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It's You
From the USA Today bestselling author of the Brennan Sisters novels comes a heartwarming story about finding love and strength, even in the darkest moments…
In the wake of a tragedy that tore her life down to the foundations, Dr. Alison McAdams has lost her way. So when she’s summoned to Napa to care for her ailing father, she’s not sure she has anything to offer him—or anyone else.
What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.
As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.
In the wake of a tragedy that tore her life down to the foundations, Dr. Alison McAdams has lost her way. So when she’s summoned to Napa to care for her ailing father, she’s not sure she has anything to offer him—or anyone else.
What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.
As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2015
22 people are currently reading
2298 people want to read
About the author
Jane Porter
617 books2,053 followersBorn in Visalia, California, I'm a small town girl at heart. I love central California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of farmland. In my mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.
As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).
I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.
After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.
I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.
As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.
My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).
I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.
After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.
I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.
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August 12, 2015
“In case you never get a second chance: don't be afraid!" "And what if you do get a second chance?" "You take it!”
----C. JoyBell C.
Jane Porter, USA Today bestselling author, pens her new book, It's You, which tells the story of a young woman who after the death of her fiance's death is losing herself a bit by bit, until she chances upon an opportunity to prove her worth as well as find herself through another old woman's heart-broken love story during the second world war in Germany.
Synopsis:
In the wake of a tragedy that tore her life down to the foundations, Dr. Alison McAdams has lost her way. So when she’s summoned to Napa to care for her ailing father, she’s not sure she has anything to offer him—or anyone else.
What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.
As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.
Dr. Alison McAdams lost herself on the death of her fiance and especially she can't forgive herself for what happened to him. But when her father invites her to his retirement home at her hometown, Napa, she barely knew that the people of that retirement home would change her life drastically. Especially when a cranky old woman shares her life story during the second world war in Germany, when the Nazi government was ordering to hang and punish those Germans who participated in the Resistance, thus making Ali believe that there are many broken and unfulfilled love stories like hers and that she needs to move on with her life, but it is so hard to let her fiance go.
The writing style is really good, evocative as well as layered with emotions which will hit the readers sharply with it's intensity. The narrative style is coming-of-age and will sound realistic and contemplating enough to keep the readers engaged to the storyline. The prose is articulate with a steady pace. There are bit of twists in the end which have been nicely portrayed with little or no hints at all to the readers about it's wonderful and satisfying climax.
The characters are strongly developed and they voice the pain with lots of realism and intensity, and the grief of every other character in this story is real and can be related by the readers. The main character, Alison, may not feature herself a likeable one, since she is holding back so much with her past, yet somehow, the readers will grow on her since the way the author has depicted Alison to handle grief and pain is striking.
The last few chapters are set in Germany which have been portrayed like a guide book, the descriptions may not be that vivid and intricate with descriptions, but felt like something reading out of a guide book when visiting Germany, which streets to visit and which monuments to visit etc.
Overall, it's a compelling story with a history that takes us deep into the pain and hidden torture of the German-Nazi government. In short, a poignant as well as an engaging story where the emotions are portrayed deeply and the story has so quite a few layers and unraveling them felt like reading a historical romantic fiction, where the romance is hidden under depths of history.
Verdict: This book will appeal highly to the contemporary fiction lovers.
Courtesy: Thanks a lot to the author, Jane Porter, as well as her publishers, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----C. JoyBell C.
Jane Porter, USA Today bestselling author, pens her new book, It's You, which tells the story of a young woman who after the death of her fiance's death is losing herself a bit by bit, until she chances upon an opportunity to prove her worth as well as find herself through another old woman's heart-broken love story during the second world war in Germany.
Synopsis:
In the wake of a tragedy that tore her life down to the foundations, Dr. Alison McAdams has lost her way. So when she’s summoned to Napa to care for her ailing father, she’s not sure she has anything to offer him—or anyone else.
What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.
As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.
Dr. Alison McAdams lost herself on the death of her fiance and especially she can't forgive herself for what happened to him. But when her father invites her to his retirement home at her hometown, Napa, she barely knew that the people of that retirement home would change her life drastically. Especially when a cranky old woman shares her life story during the second world war in Germany, when the Nazi government was ordering to hang and punish those Germans who participated in the Resistance, thus making Ali believe that there are many broken and unfulfilled love stories like hers and that she needs to move on with her life, but it is so hard to let her fiance go.
The writing style is really good, evocative as well as layered with emotions which will hit the readers sharply with it's intensity. The narrative style is coming-of-age and will sound realistic and contemplating enough to keep the readers engaged to the storyline. The prose is articulate with a steady pace. There are bit of twists in the end which have been nicely portrayed with little or no hints at all to the readers about it's wonderful and satisfying climax.
The characters are strongly developed and they voice the pain with lots of realism and intensity, and the grief of every other character in this story is real and can be related by the readers. The main character, Alison, may not feature herself a likeable one, since she is holding back so much with her past, yet somehow, the readers will grow on her since the way the author has depicted Alison to handle grief and pain is striking.
The last few chapters are set in Germany which have been portrayed like a guide book, the descriptions may not be that vivid and intricate with descriptions, but felt like something reading out of a guide book when visiting Germany, which streets to visit and which monuments to visit etc.
Overall, it's a compelling story with a history that takes us deep into the pain and hidden torture of the German-Nazi government. In short, a poignant as well as an engaging story where the emotions are portrayed deeply and the story has so quite a few layers and unraveling them felt like reading a historical romantic fiction, where the romance is hidden under depths of history.
Verdict: This book will appeal highly to the contemporary fiction lovers.
Courtesy: Thanks a lot to the author, Jane Porter, as well as her publishers, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
August 2, 2015
At first, I thought this book was going to be about suicide grief, and I was a bit jaded since I just finished another book about suicide and wasn't all that interested. I read it anyway, and honestly, I didn't like this book. The plot was all over the place and I don't know how you make the connection between loss from suicide and Nazi Germany. Say, what? The author seemed to want to jam as many illogical turns in the story as she could to the point that I lost complete interest in the main character half-way through the book and just breezed through the rest of the book not really caring how it ended, which was not at all surprising or rewarding.
