This book wasn’t for me. I decided not to review it on my site or any of the major retailers/Goodreads.

This book tells two stories. The one in the past tells the story of a love triangle between two brothers and the woman they both love. In the present, tells the story of an inheritance when the family's matriarch passes away. The link between the two is the necklace that belonged to royalty in India. Within the necklace lies the ability to unlock long held family secrets. I enjoyed both timelines and the story flowed easily from each story. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly could tell by the writing of the first 2 chapters that it wouldn't be a good fit for our box and had to put it down. I may read it again in the future!

The style of writing is not engaging to me. Therefore, I’m not the right reviewer for this book. There are others who appreciate this style of writing and they will reveal veracious reviews.

When Nellie is summons back to her family home in the wake of her Aunt's passing, the chill in the air is palpable. She can tell the other family members don't want her there but can't quite put her finger on why. Until the will is read and she finds herself the recipient of a family heirloom that comes with a long backstory. That backstory because the center of a beautiful, complicated and intimate story from generations before her. Love triangles, unrequited passion and secrets, especially inside families, is always a great recipe and this is no exception.

What I loved most about the book was the connection between the family in the present day and the lives of Ethan and Ambrose "back in the day." I loved the flashbacks and really enjoyed the ties that connected the stories.

Why I chose this book: I am about to give up a deeply held secret of mine…I found this book during one of my Target “runs.” Like many people, I always walk into Target needing ONE thing (in this case, socks). However, like many people, hours later I walked out of Target with MUCH more than socks. These hours in Target are usually spent standing in front of the book section hunting for my next great read.

Boy am I glad I picked this book up! The author, Claire McMillan, did a GREAT job flipping us back and forth between the present day and historical events as she unwinds the story around an extravagant necklace. Undeniably, I am a sucker for “flashback books” such as this, but Claire did such a great job of keeping the reader hooked, switching back to the present at just the right times. The Necklace introduces us to MANY characters both friends of the Quincy family and within the Quincy family themselves, but never did I feel lost. This is what the author did such a phenomenal job with, even the “sideline characters” have story development that gives you something to remember them by!

What I disliked about this book: After reading the book’s description on the back cover of the book, I was worried the book was going to be too caught up in the materialistic necklace in which the story surrounds. The way the book is described leads the reader to believe that this necklace, the only item specifically left to Nell after the death of Loulou, will be the sole focus of the book and while this is 100% true, it fails to capture the story that is woven into this benign description. The necklace gives the story the anchor but the author gives the story the life, and what an incredible life it is, such a captivating story rooted in both the past and present, one won’t be disappointed they picked this book up.

Thanks Touchstone and netgalley for this ARC.

So much of this novel deals in regret, pain, and unfulfilled longing. It's one of those novels we love to read because it lets us live vicariously. It's also a novel of love, triumph, and change for the better.

It seems like all the "fun" books I end up reading are always from NetGalley, & The Necklace is definitely one of them. From the very first chapter, I knew this would be a good time & it totally was. I'm usually not a huge fan of time leaps (since it's told from two different eras) but it didn't bother me at all here. Both eras were fleshed out & there characters were more than compelling.
I was half way through it when I recommended my library purchase it & I definitely plan on recommending it to patrons. It's a perfect beach read & would make a fantastic movie (!!).

Wow!! What a great novel! This was my first McMillan novel, I have yet to read Gilded Age but do plan to after this little gem of a novel. This summer for me has been a summer of suspense/thriller reading so this was a nice little reprieve to enjoy a dual timeline family saga. This novel is written in third person alternating between Nell in 2009 and May/Ambrose in 1925 also handwritten letters and text messages are used to tie the periods together quite nicely. Nell, the Quincey's black sheep in the family is shocked when she inherits a family heirloom, a mysterious Indian necklace. In 1925 the reader follows the love triangle of May, Ambrose and Ethan. The necklace was intended for May the love of Ambrose's life but when Ambrose returns to May, she is now his sister-in-law.
McMillan's prose is beautiful and she captures the beauty of the Jazz age wonderfully.
Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was an interesting portrayal of the robber baron era, but I found the plot and ending contrived. The characters seemed like stereotypes and unbelievable.

3 Stars - This was an easy summer read. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I always enjoy books that go back and forth in time, and that was the reason I decided to read this book. I enjoyed the storyline that took place in the past more than the present one, and that is mainly because there was more action. The present day characters were a little annoying, but believable; it was the characters in the past that made me want to keep reading.

I was given this book for my free review.

The Necklace, the second outing for author Claire McMillan, is a duo-period novel focusing on the wealthy and eccentric Quincy family. The story begins with Nell, a lawyer who has been largely raised away from the Quincy family. A death brings them all together at the family’s ancestral home, and in a shocking twist, Nell is named the executor of the will. She also receives a fabulous sapphire necklace with a tragic past.
In the 1920s, May, a bright socialite, has been enjoying a flirtation with Ambrose Quincy for months. But he is a dreamer and philosopher—the call of world travel lures him away and when he returns with a beautiful necklace for May, he discovers that she has married his twin brother Ethan. A love triangle is born—with devastating consequences.
The Necklace will most likely appeal to readers of modern fiction more than historical fiction. Nell is an interesting character that readers can root for against her unconventional but viperous family. Whereas May and her love for two brothers is reminiscent of the movie Legends of the Fall, the author does not quite grasp the detail needed for a seasoned historic fiction writer. Indeed, it is almost as if the reader is watching a big screen film about the 1920s. But if an easy read for the summer months is the goal, readers should enjoy unwrapping the mystery of The Necklace.

This novel was a lot briefer (and less Indian) that I expected it to be. A lot happens in both timelines in such a short book and the reflections on family and love aren't as deep as they could be, but it was still a good story and quite engaging. I don't know if I'd say I wanted more though... at this overwhelming time in my reading life, it was a perfect little bite for a nice one-sitting read.

Nell goes back to Cleveland for the reading of her great aunt's will. The Quincys are not happy that Nell was given a valuable necklace, since she was always seen as an outsider. The story alternates with the story of brothers Ethan and Ambrose, Nell's ancestors, both in love with the same woman, May. It is May that the necklace is purchased for by Ambrose, even though May married his brother Ethan. It was just okay for me, and thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to preview.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I just thought it was boring. Since I did not finish the book, I do not intend to publish a review.

McMillan has created a drama, incorporating several generations of the Quincy family and their secrets and scandals, linked together by THE NECKLACE, a piece of jewelry of vast historical and monetary importance.

Nell Quincy Merrihew learns she had inherited this fabulous piece after the death of her aunt. Through this inheritance, the reader is brought back to the story of the original Quincys' and how this necklace was passed down.

The secrets of the Quincy brothers, the beautiful woman they both coveted and ultimately Nell's own story unfold during this lovely novel. Nell is surrounded by the archetypes of a family fighting for an inheritance, but she finds support and love from the family lawyer.

So, this engaging novel is historical, taking us back to the time of the Robber Barons, romantic, as we learn about the great love surrounding the necklace and fascinating as we move back to the roots and significance of this piece and its rich Indian heritage.

A book club will love digging down into this wonderful book. Not to be missed!

The Necklace will be one of those great summer reads for anyone heading off on vacation. The story travels back and forth between the 1920's, when the necklace is gifted, to the present day when the necklace is bequeathed to Nell in her great-aunt's will. Family intrigue, romance, historic settings....they're all here.

It was a well researched book that keeps switching from 100 years ago and then today.
I love books that take place during the 1920s so it was right up my alley. It was a nice story about a piece of jewelry and it was a quick read!

Part history, part mystery, with a hint of romance, this is what every beach bag needs this summer!