Category: Book Review

Never Fall Again + Giveaway

Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven’s guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family’s business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can’t bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry’s pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger–but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.

My Review:

A compelling introduction to Lynn H. Blackburn’s ‘Gossamer Falls’ series and she’s left me wanting more!

We’re introduced to a lot of key players right from the start and I’ll admit it took a few chapters for me to keep everyone straight but that might have been because I was listening to the audio book and not seeing everything written out. Basically the series is centred around a friend group from prominent families in the town…and there’s a feud between two of the families and…well, it’s complicated! But these characters (our hero and future heroes and heroines) decided in grade school that they wouldn’t let family tensions get in the way of their friendship and they’ve been loyal to each other ever since.

Cal Shaw is one of those friends and the hero of this story, and, be still my heart, meets all my swoonworthy criteria. Faith-centred. Check. Servant’s heart. Check. Protective but respectful. Check. Creative and talented. Check. There’s just one problem — he’s gun-shy about becoming involved with a single mom.

Enter Landry and her young daughter. They have an intriguing backstory that is slowly revealed bit by bit through the course of the novel. I was on tenterhooks all the way through trying to figure out just what they were running from and if that danger had finally caught up with them!

Love that Landry speaks her mind and tackles issues head on. She can be blunt, but never unkind, and she’s not afraid to call Cal on conflicted signals. Love that this romance features a hero and heroine who actually talk things through! Yes, there are some misunderstandings, but they aren’t the malingering kind and are aired fairly quickly. Not easily solved, mind you, but at least they both know where they stand.

Cal becomes invested in keeping Landry safe when she appears to be the target of a stalker which adds tense undercurrents to their burgeoning romance. I really like the way the suspense starts out ‘gently’ and slowly builds. The author gives lots of time to establish a relationship between Cal and Landry and provides enough page time to get to know a number of key secondary characters who will get their turn to star in future books. As always, those relationships shine with banter and heart-to-heart conversations and we’re given a tantalizing glimpse into future romantic plots. I love when the first book in a series gets me giddy with anticipation for the next one!

I enjoyed the audible edition narrated by Kate Forbes, a familiar voice in my romantic suspense listening. She did a great job of bringing this story to life and I’d definitely recommend the audio book to any fellow bibliophiles who appreciate a good listening experience.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Never Fall Again, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 22 2024.

The Summer of Yes + Giveaway

A near-death experience catapults workaholic junior editor Kelsey Worthington into changing her life–one yes at a time.

Kelsey Worthington always dreamed of being a writer, but she’s settled into a routine of helping other people tell their stories in her job as a junior editor. She doesn’t go outside of her comfort zone. Her relationships are safe. Her job is secure. Her existence is stable. And she’s great with that.

And then, the accident.

While she’s in the hospital overnight, she meets an older woman named Georgina Tate–a glass-ceiling-shattering, wildly successful businesswoman. Georgina sacrificed everything to become the woman she is today, but now, with a pair of failing kidneys and only a handful of months left to live, Georgina is forced to come face-to-face with her regrets. Kelsey is forced to reckon with her own list of “things I’ll do someday,” and she starts to ask a simple but life-changing What if I said yes to all the things I normally say no to? And The Yes Plan is born.

It takes some convincing, but Georgina finally agrees to go along with Kelsey on her Summer of Yes adventures. The two of them set off to see what might be out there waiting for them if they simply open themselves up to it. Together, they say yes to whatever comes their way–a whole day being tourists in their own New York City, dinner with strangers, a convertible that is far from practical but so much fun. But when Kelsey springs a surprise visit to Georgina’s son Hayden and Georgina’s ex-husband (who is not so much of an ex), the older woman is less than thrilled. But this is where the true journey begins.

Two stories of love, forgiveness, regret, romance, and finding a way to live a fearless life intertwine as these two women make an indelible impression on each other. And it all starts with a simple “yes.”

