Thursday, May 11, 2017

The Secret Wife - #BookBeginnings on Friday and The #Friday56

Love this book! Two separate plots - one beginning in 1914, one in 2016. They come together to create an enchanting book. I learned more about Russian history from this story than I expected and in an entertaining way. The author did a great job of tying everything together. It is definitely worth reading.

 Book Beginning:
Lake Akanabee, New York State,
19th July 2016
     It was twenty-nine hours since Kitty Fisher had left her husband and in that time she had travelled 3,713 miles. The in-flight magazine had said there were 3,461 miles between London and New York, and the hire car's Sat Nav told her she had driven 252 miles since leaving the airport. A whole ocean and half a state lay between her and Tom. She should have been upset but instead she felt numb.

 Friday 56 (from 56% on my Kindle):
She grasped the letter and hugged it tightly to her chest as she wept like a child, with complete abandon. There was a painful spot deep inside and she hoped the crying jag might shift it but when she clambered up to the cabin and pulled herself into bed fully clothed, it was still there.

 Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery
Book Length: 417 Pages
Amazon Link: The Secret Wife
Author Website: Gill Paul

 Synopsis (from Amazon):
A Russian grand duchess and an English journalist. Linked by one of the world’s greatest mysteries . . .
Love. Guilt. Heartbreak.
1914
Russia is on the brink of collapse, and the Romanov family faces a terrifyingly uncertain future. Grand Duchess Tatiana has fallen in love with cavalry officer Dmitri, but events take a catastrophic turn, placing their romance – and their lives – in danger . . .
2016
Kitty Fisher escapes to her great-grandfather’s remote cabin in America, after a devastating revelation makes her flee London. There, on the shores of Lake Akanabee, she discovers the spectacular jewelled pendant that will lead her to a long-buried family secret . . .
Haunting, moving and beautifully written, The Secret Wife effortlessly crosses centuries, as past merges with present in an unforgettable story of love, loss and resilience.
Perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Dinah Jefferies.
               



Anyone can participate in Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56.
Click HERE to connect to other Book Beginnings posts (sponsored by Rose City Reads) 
Click HERE to join other Friday 56 bloggers (sponsored by Freda's Voice)
Twitter: @SandyNachlinger
Facebook: sandy.nachlinger
at
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

33 comments:

  1. sherry fundinMay 12, 2017 at 6:07 AM

    Pretty cover. Like the old timey feel.
    sherry @ fundinmental Friday Memes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 8:51 AM

      The cover reminds me of The Great Gatsby! I like that view.

      Delete
  2. Kathy MartinMay 12, 2017 at 7:04 AM

    Sounds intriguing. I'll have to add this one to my wishlist. This week I am reading The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 8:51 AM

      Thanks for stopping by, Kathy. I think you'd enjoy this story.

      Delete
  3. Laurel-Rain SnowMay 12, 2017 at 7:42 AM

    I find that dual line stories are my favorite way to read historical fiction...the past and the present linked by something mysterious. I am also very fond of stories that include Russian history, especially involving the Romanovs.

    Thanks for sharing. Here's mine: “INTO THE WATER”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 8:52 AM

      I enjoy dual story lines, too, and enjoy the way they merge eventually. If you enjoy stories about Russian history, you'll definitely like this book.

      Delete
  4. Roberta GibsonMay 12, 2017 at 9:41 AM

    Sounds fascinating. (Much better than the one I'm reading for a challenge this week.) Wouldn't have guessed from the title that it contained Russian history.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 10:05 AM

      I know! I guess the cover artist was focused on the more contemporary setting of part of the book (a cabin on a lake). I was fascinated by the portion of the story that starts almost 100 years ago.

      Delete
  5. TreaMay 12, 2017 at 10:14 AM

    This sounds interesting! I hope you enjoy it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Margaret @ BooksPleaseMay 12, 2017 at 10:50 AM

    I like dual time lines. And I think you're right about learning history from fiction - provided it doesn't get too far away from the facts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 11:00 AM

      Absolutely! I think this author must have done a lot of research because some of the historical events she mentioned were familiar to me.

