Dinah Jefferies has written yet another beautiful family saga! Fans of The Tea Planter's Wife will love The Sapphire Widow!

Enjoyed this beautifully atmospheric novel., especially the surprises along the way. There's so much more here than historical romance. I recommend.

The year is 1935, Ceylon, which is what it was known as before their independence. It is now known as the island nation of Sri Lanka. There is ceylon tea grown in this lush,tropical area. The rain falls abundantly there and it's perfect for growing cinnamon there. Louisa Reeve and her husband have struggled for years to have a child. Miscarriages and a still birth have left her devastated and have taken a real toll on her marriage. Elliot her husband , has been increasingly absent from home. His wife's sadness has taken a toll on him as well and he spends much time at a nearby plantation ,he's invested in, Cinnamon Hills. On the night a large party is thrown at their house he is very late and a police officer brings the devastating news her husband has been in a fatal car accident. Louisa's life is left in ruins when she discovers he has ruined them financially after borrowing a large sum of money from her and she has no idea where it's gone. When other devastating secrets are revealed she discovers the man she married has been a true strange to her ad not who she thought he was at all. The scent of cinnamon in the humid air along with the lush foliage will draw you into this hauntingly beautiful book as you try to solve who Luisa's husband really is and it will keep you reading. Wonderful,wonderful historical book. I absolutely can not wait to read more by this author. This is a real winner!
Pub Date 14 Aug 2018
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Crown Publishing though NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

Dinah Jefferies is now one of my favorite authors. The story of a failed marriage and a new love really resonated with me. The characters are real and relatable. I can’t wait to recommend this book to our book group. There is so much to learn about love, life, and Ceylon.

I was tempted to read something by Dinah Jefferies after reading some positive reviews by bloggers and finding her settings in Southeast Asia intriguing. The Sapphire Widow is set in Ceylon in 1935.

Louisa is a wealthy woman, she believes happily married to Elliot. They have gone through some difficulties with his gambling and her inability to have a child, but all seems to be going well finally. They have recently purchased a failed publishing concern and plan to convert it into an emporium. Then Elliot dies in a car crash when he is supposed to be somewhere else.

Louisa begins to make unpleasant surprises about Elliot. He has debts she didn’t know about. Worse, he has a mistress who has borne his son. There is more to come.

This novel seemed all too predictable for me. It was clear to me from the beginning that Elliot would prove to be a bad guy, and his secrets are easy to guess. But there are more fundamental problems with this novel than a little predictability, which might be expected from the genre.

For one thing, the characters aren’t very interesting, and Jefferies does nothing to make them so. Readers are supposed to automatically have sympathy for Louisa just because of her situation, not because they have learned to like her. Also, athough I have complained about historical novels that don’t have a sense of place or daily life, that’s not exactly the problem here. The setting is described evocatively, but daily life is presented in minute and boring detail. Not only is this one of those novels that describes almost everything Louisa is wearing, but it can take a whole paragraph just to get her into the bathtub. Dialogue is commonplace and without spark. I struggled to keep reading this novel and finally decided to stop even though I had finished two thirds of it.

Growing up, the novels of M.M. Kaye and Mary Stewart were heavy favorites of mine. Their books were all about the British Colonial period and took place in exotic locales, extolling the mannerisms and lifestyle of an era long gone by. In The Sapphire Widow, Dinah Jeffries recaptures the elegant prose of those tales, along with the chilling, eerie atmosphere of mystery many of them had. Like the grand dames of suspense from yesteryear, she plunks us into an opulent, lush world with a sparkling surface and a sinister underbelly.

It’s 1935, and in Ceylon, Louisa Reeve is preparing the house for a Christmas party when her husband Elliot comes in, brimming with fun and vitality as he usually is. They talk about how fortunate they are to have everything they do: Louisa’s family’s wealth has given them a comfortable life, they are young and in love and beautiful and for that shining moment all seems well with their world.

The next day, as Louisa shows her friend Gwen about the small walled city of Galle which is her home, she admits that actually, all is not well with her world. She longs for a child and mourns the miscarriages and still births which have plagued her marriage. Her friend offers comfort and soothing words, and Louisa is reminded that while she might not have children, she has been very blessed by living in this tropical, multi-cultural paradise. Having grown up here, she has friends everywhere in the community, people who love and accept her regardless of their differences in religion, culture and skin color.