My Review:

Delightfully quirky and emotionally deep all mixed up in the best of ways. I laughed. I cried. I cheered. I swooned(!!!) Honestly, Courtney Walsh delivered so much more than I was expecting (and I was expecting a lot because she is one of my fave contemporary romance authors.)

The perfect blend of zingy banter and soul-searching discussions that pulled on all my emotions. This is one of Thomas Nelson’s general market selections so no faith content per se but there are some moving moments involving forgiveness and overcoming fear that are very impactful. I was especially touched by Hayden’s story. What an example! So much wisdom learned from some tough life lessons.

The story is told from two points of view — our young heroine Kelsey and the irascible, grumpy, gruff and all things grinch-y, Georgina Tate, a successful septuagenarian with a lot of attitude. The way Walsh throws these two together and then pits them against each other is sheer brilliance and makes for such an entertaining read.

There’s so much heart to this story – and not just the romance kind. Beautifully layered storytelling that made me pause and ask myself some pointed questions right along with Kelsey and Georgina. Love when a book causes reflection and prompts change and this one did that for me.

Part of my ‘reading’ enjoyment came from listening to the audio edition expertly narrated by Tanya Eby and Cathi Colas. They both added so much zest and personality to their performances that I could easily picture every scene playing out in my mind. I’ve become somewhat of an audio book snob and this edition of ‘The Summer of Yes’ easily makes my top ten audio books of the year.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio along with Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the The Summer of Yes, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 22 2024.

When the Day Comes

How will she choose, knowing all she must sacrifice? 

Libby has been given a powerful gift: to live one life in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg and the other in 1914 Gilded Age New York City. When she falls asleep in one life, she wakes up in the other. While she’s the same person at her core in both times, she’s leading two vastly different lives. 

In Colonial Williamsburg, Libby is a public printer for the House of Burgesses and the Royal Governor, trying to provide for her family and support the Patriot cause. The man she loves, Henry Montgomery, has his own secrets. As the revolution draws near, both their lives–and any hope of love–are put in jeopardy. 

Libby’s life in 1914 New York is filled with wealth, drawing room conversations, and bachelors. But the only work she cares about–women’s suffrage–is discouraged, and her mother is intent on marrying her off to an English marquess. The growing talk of war in Europe only complicates matters. 

But Libby knows she’s not destined to live two lives forever. On her twenty-first birthday, she must choose one path and forfeit the other–but how can she choose when she has so much to lose in each life?

My Review:

I feel like I’m the last person on the planet to start this innovative series but better late than never, I guess. 🙂 Brilliantly clever time travel theme and the author even manages to include a faith thread! I’m beyond impressed. Especially at the way she developed the time travel elements and still fit the story into the Christian Fiction genre.

I think one of the reasons I hesitated to read ‘When the Day Comes’ is that I hate love triangles and I figured this one would be a doozy but — phew — it really isn’t. However it’s all kinds of complicated and heart wrenching with enough gasp-out-loud moments to give me unsettled nights for a while (I tend to carry my fiction over into my dreams.)

And that’s about all I can say because the things I want to comment on are major spoiler-y so I’ll sum up by saying this novel is unlike anything I’ve read before. Unique and compelling and so, so emotional! Now I’m eyeing book two but there are…yikes, three timelines (!) and I’m not sure my heart can handle that!

Even Forever + Giveaway

Random Retro Read

The last thing Rosalie Tomkin wants is another man trying to control her life. Her abusive jailbird father and her ne’er-do-well brother have cured her of that. Not even the wealthy visitor staying in her beleaguered mother’s boarding house can tempt her. She plans to leave Boulder Creek as soon as she can scrape together the funds to do so, and when she does, she won’t ever look back.

Michael Randolph is in a high-stakes competition for the family business and intends to beat his half-brother, no matter what. So when an innocent encounter with Rosalie threatens to cost him everything he hopes to achieve, he’s willing to pay the price demanded by her no-good father. Even if it means marrying a damsel in distress.

Strangers placed in an impossible position, Michael and Rosalie can agree on one thing. Neither of them wants to stay together any longer than they must. What they don’t know is that fate might have a better future in store for them than either could imagine.