      Delete
  7. Breana M.May 12, 2017 at 1:04 PM

    Enjoy your current read! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Katherine PMay 12, 2017 at 2:17 PM

    Oh this is a book for me! Love the dual timeline and can never resist a good family secret - or anything connecting to Imperial Russia for that matter. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 3:56 PM

      We always hear about the possibility of Anastasia surviving; however, this author adds a different twist. That's all I'll say. No spoilers.

      Delete
  9. Yvonne @ Fiction Books ReviewsMay 12, 2017 at 2:40 PM

    Hi Sandra,

    It's funny, but I almost entered the Goodreads Giveaway for this book the other day, but changed my mind at the last minute. Now you have me wanting to add it to my 'Want To Read' list all over again!

    Hubbie generally only reads non-fiction and will often berate me for preferring fiction, as he considers that non-ficton helps to educate as he reads. I often point out to him that I learn more about a whole variety of subjects and places from a fiction story, than he might think and this book sounds a definite point in fact!

    I haven't read anything by Dinah Jefferies yet, however I am a fan of Kate Morton's writing and storytelling techniques, even more proof that 'The Secret Wife' belongs on my shelf!

    Thanks for sharing and enjoy your weekend :)

    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 3:54 PM

      I definitely agree with you! Somehow I learn more in the context of a story than I ever retain from reading straight history. If you read The Secret Wife, I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did.

      Delete
  10. The Candid CoverMay 12, 2017 at 3:43 PM

    Russian history is so interesting! I also really love books that teach me something new as I am reading the story. I will definitely have to check this one out. Thanks for sharing it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownMay 12, 2017 at 4:06 PM

    I was talking to someone recently about how much history I've learned from fictional books. How you can learn factual nuggets while also enjoying a well spun story. I really like the cover for this book too. Kind of invites you to ask questions. Where is she going? Who is she?

    My Friday 56 from Silver Threads

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 4:08 PM

      I like covers that lead me into a book, and I think this one does.

      Delete
  12. Nadene @Ttly Addicted 2 ReadingMay 12, 2017 at 4:23 PM

    I hope you are enjoying this one. Thanks for sharing. Here is my post
    http://totallyaddictedtoreading.blogspot.com/2017/05/friday-memes-book-beginnings-and-friday.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 7:05 PM

      I enjoyed it a lot. I'm going to be looking for other books by this author.

      Delete
  13. Anne@HeadFullofBooksMay 12, 2017 at 5:21 PM

    Oh, this book sounds really good. I like historical fiction. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
    My Friday Quotes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandra NachlingerMay 12, 2017 at 7:06 PM

      I seem to be reading more historical fiction lately, for some reason. This was a good story.

      Delete
  14. Alicia @ A Kernel of NonsenseMay 12, 2017 at 6:41 PM

    Hmm, I wonder what this devastating revelation is and if it has anything to do with that letter. Hope you enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Elza ReadsMay 13, 2017 at 3:05 AM

    Hi ho - hi ho it's of to TBR we go! Need to read this book....!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lisa Ks Book Reviews May 13, 2017 at 5:30 AM

    Sounds like someone was a bad husband . . . well, if the title, and the main character running have anything to do with it. ;-) Thanks for visiting my blog. I'd love for your readers to do so as well . . . http://tinyurl.com/LisaKsBookReviewsFWR

    ReplyDelete
  17. fredamansMay 13, 2017 at 6:53 PM

    Sounds like a fantastic read! Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sassy Brit @ Alternative-Read.comMay 14, 2017 at 4:14 AM

    I really like the sound of this! Hope you're enjoying your weekend! Thanks for visiting my blog.

    Sassy :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. KathrynMay 15, 2017 at 10:22 AM

    I like dual timelines too. The one that stands out I read or actually listened to last year, The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor. It takes place around the time of the titanic and in the 1980s.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Lauren StoolfireMay 17, 2017 at 2:37 PM

    I definitely want to know more about the Russian historical aspect. :)

    Lauren @ Always Me

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting "Writing With a Texas Twang." All comments are sincerely appreciated. Tell me what you think!

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)