June 29, 2015
First thoughts? Oh, gosh, this poor woman! Talk about establishing a sympathetic character and then stacking the odds against her. Dr. Alison McAdams (Dr. Ali for short) is a dentist, a year into mourning the loss of her fiancé to suicide. The novel opens with a nasty note left on her windshield about her parking job, then off to work she goes where an emergency phone call comes through with news that her ailing father has taken a fall.
As I read, I kept thinking, Oh, no . . .
I’d read a few more pages. Oh, no, again.
Read more pages. Oh, gosh, this poor woman!
Thank goodness she catches a flight to Napa. Of course, I think she’s going there to have a much needed glass of wine but instead, she meets her dad and a pleasant surprise happens in the novel: The addition of another point-of-view character, a woman named Edie who lives with Ali’s dad at the Napa Estates retirement home. Such a great surprise because the way she was introduced made me think of her as a minor character so it was really surprising to turn the page and find she owns part of the story.
After Edie’s point-of-view chapter, Ali finally gets that glass of wine . . . and then BAM! the plot really thickens and the novel takes an interesting turn toward WWII and Nazi Germany. There’s even a switch in the narrative – to diary passages that tell a backstory. All sorts of things I can’t tell you about because I don’t want to spoil it.
For the complete review, visit my book blog: http://www.julievalerie.com/jane-porter/
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As I read, I kept thinking, Oh, no . . .
I’d read a few more pages. Oh, no, again.
Read more pages. Oh, gosh, this poor woman!
Thank goodness she catches a flight to Napa. Of course, I think she’s going there to have a much needed glass of wine but instead, she meets her dad and a pleasant surprise happens in the novel: The addition of another point-of-view character, a woman named Edie who lives with Ali’s dad at the Napa Estates retirement home. Such a great surprise because the way she was introduced made me think of her as a minor character so it was really surprising to turn the page and find she owns part of the story.
After Edie’s point-of-view chapter, Ali finally gets that glass of wine . . . and then BAM! the plot really thickens and the novel takes an interesting turn toward WWII and Nazi Germany. There’s even a switch in the narrative – to diary passages that tell a backstory. All sorts of things I can’t tell you about because I don’t want to spoil it.
For the complete review, visit my book blog: http://www.julievalerie.com/jane-porter/
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2015
Jane Porter has written It’s You with great clarity and heart-rendering softness. I've enjoyed several books by the author but this one is absolutely is her best yet.
This deeply thought-provoking novel tells two tragic love stories and resonates with staggeringly evocative historical detail. Laced with vivid, raw emotion, beautifully crafted, authentic and flawed characters, It’s You paints an intricately powerful and poignant portrait of love, loss and healing. I didn’t want it to end.
This deeply thought-provoking novel tells two tragic love stories and resonates with staggeringly evocative historical detail. Laced with vivid, raw emotion, beautifully crafted, authentic and flawed characters, It’s You paints an intricately powerful and poignant portrait of love, loss and healing. I didn’t want it to end.
August 17, 2015
Reeling from two sudden losses, Ali is, at best, going through the motions of living her life. She’s grieving and haunted by unanswerable questions. When her father, who lives in a retirement community in Napa, falls and breaks his wrist, Ali decides to take a leave from her dentistry practice to go and help him. While there, she meets one of his friends, Edie, a prickly 90+ year old. There’s an instant dislike, but soon Ali discovers they have more in common than she thought. From there the story is told in alternating voices between Ali and Edie. Edie's story is told through a diary she wrote during WWII. Through Edie's story Ali begins to heal.
Grief and loss is an overriding theme. I appreciated that the author dealt with it, not by having Ali “move on” or “get over it”, but instead, learn how to live through it and accept that there are some things in life and death that will remain a mystery, but there is healing and hope for the future. I also liked that the ending wasn't predictable and tied up in a neat bow.
However, I'm not a fan of the title, which leads one to think it's a romance novel, when I would consider it women's fiction with a historical fiction side story.
A side note: I don't recommend the audio version. The narrator was annoyingly slow and imbued every sentence with dramatic meaning. I had to speed up the narration just to tolerate her and make her sound normal.
Grief and loss is an overriding theme. I appreciated that the author dealt with it, not by having Ali “move on” or “get over it”, but instead, learn how to live through it and accept that there are some things in life and death that will remain a mystery, but there is healing and hope for the future. I also liked that the ending wasn't predictable and tied up in a neat bow.
However, I'm not a fan of the title, which leads one to think it's a romance novel, when I would consider it women's fiction with a historical fiction side story.
A side note: I don't recommend the audio version. The narrator was annoyingly slow and imbued every sentence with dramatic meaning. I had to speed up the narration just to tolerate her and make her sound normal.
June 30, 2015
To the point: This was a wonderful read, inspirational about personal growth and self discovery. Definitely worth a read.
Review: This is a wonderful book! I absolutely loved this book and that’s crazy for me because there wasn’t that much romance, this isn’t a romance novel. It is a great book for personal growth, which seems to be my theme for this week. I can’t say I hate it and I think everyone needs an inspirational and hopeful book at least once a month.
Ali is a wonderful character. She is thoughtfully developed and she is deeply emotional. I loved her journey. I really thought this was every woman I have ever met. She is lost and confused and fighting to find a calm normal life. She hasn’t found her roots yet or exactly how she sees her future but it is the events that expose her true hopes and dreams.
I gave this book 4 stars because of how much I loved the story, it is written very well. It had enough of everything to be satisfying in all areas (drama, emotions, inspiration). I recommend this book to all women, it’s a good inspirational read and learning experience.
It’s You by Jane Porter. Berkley (June 2, 2015). 336 pages. Fiction: Contemporary/ Women’s. I received this copy from BookSparks as part of the #SRC2015.
