The Beautiful Years

by Katia Lief

The Beautiful Years is the story of Ada and the two young men she loves, unfolding in three single-day sections over seven college graduation, a funeral, and a wedding. At its heart, it's the story of hubris, consequence and the complexity of love.

Genres: Fiction

66 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2016

About the author

The first thing I ever wrote that received any notice was a one page story for my third grade English teacher. I don't recall what the assignment was, but I somehow found myself writing about a woman at a dinner party who suddenly realizes her teeth are invisible. She sits there, wedged between two chattering guests, wondering how she will eat, how she will talk, and generally how she will get out of the situation without having to open her mouth and reveal her dilemma. My teacher showed the story to my parents with a note to this effect: Katia could be a writer.

What if her note had instead encouraged me to be a dentist?

But it didn't. And so here I am.

So far I've published two literary novels (as Katia Spiegelman, the name I was born with), and seven suspense novels--five as Kate Pepper (a pseudonym) and two as Katia Lief (the name I live by). And to complicated things even more, I'm adding a new pen name to my arsenal-Karen Ellis-with my new novel A MAP OF THE DARK, coming January 2, 2018.

I have loved writing every one of my novels, and hope you will enjoy reading them.

Reviews

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Beautiful Years follows Ada, George, and Claude. They have been best friends throughout college. This is a short novella but the author doesn't waste her words on trivial things. The story is direct and to the point.

Reading this is both beautiful and sad. It shows how one moment can change your life. Whether for better or worse, you'll have to read and find out!

This is the first book I've read by this author and I will gladly read more. It was a lovely story that I would recommend!

[Linda Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of 3 college students who were best friends. Ada met George and Claude at the same time. George falls head over heels for Ada and knows that she is 'the one'. George is steadfast and will do whatever it takes to make Ada happy. Claude is a rebel. He's the one to do the outrageous. And he's gorgeous as sin.

George plans to propose to Ada as the graduate college. He tells his plan to Claude, who immediately runs off to get high ... only it's not weed this time. Ada finds him and they sleep together ... which sets off a future for the three of them that they never saw coming.

Basically this short story covers about 7 years or so of their lives. We've all made decisions on a moment's notice without a thought of the consequences. If we only knew....

Told from the viewpoint of the three main characters, it takes the reader to not only the graduation, but a funeral and a wedding.

I can't say I connected with them. Character definition was missing. Didn't seem to be much depth involved. I think I would have liked this one a whole lot better if it had been a full length novel.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...

I came across this novella when I was looking for something quick to read. My schedule has been really busy and I needed to find something that I could get through quickly so that I wouldn't get behind on my blog posts. The synopsis and many positive reviews sold me on The Beautiful Years.

I always find it difficult to talk about a novella because there is only so much content and I never want to give the story away. I won't be re-telling the story for that reason alone. Instead I am going to try my best, without spoiling, to give my opinion on the story.

The plot was a good one but I feel like it would have been better served in a full length novel. The emotions could have been captured and it may have been quite the emotional page turner for the reader. As it stood, I found it lacked emotion and character depth. As much as I wanted to connect with the characters and feel them, I couldn't. It was just too quick and stiff. It also jumped between points of view without warning and within chapters which was very distracting. This is saying something coming from someone who loves multiple points of view.

This novella would be a good book club book because of the many questions that come from a book that leaves so much out. Many a discussion could easily surround the events of Ada, George and Claude's graduation day.

Some stories work really well in a novella but I think this one needed just a little more to make it truly memorable.

[Samantha Dickenson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This short novella starts out very confusing. From the very first sentence, you feel like you've walked into the middle of a book rather than the beginning. It is broken up into three parts-a graduation, funeral, and wedding. We get to know the three main players the best during the graduation portion of the book. This portion is the least disjointed of the three. The novella revolves around two men-Claude and George and one woman-ada. Their friendship is a triangle that turns into betrayal. The final two portions of the novella are very fast and even more disjointed than the previous. Point of view between characters changes within paragraphs and becomes hard to follow. It was as if the author was tying to spout out s story as fast as possible with no bridges between characters or story line.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd memoir

There are sweet things in this book, but it feels more conversation or short story than book. I have no criticism of the story, but I also have no response to the book except that it was not particularly in my realm of possibility..

[Paulette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but sweet

This book was just 3 chapters but a quick interesting read. It had a surprise in the plot but the happy ending. ,

[william boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute easy reading

A cute story with a love triangle. A very quick read. Glad it was a free download for my kindle. Written by Deb

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting it was a short story, once I started it I was page turning, I  wanted to know what happened next. It was a emotional read great characters


The Beautiful Years is part character study, part love triangle, and part commentary on how the decisions we make in an instant can color decades of our lives. A gorgeous, rich, contemplative read." - Jodi Picoult

On the day she graduates from college, Ada makes an impulsive choice that changes the course of her life and those of the two men who love her: George, her steady, loyal beau and their best friend, artistic, mercurial Claude. Unfolding the story over seven years on three separate milestones—a graduation, a funeral, and a wedding— Katia Lief weaves between perspectives to reveal a tapestry rich in motive and emotion. The Beautiful Years is a dazzling rendering of hubris, consequence and the complexity of love.

[Tedneal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inconsistent Pacing

Inconsistent pacing ruins an above average love story. The story is rather predictable but it made me reminisce of a past love so it succeeded in that regard.

The pacing is what left me wanting. It would go slow and steady just to speed up with no warning especially between chapters with no indication how much time had passed. This is exacerbated by adding new characters that have no decent introduction into the story.

[heather hay eaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Predictable yet peaceful

I enjoyed this story for its lovely prose and plot. I found myself wanting to shake the young lady early on, angered by the appetite for hurt and risk that some young people with placid childhoods feel entitled to indulge for the hell of it.
But how like life it can be.
The parents experiences -- all of them -- feel painfully true. Bittersweet and worth the read.

[Sariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of three college best friends. A love triangle. And about the consequences of decisions. The premise is promising, but in novella form it just fell short. We need a full length novel to truly understand and connect with these characters. Too much time was wasted in describing one sexual encounter and not enough time given to character development. I was left wanting much, much more. Three stars is probably generous.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the writing was beautiful, and the characters well described in this novella. My main issue was that it was a novella. It seemed to me that there could have been so much more to this story of friendship and love. But, that may be my hang-up, I´m seldom a fan of the novella.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Beautiful Years was a well written story that followed the lives of three college friends. The story could have flowed more smoothly but overall it was a beautiful story about love, regret, and forgiveness.