Focused on a career in medicine and not on romance, Willa Duvall is thrown slightly off course during the summer of 1865 when she discovers a never-opened love letter in a crack of her old writing desk. Compelled to find the passionate soul who penned it and the person who never received it, she takes a job as a nurse at the seaside estate of Crestwicke Manor.Everyone at Crestwicke has … feelings–mostly negative ones–about the man who wrote the letter, but he seems to have disappeared. With plenty of enticing clues but few answers, Willa’s search becomes even more complicated when she misplaces the letter and it passes from person to person in the house, each finding a thrilling or disheartening message in its words. Laced with mysteries large and small, this romantic Victorian-era tale of love lost, love deferred, and love found is sure to delight.
more
Brighton 1865.
An old love letter lost and then found, goes missing and changes the lives of those whom it touches.
Willa desperately wants to pursue her dream of medical college, while her father would rather that she married. She has one month to complete her assignment or marry the man of her father’s choosing. But the lover letter has her rethinking her choices, and her future.
A beautiful heartfelt tale of love, forgiveness and second chances. I loved how this story quietly wove a spell over me, blending the present with touches from the past, with tastes of regret and lost love, in this beautiful tale of hope and enduring love.
This story is unique in that it isn’t exactly a full on romance or mystery, but falls somewhere along those lines nonetheless. It shows various relationships at varying stages of longevity, as they are each touched by the letter, sometimes for the better and others for the worse.
I loved how well developed the characters and their relationships were, Gabe was one of my favorites in his gentle way that he trains horses, as well as how he loves enough to trust. There is also a strong foundation of faith that holds everything together. This book does an excellent job of showing so many different turning points in the lives of the characters that I came to know and love over the course of the book. Highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Love Note is such a lovely read. A woman finds a love note in a desk and it causes all kinds of chaos. The heroine is a young woman with dreams of being a medical doctor during a time when women had no voice or rights. I really enjoyed how the note brought chaos but then love and hope. The best part for me was the amazing ending. Oh my was a great one.
*I received a copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Oh, wow! Joanna Davidson Politano is one of my very favorite authors because she has this gift with her writing to transport me into her stories as I become completely immersed in the setting, the time period, and the characters. I became invested in this story from the very first page. There is mystery surrounding the love note and the twists and turns of the story had me second-guessing who the author of that mysterious note was many times throughout the novel. I really liked how the love letter affected each person in the book in a very different way and ultimately shaped the way they each viewed love. I fell in love with the characters—Willa with her bold, compassionate personality; Gabe with his quiet, observant domineer; Aunt Maisie with her eccentric, curious behavior; and even Golda with her bitter, hurting disposition. The setting was beautifully described and made it easy for me to envision the salty sea spray, the crumbling ruins, and the wild horses. I loved the imagery the author penned in the story and the many allegories hidden among the pages. The spiritual theme of ultimately trusting God with our future and putting the desires of our hearts completely into His hands and His purposes was strong throughout the story and definitely applicable to my own life. I seriously could not put this book down! I could probably write pages and pages about how much I loved this novel, but suffice it to say that this book is well-written, deeply powerful, stunningly beautiful, utterly captivating, and definitely worth a read! I most highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano was a poetic, beautifully written novel about love. This is my first novel by this author, and I fell in love with her style. The story is woven with a vibrant thread of mystery, which touches every character and alters the course of the plot again and again. The emotions of the characters are fierce and palpable, the torments and joys of their hearts written out in a lyrical type of beauty.
Willa Duvall is an amazing young woman. Her work in the medical field is inspirational. Her desire to improve the health and healthcare of all people combined with her tenacity to forge her way to becoming a doctor instantly made me cheer for her success. She may be considered a bit odd, but as the people close to her come to realize, it’s her eccentricity that makes her absolutely wonderful.