Review: This is a wonderful book! I absolutely loved this book and that’s crazy for me because there wasn’t that much romance, this isn’t a romance novel. It is a great book for personal growth, which seems to be my theme for this week. I can’t say I hate it and I think everyone needs an inspirational and hopeful book at least once a month.
Ali is a wonderful character. She is thoughtfully developed and she is deeply emotional. I loved her journey. I really thought this was every woman I have ever met. She is lost and confused and fighting to find a calm normal life. She hasn’t found her roots yet or exactly how she sees her future but it is the events that expose her true hopes and dreams.
I gave this book 4 stars because of how much I loved the story, it is written very well. It had enough of everything to be satisfying in all areas (drama, emotions, inspiration). I recommend this book to all women, it’s a good inspirational read and learning experience.
It’s You by Jane Porter. Berkley (June 2, 2015). 336 pages. Fiction: Contemporary/ Women’s. I received this copy from BookSparks as part of the #SRC2015.
July 6, 2015
This is not your typical Jane Porter story. But don't let that scare you away. In fact, you should run and pick up a copy of this book. It will intrigue you. You will keep turning the pages, wanting more of Ali's story and Edie's story.
I really, truly loved this book. Jane Porter writes with an underlying force in this book while telling the stories of two women from different generations. And the use of the journal entries to do so is excellent. There is history, love, angst, trouble, loss. But most of all there is strength in Jane's writing and in Ali and Edie.
If you enjoy a book with a touch of humor, a smattering of history, and watching a young women evolve as she traces the steps of an older woman, then this is the next book you want to read!
I really, truly loved this book. Jane Porter writes with an underlying force in this book while telling the stories of two women from different generations. And the use of the journal entries to do so is excellent. There is history, love, angst, trouble, loss. But most of all there is strength in Jane's writing and in Ali and Edie.
If you enjoy a book with a touch of humor, a smattering of history, and watching a young women evolve as she traces the steps of an older woman, then this is the next book you want to read!
February 13, 2016
4.5 stars. I really liked this book and it was interesting to read the story of Germany in the war from a similar viewpoint to a couple of other books I have read this year.
I often just stopped to reflect and think as I read. Short sentences that just called out to be pondered. I liked the journey of Ali from a place of deep grief to a place where she could choose to live, to hope. to love and embrace a future that holds promise.
I liked the community and friendship she found in Napa and the small update about Meg from The Good Woman in Jane Porter's Brennan Sisters series.
I often just stopped to reflect and think as I read. Short sentences that just called out to be pondered. I liked the journey of Ali from a place of deep grief to a place where she could choose to live, to hope. to love and embrace a future that holds promise.
I liked the community and friendship she found in Napa and the small update about Meg from The Good Woman in Jane Porter's Brennan Sisters series.
December 18, 2015
This was such a touching story to read. I have seen this book all over blogs and social media so I had to squeeze it into my reading list so I knew what the hub-bub was all about. I find that having the opportunity to hear another person's life story is an amazing opportunity to experience a new view on things. I enjoy listening to people tell their story and experiences because it tells you more about them and the reason they are the way they are today. Having the diary entries in the text was a great touch to the storyline. I really enjoyed reading this book and it was a quick read.
November 20, 2019
This is women's fiction, and a book that encompasses a lot. I'd say the general theme is loss. The theme is explored through different characters and different losses. The protagonist, Ali, would sometimes jump in her mind from someone else's loss, decades prior, to her own recent loss, the circumstances of which were entirely different. But doesn't the ache of loss hurt for everyone? Whether we accept or understand, or we don't, we must come to terms. We feel pain, we look for understanding.
I liked this story immensely. It's thought provoking, and it leaves lingering questions and thoughts. It also leaves a solid positivity in the wrap-up. It doesn't spoon feed feelings and it's not predictable. It's especially real, I think, how the characters interact.
I liked this story immensely. It's thought provoking, and it leaves lingering questions and thoughts. It also leaves a solid positivity in the wrap-up. It doesn't spoon feed feelings and it's not predictable. It's especially real, I think, how the characters interact.
June 21, 2018
A very sad story. Grief is a hard thing to understand. It is so different to each soul. The letters were an interesting and sad part of the. Whole story. Makes you stop and think. So glad I read this.
July 20, 2022
A very heartwarming story !
June 27, 2015
4.5
Received for BOOKSPARKS Summer tour
More reviews on No Bent Spines
Heartbreakingly honesty and tragically poetic, never has there ever been a story regarding the lives of those after Nazi regime falls as gorgeously worn as this one. IT'S YOU was like learning to fly without wings; I fell until I hit the ground but let the snarky and hopeful words of Edie pick me back up again. Like the wind. I adore this book to pieces.
Full review to come
----
“-- I wish I could warp my arms around his stocky neck and give him a hug, and hold him, and hold him until some of the ice inside of me melts. --"
Heartbreakingly honest and tragically poetic, never has there ever been a story regarding the lives of those after Nazi regime falls as gorgeously woven as this one. IT'S YOU was like learning to fly without wings; I fell until I hit the ground but let the snarky and hopeful words of Edie pick me back up again. Like the wind. I adore this book to pieces. This is my first novel by Jane Porter, and I guarantee y’all it is most certainly not going to be my last.
After losing her fiancé in the worst way she could imagine, Alison is wracked with guilt and is drowning in her own hopelessness. She went out for ice cream and came back to find the love of her life hanging from the chandelier in the entry of their home. A year after his demise, she still can’t help to wonder why he would rather be dead than spend the rest of his life with her, and why he didn’t come to her telling her he wasn’t happy. I think he wanted to be happy. Alison now works at the dental practice owned by her late fiancé’s family. She feels like an outsider. When her dad get’s hurt, despite their rocky relationship (only rockier after her mom’s death) and his adamant protest, she flies out to see him. There she not only sees him, but also another member of the nursing home where he resides: Edie.
