Wednesday, May 29, 2013

I'LL BE SEEING YOU

Author:  Suzanne Hayes & Loretta Nyhan
Genre:  Fiction, Standalone
Published:  2013
Personal Rating:  4/5 (very good)
Format:  Book
Yearly Count:  40


From the ARC Cover:

"I hope this letter gets to you quickly.  We are always waiting, aren't we?  Perhaps the greatest gift this was has given us is the anticipation..."

It's January, 1943, when Rita Vincenzo receives her first letter from Glory Whitehall.  Glory is an effervescent young mother, impulsive and free as a bird.  Rita is a sensible professor's wife with a love of gardening and a generous, old soul.  Glory comes from New England society; Rita lives in Iowa, trying to makes ends meet.  They have nothing in common except one powerful bond:  the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home.  


Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence.  The friendship forged by their letters allows them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front, and gives them the courage to face the battles raging in their very own backyards.  Connected across the country by the lifeline of the written word, each woman finds her life profoundly altered by the other's unwavering support.  

A collaboration of two authors whose own beautiful story mirrors that on the page, I'll Be Seeing You is a deeply moving union of style and charm.  Filled with unforgettable characters and grace, it is a timeless celebration of friendship and the strength and solidarity of women.

In general, I enjoyed this epistolary story.  The style made it intriguing, because I was always anticipating the response of the other.  That made for a quick read.  However, it was a little on the slow/bland side at times, and I had to remind myself that it wasn't a thriller.  :)

The characters seemed real, but I think I would have liked a stronger time period influence.  It was there - no doubt, but they felt too modern.  Maybe that's the point.  People have the same emotions (thoughts) today as they did in the 40s, they just had a few less modern conveniences.  I don't have a great sense of loss or desire to know how they are doing after closing the book (although I wouldn't mind), but I did enjoy the hours of peeking into their lives.

     




My thanks go to Shelf Awareness and Harlequin Books for providing me with this ARC.  It is scheduled to be published in June.

4 comments:

  1. I love epistolary works and this cover caught my eye as I shelved it a few days ago (at work). May just have to get a copy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Les ~ It was definitely worth the read, but something was missing or just amiss for me. I do have a few thoughts regarding what could have contributed to those feelings, but will refrain from sharing those with you. I just hope you love it! :)

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  2. Anonymous5:16 PM

    I think I might just appreciate the beautiful cover instead of reading the book :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stacybuckeye ~ It was a very good read, Stacy. I think I was just expecting more.

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