Welcome to my tour stop! Read my five-star review below...
Every Word Unsaid
(Dreams of India #1)
By Kimberly Duffy
Historical Fiction, Christian, Romance
Paperback, Audiobook & ebook, 368 Pages
November 2, 2021 by Bethany House
Summary
Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family's constant disappointment. As the nation's most fearless--and reviled--columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.
Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel's sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she's long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.
Advance Praise
“Duffy shines in elegant, flowing prose and delicate precision that underscores the nineteenth-century setting."— Booklist, starred review
"An author to watch."— Library Journal
"Duffy's writing is beautiful, deep, and contemplative."— Jocelyn Green, Christy Award-winning author of Shadows of the White City
My Review
EVERY WORD UNSAID is one of those stories that is so beautifully written that readers will want to savor it from beginning to end. Wonderful characters and a vivid setting bring this story alive while the story itself will pull on readers' hearts. Highly recommended to historical, romance and inspirational fiction fans!
I wish I could capture, as perfectly as this author captured India and these characters, how I feel about this book. It is definitely one of my top reads this year. It is so immersive, vivid, and heartfelt. I wanted to savor every single moment, especially as Gussie arrives in India and spends time with her friends and others. It is a story full of contrasts between Gussie and her family, society, her travels, the beauty and cruelty of India and Gussie and others who each had their own strengths and life lessons to share.
I loved these characters! Gussie is this innocent, naïve woman who is so privileged and takes much of her life for granted, but whose life is anything but perfect. She has been abandoned by those who should love her and be proud of her, which makes it that much worse. She carries deep hurt and cutting remarks that she tries to burry and hide behind light words and a smile. However, when she travels to India, the things she has buried for so long begin to surface as she is also faced with some truths she doesn't want to face. It all brings a depth to her character as well as development as she figures out who she wants to be regardless of what others think of her or what her plan was. I also love the other characters, particularly Catherine, Gabriel, and Bimla. None of the characters felt flat, but instead were all well drawn and relatable. The romance was sweet, had plenty of chemistry, and was a delightful part of this story. There is also so much heartbreak and poverty that is in such contrast to the beauty of the land. Between that and Gussie's own struggles, it was a story that pulled on all my emotions and will definitely be one I think about for some time.
There were so many nuggets of wisdom and places where this story and the dialogue resonated with me. Here are a few of them:
"I take my hurt and turn it into healing. It is a redemption." Bimla reached for Gussie's hand, their fingers tangling much the way their stories had. "And you, Gussie? What have you done with your pain?"
"We aren't responsible for where we have come from. Only where we go."
"Don't let what people say define you. Stop repeating their lies."
Life is in the moments! It is in the everyday.
. . . I have learned it isn't where I wander that gives my life purpose, but the people I love. The things I fight for. Who and what I believe in.
In the chasing of something significant, you might very well miss the fact that you already are.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This is a fantastic read and one I highly recommend! Again, wonderful characters, a vivid setting, sweet romance, and an inspiring story made for a soul-touching read.
Content: Some references to abuse and the loss of a baby that may be a trigger for some, but clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Austenprose PR, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
No comments
Post a Comment
I love comments! I try to read and reply to them all. Feel free to agree or disagree and generally share your thoughts with me.