The other characters in this book are so vivid and genuine. The constant, gentle comfort of Gabe. The fragile, bitter facade of Golda. Even the twittering, blushing romantic notions of Essie. Crestwicke’s cast provides many moments where you will enjoy being the fly on the wall.
I absolutely loved the ruins of Crestwicke. I loved how such a broken place, away from the sights and sounds of the world and overcome by Creation, was where Willa and Gabe went to meet God. I would love to slip into its stone tower and commune with the Creator.
The Love Note completely enchanted me from the first chapter. I can’t point to one single thing I loved the most because I love it as a whole. It held my heart captive until the very last page! Joanna Davidson Politano will be added to my ‘automatic read’ author list in the future. I can’t wait to see what she creates next.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Joanna Davidson Politano has done it again! Within the first paragraph I was sucked into this delightful, witty, lovely book! I had all the emotions reading it, and as soon as I was finished my heart was so happy! I can’t wait to read it again to see what beautiful words I missed this first time around! Cannot recommend enough!
“That means there’s so much hope for new and beautiful chapters, because God’s the one writing them and he isn’t done yet. You never know what’s coming – unexpected tender moments, closure and healing, delightful surprises, a chance to fix what’s broken.”
Joanna Davidson Politano knows how to cast a spell with her beautiful poetic words. The trope seems simple: find closure for the aged love letter found within the crevice of a desk. But the plot and the characters revolving around that letter are anything but simple. With writing style that is lyrical and powerful, characters who are so broken yet noble, intrigue around the love note that exposes hidden longings and layered secrets, and irrefutable spiritual truths, this book will enchant you and make you cry tears of heart-break and joy.
Willa is an energetic, impulsive, brilliant and intriguing woman who sets out to be a nurse to an ailing woman at Crestwicke Manor for a professional purpose but also to find a closure for the two people involved in the love note she discovers. There are multiple third person narratives from the secondary characters, which help to bring together a complex plot as the love note that Willa brings to the manor exchanges hands many times among the occupants in the manor. Gabe is a wonderful hero – a steadfast, loyal, tender, faith-filled protector and rescuer – who allows Willa’s set ways to soften. The words from the love note becomes so much more meaningful in the end when Willa finally sees behind the mere words. There is humor hidden in this gem of a book, and you will find yourself laughing out loud at the banter and thoughts from the characters.
You won’t want to miss this captivating masterpiece. It’s one of my favorite reads of 2020.
I received a copy of the book from Revell/Baker Publishing Group and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
Mystery, romance, suspense, incredible characters, author Politano has done it again. Moving at a good pace, Politano crafts a story with a wonderful storyline that is true to the time it was set in. Her research of history is second to none.
Written with incredible depth I really enjoyed the letter as a main feature in The Love Note. If you’re looking for something different in historical fiction then I highly recommend you give this one a try.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Joanna Politano definitely has a gift from God for writing stories that are the best Historical Fiction that I have read. Even though it is a romance it is not overly gushy (is that a word?). All characters are very well done as well as the plot of the story. I liked the fact that she has more than one POV also. Her stories have elements that I haven’t seen in other books and you will find her characters trying to follow God’s direction for their lives. I love Gabe and Willa the two main characters and I very much loved the way things worked out at the end of the book. This is definitely a must read for Historical Fiction fans. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
I delightful novel all because of a Love Letter. The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano is a different take on a the nurse that comes to save the day. With the introduction of a hidden, but now found Love Letter, Willa seeks out the owners of the letter. With luck and dedication, she seeks out the true story behind the Love Note. The story starts with a marriage proposal and ends with another marriage proposal. One wanted, and one not wanted. The romance is between friends and blooms into something more. The characters at Crestwicke Manor need Willa to come rescue them in more ways than one. The plot moves along at a nice pace. I didn’t one to put the story down. While I had a good idea who write the love letter, I was drawn to the transformation of the characters plight. Politano crafted a story worth savoring, and I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next. There is a little teaser in the back of this story for her next novel.
