A review by nuriamm
Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van

medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Something so oddly comforting about this. Like, life might get stressful and uncertain, but at least I have the Maledetti brothers to whisk me away. And I mean “oddly” because, besides the comfort (and awe) of Nichole Van’s usual excellent, transportive writing, I’m a bit out of my element here. Supernatural aspects, time jumps, and contemporary 1st person POVs, not home-sweet-home for me. So, pondering on why one is head-scratching over some storyline bits, but not batting an eye at animals with torrid past lives, and wondering at the realization that heroes that melt with swoony “Cara mia” endearments cancel out heroines that say “Sheesh,” and you just have to ask yourself “Are you on for the ride or not?” And, strap me on a Vespa, I was doing it for the Nichole Van backlist bragging rights, the trip to Florence, Italy, and the dreamy half-Italians with mysterious gifts/curses.

Let’s say this story is epistolary, since it’s basically a love letter to Florentia, La Bella. One can just tell these streets have been lovingly walked by the author, and now one feels like one did too (and now one wants even more to actually walk them someday and “flirt with Firenze” hopefully before one needs an assistive device). This setting was everything, and how it perfectly set the scene for such an imaginative tale that hits all the history nerd buttons, I submit it for historical readers wanting to branch out, but not too far. And just really for any romance reader who enjoys, you know, themes of love conquering  all after you’re put through a few angsty ringers, if you’re into that kind of thing. Which I am. A lot.

This book is unique and absolutely dreamy, as I’m sure the rest of the series I’m even more excited to get to follows suit.

Content notes: Kissing Only. Supernatural aspects, Brief mention of gypsy pagan ritual. mentions of suicide. Mention of infidelity. Mention of drunk tirade. Heroine
is grieving grandmother’s death from cancer. Stalking on page. Gun and war violence on page. Nothing graphic.