The Angel Tree: A captivating mystery from the bestselling author of The Seven Sisters series

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Riley is survived by Stephen, their two children, Leonora and Kit, the two children of her first marriage, Harry and Bella, and three stepchildren, Olivia, William and Max, as well as her mother and her sister, Georgia.

Third generation Ava wants nothing more than to be a veterinarian on the family estate; when super star Cheska re-enters her life, all hell breaks loose. From the author of the Seven Sisters series, The Angel Tree is Lucinda Riley's compelling mystery of family secrets and forgotten pasts on the sweeping pastures of south-east Wales. How did you go about changing the original novel Not Quite an Angel to the The Angel Tree? How do you feel your writing has changed since then?When I first had the idea of writing a series of books based on The Seven Sisters of the Pleiades, I had no idea where it would lead me. I was very attracted to the fact that each one of the mythological sisters was, according to their legends, a unique and strong female. Some say they were the Seven Mothers who seeded our earth – there is no doubt that, in their stories, they were all highly fertile! – and had many children with the various Gods who were fascinated by their strength, beauty and ethereal air of mysticism. I have full understanding of Cheska's issues, because of her mental health, but also because of her upbringing. Doesn't mean I like her, just that I kinda get it.

EXCERPT: Dressed in a pair of wellingtons that were far too big for her and an old Barbour, Greta strode out across the virgin snow, breathing in the wonderful clean, crisp air. She paused, wondering which way to go, hoping some inner instinct would guide her, and decided to take a stroll through the woods. As she walked, she looked upwards at the deep blue sky above and a sudden joy filled her veins at the sheer beauty of the scene. It was such an unusual and rare feeling that she almost skipped as she zigzagged her way through the trees. MY THOUGHTS: The Angel Tree is a multigenerational family saga, intricately plotted and compelling. Lucinda Riley excels at this type of story, interweaving the historical and cultural mores of the times in which the story is set with a richly emotional family drama. Greta's daughter, Cheska becomes a child star along the lines of Shirley Temple; but her increased exposure to the world of make-believe creates a psyche that needs constant love and attention and sadly threatens to explode when she is pushed into a harsher reality. When she meets Bobby Cross, an Elvis Presley type with a terrible reputation, Cheska's innocence is severely compromised and mother Greta is left to pull unraveled strings together. Ciara McDonnell (11 June 2021). "Lucinda Riley, author of the Seven Sisters series and ex West Cork resident, dies". Irish Examiner. The poignant discovery strikes a chord in Greta's mind and soon ignites a quest to rediscover her lost memories. She begins to piece together the fragments of not only her own story, but that of her daughter, Cheska, who was the tragic victim of circumstances beyond her control. And, most definitely, not the angel she appeared to be . . .Pues no puedo contar más detalles, ya sabéis si queréis más detalles os toca leer la novela. Disfrute mucho con su lectura, a pesar de la malvada. Maravillosa Lucinda. And then there is Pa Salt, the sisters’ enigmatic father, his character only seen through the eyes of his grieving daughters after he dies. Who was he? And why did he adopt his girls from all four corners of the earth..?

I found The Angel Tree to be a satisfying read and I have gone on to immediately read another of this author's books. Lucinda Kate Riley ( née Edmonds; 16 February 1965 – 11 June 2021) [1] [2] was a Northern Irish author of popular historical fiction, formerly an actress and ballet dancer. Like all Lucinda Riley stories, there is love and tragedy. The Angel Tree has more than its share of tragic situations that almost seem comedic at times. This reviewer didn't embrace the characters of Greta or Cheska with much warmth; they are rather mechanical in their responses and even though Cheska has the excuse of mental illness, Greta does not. Ava is a little too goody-goody to actually have a real personality but as this is a Riley saga and one cannot expect fully blown three-dimensional characters, the reader should not expect much more. For those who like a good soap opera, you will enjoy "The Angel Tree" despite its pathetic characters and its way out scenarios.I believe a mother’s love for her children – male and female – is probably the most powerful force on the planet. There is such a deep connection between mothers and their children, and if you ask any mother, they could tell you a story about an instinct they’ve had about their child that proved to be correct. Mothers – in both nature and humanity – will go to extraordinary lengths to protect and nurture their young. My heart goes out to LJ. Even though she's a fictional character, I really felt for her and all she went through. I've even kept thinking about her after finishing the book.... Lucinda Edmonds was born in Lisburn [1] and spent the first few years of her life in the village of Drumbeg near Belfast before moving to England. [3] At age 14, she enrolled in the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London to study theatre and ballet. At 16, she got her first major television role in the BBC adaptation of The Story of the Treasure Seekers, followed shortly afterwards by a guest role in Auf Wiedersehen Pet. She remained a working actress for the next seven years. [4] Turning to writing, still as Lucinda Edmonds, she followed Lovers and Players with novels such as Hidden Beauty (1993), Enchanted (1994), Losing You (1997) and Playing with Fire (1998). Her 1988 marriage to the actor Owen Whittaker, whom she met while shooting a commercial, ended in divorce. In 2000, she married Stephen Riley, who had led a management buyout of the company that became Denby Pottery, and she took a 10-year break from writing to bring up their children.