In the dazzling yet daunting landscape of 1930s Hollywood, Sandra Sanborn stands as an aspiring actress, a sandwich board her only stage. Misfortune might seem to have placed her far from the opulent world she believes is her birthright, but Sandra is convinced greatness is within reach. She carries the legacy of her grandmother Vira, a Gold Rush pioneer who established a prominent San Francisco family, and her mother Mabel, who married into wealth. Success, for Sandra, feels predestined. She simply needs the opportunity to claim it, to avoid ending up right back where she started from.
Amidst the rejections of countless auditions, Sandra receives a life-altering letter. A man claiming to be her father emerges, casting a shadow of doubt over everything she understood about her family and her own identity. As Sandra tirelessly strives for social ascension in the glittering world of Hollywood, long-hidden family secrets begin to surface, threatening to unravel her carefully constructed ambitions and pull her down. These revelations are intrinsically tied to the fortunes gained and lost by Vira and Mabel, her ancestors whose pasts hold the key to Sandra’s present predicament. Until Sandra confronts these truths, she is destined to perpetually find herself right back where she started from, unable to escape the undertow of her family’s history.
Right Back Where We Started From is more than just a title; it’s a thematic anchor for this expansive, multigenerational work of fiction. The narrative delves deep into the very heart of American ambition, tracing its roots back to the heady days of the Gold Rush and examining its profound influence on our national concepts of achievement, failure, and the ever-elusive pursuit of happiness. This meticulously crafted saga unfolds as a rich tapestry interwoven with historical detail, romantic intrigue, and suspenseful revelations. At its core are three unforgettable women, each driven by an unwavering determination, navigating the complexities of family, fortune, and fate.
