Somerset

By: Leila Meacham

Narrated by: Teresa DeBerry

A headstrong woman goes against her wealthy family’s wishes in this stunning prequel to Roses, perfect for fans of Gone with the Wind.

Born into the most influential family in 1830s South Carolina, Jessica Wyndham is expected to look appealing, act with decorum, and marry well. However, her abolitionist opinions and unflagging sense of justice clash with her slave-owning father. Jessica's testing of her powerful father's love is only the beginning of the pain, passion, and triumph she will experience on a journey with the son of a plantation owner and his best friend to a wild new land called Texas.

PRAISE FOR LEILA MEACHAM
"Discovering Leila Meacham and her spectacular talent is akin to discovering gold. With this novel she has become a national treasure." – Huffington Post

"Rich with American history and pitch-perfect storytelling, fans and new readers alike will find themselves absorbed in the family saga that Meacham has proven-once again-talented in telling." – Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Critic reviews

"Roses heralded as new Gone with the Wind."—USA Today (praise for Roses)

"As large, romantic, and American a tale as Texas itself."—Booklist (praise for Roses)

"An enthralling stunner....A compelling saga with echoes of Gone with the
Wind."—Publishers Weekly (praise for Roses)

"It's been almost 30 years since the heyday of giant epics...but Meacham's
debut might bring them back. Readers who like an old-fashioned saga will
devour this sprawling novel of passion and revenge."—Library Journal (praise for Roses)

Tragic story

The book is well-written and engaging. The narrator is wonderful. I bought it because it was so highly recommended and a friend loved it as well. I love historical fiction - especially a series! However, I just couldn’t take the heartbreaking tragedies that befell the families over and over again. I stopped listening with 2 hours remaining. It’s a good story, but I guess I was looking for an escape from real life tragedies and didn’t get it from this one.

A favorite book!

I have read this and now listened to it and it remains one of my favorite books! Leila Machen is a very talented writer and I enjoy her stories!

Narration is terrible, but the story is superb.

What did you love best about Somerset?

I loved the sweeping historical fiction as well as the background for my favorite of Meacham's books: Roses. Silas and Jessica were both well-rounded and likable characters, and Thomas and Vernon later on.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I enjoyed Silas and Jessica equally, and Tippy was also an interesting character early on, though I would have liked to have heard her more developed. She basically disappeared about halfway through the book.

What didn’t you like about Teresa DeBerry’s performance?

Incredibly over acted, her voice at times in the early portions of the book was like nails on a chalkboard. Especially with Elizabeth and Tippy's characters. I think the narrator for Roses did a much, much better job. I enjoyed the story enough to grin and bear it and after about 2-3 hours into the book I got used to it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, the narration was too annoying.

Any additional comments?

The narration is the only bad thing I have to say about this book.

Wonderful! I dearly loved Roses, so I should have known this would be amazing too!

I have thought about Roses years and years after reading it and expect this story to stick in my mind as well. Leila Meacham does such a wonderful job at these family sagas.

Saying good bye is hard

Where does Somerset rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks as one of the best fiction pieces I have read. I was sad when it was over.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the historic detail given to the location and it's characters. Each character was greatly developed throughout the book while keeping to the essence of their traits and actions.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were so many favorite scenes. Bit I think it would any scene with Silas. He loved her more than anyone would ever know.

Any additional comments?

I found myself staying in my car after a long drive just so that I could continue hearing the story. The narrator was fabulous and believable.