I enjoyed this book. It's quite an easy read, not overly detailed or too many characters to keep track of. It's written in the first person by two main characters who interact and intertwine through the book. In places I found the narrative a little 'syrupy' in the romantic sense, quite dreamy and distracting from the main threads. That said it is a romance based story. There are a few twists as the tale develops that are realistic from the time in history, when life seemed simpler but for many basic existence was harder. There are touches of compassion and inter-connected families in the community, beyond their 'class' and position in society. There are lots of work and home references that show how small details marked you out in occupational and societal standing.