IT’S YOU, by Jane Porter is fantastic. To put it simply, I picked this book up at eight in the evening, and then put it down-finished- at midnight. If that doesn’t say everything, then I don’t know what does. Porter doesn’t go all heavy on the romance of the main character, Alison, but instead shows the healing process of Alison though the leaning about the Great Love Edie has during World War II. Tales of misunderstanding, bravery, hate, hope, fear, desperation, and love wove Edie’s story into her diaries.
Porter’s writing is absolutely gorgeous. Her ability to form a character, minor or major, is positively lovely. She is able to accurately display a side of history that we, as readers and members of society, don’t often see. Or maybe it’s just me. I don’t see this side of the war a whole lot. And it’s a completely valid side. The resistance. The mockery those they loved faced because they had to hide what they were. The opposition. The German’s who opposed Hitler’s rule and suffered because of it. And good Lord, did she do a lovely (and completely heart-wrenchingly gorgeous job) of pulling at my heartstrings and making me think a little bit. It’s good to think.
In this book, there are two women who are at completely different point in their lives. In this book there are two women who suffered a loss of their first love. In this book there are choices. And choices have to be made it order to live and move on and to be whole. To be a whole person, a mean. To live a happy life. Even if it gets its fair share of the unfair. (hey, that rhymed!) IT’S YOU is about hope and healing. It’s about loss and love. It’s about what to do when all is said and done. It’s about leaning to love again. And I loved every second of it.
Later gators,
Jackie
Received for BOOKSPARKS Summer tour
More reviews on No Bent Spines
Heartbreakingly honesty and tragically poetic, never has there ever been a story regarding the lives of those after Nazi regime falls as gorgeously worn as this one. IT'S YOU was like learning to fly without wings; I fell until I hit the ground but let the snarky and hopeful words of Edie pick me back up again. Like the wind. I adore this book to pieces.
Full review to come
----
“-- I wish I could warp my arms around his stocky neck and give him a hug, and hold him, and hold him until some of the ice inside of me melts. --"
Heartbreakingly honest and tragically poetic, never has there ever been a story regarding the lives of those after Nazi regime falls as gorgeously woven as this one. IT'S YOU was like learning to fly without wings; I fell until I hit the ground but let the snarky and hopeful words of Edie pick me back up again. Like the wind. I adore this book to pieces. This is my first novel by Jane Porter, and I guarantee y’all it is most certainly not going to be my last.
After losing her fiancé in the worst way she could imagine, Alison is wracked with guilt and is drowning in her own hopelessness. She went out for ice cream and came back to find the love of her life hanging from the chandelier in the entry of their home. A year after his demise, she still can’t help to wonder why he would rather be dead than spend the rest of his life with her, and why he didn’t come to her telling her he wasn’t happy. I think he wanted to be happy. Alison now works at the dental practice owned by her late fiancé’s family. She feels like an outsider. When her dad get’s hurt, despite their rocky relationship (only rockier after her mom’s death) and his adamant protest, she flies out to see him. There she not only sees him, but also another member of the nursing home where he resides: Edie.
IT’S YOU, by Jane Porter is fantastic. To put it simply, I picked this book up at eight in the evening, and then put it down-finished- at midnight. If that doesn’t say everything, then I don’t know what does. Porter doesn’t go all heavy on the romance of the main character, Alison, but instead shows the healing process of Alison though the leaning about the Great Love Edie has during World War II. Tales of misunderstanding, bravery, hate, hope, fear, desperation, and love wove Edie’s story into her diaries.
Porter’s writing is absolutely gorgeous. Her ability to form a character, minor or major, is positively lovely. She is able to accurately display a side of history that we, as readers and members of society, don’t often see. Or maybe it’s just me. I don’t see this side of the war a whole lot. And it’s a completely valid side. The resistance. The mockery those they loved faced because they had to hide what they were. The opposition. The German’s who opposed Hitler’s rule and suffered because of it. And good Lord, did she do a lovely (and completely heart-wrenchingly gorgeous job) of pulling at my heartstrings and making me think a little bit. It’s good to think.
In this book, there are two women who are at completely different point in their lives. In this book there are two women who suffered a loss of their first love. In this book there are choices. And choices have to be made it order to live and move on and to be whole. To be a whole person, a mean. To live a happy life. Even if it gets its fair share of the unfair. (hey, that rhymed!) IT’S YOU is about hope and healing. It’s about loss and love. It’s about what to do when all is said and done. It’s about leaning to love again. And I loved every second of it.
Later gators,
Jackie
March 15, 2017
This story is pretty heavy on the "tell" over "show" but I still really enjoyed it. It has dueling first-person narration, alternating between the heroine who is still recovering from her fiance's suicide and her mother's unexpected death and a resident at her father's retirement community. As the heroine works to connect with her distant father, she becomes friends with a 95-year-old American woman who lived in Germany prior to World War II. The World War II story is relayed through the woman's surviving journals/diaries. Part uplifting, part tragic - a solid read.
June 2, 2015
In IT’S YOU, Dr. Alison McAdams has lost her way after a terrible tragedy. So when she’s summoned to Napa to care for her ailing father, she’s not sure she has anything to offer him—or anyone else.
What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.
As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.
I loaded this book onto my Kindle just prior to boarding a plane headed from Atlanta to LaGuardia with a connecting flight onto Bangor, Maine. I find it difficult to read while I'm sitting in a moving vehicle, whether auto or an airplane, but with a couple of hours in between flights, I looked forward to getting started on the latest from Jane Porter.
Then weather happened, and what was supposed to be a two-hour layover turned into a twelve-hour ordeal. I am convinced that this page-turner kept me from losing my mind, or worse. This seamlessly woven tale spans several decades, from World War II until the present. Told from the points of view of Ali and her father's crusty friend, Edie, the book explores themes of friendship, love and loss. As in real life, terrible tragedies occurred, leaving the victims reeling and questioning their reasons to go on. But time, family and friends have healing powers, and in the end they - and we - are left with hope.
