The long way

"The Long Way" by Mary Imlay Taylor is a story set in the early 1900s about Rachel Leven, a young woman caught in a whirlwind of family drama. When Rachel's sister, Eva, stirs up scandal and puts the family's honor at risk, Rachel faces a huge decision: sacrifice her own happiness to protect Eva. The book explores how Rachel deals with feelings of being lost and confused as she sees Eva's fancy life and the rumors that follow her. The rumors hint at love triangles and endangered lives, placing new tensions on the horizon. To shield her sister from ruin, Rachel plans to marry Belhaven, a man who appears amid the chaos and who could be at the center of the danger. The story shows the difficult choices women faced back then and how family bonds can be tested, turning the narrative into an emotional search for loyalty and what it truly means to sacrifice for others.