I received a complimentary copy of The Love Note by Jonna Davidson Politano from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
The Love Note is a book packed with mysteries and secrets. The lost letter weaves its way through a family, and it shows you just how powerful words can be.
The majority of the story is told as first person from the perspective of Willa, the doctor’s daughter, who dreams of being a doctor herself. However, other chapters are written as third person and focus on other characters. There are a lot of characters in this story and instead of being confusing, it brings more to the story and makes it richer.
I found myself connecting to so many characters and wanting to know what would happen to them. Nothing in this story is predictable, and it will keep you wanting to read more.
“Willa Duvall had woven herself into his life as thoroughly as a golden thread running through a tapestry, never to be removed without a thorough unraveling.”
This truly exceptional book will stay with you long after you turn the last page. This is more than a love story, it is a story to feed your soul.
*To fall in love with God is the greatest romance,
to seek him is the greatest adventure,
to find him is the greatest human achievement
Saint Augustine of Hippo *
The words in this book leap out of the pages and into your heart.
*Matched souls always find their way back to one another, for they seek refuge in the same place.*
*People marry based on the scientific assumption that two halves make a whole, but that is false. Only God makes something whole.
A scientist’s observation on love *
Willa is a singleminded young lady in 1865 England. She is trying to break the barriers that prevent women from becoming doctors. After finding an old love letter hidden in her writing desk, she ventures to Crestwicke where it came from, to nurse Mrs. Gresham. In her quest for the author of the letter, it is misplaced. The letter has an effect on those who find it. Willa uncovers mysteries and stories of love lost and found. Will it play a part in her own love story?
The characters are unique and grow on you as each person’s story unfolds.
The author writes with superb artistry. This story will warm your heart and give you hope.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
Joanna Politano has topped all her previous books in her latest, The Love Note. So complex, so unexpected, so absolutely fantastic, I was immersed from start to finish. Featuring a nurse striving to become a doctor in an age where such a thing was frowned upon, she stumbles upon a long forgotten love note. As she seeks to uncover the author of the note and return it to the owner, she finds herself in deeper water than she bargained for.
Through all the twists and turns this story brings, I was enthralled with the prose, the depth, and the clever develop-ment of the story. My mind was kept whirring as I fought alongside the characters for truth and resolution. This will be a story I will not soon forget!
I highly recommend this and all of Politano’s books. They are a treasure to immerse yourself in!
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
This is my second book I have read by Joanna Davidson Politano and I have to say that she is definitely going to be added to my list of authors I like to read. She has such a way of writing her characters that they come to life and jump right off the page or maybe you jump in the book and join them. Because the love note that is brought up early in the book finds its way into many different hands, there are many characters who assume it is for them which brings to light that many of them have secrets. The suspense of these secrets as well as wondering who the note was really intended for and written by make it so this book is hard to put down. If you are into puzzles along with romance, then this book is definitely right up your alley.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in order to give an honest review.
One of the things I’ve come to love about Joanna Politano’s books is that there are always unexpected layers to the story. This one was quite simply exquisite. One lost love note had the ability to transform more than just the recipient’s life and proved the power of our words. And the ending? Well, let’s just say it’s not what you’ll expect but I think you’ll find, like me, that you loved it anyway.
The Love Note was fantastic. It had several twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Things were definitely not as they seemed in several places. I loved that each character seemed to get a full storyline without being too much or too little. As a lover of great stories, I never want them to end as long as they are holding my interest so I wouldn’t have minded more but each character got a satisfying ending.
Willa has dreams of becoming a doctor and helping her father build up a facility that would help all people, not just the rich but her father wants her to get married instead. She has turned down several suitors before her exasperated father makes her sign a contract stating that if she doesn’t succeed at 1 nursing assignment she would marry whoever he deemed worthy of her. Willa chooses a family that she has known since childhood based on a love letter she found in a desk that was given to her years before. What follows is her quest to heal hearts and bodies that live in the Crestline Manor.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for my honest opinion.
