A House for all Seasons, by Jenn J McLeod

Four books in one tell the story of four very different young women who receive a strange legacy that helps resolve their shared and individual pasts. Sara, Poppy, Amber and Caitlyn were at school together in rural Calingary Crossing, where all had it tough in different ways. Sara had to care for ageing and disabled parents living in poverty. Poppy had a distant and disappearing war vet father, who could not cope with their family tragedy. Amber’s perfection was a front for a life of domestic violence. Caitlyn always had to the good girl, who lived up to others’ expectations. All sought solace from unconventional Gypsy in her magical house. A tragedy marred the end of their school days and they all fled town as soon as they were able, but all found they carried the baggage of their past into their new lives. Gypsy’s legacy brought them back together, with conditions that made them all attempt to confront and resolve their pasts. Can they do it and all forge a bright new future? The first two stories are fleshed out quite well, with Sara and Poppy both flawed and appealing. The author seems to have run out of steam for the last two girls. Amber’s story runs straight to soap and her character is not very believable. Caitlyn doesn’t have a chance to convince, her story is so sketchy. The inevitable ending is a little too pat, which is a pity, because there were some really good ideas that just needed a bit more attention to work well.