GRR Reviews Return to Totara Park by Shirley Wine

Winsome and Jared were married... Until a terrible tragedy tore them apart, and she moved out of Totara Park estate, never to return. But the death of Jared's father and reading of the will brought her back... Unless Winsome and Jared move back to Totara Park and live them for two years (and everybody else has to move out, including Jared's mother) Totara Park will be sold and proceeds donated to charity. Winsome reluctantly agreed, not wanting Jared to lose his family heritage. But Jared knew his father never does something without a reason. This is manipulation from beyond the grave, and it had EVERYTHING to do with that tragedy that sent Winsome fleeing Totara Park... And he will learn what it was, even if it breaks his heart again...

The revelation was shocking, and made TOTAL sense. And it took a lot of pushing for the secret to come out. And it was emotionally draining. There's a spoiler at the end if you want to spoil yourself the ending.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 5/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below. 

Spoiler: On that day, Winsome and Jared lost their son Matthew. What Winsome was never able to explain to her husband was his mother (and her MIL) killed Matthew. Winsome went to a doctor's appointment to confirm her pregnancy with her daughter, only to return and find Matthew face down in a pond... and it was clear that his mother drowned her own grandson because his blood was "tainted" by Winsome's "less than reputable" heritage. Since Winsome's pregnant, she cannot allow herself to live in Totara Park. When Jared refused to leave, she left him instead.