This is one of my favorite books and I cannot wait for the rest of the trilogy. The time period is absolutely stunning and Lisa Bergren has a talent for developing well thought-out characters and transporting the reader into the past. One of the best aspects of the book is that the romance, while still there and intriguing, develops slower than most books nowadays and makes you keep guessing. Also, the main pull of the book is Cora discovering herself, learning how to deal with her newfound fortune and family, and knowing that soon she'll have to choose which life she continues to live. By making Cora's story a trilogy, Bergren gives herself time to fully explore the characters and settings while allowing the reader to become fully enthralled with her story. I definately recommend this trilogy to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and books with something more than just a romance story.