PAULA'S REVIEW:
“A good story is strong enough to save a life.”
I am partial to dual-timeline stories and Ms. Dobson is an expert at weaving the two times together.
This is such a great story about a popular author Via Belle of the 1940s who goes missing after her second marriage.
Harper in the 2006 returns to a place she visited as a child and is caught up in the stories of Via Belle as she searches for a topic for a script that she wants to write. What she finds is a little romance and connections that are surprising.
Especially interesting is the historical look at the life of an author from the past and her struggles with her faith and her newfound love. The descriptions of the house, gardens and lake that were an inspiration to Via put you right in the story. I began to care about the heroines in both timelines and cringed at the duplicity of the villain. All the mystery and subterfuge made for an exceptional story.
You will want to put this on your list!
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Tyndale via NetGalley. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are mine alone.* 5 stars and a solid faith thread
BackCover Blurb:
Searching for a story to adapt for film, an aspiring screenwriter becomes captivated by a bestselling classic novel and the mysterious disappearance of the woman who wrote it.
1940. Via Belle's sweet romance novels made readers believe in happily ever after. But Via's reality was much more complicated. While her first husband was alive, her creativity thrived in a beautiful stone estate situated above a pristine lake and moonflower garden. After his tragic death and a whirlwind second marriage shrouded in secrets, Via vanished from public life, leaving behind a shadow of scandal . . . and her final story.
2006. Screenwriter Harper Rayne is desperate for a breakthrough, if only she can find the right story to tell. But when she digs into the life of her late mother's favorite novelist, she never expects it to become personal. Drawn to the quaint Pennsylvania town where both her mother and Via once lived, Harper discovers more than a mystery to solve—she finds echoes of her own longing for love, healing, and home. As long-buried secrets come to light, Harper must decide if she'll protect the past or rewrite this particular ending.
-Described as a "powerhouse in dual-timeline Christian fiction" (Library Journal), Melanie Dobson delivers another rich, atmospheric novel about the legacy of sacrificial love and the redemptive power of truth.
-Standalone dual-timeline historical mystery filled with drama, faith, and intrigue
-Clean, suspenseful historical fiction, perfect for fans of Susan Meissner, Lisa Wingate, or Patti Callahan Henry
-Includes discussion questions for book groups
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