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About this item
Highlights
- 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.
- About the Author: Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, Finding Lady Enderly, and The Love Note.
- 400 Pages
- Fiction + Literature Genres, Christian
Description
About the Book
The night Willa Duvall refuses her fourth marriage proposal, she discovers a forgotten love letter in a crack of her old writing desk. As she seeks to uncover its author and intended recipient, she follows a trail through past secrets and deep family shadows. Is there any hope for this long-ago secret love--and for her to finally have one on her own?Book Synopsis
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.
From the Back Cover
A forgotten letter. A secret love. A vast estate.Can one determined woman put the pieces together?
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.
"Joanna Davidson Politano has a gift for blending historical romance with just the right amount of intrigue and mystery."--Suzanne Woods Fisher, bestselling author
"I cannot wait to read more historical novels by this talented writer."--Urban Lit Magazine
Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, and Finding Lady Enderly. When she's not homeschooling her small children, she spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. She is always on the hunt for random acts of kindness, people willing to share their deepest secrets with a stranger, and hidden stashes of sweets. She lives with her husband and their two children in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.
About the Author
Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, Finding Lady Enderly, and The Love Note. She loves tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives and is eager to hear anyone's story. She lives with her husband and their children in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan. You can find her at www.jdpstories.com.Dimensions (Overall): 8.4 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W) x 1.3 Inches (D)
Weight: .75 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 400
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Christian
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Format: Paperback
Author: Joanna Davidson Politano
Language: English
Street Date: October 20, 2020
TCIN: 80924097
UPC: 9780800736897
Item Number (DPCI): 247-48-2793
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
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Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 1.3 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.4 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.75 pounds
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was $16.98 New lower price
5 out of 5 stars with 2 ratings
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MSRP $20.00 - $29.99
4.7 out of 5 stars with 6 ratings
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4.7 out of 5 stars with 11 reviews
100% would recommend
2 recommendations
A Gem
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Lucy Reynolds - 3 years ago
An unexpected gem of a book that left me an emotional puddle on the floor. It felt like I was amidst these very real characters and experiencing their hurts. A great example of the power words have on another person whether spoken in anger or to build someone up. When Willa told Aunt Maisie her words were all wrong and then Aunt Maisie said, “Because they are yours. Make your heart a deep well of the Almighty by saturating yourself in his presence, and your words will come out drenched in him no matter what you say. I can promise you, no matter how many brilliant things you have to say he has better ones.” that made me come to attention and want to think about everything I say. I loved the gothic feel to Crestwick manor and how a long forgotten letter passing from one to another had the power to change lives. Willa’s spiritual growth especially when she was at the ruins was so touching. The surprise twists keep you turning pages quickly. I stayed up way to late on this one. I won a copy of this book. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Expertly Written
5 out of 5 stars
Suspenseful - 5 years ago
This book begins with Willa Duvall receiving her fourth marriage proposal. Again, Willa is disappointed that a great friendship is about to come to an end. Really, all Willa wants is to become a doctor, but in 1865, marriage is the expected future for most women. Frustrated by his daughter, her father makes a contract with Willa. If she succeeds with a nursing assignment, she is free to pursue her medical career. If she doesn’t, she must allow her father to choose her marriage partner. As part of the contract negotiations, it is up to Willa to determine the location of her assignment. Her heart leads her to elderly Mrs. Gresham at Crestwicke Manor, where Willa hopes to find the author and intended recipient of a misplaced love letter she had found. This story was expertly written and executed. From the very first paragraph the reader is drawn into the intrigue of the narrative. The concept of a single love note falling into different people’s hands in the same household was both sublime and brilliant. I adored how the note affected each of the supposed recipients. It awakened the desire for true love but also supplied a longing to be loved unconditionally as one is. Ms. Politano, the author, has such a talent for story telling. As the story progresses, she reveals certain details but also skips over other details leaving the reader with unanswered questions. And just as it appears it was an oversight in the writing, the author circles back and fills in the gap with more details. This technique adds a certain element of mystery to the story, keeping the reader engaged. I love the complexity in which she writes but also the complexity of the theme of the story. This theme of love is woven into different aspects of the story and to different degrees. And she writes with such wisdom and understanding about life. Ms. Politano packs a punch with her words, each measured and with a specific purpose. All of her characters have depth and are rich in personality and character, displaying real and raw emotion. Here is my favorite quote from the book. “Matched souls always find their way back to one another, for they seek refuge in the same place.” I highly recommend this historical romance.
