07 Oct Liz Harris Darjeeling Inheritance Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @liz.harris.52206 @coffeepotbookclub

FEATURED AUTHOR: LIZ HARRIS

It is my pleasure to feature Liz Harris as part of The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held from October 4th  – October 15th, 2021. Liz Harris is the author of the Historical Fiction / Historical Romance, Darjeeling Inheritance (The Colonials Series), which was released by Heywood Press on October 1st, 2021 (365 pages).

Below are highlights of Darjeeling Inheritance, Liz Harris’ author bio, and my review of her book.

To follow on the blog tour, CLICK Tour Schedule Page

HIGHLIGHTS: DARJEELING INHERITANCE

Darjeeling Inheritance

(The Colonials)

By Liz Harris

Darjeeling, 1930

After eleven years in school in England, Charlotte Lawrence returns to Sundar, the tea plantation owned by her family, and finds an empty house. She learns that her beloved father died a couple of days earlier and that he left her his estate. She learns also that it was his wish that she marry Andrew McAllister, the good-looking younger son from a neighbouring plantation. 

Unwilling to commit to a wedding for which she doesn’t feel ready, Charlotte pleads with Dan Fitzgerald, the assistant manager of Sundar, to teach her how to run the plantation while she gets to know Andrew. Although reluctant as he knew that a woman would never be accepted as manager by the local merchants and workers, Dan agrees.

Charlotte’s chaperone on the journey from England, Ada Eastman, who during the long voyage, has become a friend, has journeyed to Darjeeling to marry Harry Banning, the owner of a neighbouring tea garden.

When Ada marries Harry, she’s determined to be a loyal and faithful wife. And to be a good friend to Charlotte. And nothing, but nothing, was going to stand in the way of that.

Buy Links:

Amazon UK  ♥  Amazon US  ♥  Amazon CA  ♥  Amazon AU

AUTHOR BIO: LIZ HARRIS

Born in London, Liz Harris graduated from university with a Law degree, and then moved to California, where she led a varied life, from waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company.

Six years later, she returned to London and completed a degree in English, after which she taught secondary school pupils, first in Berkshire, and then in Cheshire.

In addition to the ten novels she’s had published, she’s had several short stories in anthologies and magazines.

Liz now lives in Oxfordshire. An active member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Historical Novel Society, her interests are travel, the theatre, reading, and cryptic crosswords. To find out more about Liz, visit her website at: www.lizharrisauthor.com

Social Media Links:

Website  ♥  Twitter  ♥  Facebook  ♥  LinkedIn  ♥  Instagram  ♥  Amazon Author Page

BOOK REVIEW: DARJEELING INHERITANCE

Darjeeling Inheritance by Liz Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I usually do not read historical romance, but I found Darjeeling Inheritance by Liz Harris to be a multi-layered story about a young woman finding her place in a stratified colonial society. It is set in the backdrop of a 1930 tea plantation at the foothills of the Himalayas, which is rift with political unrest and inequities for women, hired help, and natives. The scene in the prologue, occurring in 1919, hints at the strong bond between a young girl, Charlie, and her father, who has tragically lost all of his sons in their childhood as a result of the harsh conditions of the country.

Chapter 1 picks up later in 1930, when Charlotte returns with a chaperone, Ada, to the family’s tea plantation after being educated in England. Upon her arrival, the assistant manager, Dan, sadly informs her that her father has just died. To her shock, Charlotte learns that she has inherited the entire estate. Her grieving mother presents two options only available to a single woman at that time: sell the estate or marry Andrew, the son of another plantation owner. Since childhood, Charlotte always held the same love for the estate as her father and refuses to sell it. Still, she wants to honor his wishes to marry Andrew, but first, wants to learn more about the tea business.

Dan graciously agrees to teach Charlotte about the operations, much to the chagrin of everyone around her. Determined, Charlotte endures the harsh conditions as she learns about planting, harvesting, and processing tea from Dan, who treats her more like an equal and becomes her close friend. Meanwhile, the true natures of Andrew and Ada, whom Charlotte considers a close friend, comes to light. Charlotte must make a final decision to set the date for the wedding as dark secrets bubble to the surface. Will she do as the colonized society expects— marry Andrew—or seek an independent pathway with Dan for whom she has a growing attraction?

Author Liz Harris has masterfully written a multi-layered historical romance containing elements of betrayal and debauchery in a colonized society hiding dark secrets in which natives are taken advantage of. As with all romances, the story focuses on the development of the romantic relationship that seems impossible between Charlotte and Dan in the stratified society. The dialogue captures the essence of the characters and the vivid description of the landscape foreshadows dangers lurking in the lush landscape. The depth of the story rises above most romances because it pulls no punches and honestly reveals the inequities in a colonized society. It also provides a well-researched background on how tea is planted, harvested, and processed for commerce. For these reasons, the story immediately hooked me and I eagerly read to the end to see if Charlotte defies expectations to find herself and true love.

I heartily recommend Darjeeling Inheritance for those who enjoyed reading a richly textured story about a young woman who defies cultural expectations in the midst of betrayal by those closest to her. The novel honestly depicts a colonized society that hides its abuses and dark secrets.

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