Which is a good thing, since Elliot has needed to be away a great deal of late. He has been spending large chunks of time at a cinnamon plantation he invested in, claiming that it requires meticulous attention. Louisa spends her days managing business concerns at home, working out the details of an emporium Elliot has recently been dreaming of creating and planning their annual anniversary party. But when the hours pass, and Elliot is a no show at the event, she becomes concerned. When the police arrive to tell her he has died and how it happened, it leaves her with crushing sorrow and complete confusion. Elliot had planned to spend the day sailing with a friend, but he was in a borrowed car speeding down a road far from where he had said he would be when he slammed into a tree. What was he doing there and why had he lied to her?

This is a character driven tale and the author does an excellent job of introducing the players in our story. That can be both a good and bad thing. From very early in the tale we, learn that Elliot is something of an entitled, privileged little punk. That’s good, since it prevents us from becoming too attached to him. We learn he leans heavily on Louisa’s money and is endlessly making plans as to how to spend it. He is careless of his wife, leaving her alone for great chunks of time and is concerned primarily with his own entertainment. When the big reveals about his secrets come a few chapters into the book, there is no real element of surprise. The author has seeded her text with subtle yet clear clues that make the discovery more a confirmation of our suspicions than a revelation of something new.

The disadvantage to the author’s character driven narrative comes in the form of Louisa. She is an enabler. Whenever Elliot needs money, or a problem straightened out, she immediately steps up to help. Beyond that, her only traits seem to be an obsession with having a child and stubbornness, which often manifests as a need to prove her father wrong. He is against the emporium, there are tons of reasons for Louisa not to go through with it, but she determines she needs a project and doggedly pursues it. He was against her marrying Elliot, but she had been intractable in her love. When Leo, a handsome cinnamon plantation owner, and his young cousin Connor come into Louisa’s life, her father expresses concerns about them as well. By now it hardly needs saying that she determinedly moves forward with those relationships. They were yet another chance for her to enable and were like catnip to her saintly, martyred soul. The good here is that the author does an excellent job with the continuity and construction of Louisa’s character. She ‘s completely predictable because the personality established for her in the text never varies. The downside is that I struggled a bit with Louisa’s willingness to completely inconvenience and sacrifice herself for the men in her life. I would have preferred a bit more independence and an ability to set clear barriers on what could be asked of her.

As a result of Louisa’s facilitative nature, the romance here is rather blasé. Leo and Louisa encounter each other through Elliot, are attracted to each other but don’t move forward with their relationship till after his death. At that point it becomes less about their interest in each other and more about Louisa helping Leo with several family issues. We learn a lot of superficial things about Leo – where he worked previously, what he would like to accomplish in the future – but I never felt as though I really got to know his internal motivations. He seemed primarily to be a foil for Louisa’s do-gooding.

Those are essentially my only quibbles. I thoroughly enjoyed the fabulous scenery, the looks we had at life in Ceylon and the fantastic job the author has done in recreating the atmosphere of the period. The prose here is very reminiscent of the novels I grew up with and so I found myself enjoying the simple process of reading as well.

Another positive was time spent with characters from The Tea Planter’s Wife, a previous novel by this writer. While this is not exactly a sequel to that book, it does give us updates on the lives of that novel’s characters. It was great to revisit with Gwen, her husband, kids and extended family.

The mesmerizing, vivid descriptions of a captivating time and place make this novel. I would recommend The Sapphire Widow to fans of the author and those who are location junkies simply because of the gorgeous geographical and historical descriptions woven beautifully throughout the text. New readers would perhaps be better served by perusing The Tea Planter’s Wife first. The story and characterizations are stronger there and again, while this is not a sequel, knowing some of the characters in that novel will make the reading of this one a richer experience.

While the underlying plot line- a woman discovers her husband's secrets after his untimely death- is not new, Jeffries has placed it in a unique time and place, thus elevating it to a really good read. Ceylon in 1935- wow. Louisa has always lived a life of privilege but she's been unable to have a child, which she would like more than anything. The death of her husband Elliot propels her into making something of herself. Her journey and the setting, filled with wonderful details not only about Celyon but also the gem business, creates a very good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to the next book from Jeffries.

