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THE WALLS OF LUCCA

An absorbing, well-researched saga.

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Reflecting on World War I and the rise of fascism, this debut novel set in Italy envisions spirituality as a way of rising above the vicissitudes of history.

Emmy Award–winning sportscaster Physioc cites as his inspirations A Course in Miracles and a trip to the walled city of Lucca in 2005. His hero is Isabella Roselli, a convent-raised orphan who loves vegetable gardening and sells her produce at nearby markets. The summer of 1914 sees brothers Benny and Franco Carollo arguing about joining the war effort. Franco leaves Puglia for Rome to work in a munitions factory and witnesses a speech by Benito Mussolini, who at that time was a socialist wanting to stay out of the European fight. Although Franco is of the same mind, he still ends up by his brother’s side at the Isonzo Front after Italy declares war in 1915. Vivid scenes set in the trenches alternate with glimpses of Isabella’s life as a helper to Susanna Martellino, the wife of a local winemaker. When Franco returns from war, he starts working for Susanna’s husband, Giovanni, and swiftly becomes the vineyard manager, saving the vines from flooding with his quick thinking. He and Isabella marry in 1920 and start a family, but the rise of fascism—as embodied in Alfredo Obizzi, Susanna’s villainous lover—threatens the vineyard’s success and their future happiness. Lively dialogue and an authentic atmosphere keep the rapid sequence of historical events from becoming too overwhelming. Luckily, Physioc never grows heavy-handed in his presentation of the rift between fascism and socialism, and the metaphor of the city walls is convincingly applied to both ideological and class barriers. The story feels meaningful for our time of suspicion and division: “It was a time in Italy during which an accusation held almost as much power as the truth.” Isabella’s dogma-free spirituality—she values only love and forgiveness and believes in the divine spark in every person—is appealing and adds an extra dimension beyond the historical. A sequel (in progress) will pick up the story eight years later, in 1938.

An absorbing, well-researched saga.

Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-983749-52-0

Page Count: 508

Publisher: CreateSpace

Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018

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IT ENDS WITH US

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of...

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Hoover’s (November 9, 2015, etc.) latest tackles the difficult subject of domestic violence with romantic tenderness and emotional heft.

At first glance, the couple is edgy but cute: Lily Bloom runs a flower shop for people who hate flowers; Ryle Kincaid is a surgeon who says he never wants to get married or have kids. They meet on a rooftop in Boston on the night Ryle loses a patient and Lily attends her abusive father’s funeral. The provocative opening takes a dark turn when Lily receives a warning about Ryle’s intentions from his sister, who becomes Lily’s employee and close friend. Lily swears she’ll never end up in another abusive home, but when Ryle starts to show all the same warning signs that her mother ignored, Lily learns just how hard it is to say goodbye. When Ryle is not in the throes of a jealous rage, his redeeming qualities return, and Lily can justify his behavior: “I think we needed what happened on the stairwell to happen so that I would know his past and we’d be able to work on it together,” she tells herself. Lily marries Ryle hoping the good will outweigh the bad, and the mother-daughter dynamics evolve beautifully as Lily reflects on her childhood with fresh eyes. Diary entries fancifully addressed to TV host Ellen DeGeneres serve as flashbacks to Lily’s teenage years, when she met her first love, Atlas Corrigan, a homeless boy she found squatting in a neighbor’s house. When Atlas turns up in Boston, now a successful chef, he begs Lily to leave Ryle. Despite the better option right in front of her, an unexpected complication forces Lily to cut ties with Atlas, confront Ryle, and try to end the cycle of abuse before it’s too late. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author’s note at the end that explains Hoover’s personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read.

Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-5011-1036-8

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: May 30, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016

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THE LAST LETTER

A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.

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A promise to his best friend leads an Army serviceman to a family in need and a chance at true love in this novel.

Beckett Gentry is surprised when his Army buddy Ryan MacKenzie gives him a letter from Ryan’s sister, Ella. Abandoned by his mother, Beckett grew up in a series of foster homes. He is wary of attachments until he reads Ella’s letter. A single mother, Ella lives with her twins, Maisie and Colt, at Solitude, the resort she operates in Telluride, Colorado. They begin a correspondence, although Beckett can only identify himself by his call sign, Chaos. After Ryan’s death during a mission, Beckett travels to Telluride as his friend had requested. He bonds with the twins while falling deeply in love with Ella. Reluctant to reveal details of Ryan’s death and risk causing her pain, Beckett declines to disclose to Ella that he is Chaos. Maisie needs treatment for neuroblastoma, and Beckett formally adopts the twins as a sign of his commitment to support Ella and her children. He and Ella pursue a romance, but when an insurance investigator questions the adoption, Beckett is faced with revealing the truth about the letters and Ryan’s death, risking losing the family he loves. Yarros’ (Wilder, 2016, etc.) novel is a deeply felt and emotionally nuanced contemporary romance bolstered by well-drawn characters and strong, confident storytelling. Beckett and Ella are sympathetic protagonists whose past experiences leave them cautious when it comes to love. Beckett never knew the security of a stable home life. Ella impulsively married her high school boyfriend, but the marriage ended when he discovered she was pregnant. The author is especially adept at developing the characters through subtle but significant details, like Beckett’s aversion to swearing. Beckett and Ella’s romance unfolds slowly in chapters that alternate between their first-person viewpoints. The letters they exchanged are pivotal to their connection, and almost every chapter opens with one. Yarros’ writing is crisp and sharp, with passages that are poetic without being florid. For example, in a letter to Beckett, Ella writes of motherhood: “But I’m not the center of their universe. I’m more like their gravity.” While the love story is the book’s focus, the subplot involving Maisie’s illness is equally well-developed, and the link between Beckett and the twins is heartfelt and sincere.

A thoughtful and pensive tale with intelligent characters and a satisfying romance.

Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-64063-533-3

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Entangled: Amara

Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019

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