The Echo of Old Books: A Novel (Kindle Edition) by Barbara Davis

 ASIN: B0B9RNFT45

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (March 28, 2023)

Language: English

File size: 7ǎ53 KB

Text-to-Speech: Enabled

Print length: 413 pages

5 Stars

 

This book is delightful! It’s listed in Women’s Historical Fiction, Laster in Life Romance, and Magical Realism. 

 

Ashlyn is a young woman who had a rough childhood and tragic marriage. The last thing she wants, of getting involved with another man. So, of course, there’s a man. She owns a book store and bindery, so, naturally, she and he meet over two intriguing books. His father had them and both his parents are now dead and he inherited the house, and was cleaning out his father’s stuff. 

 

There is no copyright page in either book, one is obviously written by a man, the other by a woman. They tell the same story of instant love and romance and terrible break up. They both use fake names, and Ashlyn becomes more than intrigued, and begins to play detective. She bothers Ethan and he goes through the books and it’s his family. He’s sure of it. His family is not close for reasons that are told.

 

Are Belle and Hemi (the authors of the books) still alive? Can they find them?  Okay, it’s a romance, Ashlyn and Ethan know it does not end happily ever after for Belle and Hemi, and can’t because the man they track down as Hemi, Steven, died a few years ago. But Belle might like the books.

 

This book has everything—an overbearing and very rich father who will marry his daughters to whoever will give him the best deal. Or get rid of them. A writer who, to me, looked like Cary Grant. A sister who would make an almost perfect Evil Stepmother from any Disney movie you can name. The chapter headings give you the name of the protagonist for that chapter, and the year. Belle and Hemi are in 1941, Ethan & Ashlyn are in 1954 (I think. I don’t do numbers, so forgive me if I’m off) and later.

 

I had a hard time putting this book down, but there are times when my eyes burned, and tears rolled, and it was past my bedtime. For about 4 nights. Great book. Marvelous. Brava! Ms. Davis, Brava!!.