Saturday, October 31, 2020

Reviewer's Bookshelf: "The Love Note" by Joanna Davidson Politano

 



Book Summary (Amazon): Focused on a career in medicine and not on romance, Willa Duvall is thrown slightly off course during the summer of 1865 when she discovers a never-opened love letter in a crack of her old writing desk. Compelled to find the passionate soul who penned it and the person who never received it, she takes a job as a nurse at the seaside estate of Crestwicke Manor.

Everyone at Crestwicke has feelings--mostly negative ones--about the man who wrote the letter, but he seems to have disappeared. With plenty of enticing clues but few answers, Willa's search becomes even more complicated when she misplaces the letter and it passes from person to person in the house, each finding a thrilling or disheartening message in its words. 

My thoughts...I was delighted with the progression of this newest novel by Joanna Davidson Politano. I was intrigued by the cover and the book summary, but as I started reading I will confess I was kind of disappointed. I thought, "this isn't the romantic story I thought it would be." By the end, it became one of my favorite reads of 2020. I loved that the entire story is cleverly crafted around a mysterious love letter and how it impacts each person whose hands it falls into. Based on their individual perspectives, the love letter means something different. Willa believes she knows from the beginning who the original author was, but her search is for who it was written to. She is also using the love note as a direction for where she should go so that she can avoid an arranged marriage. I loved the twists and turns in the story as each person takes on their own journeys of discovery. I loved the relationship that developed between Willa and her patient. I don't want to give any spoilers, so I will conclude with saying that this book addresses expressions of love in many forms: romantic love, love for family and friends, and the love of God. I would definitely recommend this book!


*I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in order to share my honest opinions, which I did.*