My Review:

published in 2021

A classic Western Romance with complex issues that kept me on an emotional rollercoaster all the way through! Robin Lee Hatcher knows how to incorporate faith and hope in the midst of struggles and turmoil and turns out a stunning novel every time!

Marriage of Convenience. Happy sigh (which is so weird, but love it in fiction.) A husband who doesn’t want a wife gradually realizing he does and then the wooing begins. Swoon! But this is the Wild West so their love story is nearly thwarted by the vilest of villains. Kept me on tenterhooks all the way to the end.

Honestly, my emotions were all over the place during this read. Loved Rosalie’s spunk and determination to get out of an untenable situation. But, oh my heart hurt for her! And her mother! Gah! That woman…there are no words. I mean, I could see why she acted the way she did and it fit the circumstances, especially for the time period, but 21st century ‘girl power’ me was spitting nails in an angry/sad jumble of emotions. Phew!

‘Even Forever’ is touching and tender with a healthy dose of grit. Sometimes a reader craves a good marriage of convenience story and this one delivers!

I enjoyed listening to the audio edition of Even Forever narrated by Eve Passeltiner. She delivered an emotional performance that matched these characters and their story perfectly.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Even Forever, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 15 2024.

Bitter and Sweet + Giveaway

Two sisters at a crossroad in life find the answers to their problems in the lessons from the past…

Mariah never pretended her marriage was perfect but that didn’t mean she ever suspected her husband of ten years would not only ask for a divorce but steal the business she built for them. Defeated and depressed, she’s not sure how to bounce back from the manipulative betrayal. Sabrina has been self-destructing for years, maybe since she was born, but certainly since the death of her long-time boyfriend. Barely scraping by and living in her van, she’s struggling to figure out what’s next for her, when all she’s ever wanted to do is bake cakes like her mother did.

When Mariah and Sabrina’s grandmother sends them a cryptic text message summoning them to Georgetown, South Carolina, both assume their ailing grandfather’s health has declined. Instead, the estranged sisters are faced with their grandmother’s undeniable request–save the family restaurant. Through letters written by their great-great-grandmother, Tabitha, Mariah and Sabrina learn a heartbreaking yet powerful story of struggle and survival. As the whole truth about Tabitha’s complicated past unfolds, the sisters are inspired by her ability to forge her own way in Charleston, a beautiful and prosperous city that was also rife with oppression under Jim Crow.

With the lessons in their family’s past guiding them, both sisters have a chance at a different life–if they can find a way to bridge the gap that tragedy and unhealed trauma forced between them. Told in a dual timeline that alternates between the 1920s and present-day Charleston, SC, Bitter and Sweet is an emotional story about love, one family’s perseverance, and the bonds of family and heritage.

My Review:

This is the kind of book you dread writing a review for because there is no possible way to convey the brilliance of the storytelling or the emotional impact it made. So excuse me if words fail.

First, I listened to the audio edition and was completely captivated by the trio of narrators. Janice Abbott-Pratt, Angel Pean and Lynette R. Freeman gave stunning performances, adding to the rich vibrancy of Rhonda McKnight’s words. The result — an exceptional listening experience. I savoured every second.

And, oh my, these sisters and their stories! Deep layers of personal and family drama culminating in divine healing. I was an emotional wreck by the end. (Gentle warning: don’t listen to or read this book in public, especially if you are an ugly crier like I am. Don’t ask me how I know 🙂 )

The author expertly weaves Mariah and Sabrina’s great-great-grandmother’s story into the mix, so – yay – dual timeline. ‘Bitter and Sweet’ honours the legacy of faith and family through generations. So much wisdom and insight! I’ve preordered a print copy because there are so many impactful quotes that I need to highlight and pour over again and again.

A stunning, emotionally-stirring, faith-filled read!

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this novel.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Bitter and Sweet, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 15 2024.

Cooper’s Choice

Separated by tragedy, reunited by love. Will he choose family or love?