I couldn't have had a better traveling companion during that long day in New York City. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Five extremely satisfied stars.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book for FREE in exchange for a written review. There was no expectation that this review be either positive or negative, and I was not given any financial compensation to read the book or write the review. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.
As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.
I loaded this book onto my Kindle just prior to boarding a plane headed from Atlanta to LaGuardia with a connecting flight onto Bangor, Maine. I find it difficult to read while I'm sitting in a moving vehicle, whether auto or an airplane, but with a couple of hours in between flights, I looked forward to getting started on the latest from Jane Porter.
Then weather happened, and what was supposed to be a two-hour layover turned into a twelve-hour ordeal. I am convinced that this page-turner kept me from losing my mind, or worse. This seamlessly woven tale spans several decades, from World War II until the present. Told from the points of view of Ali and her father's crusty friend, Edie, the book explores themes of friendship, love and loss. As in real life, terrible tragedies occurred, leaving the victims reeling and questioning their reasons to go on. But time, family and friends have healing powers, and in the end they - and we - are left with hope.
I couldn't have had a better traveling companion during that long day in New York City. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Five extremely satisfied stars.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book for FREE in exchange for a written review. There was no expectation that this review be either positive or negative, and I was not given any financial compensation to read the book or write the review. This information is disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 [...] Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
July 13, 2017
I normally devour novels like "It's You" as though they're the most scrumptious chocolate. For some reason, I was fairly meh about this novel. I'm afraid within days I'll forget all about it. Neither the storytelling nor the characters stood out for me; indeed, the only thing I liked about this book was the plot - that's what made me want to read it in the first place.
The narrative was a little slow and boring for me. Too many static scenes in the community living center or Poppy Lane, or the floral shop.
None of the characters really made much an impression. Even given the tragedy she suffered, I felt Alison was too whiny and un-rootable. She seemed too wrapped up in her grief, as though her fiance's suicide happened just recently. As for Pere McAdams? Her father certainly won't win any Father of the Year Awards since he just seems to tolerate his daughter, and nothing more. It's sad to think that Alison grew up with a father who doesn't seem at all paternal. I felt she was a much better daughter than he was a father.
And Edie? Her backstory was so much more tragic than Ali, so you'd think I would feel sympathy for her if no one else, but even here, the author took too long to show any softer side to Edie, that I couldn't really care for her. She was portrayed as an ornery, controlling termagant too long for my feelings about her to change.
Jane Porter tried to hammer too hard the point about the German Resistance. Yes, they are not as well known as other Resistance groups during World War 2, and thus, should get their due, but I felt JP was putting on her Professor hat in the many passages about the danger and hardships faced by this group. I did appreciate learning more about the German Resistance, but an author can certainly introduce real life history into a novel with more skill, more finesse.
I'm on the fence regarding the author's use of Edie's journal entries as exposition. On the one hand, it gave us a clearer picture of Edie's past without her just mind numbingly reciting it to another character, but on the other hand, I also felt it had a whiff of "telling" rather than "showing".
As I stated, I normally love novels in this genre. "It's You" will just have to be the rare exception that didn't move me.
The narrative was a little slow and boring for me. Too many static scenes in the community living center or Poppy Lane, or the floral shop.
None of the characters really made much an impression. Even given the tragedy she suffered, I felt Alison was too whiny and un-rootable. She seemed too wrapped up in her grief, as though her fiance's suicide happened just recently. As for Pere McAdams? Her father certainly won't win any Father of the Year Awards since he just seems to tolerate his daughter, and nothing more. It's sad to think that Alison grew up with a father who doesn't seem at all paternal. I felt she was a much better daughter than he was a father.
And Edie? Her backstory was so much more tragic than Ali, so you'd think I would feel sympathy for her if no one else, but even here, the author took too long to show any softer side to Edie, that I couldn't really care for her. She was portrayed as an ornery, controlling termagant too long for my feelings about her to change.
Jane Porter tried to hammer too hard the point about the German Resistance. Yes, they are not as well known as other Resistance groups during World War 2, and thus, should get their due, but I felt JP was putting on her Professor hat in the many passages about the danger and hardships faced by this group. I did appreciate learning more about the German Resistance, but an author can certainly introduce real life history into a novel with more skill, more finesse.
I'm on the fence regarding the author's use of Edie's journal entries as exposition. On the one hand, it gave us a clearer picture of Edie's past without her just mind numbingly reciting it to another character, but on the other hand, I also felt it had a whiff of "telling" rather than "showing".
As I stated, I normally love novels in this genre. "It's You" will just have to be the rare exception that didn't move me.
July 1, 2015
I am an absolute fan of Jane Porter and IT'S YOU is just one more reason why. Dr. Alison McAdams was one of those characters I was automatically drawn to. Life has hurt Ali. She is broken inside, she wants to be better, but at the same time she knows her pain is what reminds her how not to get hurt again. How do you heal after the loss she has gone through? How do you get past it? In Napa, she finds a sort of peace. She is surrounded by her mother's home and her fathers presence. It is through some of her fathers new friends where Ali learns there are many pains and losses in the world. There is a way to heal and not forget.
Porter writes with such heart. I felt Ali's pain. I felt Ali's anger. I could feel the struggle she was going through--would living mean forgetting? Even the relationship with her dad connected me to Ali. Their relationship was far from perfect, not too good not to bad. Ali seems to be trying to move forward, but how do you do that after you've been through such devastation? It is only through another woman's story where Ali can begin to find the courage to live again.
A honest portrayal of love and loss. Once I got into the first chapter or two the story just moved right along at a really good pace. If you've read Porter's Brennan Sisters series you will be thrilled to learn Dark Horse Winery is a destination in IT'S YOU! I really enjoyed Porters newest novel and I loved reading about a part of history rarely spoken about. I'm a huge fan of dual storylines (past/present), so I really enjoyed the second storyline. It never took over from Ali's story and was a perfect amount to make you feel the connection Ali felt. If you are looking for an enjoyable book for the holiday weekend I saw grab a copy of IT'S YOU by Jane Porter!
