Lot of 2 Historical Novels Trade Paperbacks and 49 similar items

The Return by Victoria Hislop Here Burns My Candle: A Novel (Here Burns My Candle Series) by Liz Curtis Higgs The Return: A Novel Paperback ? October 6, 2009 by Victoria Hislop Tara 5.0 out of 5 stars Ole!! Ole!! Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2009 Verified Purchase After being blown away by "The Island" I immediately ordered "The Return" and I am not disappointed. I am now an official Victoria Hislop fan. Her novels are to be savored and enjoyed. "The Return" begins in recent times in England. Readers are introduced to a middle aged woman named Sonia. This part is very similiar to "The Island" as both heroines are having relationship issues and are both facing similiar difficult choices.. basically "stay with this jerk or leave" type choices. I found parts of the book regarding Sonia rather predictable but that did not deter me. Sonia and her friend take up salsa dancing and after finding some old pictures of her mother and taking a trip to Spain, Sonia becomes fascinated with the story of the Ramirez family. The middle part of the book is about the Ramirez family and Spain's Civil War in the 1930s. There is a mother, Concha and father, Pablo. They run a cafe and for a while things are wonderful in their life. Their oldest son, Antonio is a teacher. Their middle son, Ignacio is a bull fighter. Their youngest son, Emilio is slowly taking over the cafe and has a passion for music. The daughter, Mercedes is a talented flamenco dancer. The Ramirez family's world shatters with the beginning of the war as their sons oppose each other, betray each other, and one by one, the family members are arrested, killed, or face some life changing complication due to the war. There is a romance between Mercedes and a guitarist, Javier. She spends the duration of the war searching for her love and taking many risks to find him. She never loses her love of dancing tho and she brightens many a person's day with her skills. Even in times of war, one must find joy and express it. The last part of the novel takes readers back to present day England and Sonia must make a difficult choice after making some surprising revelations. Will the story of the Ramirez family inspire her somehow? A beautiful novel and a fabulous look at the life of Spain, the passion behind flamenco, the risks behind bullfighting, and the trials families face in civil war. Just like an appreciative audience watching a flamenco dancer tap and twirl or a bullfighter swing his cape, I say "Ole! Ole!" to this fine novel. Here Burns My Candle: A Novel (Here Burns My Candle Series) