The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy

Published by Mira Books in February 2012, The Legacy of Eden is the debut novel from Nelle Davy.

The story starts in Iowa in the 1940s, and is the story of a farm called Aurelia, and the family who live there - the Hathaways, headed up by the fearsome and determined Lavinia.

Lavinia Hathaway will stop at nothing to protect Aurelia, the farm that she built up to become the most talked about homestead in the county, the farm where she raised her children and grandchildren. Aurelia is also the place that has seen many dramas; expulsions, betrayals and deaths.  


The Legacy of Eden is a family saga that spans the decades up to the present day and is narrated by Meredith - Lavinia's youngest grand-daughter.
Nelle Davy has woven a totally gripping tale of one family and the greed and determination that has created them, the story flows effortlessly and I was totally engrossed throughout.

Nelle Davy

My one, small criticism is that Meredith rarely refers to anyone by their name, instead she mentions 'my Grandmother' or 'my Uncle'.  At times this can be confusing, but once used to this style, the characters soon fall in to place.
In my opinion, Nelle Davy is a new author to watch out for - this is a very accomplished debut, I enjoyed it very much.

My thanks to Claudia from Harlequin for sending a copy for review.