Will hasty decisions, made in desperate circumstances lead to their downfall?

Greenock, Scotland, 1872

When their father commits suicide rather than facing bankruptcy, sisters Annis and Olivia Kerr are left penniless.

Annis marries their older neighbour, merchant Douglas Moncrieff, out of necessity so they both have a roof over their heads once more, albeit not a happy one.

When Gideon Brenner, a handsome American shipmaster, arrives with Douglas’s new clipper, eighteen-year-old Annis begins to wonder if her decision to marry a staid man thirteen years her senior was a wise one.

Olivia meanwhile becomes the focus of Gideon's attentions and rather than submitting to his unwanted courtship, she takes charge of her own destiny by accepting a position as a governess in Melbourne, Australia.

But Olivia struggles in her role, leaves her job and she faces destitution once again only to be saved by an unexpected marriage proposal.

Both sisters come to rue their marriages made out of desperation, especially when a series of tragedies strike.

Can one sister become a little more assertive and the other a little humbler in order to improve their fortunes?

Previously published as A Pride of Sisters

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'Compelling from the start, heartfelt and beautifully written.' - Rosie Clarke
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