The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs

*** 1/2

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs brings readers into the lush abundance of Sonoma County, in a story of sisters, friendship and the invisible bonds of history that are woven like a spell around us. 

Tess Delaney makes a living returning stolen treasures to their rightful owners. She loves illuminating history, filling the spaces in people's hearts with stories of their family legacies. 

But Tess's own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, and a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. 

Then Dominic Rossi arrives on the doorstep of the San Francisco shop Tess hopes to buy, and he tells her that the grandfather she never knew is in a coma. Tess has been named in his will to inherit half of Bella Vista, a hundred-acre apple orchard in the magical Sonoma town called Archangel.

The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen. A half sister she hadn't heard of. 

Isabel is everything Tess isn't: all softness to Tess's hard angles, warm and nurturing where Tess is tightly wound. But against the rich landscape of Bella Vista, with Isabel and Dominic by her side, Tess begins to discover a world filled with the simple pleasures of food and family, of the warm earth beneath her bare feet. A world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. 

Review:

I used to read Susan Wiggs books religiously so when Netgalley was offering a re-read of The Apple Orchard (one I hadn’t read yet) I jumped on it.  Of course, then it took me forever to read it because I love to overload my TBR pile.  But I finally opened it up in December and found an interesting mix of mystery, history and romance.

Tess has been on her own since she was a teenager.  With a mother that travelled constantly for work she didn’t have much choice.  She was always envious of the families around her.  As an adult she has learned to not yearn for the familial connections she always craved when she was younger.  But it doesn’t mean she’s immune.  When Dominic Rossi appears at her office to inform her that the grandfather, Magnus Johansen, she never knew existed is in a coma and that his apple orchard will go to both her and her half-sister if he dies, all those old desires are brought to the surface. 

Tess travels to Archangel to meet her new found family and finds that she is inheriting half of an estate that is in major debt and is on the fast-track to foreclosure.  But the immediate acceptance by her sister Isabel and Dominic makes the future of the orchard much more important to Tess than she would have ever guessed.  After learning of her grandfather’s efforts during the WWII Danish Resistance and finding some photos that hint at a possible treasure Tess does what she does best.  As a Provenance Specialist, her job is to reunite people with lost or stolen treasure and she might be able to reunite her new found family with a treasure worth so much it will not only save the estate but also help run it.

This was an interesting mix of genre.  There was some historical fiction with the many flashbacks of Magnus’ time spent in Denmark during WWII.  There was the mystery of the treasure and where it disappeared to.   Then, of course there was the romance between Tess and Dominic. 

I really enjoyed Tess’ character.  She was tough and driven.  Her career as a provenance specialist was absolutely fascinating and, of course, was a perfect device for telling Magnus’ story and solving some of the mystery of his life during WWII.   The other characters, although likable, didn’t seem as fleshed out as Tess.  Isabel was a little too perfect in the kitchen but didn’t seem to have any thoughts or ideas outside of that which was unfortunately.  I wish I had had more of a connection with her since the next book in the series, The Beekeeper’s Ball, is focused around her.  And I don’t often say this about heroes but Dominic Rossi was almost too perfect.  Fortunately that didn’t stop me from believing and becoming emotionally invested in the love story between him and Tess. 

Although not my favorite of Susan Wigg’s (Dockside will always be my favorite) this was a lovely story that I would recommend to anyone looking for a little bit of mystery, history and romance.

Nat

The Bells of Times Square by Amy Lane

*****

Every New Year’s Eve since 1946, Nate Meyer has ventured alone to Times Square to listen for the ghostly church bells he and his long-lost wartime lover vowed to hear together. This year, however, his grandson Blaine is pushing Nate through the Manhattan streets, revealing his secrets to his silent, stroke-stricken grandfather.

When Blaine introduces his boyfriend to his beloved grandfather, he has no idea that Nate holds a similar secret. As they endure the chilly death of the old year, Nate is drawn back in memory to a much earlier time . . . and to Walter.

Long before, in a peace carefully crafted in the heart of wartime tumult, Nate and Walter forged a loving home in the midst of violence and chaos. But nothing in war is permanent, and now all Nate has is memories of a man his family never knew existed. And a hope that he’ll finally hear the church bells that will unite everybody—including the lovers who hid the best and most sacred parts of their hearts.

Review:

It’s New Year’s Eve and Nate Meyer’s favorite grandson insists on taking his wheelchair bound grandfather to Times Square.  Why?  Because Blaine’s a good boy that has long recognized his grandfather’s need to make the annual trek to Times Square on NYE.  That AND he has a secret that he wants to confide in his grandfather before he tells anyone else in his family. 

Due to a stroke, Nate has been confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak for a while now.   But that doesn’t stop him from feeling excited about going to Times Square on NYE.  He’s also tickled pink that Blaine’s “friend”, Tony, will be accompanying them.  Nate has already guessed Blaine’s secret and he is desperate to find a way tell Blaine that he understands and that he gives his love and support.  But Nate can’t speak so he comforts himself by listening for the Bells that will likely never play and reliving the memories of finding his first love during the dangerous and troubling chaos of WWII. 

On a somewhat “routine” mission to take aerial photographs Nate’s plane is shot down.  At the cost of his own life, Nate’s pilot miraculously lands their plane in a wooded area.  Amazingly, the plane is found by a young American soldier who takes Nate to safety.  “Safety” is a small abandoned home in the middle of the forest.  Walter, who is MIA and is believed to be dead, has been squatting there for months.  As Walter nurses Nate back to health (you can’t crash a plane and not sustain some pretty major injuries) the two become close friends and eventually lovers.  But in German-occupied France, nothing is safe and nothing is permanent.  Soon Nate and Walter have no choice but to move locations and attempt to make it back to Allied territory.  Only the hope of a life together after the war is what keeps them both going as they attempt to make it out of France in one piece.

Nate is one of my favorite types of heroes. Here I go again with my “forever boy” love (sorry, not sorry).  He is kind.  He is steady.  He is quietly passionate.  Those traits make his story all the more touching. The book starts out with Nate ruminating over his grandson, his late wife, his daughter….so you KNOW the likely outcome of his and Walter’s relationship.  That still doesn’t prepare you for the pain for which Amy Lane is so well known. Because what she does and build these amazing characters that you grow to know and love as if they are your closest friends.  And who doesn’t want the most for their friends?  And who wouldn’t be devastated when their friends are irreparably hurt?

Did I cry while reading this?  You know I did.  As expected, there is a lot of emotion in this story.  And not just between Nate and Walter.  One of the most moving scenes for me was between Nate and his future wife.  I wish I could say more but that would just give too much away.

It’s no surprise that I love everything of Amy’s that I’ve read (I could recommend more than 20 titles just from Dreamspinner Press alone).   And up until now I would have said Chase in Shadow is her best work.  But this?  The Bells of Times Square?  I have to put this up there with Chase in Shadow.  It might even be better. Particularly if you are historical romance fan like me.  It’s powerful and it’s beautiful and it will break your heart in a way that only a cruel and amazing author like Amy Lane can do.

If you are a fan of m/m romance and/or historical romance set during WWII, this is a MUST READ.  Don’t wait to purchase this wonderful story.  It releases form Riptide Publishing on December 15 ,2014.

Nat