Only two favourite reads from October:
Camille Di Maio - The Way of Beauty
I found this to be a wonderful book, peopled with interesting characters and also revealing some New York history that was unfamiliar to me. Spanning several decades, it begins in 1905 when Vera is a child, living beside the magnificent Penn Station. Her father, a German immigrant, has lost his health through working as a labourer deep beneath the river, creating the train tunnel so that the rich passengers don't have to disembark to finish their journey by ferry. As a child, Vera meets young Angelo, from an Italian family, who works on the station newspaper stand. They form a deep connection, and when she reaches adulthood, Vera realises that she loves him. But before she can explore this, Angelo introduces her to his beautiful fiancee, Pearl. Pearl's wealthy family have cast her out as they were scandalised by her first marriage, even though she's now widowed with a young son. Despite Vera's disappointment, she cannot help but admire Pearl for her ideals and her fierce commitment to the cause of Votes for Women. She takes on the job of looking after Pearl's little boy, Will. But her relationship with the family is difficult, and eventually she leaves them and returns home to care for her ailing father. The story is interwoven with the magnificent Penn Station and its stone eagle decorations. The years go by, and a new generation grows up in the shadow of the Station. Encompassing heartbreak, adventure and love, I really enjoyed this novel, with its many threads and wonderful characters, interlaced with history.
Emma Bennett - Last Dance, Second Chance
Turning now to a contemporary romantic novel. Jessica has reached the pinnacle of her ballet career - she's just been promoted to Principal Ballerina at her New York ballet company, and she has been chosen to dance Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty. Having a couple of free weeks before rehersals start, she flies back to England to visit her parents - only to discover that they're heading off on holiday with her brother and his family. Disappointed, she agrees to look after her father's new resuce dog, energetic Monty. But on one of her first walks, Monty is excited by meeting another dog, and trips Jessica. Luckily the dog's owner, Nathan, is a doctor and turns out to be a former schoolfriend. Devastated at breaking her foot and losing her role in the ballet, Jessica finds that she must swallow her pride and accept his help. As her relationship with Nathan turns to something deeper than friendship, she reminds herself that they must consider this to be just a short fling. Nothing can stand in the way of her career, especially as they will soon be living on other sides of the Atlantic. It has just been an interesting interlude - or has it? A delightful novel about love, family and following dreams.
