Searching for a story to adapt for film, an aspiring screenwriter becomes captivated by a bestselling classic novel and the mysterious disappearance of the woman who wrote it.
1940. Via Belle’s sweet romance novels made readers believe in happily ever after. But Via’s reality was much more complicated. While her first husband was alive, her creativity thrived in a beautiful stone estate situated above a pristine lake and moonflower garden. After his tragic death and a whirlwind second marriage shrouded in secrets, Via vanished from public life, leaving behind a shadow of scandal . . . and her final story.
2006. Screenwriter Harper Rayne is desperate for a breakthrough, if only she can find the right story to tell. But when she digs into the life of her late mother’s favorite novelist, she never expects it to become personal. Drawn to the quaint Pennsylvania town where both her mother and Via once lived, Harper discovers more than a mystery to solve—she finds echoes of her own longing for love, healing, and home. As long-buried secrets come to light, Harper must decide if she’ll protect the past or rewrite this particular ending.
Described as a “powerhouse in dual-timeline Christian fiction” (Library Journal), Melanie Dobson delivers another rich, atmospheric novel about the legacy of sacrificial love and the redemptive power of truth.
Standalone dual-timeline historical mystery filled with drama, faith, and intrigueClean, suspenseful historical fiction, perfect for fans of Susan Meissner, Lisa Wingate, or Patti Callahan HenryIncludes discussion questions for book groups
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Summary
"Now all these years later, if Mrs. Belle could tell the story of her life what would she say?"
Aspiring screen writer Harper Rayne is forced to pivot when she loses her job in Los Angeles, inspiring a trip across the country towards the small Pennsylvania town where her mother grew up. House sitting for some family friends gives Harper's imagination an opportunity to percolate, discovering that she would love nothing better than to unravel a local mystery regarding the area's most famous resident, an author who wrote numerous best-selling novels for years only to vacate her beautiful property and disappear completely from the annuls of history. She soon discovers that answers are slow to emerge, the estate is held in a trust, and its guardian, Finn Sterling, is in no mood to cooperate.
Author Via Belle's world titled on its axis following the death of her beloved husband. For the first time in a long time, no words spilled effortlessly onto the page, causing her publisher great angst and her own confidence to waver. When someone new emerges onto the stage of her life, Via proceeds with caution, but apparently she wasn't careful enough, for the story that follows won't be told for decades to come.
What a lovely example of dual timelines in perfect sync with one another, allowing the main characters in the before and after to converge at just the right time and in just the right place. During full story immersion, readers will be severely tempted to plant flashing hazard signs along Via's path, but alas! God is writing His own story and it's far better than Via Belle or Harper Rayne could have inscribed on their own.
Remarkable characters, intriguing plot threads, and a satisfying conclusion that is nearly impossible to fully anticipate!
Reviewed by Rebecca