totally caught me by surprise.

You can preorder The Girl on the Cliff at Amazon.com

Disclosure:  I received a copy of The Girl on the Cliff from the publisher gratis. Any opinions expressed are my honest opinions and were not impacted by my receipt of the free book. I received no monetary compensation for this post.