How far would you go to save the person you loved?It’s 1956. In Heaven is to Your Left (Book 4 of the Juliana Series) Alice (Al) and Juliana arrive home from a successful run at Le Lido in Paris, only to be greeted by Dan Schuyler who has threatened to reveal to the world the nature of their “immoral” relationship. Under this threat Schuyler has gotten Juliana to sign a contract with him to be in … to be in a Broadway play. Now, the control and manipulation begins. Al seeks a way to free Juliana from this man’s clutches. She turns to Max, accomplished businessman, owner of two night clubs, to help her. There must be something he can do; he has friends who are gangsters. Still, Max does nothing. Or does he? Al knows she has to act. She knows gangsters too.
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Initially drawn to the cover of book one – Juliana – I’ve become invested in the series, and particularly in the historical timeframe and the tumultuous dynamics between Al and Juliana. The series begins in 1941 and this book – Heaven is to Your Left – continues in 1956. Very fascinating to watch the tale evolve around a show business setting, with mention of notable entertainers of the day. The mindset in that era was very closed and rigid, so the secret relationship (if you can call it that) between Al and Julianna is absolutely taboo and dangerous to their reputations and careers. But that doesn’t stop love, passion and desire. It does toss it on one big roller coaster ride, though. Especially for Al. That, then, is at the heart of the tremulous and somewhat unrequited love poor Al seems fated for. How can you not root for her?
Format: Kindle Edition
I recieved an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I will forever be in love with this series! There’s nothing quite like traveling back in time to 1950s NYC. After the suspense-filled third book I was eager to get my hands on the fourth. I was not disappointed!
This novel beautifully transitions out of the third book and the plot thickens. There were some moments that made my heart swell and moments that crushed me. The dynamic between Al and Juliana is so massively different from the start of the series. I love their ever-evolving relationship. This book ended on another cliffhanger, which means I’m as anxious for book five as I was for this one.
As with the other novels, this book is exceptionally well-written and detailed. At times, it’s hard to believe this story is fiction. It’s so real and the work Vanda has put in her research definitely shows. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read Vanda’s work I strongly urge you to do so. She could write 500 books and I wouldn’t hesitate for a second before reading them.
Amanda Beilfuss
I received an advance ARC from the author for my honest review and I purchased it from amazon.com.
Something I like to do to support my favorite Indy Authors.
‘Heaven is to Your Left’, is the fourth book in the Juliana series, it’s not a standalone read and readers will have to start with the the first book. To better understand the on going storyline between Al, Juliana, Richard, Max, Scott and several reoccurring characters that appear in the series.
Felt like Vanda without realizing it, or maybe she knows it, wants the reader to become Alice or Al, as her friends call her. You can’t help but like Al, she’s strong, a tough women for that time period and easily could fit in today’s world.
I like how well Vanda researched everything, she masterful blends actual history, celebrities at that time into her fictional storyline and makes for a quite good entertaining historic read, if you will.
So it’s 1956, fresh from Paris, we find Al (Alice Hoffman) paranoid due to her and Juliana being blackmailed, Max is stressed out as both his clubs are struggling due to the era of Rock N’ Roll, then MOB, Cops taking payoffs and all set in New York City.
Down on his luck playwright Tom Schuyler trying to recapture his glory, comes up with the scheme to blackmail both Al and Juliana or he’ll out them in the press for being lesbians. ‘Heaven is to Your Left’, is built around this storyline, it’s entertaining reading due to it adds a little suspense to the story and will just leave it at that. To know what happens you’ll have to read the book.
Let me add two important elements that made the scheme that much better or at least it did for me. You have Al who realizes that she has someone close to her, who sold her out, she’s paranoid, frustrated, but Juliana who you think would be rebellious with his scheme, she quietly just tries to do the play and thinks that they’ll be free from Schuyler. Felt you get too see the two main characters do things that you don’t typical see them do in the first three books of the Juliana series.
Then the other part of the story is that the entertainment clubs are changing, Rock N’ Roll is the rage, the older long standing clientele is staying home and the youth have taken over the clubs. Max is stressed out over fear that he’ll lose one or both clubs as they are struggling to survive, several of their completion have closed due to the change in the music scene and who knew that Al would like Rock N’ Roll, since she seems not too worried about the Haven not making it.
Probably the best part of Heaven is to Your Left, is the cliff hanger ending, that you didn’t see coming and no shock that Richard discovered them. I was expecting for Al to go to the Olympus to talk to Max, find his office door ajar, then see him handing an envelope to Alex to pay the MOB for the hit on Schuyler and she quickly leaves before either realize she knows about it.
Even being straight, have found Vanda’s, Juliana’s historical series to be educational reading, entertaining even, never was aware of how badly the gay/lesbian community was treated in that era, and definitely worth it to read.