I started reading The Sapphire Widow yesterday and finished it this morning. I wasn't able to put it down and spent quite a few hours last night immersing myself into Jefferies tropical word of spices and trade while learning about life in the 1930's on a tropical island. Almost immediately you are given the picture of a couple who outwardly appear to have it all while hidden behind closed doors, there is another story completely.

Elliot and Louisa have been married for twelve years. Their marriage seems almost idyllic though Jefferies does a fabulous job of painting gaps and deeper implications. Louisa and Elliot seem to enjoy each other's company and seem to be the closest of friends as well as partners. It's only after Elliot's untimely demise that Louisa learns there was a whole other side to her husband that she wasn't aware of. Left with the memories and questions about who her husband really was, Louisa embarks on an adventure to find the truth in a flurry of mysterious activity that involved Elliot.

I can't go into to much further detail as it would give away major spoilers in the story but I highly recommend it!

Louisa is the daughter of a successful gem trader and is married to a businessman by the name of Elliot. Her life is perfect in every way, except she desperately wants children, and has so far only had 3 miscarriages. Then one day she is notified that her husband has died in a gruesome car accident. From there, she is dealt with one blow after another. Her husband had many secrets and they are all coming to light now that he is gone.
I don't want to tell any more for fear of spoiling the book for you. The story is both happy and heart-wrenching.. I thought it started a little slow, but it didn't take long for the pace to pick up and then I didn't want to stop reading. This is a great book for all those historical fiction fans out there.

I love to be transported to far-away places as I read and the Sapphire Widow by Dinah Jefferies was so gracious to send me to the 1930’s in Ceylon. I marveled at the workings of the cinnamon plantation where you can look out and see the greenish-blue waters of the Indian Ocean. I heard the monsoon rain tapping on the roof all day and into the night. I saw the markets filled with colorful fruits and vegetables and I smelled the aroma of the simmering, peppery curries and freshly baked naan. I even went into the emporium to look at the beautifully cut jewels in the Reeve family stall. Louise Reeve is a lovely lady who is married to the handsome, charming Elliot Reeve. Elliot is a loving, doting husband that any woman would want and he and Louise are almost happy together. Louisa has had many terrible experiences trying to have a child; one stillborn birth and numerous miscarriages. Elliot is still a loving husband but he spends quite a bit of time away from home taking care of his various business ventures. The author, Dinah Jefferies is an awesome storyteller and has a true gift for writing a story packed with love, tragedy and deceit. You will be spellbound with the twists and turns of this story. This historical fiction/romance is a true gem!

The Sapphire Widow by Dinah Jefferies will be available August 14, 2018 from Crown Publishing. An egalley of this book was made available from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author transports the reader to Ceylon in the 1930s with her descriptions of landscapes, beaches, the gem trade and cinnamon plantations. The characters are well-drawn in this historical fiction with a love story and some mystery.

Louisa and Elliot Reeve have what seems to be a perfect life, but do they? Louisa has struggled with miscarriages and has had a stillborn. Elliot is a businessman who is almost always away and has both a gambling and drinking problem. Ms. Jefferies plants the seed of doubt from the very beginning, hinting at what is further down the road. Upon the death of Elliot, it will be up to Louisa to solve the mystery of what her husband left behind. To solve the shocking betrayal. That is the crux of the story, a story that was set in an exotic setting, with wonderful descriptions of the surrounding landscape and Ceylon.

Ms. Jefferies writes these novels quite well and never disappoints. The Sapphire Widow is one of those novels. Of course, there is much more to this story, but to say anymore would give away too much. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Sapphire Widow was just an okay read for me. I just do not think it was a book for me. Had a hard time getting into it.

I absolutely loved The Sapphire Widow, the second book I've read by Dinah Jeffries. She writes beautifully and can transport the reader right into Ceylon in the 1930's- the way she describes the smells of the cinnamon plantation, the beautiful landscapes and beaches and then there was Louisa the main character, who I grew to love. The story itself was good as well- a little intrigue, a little love story, a little family drama.....everything that makes an interesting, light read. I didn't want the book to end! I would highly recommend this to those who enjoy historical fiction!
Thanks to Crown Publishers and Netgalley for the advance digital review copy!

