Review: A Note From An Old Acquaintance by Bill Walker
- Paperback: 360 pages
- Publisher: iUniverse (June 11, 2009)
- ISBN-10: 1440133336
- Source: Author
It has been two years since the horrific accident that killed Brian Weller’s three-year-old son and left his wife in an irreversible coma. He’s lost everything, including his will to write. Brian is the author of best selling thrillers and has been in a writing slump since the accident.
One morning, he receives an email from Joanna, an artist from Boston he’d been in a “relationship” with fifteen years earlier. His feelings are torn: guilt for the feelings he still has for Joanna and anger due to the way the relationship ended. He ultimately decides to do a book tour in Boston so he can be reunited.
When he arrives in Boston his feelings for Joanna are instantly resurrected. The only thing standing between the love he has for Joanna is the same thing that prevented their relationship in the past: her husband. Brian has been through a tremendous amount of loss in the past few years and he vows to stop at nothing to make up for the love lost.
I have to give Walker huge kudos for this one. Long time readers of Jenn’s Bookshelves know that I do not read romances. However, when I read the synopsis, I felt drawn to this one. Imagine a love so strong that it stands the test of time! Walker does an excellent job of providing background on the characters and how their lives become intertwined. He uses flashbacks to introduce the reader to the young Brian and Joanna in the 1990s, detailing how they met and the secret romance they shared. The story then returns to the present, to a love rekindled.
My only problem with the book is Joanna’s apparent indifference to the affair she had with Brian. She didn’t appear to feel guilty at all. Granted, her husband was a power-hungry business man, but it is very evident he loved her. This one flaw doesn’t really change my opinion of the book. Overall, the characters were well developed and obviously flawed. And while I didn’t completely agree with the decisions they made, I was able to connect with them as a reader. Also, I’m a huge fan of the cover. While the object don’t really mean anything in the beginning, by the end of the book they represent key aspects of the novel. In the end, I do highly recommend reading this one.
Jenn: Thank you for your kind words. They're very much appreciated. And I am so glad you love the cover. As a designer, my only frustration is not being able to draw or paint this kind of image myself, but the concept was something firmly in my mind from the very beginning. Fortunately, I was able to find a terrific artist to render it with just the proper look and mood. Again, thank you for your review.
You've got me curious about the decision they made!
I'm not a big fan of romances either but I'm learning not to reject books outright just because of which genre they've been classified. I'm glad you enjoyed this one.
My recent post CKY Books – Turning Books into Cash
I'm not a big fan of romances either but I'm learning not to reject books outright just because of which genre they've been classified. I'm glad you enjoyed this one.
My recent post CKY Books – Turning Books into Cash
I have such strong opinions about infidelity; I'm not sure I could read this without getting really mad.
I have this coming up for review, too. I haven't gotten to it yet (really need to), but I've been hearing great things, so fingers crossed. Great review.
Great review. I haven't been a real romance fan, but this one seems as if it may have enough meat to it to be enjoyable.
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Great review Jenn! I've never been a romance fan either but this book sounds like a good one. Could I just quit my job and read all the time. Will be putting this one on my TBR list.
Sounds like a good one Jenn. I liked your review and I like the cover also.