About this item
Highlights
- A novel about the magical lure of books and summoning the courage to rewrite our stories by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Keeper of Happy Endings and The Last of the Moon Girls.Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer's affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather.
- Author(s): Barbara Davis
- 443 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Historical
Description
About the Book
"Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer's affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books' previous owners--an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance. With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery, beckoned by two hearts in ruins, whoever they were, wherever they are. Determined to learn the truth behind the doomed lovers' tale, she reads on, following a trail of broken promises and seemingly unforgivable betrayals. The more Ashlyn learns about Hemi and Belle, the nearer she comes to bringing closure to their love story--and to the unfinished chapters of her own life"--Book jacket flap.Book Synopsis
A novel about the magical lure of books and summoning the courage to rewrite our stories by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Keeper of Happy Endings and The Last of the Moon Girls.
Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer's affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books' previous owners--an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance.
With no trace of how these mysterious books came into the world, Ashlyn is caught up in a decades-old literary mystery, beckoned by two hearts in ruins, whoever they were, wherever they are. Determined to learn the truth behind the doomed lovers' tale, she reads on, following a trail of broken promises and seemingly unforgivable betrayals. The more Ashlyn learns about Hemi and Belle, the nearer she comes to bringing closure to their love story--and to the unfinished chapters of her own life.
Review Quotes
"[The] dueling timelines, packed with twists and turns, should appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson's Life After Life and Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo." --Booklist
"The author's ability to present two different, but related, heartbreaking stories inside her own novel and keep all the voices distinct is so impressive. The fascinating characters and the beauty of the writing pull the reader in...Highly recommended." --Historical Novels Review
"Delightful! ...very satisfying. Barbara Davis endings usually are!" --Midwest Book Review
"In The Echo of Old Books, author Davis deftly blends two time frames, the 1940s of the two books, with the 1980s of Ashlyn; two romances (Hemi and Belle's and Ashlyn and the professor's while slowly divulging why one was tragic and why the other two are so wounded by their pasts they can't seem to move on. I admit I sniffed a bit at the end." --Midwest Book Review
"I've voraciously consumed all of Barbara Davis's books, but this gem of a dual timeline, which features a protagonist who owns an antique bookshop, has woven its way into my heart. The Echo of Old Books is a shining testament to the redemptive power of love. I took my time reading this story, savoring all the beautiful sentences, because I didn't want it to end. Highly recommend." --Terry Lynn Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of The Silent Woman
"Woven with intriguing historical elements, The Echo of Old Books celebrates an enduring romance that overcomes all obstacles and the transformative power of love to heal the pain of past secrets. A big-hearted gem of a novel sure to delight true book lovers everywhere." --Christine Nolfi, bestselling author of A Brighter Flame
"I knew from page one that I would fall in love with this ambitious jewel of a story. Two books within a book. Two love stories within a story. And a bit of the unbelievable as only Davis can weave. All of this done in a manner I've not seen before. This book has everything readers want: family drama, deceit, lies, and corruption set against one of the most horrifying periods in history. And love. Davis may have reached a new height in her career." --Barbara Conrey, bestselling author of My Secret To Keep
"With her latest novel, Barbara Davis has delivered a beautiful gift to readers who enjoy a true passion for books. I was entranced by The Echo of Old Books from the very first page. A story within a story, it has all the elements I love--unforgettable characters, an old mystery begging to be solved, a well-researched historical backstory that is both romantic and tragic, and a touch of magical realism that swept me into the delightful world of my imagination. I couldn't have loved it more!" - Julianne MacLean, bestselling author of Beyond the Moonlit Sea
"A new book by Barbara Davis is cause for celebration, and The Echo of Old Books is a carefully woven, brilliant, beautiful, complex story of finding family and rediscovering lost love. Davis's characters are living, breathing people that you miss when you get to the last page. I loved every single page of this historical, lyrical, magical novel." --Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners and Snap Out of It