Daughter of the Dales

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1913: The third and final installment of the Windfell Manor Trilogy

ISBN: 978-1447295174
Genre: Sagas

What you need to know before your trail

The death of the family matriarch, Charlotte Atkinson, at Windfell Manor casts a long shadow over Charlotte’s husband Archie and her two children, Isabelle and Danny. With big shoes to fill, Isabelle takes over the running of Atkinson’s department store but her pride – and heart – is tested when her husband James brings scandal upon the family and the Atkinson reputation.

Danny’s wife Harriet is still struggling to deal with the death of their first two children – a death she blames Isabelle for. But Danny himself is grappling with his own demons when a stranger in town brings to light a long-forgotten secret from his past.

Meanwhile, Danny and Harriet’s daughter Rosie has fallen under the spell of local stable boy, Ethan. But will he stand by her or will he cause her heartache? And can Isabelle restore the Atkinson reputation and her friendship with Harriet, to unite the family once more?

Locations

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Travel Guide

Diane Allen’s Yorkshire Dales

You’ll be more than transported to the Crave area of the Yorkshire Dales when you read Diane Allen’s novels.

The author explains:

“The locations are just a few miles from where I live. They are at the center of the Yorkshire Dales and the scenery around that area is very spectacular. Main features at the three peaks, Whernside, Pen-y-Ghent, and Ingleborough along with the spectacular Ribble Head viaduct.”

“Part of the setting came about by accident when I went a walk around the partly derelict Christie’s cotton mill at Langcliffe. It is such a wonderful mill and has had such an impact on the local area, I did a lot of research, talking to local people and using my local library. Crummock Farm is where I lived when young, I grew up with its history and know every inch of the surrounding countryside where I used to wander.”

“It was amazing delving into the history of the Cotton Mills in the area. I had no idea that there were so many mills in Craven. You don’t automatically think of cotton in this area. The fells are grazed by sheep so we are known for our wool industry but that was mainly taken into Bradford’s spinning mills. So I was surprised to find cotton mills in quite a few local villages.”

Booktrailer Review

Susan: @thebooktrailer

A fitting end to the Windfell Trilogy – you do have to read these books in order to fully understand the family dynamics, and it’s so worth it as you get spend even more time in Yorkshire!

Dianne Allen grew up in the areas she writes about and it shows. So much love is poured into the pages evoking Yorkshire life and the nuances of country life that you really do feel as if you’re there, speaking the Yorkshire dialect and worrying about what’s going to happen to Windfell Manor. The characters of Isabelle and Danny have developed nicely as there is a change in them here, a real stoicism now their mother, the matriarch of their family has gone. Windfell of course is their standing in the community so they’re eager to keep it all going. Yorkshire life then was all about community, family bonds and a sense of pride. A family could lose its way once the matriarch steering it was gone.

I loved the nuances of what life was like back then – the way you would shop, talk to people and how women would work and also fight for their families. Characters are very layered and complex and some of the issues very hard hitting. I don’t know why people think ‘sagas’ are ‘cosy’ – they’re like literary visits to the very real and difficult past! Fascinating to be part of one.

There’s some really fierce characters here and the story nicely ties up loose ends. Diane Allen has really created a historical insight into the heart of Yorkshire and its people.