Rose-Coloured Houses

Cathy Lynn Brooks' book “Rose-Coloured Houses: An Inspirational, Multigenerational Saga Spanning the Twentieth Century” begins in the Toronto suburb of Rosedale during the height of World War II.

Peggy, the book's young protagonist, has a troubling and precarious existence. Her parents are cold towards her. Her stern and violent father regularly disappears for months at a time. When he is home, he is physically abusive. The family's financial situation also doesn't line up at all with the public image of a successful lawyer that her father portrays.

After the facade all comes crashing down and the surprising truth about Peggy's father is revealed, we follow Peggy and her siblings through the sagas of their own lives as the influences from the past shade the present. The trajectory of their stories is at times turbulent but Peggy does get the happy ending she deserves.

I thought this book was beautifully crafted. It was full of rich descriptions that brought the characters and their environments to life. The plot was fascinating and the delivery was A+.