Porter writes with such heart. I felt Ali's pain. I felt Ali's anger. I could feel the struggle she was going through--would living mean forgetting? Even the relationship with her dad connected me to Ali. Their relationship was far from perfect, not too good not to bad. Ali seems to be trying to move forward, but how do you do that after you've been through such devastation? It is only through another woman's story where Ali can begin to find the courage to live again.
A honest portrayal of love and loss. Once I got into the first chapter or two the story just moved right along at a really good pace. If you've read Porter's Brennan Sisters series you will be thrilled to learn Dark Horse Winery is a destination in IT'S YOU! I really enjoyed Porters newest novel and I loved reading about a part of history rarely spoken about. I'm a huge fan of dual storylines (past/present), so I really enjoyed the second storyline. It never took over from Ali's story and was a perfect amount to make you feel the connection Ali felt. If you are looking for an enjoyable book for the holiday weekend I saw grab a copy of IT'S YOU by Jane Porter!
June 15, 2015
It's You is written by Jane Porter.
It is the story of Allie, almost 30, who is a dentist who works and lives in Scottsdale, AZ. She is still struggling with the tragic death of her fiancee a year later. She is going through the motions, but still hasn't found her way back yet.
It is also the story of Edie, 95, who is a friend of her dad's, that lives in the same Napa Estates Senior Living center in Napa, CA. She has also had tragedy in her 20's and can relate a bit to the struggles of Ali.
Ali goes to Napa to make sure her father is okay after he suffers a fall. She ends up staying for a bit and becomes part of his community at the center. Ali listens to the stories of a generation that experienced and survived World War 2. Edie's story of her own woman's lost love becomes more intriguing to Ali. Ali starts to discover more of the history and journey of Edie. She is drawn in to it, even more so by the diaries Edie has kept. Ali wants to make sense of Edie's early life and tragedy, and in doing so, starts to put together the broken pieces of her own spirit.
This is a wonderful story and beautifully told by Jane Porter. You don't really get an explanation of Ali's fiancee's suicide, but you do see how Ali is able to finally forgive him and start to heal. Loved Edie and Franz' story, which is a book in itself. Loved how a few characters from a past novel of Jane's show up in this book. Hoping there is a sequel to It's You.
It is the story of Allie, almost 30, who is a dentist who works and lives in Scottsdale, AZ. She is still struggling with the tragic death of her fiancee a year later. She is going through the motions, but still hasn't found her way back yet.
It is also the story of Edie, 95, who is a friend of her dad's, that lives in the same Napa Estates Senior Living center in Napa, CA. She has also had tragedy in her 20's and can relate a bit to the struggles of Ali.
Ali goes to Napa to make sure her father is okay after he suffers a fall. She ends up staying for a bit and becomes part of his community at the center. Ali listens to the stories of a generation that experienced and survived World War 2. Edie's story of her own woman's lost love becomes more intriguing to Ali. Ali starts to discover more of the history and journey of Edie. She is drawn in to it, even more so by the diaries Edie has kept. Ali wants to make sense of Edie's early life and tragedy, and in doing so, starts to put together the broken pieces of her own spirit.
This is a wonderful story and beautifully told by Jane Porter. You don't really get an explanation of Ali's fiancee's suicide, but you do see how Ali is able to finally forgive him and start to heal. Loved Edie and Franz' story, which is a book in itself. Loved how a few characters from a past novel of Jane's show up in this book. Hoping there is a sequel to It's You.
May 31, 2015
Grieving the loss of her mother and untimely death of her fiancé, Dr. Alison McAdams’ life has been turned upside down. Working at the dental practice of her fiance’s father, everything feels off to Ali. This was the practice that her husband was supposed to be a partner of. Her would be husband, if he didn’t commit suicide and leave himself hanging in their foyer for her to find.
When Ali learns of her father’s fall and injury to his arm, she uses this opportunity to spend more time with him, but at the same time get away from the painful memories that haunt her in Arizona. But when she goes to Napa, she learns that there is so much about him that she didn’t know. And, as she spends time with him and his friends, she gets a lesson about life that she wasn’t expecting.
But it’s the unexpected connection she makes with a cantankerous old woman named Edie that sets Ali on a journey to Berlin to learn more about the history and loss that Edie endured during the war. And, in searching for answers about Edie, Ali learns a bit about herself. And, although she can’t rewrite her past, she can make choices for her future.
I have read all of Jane Porter’s women’s fiction novels. Although this had a different feel than her other books, it was just as heartfelt and moving. Her focus on detail, especially her references to Edie’s life during the war, was so raw and honest. You could feel the struggle and emotion in every word she wrote.
When Ali learns of her father’s fall and injury to his arm, she uses this opportunity to spend more time with him, but at the same time get away from the painful memories that haunt her in Arizona. But when she goes to Napa, she learns that there is so much about him that she didn’t know. And, as she spends time with him and his friends, she gets a lesson about life that she wasn’t expecting.
But it’s the unexpected connection she makes with a cantankerous old woman named Edie that sets Ali on a journey to Berlin to learn more about the history and loss that Edie endured during the war. And, in searching for answers about Edie, Ali learns a bit about herself. And, although she can’t rewrite her past, she can make choices for her future.
I have read all of Jane Porter’s women’s fiction novels. Although this had a different feel than her other books, it was just as heartfelt and moving. Her focus on detail, especially her references to Edie’s life during the war, was so raw and honest. You could feel the struggle and emotion in every word she wrote.
July 3, 2015
3.75 stars.
Admittedly, I am a WWII history buff. Even so, I tire of the same story told over and over again. This is not the same story. It's a new angle and one I hadn't considered.
That's one of the stories.
