The Temples of Stowe and Burton Dassett are in many ways a perfect case to explore the workings of an elite early modern family. The archival holdings for this family are extensive and the family was positioned between the aristocracy and the middle class, with members placed in varying degrees of intimacy with both groups. The archival evidence shows the family embedded in a widespread and complex kin and friendship network, with individuals in a variety of relationships of varying intensity.

The central focus of the book is the family of Sir Thomas Temple (1567–1637) and his wife, Hester Sandys (1570–1656). From this vantage point Rosemary O'Day explores the relationships this couple entered into with members of their close and extended family and other individuals connected to them through these relationships. The book is organized along these kinship lines. The early chapters (part one) are introductory and place the couple within familial, geographic, and social contexts. Part two, explores the concept of partnership through an exploration of Thomas and Hester's marriage and the broader relationships the two engaged in as a couple. The last two chapters in this part also consider Hester Sandys as a widow and in the broader context of scholarship on early modern wives. In part three the relationship between Thomas and Hester, and Thomas's siblings is explored through an introductory chapter followed by two case studies that are intriguing—the domestic abuse of Mary Temple and the lunacy of Peter Temple. Both provide insight into the ways in which domestic abuse and mental illness were handled through family mediation—and the impact these situations had on the broader early modern family. The book goes on to explore relationships with Thomas and Hester's children and grandchildren. These chapters introduce the conflicts that arose around marriage settlements, inheritance, different generational goals, and affective complications.

The book is incredibly broad in scope, and this scope is supported by extensive archival research. The introduction places this archival research within the context of early modern scholarship regarding the family, drawing mainly on late twentieth-century work in this area. The discussion recognizes the ongoing validity of some of this scholarship while challenging other aspects of late twentieth century critical discussions surrounding the early modern family. And while there is some reference both in the introduction and throughout the book to more recent scholarship on the family, archival resources, legal institutions, and gender, this work does not fully integrate this more recent scholarship into the discussion, which remains primarily based on earlier scholarship. In general, the contextual discussions remain underdeveloped in relation to the rich primary material.

In many ways this is the major flaw of this study, as the scope is so great and the collection of primary material the work attempts to engage with is so vast. O'Day attempts to cover so many aspects of kin and other relationships regarding the Temples that the book begins to function more as a precis or catalogue of events and issues than a fully developed discussion. At numerous points interesting and suggestive episodes are simply mentioned with no further information, for example on page 155 the servant John Faulkner is noted as having committed manslaughter. This is episode is included simply to lament that his role in the household is not listed in legal documents. But we never learn anything further about the manslaughter charge, and his relationship with the Temples is not further explored despite a reference to addition archival material regarding the case. At least a brief footnote would be useful here. And this happens repeatedly throughout the book, with an intriguing reference introduced but not developed further. Sometimes too much information is placed in one paragraph. For example, in one paragraph we learn that Thomas's father, John, attended sermons, was a puritan, arranged marriages for his children. This paragraph then turns to information about his son Thomas who we are told enjoyed listening to musicians, had an “appalling relationship” with some clergy, gave books away, had a pectoral cross, and gave money to the Whitsuntide Ale and more (64–65). In these cases the text begins to feel more like research notes rather than a discussion. There is often little attempt to develop a narrative structure, though in the case histories of Mary Temple and Peter Temple the narrative can be quite compelling. The book is uneven in its presentation and O'Day often provides more of a synopsis of past scholarship rather than fully integrate the source material within an informed and current critical discussion. The treatment of Hester Sandys is especially disappointing, though perhaps inevitably so given the lack of space devoted to her. It was particularly frustrating to read that the chapter on Hester's “long widowhood” would be “a brief examination” (167), when it is clear that the resources related to her widowhood were extensive. Certainly the book shows there is scope for a book-length study of Hester alone.

These flaws are perhaps inevitable in a book of such ambition. The real strength of this work lies in O'Day's impeccable archival scholarship. The extensive referencing to primary sources signals a number of opportunities that will enable further work on the dynamics of the early modern family, gender relationships, household economies, geography and power, and much more. The book contains useful appendices and is carefully referenced throughout. These references are the most impressive aspect of the book and make it a valuable resource for further scholarship.