As an artist Cooper Holland instantly notices the beautiful woman going into a church, for the second time in as many days. When a man dressed in black begins to follow her, he instinctively knows something is wrong. Soon, he discovers there are two men after the pretty lady, and is shocked when Mia claims they want to kill her. The rules of witness protection prevent Mia Royce from confiding in Cooper, the attractive artist who has raced to her rescue. Unfortunately, her US Marshal contact isn’t answering her calls.

Cooper has the street smarts to help her remain hidden so she reluctantly accepts his help. As the attacks against Mia grow more threatening, she isn’t sure how to keep Cooper safe from the men who now want to harm, him, too. Cooper claims he can protect himself, but Mia secretly knows there’s a lot at stake. She can’t ask Cooper to give up his life, despite the fact he’d already captured her heart. Will Cooper choose his foster family, or her love?

My Review:

‘Cooper’s Choice’ is part of the ‘Smoky Mountain Secrets’ series — book four — but it can be read as a standalone. The series centres around a group of foster kids who escape an abusive foster home and flee in different directions. It’s years later and each book features one of the kids and will gradually reunite them all by the last book.

It’s been interesting to see how the inciting incident in their past has affected each of the foster kids. They’ve all had a rocky start in life so these books are on the edgier side but there’s a solid faith thread woven into each story too.

Cooper is a talented artist with lots of hard earned street smarts which come in handy when he spots Mia in trouble. And after that first contact — whew — the story just flies! Tense with danger and suspense, it’s impossible to know who they can trust. And the romance is just as fast and furious! Riveting from start to finish.

Cole and Laila are Just Friends + Giveaway

Cole and Laila have been inseparable since they could crawl. And they’ve never thought about each other that way. Except for when they have. Rarely. Once in a while, sure. But seriously . . . hardly ever.

Cole Kimball and Laila Olivet have been best friends their entire lives. Cole is the only person (apart from blood relatives) who’s seen Laila in her oversized, pink, plastic, Sophia Loren glasses. Laila is always the first person to taste test any new dish Cole creates in his family’s restaurant . . . even though she has the refined palate of a kindergartener. Most importantly, Cole and Laila are always talking. About everything.

When Cole discovers a betrayal from his recently deceased grandfather that shatters his world, staying in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, is suddenly unfathomable. But Laila loves her life in their small mountain town and can’t imagine ever living anywhere else. She loves serving customers who tip her with a dozen fresh eggs. She loves living within walking distance of all her favorite people. And she’s very much not okay with the idea of not being able to walk to her very favorite person.

Still, when Cole toys with moving across the country to New York City, she decides to support her best friend–even as she secretly hopes she can convince him to stay home. And not just for his killer chocolate chip pancakes. Because she loves him. As a friend. Just as a friend. Right?

They make a deal: Laila won’t beg him to stay, and Cole won’t try to convince her to come with him. They have one week in New York before their lives change forever, and all they have to do is enjoy their time together and pretend none of this is happening. But it’s tough to ignore the very inconvenient feelings blooming out of nowhere. In both of them. And these potentially friendship-destroying feelings, once out in the open, have absolutely no take-backs.

If When Harry Met Sally had a quippy literary love child with Gilmore Girls’ Luke and Lorelai, you’d get Cole and Laila. Just . . . don’t tell them that.

My Review:

Seriously, why have I not read more of Bethany Turner’s books?! I had a fabulous time with Cole and Laila and I’m sure that my bibliophile enjoyment was enhanced by the wonderful performances of narrators Talon David and Andrew Eiden. I highly recommend the audio edition of ‘Cole and Laila are Just Friends’. The narrators’ voices matched the characters perfectly and conveyed all the energy and angst to sweet perfection!

So — one of my favourite tropes is friends to more and this one was sooo good! I loved the relationship between these two besties. So tender and caring and loyal and they are so comfortable together. Thirty years is a long time to be ‘just’ friends though and I’ll admit to starting the read thinking these two must be pretty dense not to have figured things out earlier. But now, I honestly can’t imagine their love story unfolding in any other way. It’s perfect for them! And I loved every second.