Another story is the one of Allison, an accomplished woman attempting to find her place after her plans are blown to the wind. She is a woman trying to make sense of a tragedy and wondering where it leaves her and how she is to continue on. During this time of confusion, she is summoned to California's wine country to spend time with her father who lives in a retirement community which is where she meets our other main story, Edie.
A quieter story is also being told between the lines which was my favorite. The Brennan sisters are still in the area and Porter gives us the updates through conversation and in passing. Which brings me to my favorite part about Porter. She knows how to write an engaging story but also knows how to write a good ending. Not all books end with a happily ever after but she somehow weighs it heavier on the happy and the hope along with the realistic. Enough so, that I believe her characters are real and living in California. I can't wait to read her next installment so I'm still in the loop.
Admittedly, I am a WWII history buff. Even so, I tire of the same story told over and over again. This is not the same story. It's a new angle and one I hadn't considered.
That's one of the stories.
Another story is the one of Allison, an accomplished woman attempting to find her place after her plans are blown to the wind. She is a woman trying to make sense of a tragedy and wondering where it leaves her and how she is to continue on. During this time of confusion, she is summoned to California's wine country to spend time with her father who lives in a retirement community which is where she meets our other main story, Edie.
A quieter story is also being told between the lines which was my favorite. The Brennan sisters are still in the area and Porter gives us the updates through conversation and in passing. Which brings me to my favorite part about Porter. She knows how to write an engaging story but also knows how to write a good ending. Not all books end with a happily ever after but she somehow weighs it heavier on the happy and the hope along with the realistic. Enough so, that I believe her characters are real and living in California. I can't wait to read her next installment so I'm still in the loop.
June 4, 2015
I received a Netgalley advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very moving and emotional story. Ali is still grieving the loss of her fiancé who took his own life shortly before their wedding. When she takes some time off work to visit her dad she meets Edie, who is a bit rough around the edges. But Edie and Ali slowly bond over their shared losses, Edie lost her husband in WWII.
I loved the characters in this book. And I loved how much we got to learn about Edie's past in Germany and during the war. This is a great story of love and hope and moving on. There are so many opportunities for self-reflection in this book. It was just so very moving and I loved it so much. This is one book that I will re-read again and again. I'm sure there are details I missed the first time through.
Ok, after giving it a day or so I had to come back and add to my review. I’m still thinking about this book. The things Edie experienced, and how they had such an effect on Ali. To me it really says a lot about a book’s quality when the book stays with you even after you’ve finished reading it, and this one certainly has.
This was a very moving and emotional story. Ali is still grieving the loss of her fiancé who took his own life shortly before their wedding. When she takes some time off work to visit her dad she meets Edie, who is a bit rough around the edges. But Edie and Ali slowly bond over their shared losses, Edie lost her husband in WWII.
I loved the characters in this book. And I loved how much we got to learn about Edie's past in Germany and during the war. This is a great story of love and hope and moving on. There are so many opportunities for self-reflection in this book. It was just so very moving and I loved it so much. This is one book that I will re-read again and again. I'm sure there are details I missed the first time through.
Ok, after giving it a day or so I had to come back and add to my review. I’m still thinking about this book. The things Edie experienced, and how they had such an effect on Ali. To me it really says a lot about a book’s quality when the book stays with you even after you’ve finished reading it, and this one certainly has.
July 5, 2015
As part of the BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge, I was invited to read It's You by Jane Porter; I've not read any of Jane's other novels, but the description sounded pretty good. I was interested in Alison's story at the beginning - her long time boyfriend and fiance recently killed himself and she's trying to figure out where to go from here, while also grieving the recent loss of her mother - but the author lost me when she pulled in a second story. Edie, one of the residents of the retirement community where Alison's father lives, was once in a relationship with a Nazi and there's a lot of talk of WWII that really wasn't thoughtful enough to keep me engaged. Overall, not a bad read for me but I had to really dig deep to keep going.
Favorite quote:
"I make my way across the dining room ignoring the table of silly women on my left who've come out tonight wearing too much perfume and red lipstick. You'd think that once a woman is a certain age, she wouldn't need to try so hard, but no. Here the ladies are, talking loudly and laughing, trying to catch the old men's attention."
Favorite quote:
"I make my way across the dining room ignoring the table of silly women on my left who've come out tonight wearing too much perfume and red lipstick. You'd think that once a woman is a certain age, she wouldn't need to try so hard, but no. Here the ladies are, talking loudly and laughing, trying to catch the old men's attention."
May 30, 2015
I have been pleased to have read many of this authors books and each one of them has left an impact on me. This book is one of those that will definitely leave you with a mixture of feelings that you will have for several days after closing the cover for the last time.
This author is amazing in her craft and the ability to create women and people that you feel you already know. Hardworking women just trying to keep it together. And in this story, a hard working women that has been broken and yet life must go on.
Learning to deal with her aging father and his new life definitely hits home for me. This one is steeped in an interesting relationship with a old lady that creates the urge to make changes in her life. Two people bound together in heartbreak makes for an engrossing read. The author writes from the heart and it is easy to be swept away when reading any of her novels and this one in particular.
It's You took turns that I was not expecting and left me a bit adrift with the ending, but with closure. This is an insightful, deep read that you have to check out. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
This author is amazing in her craft and the ability to create women and people that you feel you already know. Hardworking women just trying to keep it together. And in this story, a hard working women that has been broken and yet life must go on.
Learning to deal with her aging father and his new life definitely hits home for me. This one is steeped in an interesting relationship with a old lady that creates the urge to make changes in her life. Two people bound together in heartbreak makes for an engrossing read. The author writes from the heart and it is easy to be swept away when reading any of her novels and this one in particular.
It's You took turns that I was not expecting and left me a bit adrift with the ending, but with closure. This is an insightful, deep read that you have to check out. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
May 27, 2015
An intriguing story of love, loss and learning to find the strength to move forward.
Dr. Alison McAdams has no idea going to Napa to help her ailing father will bring several new friendships that will change her life. One new friend is a cantankerous elderly lady at the retirement home where her father resides. They bond as neither has expected.
