Recent Reads - When Tomorrow Came

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When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder - This novel starts out as a survival story, with siblings Nan and Heath Duncan staying only a step ahead of starvation in the London streets. Twelve-year-old Heath does his best to keep six-year-old Nan safe and fed while they continue to wait and hope for their father to return. An accident leads to Nan's rescue as a kind and wealthy gentleman takes her home and raises her with his own children. Heath will not follow, knowing that these people can provide much more for Nan than he ever could. So the two grow up in very different worlds, each satisfied―to an extent―with how things have turned out, despite how deeply they miss each other.

Shortly after Nan's coming out and the passing of Heath's mentor, their papa finally returns and the little family is somewhat reunited. That's where the survival story takes a very different turn, as the elder Duncan is driven by a hostility they don't understand and makes harsh demands of his children. He mocks and disdains Heath's gentle manner and desire to serve the church, and he bullies and threatens Nan to marry the wealthy nobleman who wishes to marry her. Even though she has never liked the man and his mother considers Nan of much too lowly birth.

Nan and Heath each grapple with these threats secretly, not seeing the pattern developing. Nan does her best to accept the attentions of a man she dislikes, to the dismay of her adoptive brother, and finds herself drawn into the dangers and tragedies of her suitor's family. Heath finds love with Nan's lady's maid, but their happiness is threatened by hostilities and fights and accusations. The dangers and intrigue swirling around all of them escalate, and Nan fears none of them will ever be safe or happy again, especially when there's a murder close to home.

The twists and turns of the unfolding plot keep each of the characters off balance as each one must make choices about whom to trust and how much to divulge about their own fears. Although Nan is the primary protagonist, Heath also has a prominent viewpoint character role as well. Two other characters, Gilbert and Temperance, take their turns as viewpoint characters also. The switches in viewpoint characters happen often once all the characters have been introduced, but are done clearly so that it's easy to keep them straight. This is an intriguing and well-imagined Gothic style drama, with varied characters, sweet romance, and dark secrets and mysteries to untangle.

From the publisher:

They Waited Their Whole Lives for Their Papa to Return

Nan and Heath Duncan, siblings abandoned by their papa and abused by their guardian, have no choice but to survive on the London streets. When a kind gentleman rescues Nan from such a life, the siblings are separated and raised in two vastly different social worlds. Just when both are beginning to flourish and years have healed some of their wounds, their long-awaited papa returns and reunites them―bringing demands with him. Nan is expected to marry a rich suitor she's never liked, and Heath is expected to forsake his gentle spirit and become the hardened man his father always was.

Dangers unfold, secret love develops, fights ensue, and murder upsets the worlds Heath and Nan have built for themselves.

They've waited their whole lives for their papa to return, for tomorrow to come―but now that it has, will they be able to see through to the truth and end this whirlwind of a nightmare before it costs one of their lives?

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

By the same author: Beneath His Silence

This is a book about siblings (#20) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

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