A great blend of humour and drama — but the drama isn’t over the top. More deeply rooted and poignant, maybe? If that makes any sense. I love that Cole and Laila talk things out — not always right away, but they get there eventually. And the love and respect they have for each other is always at the forefront, even when they’re fighting. And honestly, they can’t sustain any kind of anger for long because….sigh, they are each thinking about how the other feels. Swoony sigh.

This book follows ‘ Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other’ though I don’t see it marked as a series. There are some carry overs from the first book — but I think this book reads fine without having read the other. I didn’t and I never felt lost. The books share a core friend group in a small Colorado town and I immediately got that vibe without feeling like I was missing out because I hadn’t read Brynn and Sebastian’s story.

Loved the jaunt to New York City and the drastic change that kickstarted a transformation in Cole and Laila’s relationship. Tons of classic rom/com scenes kept me giggling. Also, a lot of pop culture references relating to television and movies, which is so not my thing, however, I may not have gotten the specifics but I got the context which was just as fun, so it worked for me. 🙂

Of Note: This is one of Thomas Nelson’s general market selections (wish they’d create a catchy name for this non-inspirational line!) so no faith thread but definitely a clean romance.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com) 

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR an audible copy. Winner’s Choice.

If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of Cole and Laila are Just Friends, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 8 2024.

Hammers and Homicide

Perfect for fans of Kate Carlisle and Victoria Gilbert, when a body is found in a hardware store, will Dawna Carpenter’s sleuthing measure up to find the killer?

Recent sexagenarian widow Dawna Carpenter thought running her own hardware store after the death of her husband was hard enough. With her adult daughter, April, moving back into town, and Darlene, the annoying boutique owner next door to her shop poking around, Dawna has her hands full. But when she finds a dead man in the bathroom of her store, with a framing hammer by his side, she’s in way over her head.

The victim, Warren Highcastle, was a land developer who was looking to purchase the old theater in town to build a new hotel. Dawna and April, worried about the implications of the crime scene at the hardware store, put themselves on the case. They soon learn that Warren had made quite a few enemies in his short amount of time in town. As the suspect list starts growing, so too do the threats against Dawna and April. Can Dawna and April nail the killer before they strike again?

My Review:

Super excited about this new cozy mystery series! All the cozy vibes are amazing — from the quirky small town to Dawna’s ‘old timey’ hardware store to her wonderful relationship with her daughter, April. Worth the read just for those elements but then a murder happens and things get even more interesting.

Dawna and April may be amateur sleuths on their first case, but they are savvy ones and I love the camaraderie they have with the police. It’s a nice balance of respect for the information they uncover and ‘don’t mess with my investigation’ with some humour thrown in.

The perfect mix of cozy and mystery with characters it’s easy to care about made ‘Hammers and Homicide’ a compulsive read for me. I can’t wait for the next ‘Hometown Hardware Mystery’ to release. Please let it be soon!!! This is definitely going to be a bingeable series!

Deception

It’s been over a year since Sam McQuaid has been back home to Shadow Ridge, and this time, he’s returning with a bounty on his head.

Welcome to Shadow Ridge, where LONGMIRE meets JERICHO.

From USA Today Best-selling author Lisa Harris comes an epic new series where the survival of Shadow Ridge depends on learning how to fight crime all over again.

In today’s world, law enforcement agencies across the country rely on forensic tools, DNA testing, and crime labs. But what if that technology was suddenly no longer available? No one in the small, west Texas town of Shadow Ridge knows what took down the power grid, or when it’s going to be back up, but everyone knows exactly where they were the moment it went down. And now, with no electricity, no internet, and no modern technology, the men and women responsible for keeping the town safe are going to have to learn how to fight crime all over again.

My Review:

I’ll say right up front that this series (Fallout) must be read in order. ‘Deception’ is book four and it is just as tense and edge-of-your-seat as the first three books…and a tad bit eerie besides. The Dystopian aspects add an extra thrill…and creep factor if I’m being truthful!

