Genre: Literary fiction, women’s fiction

Stars: 4

Links: Amazon UK

 

The Blurb:

The Alentejo, Portugal 1934

I am Inês Bretão and I am 18 years old. Now that I am finally an adult and soon to be married, I feel like my real life is about to begin. I have decided to document everything that happens to me, for my children and my grandchildren…

As Sarah Lacey reads the scrawled handwriting in her great-aunt’s journal on a trip to Portugal, she discovers a life filled with great passion, missed chances and lost loves – memories that echo Sarah’s own life. Because Sarah’s marriage is crumbling, her love for her husband ebbing away, and she fears the one man she truly loves was lost to her many years ago…

But hidden within the faded pages of the journal is a secret Inês has kept locked away her entire life, and one final message for her beloved niece – a chance for Sarah to change her life, if she is brave enough to take it.

 

My Review:

Poignant with an engaging setting, this was a beautiful tale of love and loss.

When Sarah heads to Portugal with her aunt Ines’ journal in tow, she is unaware of how the past and present will collide…

The dual storyline elements were entwined with finesse, and the pace was surprising for a sweeping tale of this magnitude. The characterisation, too, was strong, with the protagonists relatable and realistic. But it was the setting that really stole the show. Recommended.

*My thanks to the publisher for my free copy via NetGalley.