Blurb:

Journey to the plains of Central Australia in The Pearl Sister, the fourth book in the number one bestselling Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley. A spellbinding story of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the famous star constellation.

CeCe D’Aplièse has never felt she fitted in anywhere. Following the sudden death of her adoptive father – an elusive billionaire affectionately known to his daughters as Pa Salt – she finds herself at breaking point.

In desperation, CeCe decides to follow the clues to her past left to her by her father: a black-and-white photograph from 1906 and the name of a female pioneer, Kitty McBride, the daughter of a clergyman who left her rigid life in Scotland to forge a new path in Australia.

On her way to Sydney, CeCe visits the stunning beaches of Krabi, Thailand. There she meets the mysterious Ace, a man as lonely as she is, a man with a secret to hide . . .

When CeCe finally reaches the searing heat of the Red Centre of Australia, something deep within her awakens. Could this wild, vast continent offer CeCe something she never thought possible: a sense of belonging, and a home?

Review:

I really enjoy this series and I’m ashamed at how long it’s taken me to get this far. The Pearl Sister is a wonderful instalment, and I became immersed in it very quickly, both CeCe’s and Kitty’s stories.

I have been looking forward to meeting CeCe, as she was previously quite dependent on her sister, Star, and I wanted to see how she would be able to fend for herself and what she would discover about herself, particularly as Star had distanced herself from her after finding her own birth family in the previous book. I really enjoyed getting to know her and I loved her openness and spirited character.

CeCe’s story links back to Kitty Mercer. Lucinda Riley has developed Kitty’s character really well, and she was someone for whom I rooted and with whom I sympathised, particularly as I learned more about her life. In the early twentieth century, it was unusual for women to be so outspoken and I really admired this and wanted her to live the life she wanted.

The author’s note at the end of my copy of the book details Lucinda Riley’s trip to Australia to research both the geography and history of the locations about which she wrote. It is clear she took a lot from these trips and she used the information well, creating a wonderful picture of where CeCe was travelling in my imagination. I loved learning about the history of the area, as it’s something I’ve not studied before.

I’m looking forward to continuing the series, hopefully with a shorter break this time!

The Pearl Sister is available from Amazon.