Basically, the power grid went down a year ago and society is unraveling as you might expect. The series features the McQuaid family, each book starring one of the siblings and their personal battles and issues as well as an over-arcing suspense thread about who is responsible for the power grid destruction and what their end game is. Lots of drama and danger and romance, of course!

This is Sam McQuaid’s story and it starts out with a desperate manhunt (he’s the one being hunted!) and I really don’t want to say much more than that because of the way previous books and characters weave through this one. Here’s a quote that sets the tone of this story:

“Fear had been used for centuries to manipulate and intimidate various populations as a tactic for control And apparently what they were facing now was no different.”

Grim. Heartwrenching. Terrifying. Yet there is still some good in humanity and the McQuaids are among the best.

The Italian Ballerina + Giveaway

At the height of the Nazi occupation of Rome, an unlikely band of heroes comes together to save innocent lives in this breathtaking World War II novel based on real historical events.

Rome, 1943 . With the fall of Italy’s Fascist government and the Nazi regime occupying the streets of Rome, British ballerina Julia Bradbury is stranded and forced to take refuge at a hospital on Tiber Island. But when she learns of a deadly sickness that is sweeping through the quarantine wards—a fake disease known only as Syndrome K—she is drawn into one of the greatest cons in history. Alongside hospital staff, friars of the adjoining church, and two Allied medics, Julia risks everything to rescue Italian Jews from the deadly clutches of the Holocaust. But when one little girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina arrives at their door, Julia and the others are determined to reunite the young dancer with her family—if only she would reveal one crucial secret: her name.

Present Day . With the recent loss of her grandfather—a beloved small-town doctor and WWII veteran—Delaney Coleman returns home to help her aging parents, even as she struggles to pick up the pieces of her own life. When a mysterious Italian woman claims she owns one of the family’s precious heirlooms, Delaney is compelled to uncover what’s true of her grandfather’s hidden past. Together with the woman’s skeptical but charming grandson, Delaney learns of a Roman hospital that saved hundreds of Jewish people during the war. Soon, everything Delaney thought she knew about her grandfather comes into question as she wrestles with the possibility that the man she’d revered all her life had unknown ties to Rome and may have taken noble secrets to his grave.

Based on true accounts of the invented Syndrome K sickness, The Italian Ballerina journeys from the Allied storming of the beaches at Salerno to the London ballet stage and the war-torn streets of WWII Rome, exploring the sometimes heart-wrenching choices we must make to find faith and forgiveness, and how saving just one life can impact countless others.

My Review:

Phew! This one was a heartbreaker! I’m a bit of an emotional mess now that it’s all over. A vulnerable mix of aching and hope and everything in-between.

Kristy Cambron is known for writing complex dual timeline novels full of rich layers and important bits of history that should never be forgotten. She accomplishes that again with ‘The Italian Ballerina’ though I will admit to sometimes getting lost in the un-chronological yo-yoing in the past timeline. This might have been because I listened to the audible edition (expertly narrated by Barrie Kreinik by the way.) It probably would have helped to see the dates/places printed out every time we broke away from the present day. It’s not like there was a huge leap of decades — more like a 5-6 year span — but we’d be in 1943, then the next time in 1939 and then 1941 — and in the POV of two different characters so I was always scrambling to properly place the character and situations. I really enjoy dual timeline stories but I am finding that I enjoy them more when the historical story unfolds chronologically.

Amazed once again to discover yet another aspect of World War II that I knew nothing about. That an Italian hospital created a fictitious highly contagious sickness in order to hide Jews in quarantine wards is — well it sounds like it could only happen in fiction! And Cambron has cleverly woven it into a story that bridges decades and continents. How on earth does she keep it all straight in her mind as she writes?! Sheer genius!

I liked the contrast in the present day timeline. Not without its own emotional upheavals, but it was still lighter and served to highlight the powerful impact the choices of the past have on our present.

This book gutted me though — so not a light read but an important one.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a print or ebook copy. Winner’s choice.

US – available in print or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada – available in print or ebook or audible (if available) — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the Secondary Target, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 1 2024.