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ginnylt's review against another edition
5.0
I rarely cry at books and literally NEVER cry at romantic-y books but I definitely cried last night as I finished it. While the story itself is fairly standard for historical fiction, it had touching moments towards the end, both for the romantic couple but also between a granddaughter and grandmother. Honestly worth it for the ending, in my opinion.
sslovesbooks_1's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful, calming and tender read.
My second book by this author and again I absolutely adored the story, calming and smooth and her writing is beautiful and expressive.
The story is about the life of Ella as we see her move from a teenager to the last days of her life. As a young girl she visits a small island off the coast of the France to stay and there becomes best friends with Caroline and her brother Christophe who becomes her first love.
World War Two brings changes to all their lives and Ella returns to Scotland and meets Angus who she goes on to marry and has children with him.
Again in this novel the war brings a halt to a way of life and forever changes Europe and the people in it.
Ella’s story is told by her granddaughter Kendra as she is given the task of writing the story of her grandmother’s life.
It’s a novel about love, loss, family and the ties to places which hold such perfect memories. It even mentions my most favourite place in the whole world The book was bliss , a magical tale of life and the importance of family, friendship and love
I would give this book a 5 star (and a bit)read of 2020 and I’m already sure it will be one of this years favourites. I have another one of the authors books in my TBR but I am going to leave it to savour It later in the year.
My second book by this author and again I absolutely adored the story, calming and smooth and her writing is beautiful and expressive.
The story is about the life of Ella as we see her move from a teenager to the last days of her life. As a young girl she visits a small island off the coast of the France to stay and there becomes best friends with Caroline and her brother Christophe who becomes her first love.
World War Two brings changes to all their lives and Ella returns to Scotland and meets Angus who she goes on to marry and has children with him.
Again in this novel the war brings a halt to a way of life and forever changes Europe and the people in it.
Ella’s story is told by her granddaughter Kendra as she is given the task of writing the story of her grandmother’s life.
It’s a novel about love, loss, family and the ties to places which hold such perfect memories. It even mentions my most favourite place in the whole world The book was bliss , a magical tale of life and the importance of family, friendship and love
I would give this book a 5 star (and a bit)read of 2020 and I’m already sure it will be one of this years favourites. I have another one of the authors books in my TBR but I am going to leave it to savour It later in the year.
lisamshardlow's review against another edition
5.0
Oh gosh, this was emotional! I really enjoyed it from start to finish. I loved the story, the characters (especially Ella and Christophe), the writing, the descriptions of the Ile de Re. I was literally transported to a different time and place. Even it's fictional, Ella's story definitely was extraordinary.
thereadinggoat's review against another edition
3.0
The story was nice but I listened to this on audiobook and Kendra’s accent/voice was almost unbearable!
ellyrarg's review against another edition
3.0
The book was better than the name/cover suggests. It was slow to start, but I totally fell head over heels for Ella and Christophé. It was engaging and sweet and oh, the heartbreak. I felt that she was such a lady to hold by her vows, but my days I felt it cost her true happiness, taught her kids a false impression of a happy couple, and I was so sad she didn’t get the chance to have the epic day to day love that would have been more than life changing. I delved into her chapters, loved her wonder and determination of her early life.
By comparison, I did not, even for a moment, bend my knees for Kendra and her wishy washy in-herself-ness. She didn’t fight for a single thing in her life, she didn’t strive for anything like Ella did. She was thrown into the worlds of special needs, complete with the complexity of relationship strains and financial woes that come with it and just reacted with a bit of woe, shock and wondering, like special needs parents who are new do, not like special needs parents who have been in the game a while and want more for themselves and their kids. It felt so off.
Worse was when her life and that of her family was ‘fixed’ with money. Hate it. The special needs life, and the joy and love and grief and that whole experience is not ‘made better’ with healthy finances and moves to the country. When people say ‘I don’t know how you do it’ every special needs mama answers ‘I wasn’t given a choice, I do it for love’ so the ending proper irked. A life with special needs deserves more than that.
By comparison, I did not, even for a moment, bend my knees for Kendra and her wishy washy in-herself-ness. She didn’t fight for a single thing in her life, she didn’t strive for anything like Ella did. She was thrown into the worlds of special needs, complete with the complexity of relationship strains and financial woes that come with it and just reacted with a bit of woe, shock and wondering, like special needs parents who are new do, not like special needs parents who have been in the game a while and want more for themselves and their kids. It felt so off.
Worse was when her life and that of her family was ‘fixed’ with money. Hate it. The special needs life, and the joy and love and grief and that whole experience is not ‘made better’ with healthy finances and moves to the country. When people say ‘I don’t know how you do it’ every special needs mama answers ‘I wasn’t given a choice, I do it for love’ so the ending proper irked. A life with special needs deserves more than that.
culinaryjules's review against another edition
5.0
This is a new favorite. I loved the story, the writing and the message. Excellent.
jiggsnotkaren's review against another edition
5.0
One of the most beautifully told stories I’ve read in a long time. I actually wept. I’ve been gravitating toward more light reading since 2020 is such a downer already but I’m so delighted that I read this elegant bittersweet book.
kimcheel's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't a bad book, but it didn't get me the way others in this kind of genre did.