I don’t think that I even have the words to express the brilliance of The Love Note. I have no idea how the author creates such amazing characters and then reveals their rich stories encouraging the reader to value each character in light of the life that has shaped him/her. Simply put, the main character honors individuals by listening to their stories. As the novel unfolds, mystery ensues with just the right amount of romance. By the end, the layers and depth of this beautiful novel are evident. As I finished, I just wanted to turn back to the first page and read it again but more slowly this time, so as not to miss a thing. Politano’s books are on my must read list. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
A stunningly woven tale of love, faith, and secrets from Joanna Politano! The Love Note is a delightfully tangled web of intersecting stories that made me cry, laugh, gasp, and hope.
From the first pages, I was hooked. Willa is such an interesting, thoughtful narrator, and her perspective is beautifully told. Normally I tend to become exasperated by books with more than two points of view, but with Willa as the grounding narrator, I never felt as though I was being tossed around too much or with no purpose inside the minds of the other characters. In fact, this story would not be as powerful without the occasional glimpses into the minds of the supporting characters. Each character is uniquely affected by the love note, and seeing the havoc and joy it perpetuated in each person’s life was thrilling.
The Love Note is beautifully told. It’s simply breathtaking. Readers must not miss Politano’s latest masterpiece!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A brilliant gently flowing work of fiction imbued with timeless truth. I laughed, I cried, and I stopped to pray. The ultimate successful result of a magnificent story. Joanna Davidson Politano writes a thoughtful and multi-layered tale about our desire to be known and loved in The Love Note. This letter meant for one person falls into the hands of many who wonder if it is for them. Each one, tenderly or angrily tucking the words of love into their hearts. What a creative and beautiful storyline.
There are so many quotes I highlighted, but here are just a few:
“My ultimate diagnosis was swift and complete: an overabundance of time and wealth complicated by an utter lack of skill and vainglorious delusions.”
“What would you have me write, Lord? Do what you will with this letter, with this position at Crestwicke. With her life and mine.” (Such a beautiful reminder to walk with God every day.)
” Wounds are only useful for reminding us when to duck next time.”
“That plucky little nurse was right-there were second chances to be had….Time was short, and she had some living to do yet.”
I highly recommend The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano
Thank you to the author and publisher for an early copy. All opinions are my own.
On a personal note, this is what I wish for you dear daughter.
The setting for this read is Victorian England, and we are given a smart, strong young woman, Willa Duvall, who dreams of becoming a doctor! Then we meet the Gresham’s and end up at Crestwicke Manor, and we try to follow the trail of a lost, but found, love letter.
With a lot and I mean a lot of twists and turns to find whom wrote the letter and to whom it was written, we find out a lot about these characters and their love life.
It took me a bit to really get into this story, but I was glad I stayed, a lot of human nature and assumptions play out, and surprises to abound, maybe there is a lot of love just waiting to be gathered!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.
“Matched souls always find their way back to one another, for they seek refuge in the same place.”
An emotional story about the turmoil created when a long lost love note is returned to its original location! An interesting tale is woven around the premise of the mysterious love note and the path it takes from its beginning until the final discovery of the author and the intended recipient. The story centers on a young woman, Willa Duvall, who is extremely interested in becoming a doctor in a time when women were not doctors and her ties to the Gresham family. Willa finds herself with one last chance to prove herself at the dark, moody Crestwicke Manor with its ruined towers and rugged coastline.
Filled with some unusual twists as the plot follows the mysterious note, the story will leave the reader guessing as to who actually wrote the love note. The characters are varied; some I liked very much and others I disliked everything about them when I initially met them. Understanding evolved as the story unfolded. I loved the voice in which the story was told, and the atmospheric setting of the dark manor definitely adds to the overall intrigue of the book. Readers of historical fiction and historical mysteries will appreciate this book!
This ARC copy was received from Revell and Netgalley.com. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
#TheLoveNote #NetGalley