(Thank you Netgalley for an early reader copy which in no way influenced my review)
If you are a Dinah Jefferies fan, you will love The Sapphire Widow (even if you are not, you will probably still love it!). Jeffries does a wonderful job of blending romance and suspense to create engaging, interesting stories!

Louisa Reeve is been happily married to Elliott for 12 years. They live in Sri Lanka where Elliott is involved in a variety of business dealings. Louisa's life is only missing one thing to be perfect: a child. Yet she has had miscarriages and a stillbirth. Elliott has always been loving and supportive but increasingly he is gone on business, and then one day....Elliott is killed in an accident. As Louisa tries to sort out his affairs, she learns things about Elliott that are devastating. Has their entire relationship been a lie?

As she goes about recovering from Elliott's death and surprising betrayals, Louisa develops into a savvy business woman and meets the man who may be the key to what's really important in her life.

Jeffries writes a wonderful story, with just the right blend of romance without being sappy. Louisa is a nicely developed character and there are many others to love and hate, from her mother in law to the man she . The story grabs you and makes you want to know more, and the setting (1930's Ceylon) provides drama, romance and excitement to an already engaging story. Highly recommended!

This book was just OK to me. I loved The Tea Planters Wife, but this book was a bit stilted. To many forced descriptions and I had no connection to the characters.

I got this book from net galley to review all opinions are my own.

A truly gripping story of a woman who seems to have everything, except the child that she and her husband have wanted for years. The night of their anniversary party, a knock at the door brings Louisa news that no one should ever have to hear. As Louisa begins to find out more and more about the Elliott she thought she knew, the downward spiral continues.

Sprinkled with a diverse cast of characters including Elliott's caring sister Margo, his prickly and overbearing mother, the owner of a cinnamon plantation and a young boy who steals her heart, this novel is well worth a read.

I read this EARC courtesy of Net Galley and Crown Publications. pub date 08/14/18

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

The story of Louisa, born and bred in Ceylon, but nevertheless firmly British, and her husband Elliot, a businessman. Elliot dies and then the secrets he has been keeping begin to emerge.The Ceylon setting was interesting, although there were places where things were very explicitly explained to the reader - e.g. she slept with the window open, but it was OK because she had a mosquito net - and other places where characters recited chunks of description to one another - e.g. "please tell me how cinnamon is processed".

I thought this was fairly well plotted, but my main issues were Louisa, whose core personality traits centred round closing her eyes to things and hoping they would go away, and the fact that I found the whole book a little dull. There was far more description than dialogue and it felt staid somehow.

I think if you like this kind of novel, this is probably a good example, but I am not really the right reader for it.

Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publising for the eARC.
Having read and enjoyed The Tea Planter's Wife, I was a little disappointed in this book. I loved the atmosphere and descriptions of Ceylon, I could feel the heat and humidity as if I was there. It took me back to my youth growing up in the tropics with all the happy memories.
But Louisa's devotion to Elliot was hard to believe. His problems with gambling and alcohol, plus his disappearances for long periods (on 'business') made me suspicious and wanting to shake Louisa - wake up, girl! She is still reeling from the loss of her baby and her miscarriages, but with the strong relationship with her father, her 3 dogs and the beautiful home she loves, she considers herself very lucky indeed.
Then her world collapses with the sudden death of Elliot. Absolutely devastated already, the nightmare deepens when it looks like she didn't know Elliot at all. She discovers money has disappeared and he owes money to some shady characters who are now threatening her. Then she finds Elliot committed the ultimate deceit...her brief and anger threaten to bring her to the edge of madness.
There were times I liked her, but also times I wanted to smack her, especially in her dealings with Irene, her insufferable mother-in-law.
On the whole I did enjoy the book, but much preferred The Tea Planter's Wife.

I’m going to preempt my review by remembering how much I liked The Tea Planter’s Wife. I was happy to see the Hoopers back as characters in this novel. Louisa and her story didn’t really do it for me, though. I didn’t like that the novel almost felt like it started in the middle. While we do learn a little about how Elliot and Louisa met, I never got a real connection to them. Another annoyance was how often Louisa referred to Conor as “the child” when he moved in with her. Not once have I ever spoken about any of my students as “the child,” so it was strange to me that a character would use that terminology. Just an okay story with okay characters.