MY REVIEW
Rarely have I enjoyed a book so much that I read far into the night, and then thought about it during the day. This one met the bill.
Wingate out does herself with this novel. There are a few characters that we've met before from Moses Lake, which is interesting and neat. Grandma Rita has passed on, but her pithy humor and wonderful sayings come though loud and clear from her granddaughter Allie Kirkland.
At first, I thought I would not like this book because after I was "in" to it, I discovered it was written from two different perspectives. I do not like head jumping from one character to another if it is not done to perfection. I did not need to fear. Wingate has perfected this tactic of story telling to that soft, silky slide like slipping into the most comfortable bed in the world. She proves herself a Master.
Allie's story is wonderfully written with the development of all the characters. Little hints and breadcrumbs are dropped to fill out characterizations. There is no... zero... nada rehashing of character development or character situations. Sure there is whining about a situation, but that character (Kim, Allie's best friend) is designed to whine. There is some gentle reminding of certain rules in place for the film crew and the actors. I say gentle because it is done so delicately, you just get all tense inside and start screaming at Allie, "Don't do that! You'll get fired!" Of course, she doesn't listen. The reader is drawn into the friendship between Kim and Allie, wondering why they are so close when they are obviously so different.
Blake--who would not fall in love with Blake. Surely, there is a Blake somewhere for me??? Maybe he is too good to be true? But those are the kinds of characters that make romance so wonderful to devour.
Bonnie Rose's story is gripping. There is a character development masterfully done without having to revert to agonizing rehash. Bonnie Rose has suffered tragedy, but the full truth is slowly revealed like coffee that is too good to gulp down.
Classy. Riveting. Nail-biting. Satisfying. Delicious romance. Mysterious. Culminating in a most satisfying ending that feels just right.
This book receives 5 of 5 stars. It's perfect.
ABOUT THE BOOK
With love and loss tangled together, how was she to know where her life would lead?Allie Kirkland has always heard the call of her father's unfinished destiny. When she's offered a production assistant's job on a docudrama filming in the hills near Moses Lake, Texas, the dream of following in her director-father's footsteps suddenly seems within reach. The reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step into the film industry. A summer on set in the wilderness is a small price to pay for a dream.
But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delavan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the region's folk songs. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.
When filming begins, strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, and everyone in Wildwood--including Blake Fulton, Allie's handsome neighbor on the film set--seems to be hiding secrets. Allie doesn't know whom she can trust. If she can't find the answers in time, history may repeat itself...with the most unthinkable results.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Lisa Wingate
Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Talk of the Town, Blue Moon Bay, and Larkspur Cove, which won the 2011 Carol Award for Women's...
Continue reading about Lisa Wingate
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