The Path of True Love is Never Smooth!
5 out of 5 stars
Tickmenot - 5 years ago
All Willa wants to do is become a doctor, but no medical school in 1865 England will accept a woman, and her doctor father will not support the idea. Then she accidentally finds a love note tucked in an old piece of furniture that originally came from Crestwicke Manor. Beautifully written, unsigned and not addressed to anyone, Willa is so intrigued by it she wants to go Crestwicke to find the true owner. In order to make the trip, her father forces her to agree to return home in one month with a man she is willing to marry, or wed the one her dad picks out. Crestwicke is a hot bed of unhappiness coming from a host of things. There is the prickly, difficult mother of the family Willa must nurse, open hostility from the adult children, and a quirky aunt who seems to lurk around every corner. Willa loses the love note shortly after she arrives. It is found by at least four others who each believe it was sent to them, and it causes no end of upheavals in all their lives. Willa gets herself into a number of situations, and you will love how she tries to work her way through them. I adored this clean, five-plus star story, including the elements of faith, and all the twists and turns. I would, however, like to know more of what happens in Willa's life, along with the other characters. Fiction lovers will enjoy the romance, unexpected revelations and surprises mixed throughout this yarn, and I highly recommend it. Revell Publishing has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, The Love Note, for the purpose of review.
Utterly Enchanting!
4 out of 5 stars
Rebecca Maney - 5 years ago
"If I should happen to fall in love, the outcome of such a plight depends, like any big fall, on who is there to catch me." Willa DuVall has no intention whatsoever of falling in love. Summarily dismissing her fourth suitor, she re-focuses on the future that she has chosen for herself, becoming a physician; not an easy aspiration for any young woman in the 1860's, and as you might imagine, Willa's father had an altogether different plan. Who would have thought that an unopened love note, discovered deep within the recesses of Willa's antique desk might provide an opportunity to please them both. Oh, the mighty power of words. Travelling to the familiar Crestwicke Manor estate as a private nurse for the Gresham matriarch, Willa is re-introduced to members of the family with whom she played as a child, happily accompanying her father on his visits to the grand property as the family's physician. With the mysterious love note tucked unobtrusively into her pocket, Willa is determined to use the only clue it bore of its intended recipient. Instead, she loses it . . . . . .and is forced to watch the missive circulate amongst members of the Gresham family and their staff, causing a havoc that Willa could only pray would not ruin what she had hoped to restore. Utterly enchanting would describe this romantic venture! Readers will find themselves urging each and every member of the Gresham family to rediscover that, "Matched souls always find their way back to one another, for they seek refuge in the same place." I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
English Romance
5 out of 5 stars
- 5 years ago
The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano is a stand-alone novel set in England in 1865. Willa Duvall finds an unopened love letter in a crack of her writing desk. Determined to find out who had written it, she takes a nursing position at Crestwicke Manor. Willa misplaces the letter and it travels from person to person at the Manor with varying responses. Some find it brings hope and to others it is discouraging. I loved how the letter made the rounds and the different responses to it. It was just what everyone needed when they needed it most. The different mysteries in the story kept it entertaining. The characters were a great combination. The story flowed well and kept you guessing who the actual author of the letter was. I felt the ending was a little rushed, but I guess the story had to end sometime! I received this book from the Publisher for my honest review.
Beautifully written historical romance
5 out of 5 stars
- 5 years ago
"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.
(no review title)
5 out of 5 stars
Thumbs up graphic, would recommend
Thoughtsofareader - 5 years ago
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.
Love it!
5 out of 5 stars
Abby - 5 years ago
Love love and love this story!! Waiting for our own love story to be written can be the hardest thing ever. We all have a deep longing and desire to be loved. God loves us so much more than we could ever imagine and He knows that we need to spend time with Him before the right person comes along. It can seem almost cruel having to wait, but it will so be worth the wait once we look back and see just how all of the pieces fell into place. We can trust Him, always. I received a copy from the publisher, all thoughts are my own.
Love
4 out of 5 stars
Maureen - 5 years ago
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.