1933 the scene is set against the majestic Himalayas in Northern India. This is a story of Stella Dubois and Andrew Lomax, childhood friends. Andrew's father and stepmother own the Raj Hotel in Rawalpindi and Stella's father is the hotel manager. As an unfortunate event occurred at Andrew's school, he is expelled and sent to Scotland to live with his mother. Not seeing each other for several years, they unexpectedly meet in India as WWII breaks out..but life has changed them both. Are their childhood ties enough create a new relationship or will there be heartbreak ahead? A novel set in the colonial times of India you become absorbed with the history. There is much to take in within this 524 page book. Not only the story itself, but India at the end of the British Raj, the sights, the sounds, Ms. Trotter has masterfully set in your mind's eye. Ms. Trotter creates the very essence of India itself during a time when British colonialism was at its peak. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chai tea anyone? You’ll need it if you’re hunkering down with Janet MacLeod Trotter’s ‘The Sapphire Child’ to be published December 08, 2020. You are about to embark on a 524-page evocative journey back to Rawalpindi in the foothills of the Himalayas and discover what life was like in colonial India.

Set against the sweeping grandeur of the Himalayas in Northern India in 1933, Trotter shares the story of childhood friends, Stella Dubois and Andrew Lomax. Andrew’s father and stepmother own the vibrant Raj Hotel in Rawalpindi and Stella is the daughter of the hotel manager. Strain is put on their friendship when Andrew, expelled from school, leaves India to join his overbearing mother in Scotland. Over the next few years, the two see little of each other as life keeps them busy. When WW2 breaks out, Andrew joins the army and Stella, having suffered recent betrayal, joins the Women’s Auxiliary Corps. Embittered with life, the two unexpectedly meet in India and receive the answers they each need to move on with their life. Has their friendship withstood the test of time? Has war changed them too much to rekindle their friendship? Can they put scandal and heartbreak behind them?

I absolutely loved the backdrop of colonial India! It reminded me of the 2015-2106 British drama, Indian Summers, with Julie Walters. Trotter’s impeccable research made for such a fantastic read. She wrote to all the senses; I could almost feel the heat and humidity, smell the pungent spices, hear the throngs and see the architecture and décor of the British Raj that flavoured the final years of their rule in India. A true smorgasbord for the senses.

Paramount to Trotter’s success is her access to the treasure trove of old diaries, letters, photos and home movies of her grandparents. Having left Edinburgh to live and work in Northern India she was able to draw on their intrepid travels between 1920 – 1950. Her encompassing story is full of twists and turns, unexpected events and colourful, unique characters. Trotter masterfully brings to life colonial India and the ex-pat experiences.

Central to the theme of this historical family drama is forbidden love, the devastation of heartbreak, the power of family and the importance of getting to the truth instead of making assumptions.

My heart is full and I’m feeling uplifted after such a purely indulgent experience.

Trotter’s new book is an intoxicating blend of the last days of the Raj and World War II. Stella and Andrew have grown up together in the sunset of British rule over India. As adults the two friends follow different paths, with Andrew leaving to join the war effort, while Stella stays behind in India to nurse a broken heart when she is betrayed by the man she thought she loved. When the two old friends eventually reunite, life has changed them almost beyond recognition. Will they ever be able to overcome their pasts and rekindle the friendship they once shared?