Edie Stephens’ story spans decades where Ali’s is more recent. Ali lost her fiancé just weeks before their wedding when he decided to take his own life. As Edie’s story is told, I found myself drawn deeper and deeper into her history and can feel her emotions just by the words on the pages. She tells of her first love, Franz, and how their life was during the Second World War.
From Arizona, to California’s wine country, to Berlin, this story keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It is a very emotional but very well written story that you won’t want to miss.
Dr. Alison McAdams has no idea going to Napa to help her ailing father will bring several new friendships that will change her life. One new friend is a cantankerous elderly lady at the retirement home where her father resides. They bond as neither has expected.
Edie Stephens’ story spans decades where Ali’s is more recent. Ali lost her fiancé just weeks before their wedding when he decided to take his own life. As Edie’s story is told, I found myself drawn deeper and deeper into her history and can feel her emotions just by the words on the pages. She tells of her first love, Franz, and how their life was during the Second World War.
From Arizona, to California’s wine country, to Berlin, this story keeps you on the edge of your seat until the very end. It is a very emotional but very well written story that you won’t want to miss.
July 16, 2015
A great story of love, grief, and Healing-notice I didn't say romance?! This a love story with a setting of WWII about family and friends more then just a hook-up between lovers.
After her fiancée commits suicide in Scottsdale AZ (Dentist) Dr. Alison McAdams goes to stay with her older father at his retirement home where she meets some very interesting people, one named Edie is very ruff exterior but quickly grows on Alison who finds that like herself Edie has a relationship romance that did not end well. Edie's story goes back to WWII and first love, read through her journals. While Ali deals with her own grief about the suicide death of her fiancée she also gains strength with those around her!
Very strong character develop, great setting moved well. A great story one clicker for sure!!
After her fiancée commits suicide in Scottsdale AZ (Dentist) Dr. Alison McAdams goes to stay with her older father at his retirement home where she meets some very interesting people, one named Edie is very ruff exterior but quickly grows on Alison who finds that like herself Edie has a relationship romance that did not end well. Edie's story goes back to WWII and first love, read through her journals. While Ali deals with her own grief about the suicide death of her fiancée she also gains strength with those around her!
Very strong character develop, great setting moved well. A great story one clicker for sure!!
June 3, 2015
Fantastic read! Definitely one of the most touching books I have read in 2015. I am always amazed at the depth Jane Porter gives her characters and this is no exception.
This is really 2 stories (which is done beautifully) in one and about lost love and learning to live again and moving forward. You will care about Ali and Edie and their stories. With Porter's attention to detail, you can visualize what it was like during the war in Germany for Edie.
If you are fan of Women's Fiction and Jane Porter, you will find this to be unique and capture your heart and mind and you will want to read it from start to finish without interruptions.
This is really 2 stories (which is done beautifully) in one and about lost love and learning to live again and moving forward. You will care about Ali and Edie and their stories. With Porter's attention to detail, you can visualize what it was like during the war in Germany for Edie.
If you are fan of Women's Fiction and Jane Porter, you will find this to be unique and capture your heart and mind and you will want to read it from start to finish without interruptions.
June 8, 2015
Read my full review here: http://www.ivoryowlreviews.blogspot.c...
This is the first book I've read by Jane Porter...but it won't be my last! I felt like it was "the right book at the right time" (don't you just love when that happens?) Equal parts heart wrenching and heart warming, I felt like Alison was a girlfriend I knew.
This is the first book I've read by Jane Porter...but it won't be my last! I felt like it was "the right book at the right time" (don't you just love when that happens?) Equal parts heart wrenching and heart warming, I felt like Alison was a girlfriend I knew.
July 15, 2015
I bought this mostly because I liked the cover. Turned out to be a great read! Great characters and story. I really liked that the WWII story was from an unusual perspective of the German resistance. Easy to read. Nicely balanced.
July 31, 2016
What a fantastic book! A story of love, loss and finding who you are as a person and how you are defined by you and not by your losses.
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
November 3, 2023
THIS IS A 3.5 FOR ME
Ms Porter is a new to me author. I know she is a talented writer and her abilities show in this book.
But, this is not a book for me. By the time I finished the book, I just felt sadder and sadder.
SPOILERS BEGIN NOW:
There is a suicide. And it is not a minor thing.
There is a great deal about the horrors of World War II. The Nazis were not nice people. Not all Germans were bad.
I wanted to like someone in this story. Allison’s father was disappointingly distant to her. Ali was not interested in getting close to anyone. Edie did not like Ali. When Ali decided to go to Germany, I had no idea why she would do that for someone she did not like much.
SPOILERS ARE OVER NOW
I finished the story but it was less than satisfying for me. I read stories for the characters. There was only one person in this story I wanted to be around for any length of time.
I liked Diana. She seemed to me to be the only character who liked people as well as liked what she did for a living. She was a nice person and the bright spot for me.
I am sure it is just me. The writing was excellent. But, it was not a good fit.
Ms Porter is a new to me author. I know she is a talented writer and her abilities show in this book.
But, this is not a book for me. By the time I finished the book, I just felt sadder and sadder.
SPOILERS BEGIN NOW:
There is a suicide. And it is not a minor thing.
There is a great deal about the horrors of World War II. The Nazis were not nice people. Not all Germans were bad.
I wanted to like someone in this story. Allison’s father was disappointingly distant to her. Ali was not interested in getting close to anyone. Edie did not like Ali. When Ali decided to go to Germany, I had no idea why she would do that for someone she did not like much.
SPOILERS ARE OVER NOW
I finished the story but it was less than satisfying for me. I read stories for the characters. There was only one person in this story I wanted to be around for any length of time.
I liked Diana. She seemed to me to be the only character who liked people as well as liked what she did for a living. She was a nice person and the bright spot for me.
I am sure it is just me. The writing was excellent. But, it was not a good fit.
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