The Fairmounts

The Fairmounts by Valerie Nifora truly was a delight to dive into. The story is told from the perspective of Harry LaCroix, a young bachelor scarred from the horrors of war. Since returning from his time in the service, Harry has settled into a life of simplicity, close to his childhood best friend and aunt, Lois Fairmount. Lois and Harry have a bond like no other; deeply devoted to each other with the purest of loves, they grew up more as brother and sister than as aunt and nephew.

Lois has recently married John Fairmount, a man who can simply be described as everyone’s dream husband. He’s dashing, charismatic, and of course, wealthy. Lois is madly in love with John and his seemingly perfect persona. However, the bond Lois has with Harry is unlike anything her and John could ever experience together. It’s a relationship rooted in childhood nostalgia and former dreams; Harry and Lois are each other’s confidants and greatest pleasures. Harry and Lois begin to spend much time together, and in doing so, they discover the unfortunate story of Mary Whitcombe.

Mary’s character begins as a woman of few words. Formerly living in a convent after her family’s passing, she has had an unusual childhood to say the least. After leaving her life at the convent, she moves in with the Long family, where Harry and Lois meet her. Upon conversing, Harry realizes that Mary is the heir to the infamous Whitcombe fortune, something she seems to have no interest in finding. He urges her to attempt to uncover the mystery surrounding her fortune, but Mary refuses, begging Harry to drop the matter and let her leave the past behind.

Unfortunately for both Harry and Mary, the Whitcombe fortune will not be left in the dust, despite her best wishes. The story unravels not only the tale of this pair and the Whitcombe fortune, but also the stories of John, Lois, and everyone they love, with secrets being brought to life.

Nifora has truly constructed a beautiful romance novel, full of suspense, mystery, tales of old legends, and so much more. The plot is concise and unique, with the perfect balance of an old-fashioned type of love and mystery. Reading these pages, not only was I immersed in Harry and Mary’s life, I was truly invested in their stories, rooting for them and their success. Having read this book in one sitting, I recommend this story to all readers who enjoy a more old-school type romance with mystery intertwined.