The Whipple Girl by Lilly Adam

Toby Blake is a skilled con artist and a convincing liar. His overpowering desire to gain wealth and social standing at any price cast a devastating effect on the lives of his family, and anyone who crossed his path. His determination to better himself and make Helen Whipple his wife was only the beginning of a life of deception which left a tangle of lies behind him. When Helen’s daughter was left to raise Toby Blake’s only child under his strict and ruthless rule, Hester was determined to honour her mother’s wish, and the promise she had made to her. Hester’s strong love for her sister and the vow she had made to protect her from the evil ways of Toby Blake, meant a youth spent like a caged bird, desperate to find a way of escaping and of keeping her sister safe. Being forced to suddenly leave London for Oxford in 1873, Hester lost all contact with her only friend and childhood sweetheart, Harvey Gladstone, and as Toby Blake became trapped within his web of lies, he was prepared to take extreme measures, regardless of the consequences. How far was Toby Blake willing to go? Would Hester ever find freedom and her true love? A gripping tale of love, betrayal, and family loyalties.