A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan (Goodreads Author)

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

My big complaint and why it only got 2 stars was the women's stories felt unfinished to me. Just as I was beginning to relate to one of the women and really get into her story the book skipped ahead 12/15 years to her daughter's story.

The book starts in 1821 with Ursule Orchiere dying after successfully hiding her clan from the witch hunters. They follow her instructions and leave Brittany France and their gypsy life to settle at Orchard Farm in Cornwall England. Her older granddaughters don't have much of a "gift" but their hopes for the craft are realized when Nanette comes of age. Unfortunately Nanette's having a daughter out of wedlock brings scrutiny to the clan but she is able to protect them by killing the Catholic Priest and chasing off the Protestant Priest. After her daughter Ursule reaches maturity she shares her heritage with her but Ursule scoffs at the idea she is a witch, and is happy with her life as a farmer. Unfortunately she betrays them to her husband who helps a mob throw Nanette off a cliff.

Ursule escapes to a life of poverty in Wales with occasional visits from the musician who got her pregnant. Her daughter Irene isn't content with their life of poverty and uses the craft to ensnare Lord Llewelyn who is old enough to be her Father. She leaves her Mother and her past behind and becomes the Lady she dreamed of being. The groom Jago fathers her daughter Morwen.

Morwen has a charmed life as the daughter of a Lord but she refuses to marry the man her Father (Lord Llewelyn) choose for her (he was old enough to be her Father) and escapes to London with Jago. She meets Dafydd in a London Park (the son of the man she was suppose to marry) and dreams of marrying him.

Veronica never knew Morwen as she died giving birth to her but Jago tells her, Morwen's secret. And this is really out there supposedly the Queen Mother Elizabeth was a witch and she invited Veronica to join her coven where they cast spells to win WWII. Veronica uses her gift to find the Frenchman she fell in love with while he was convalescing in the hospital in her family home.

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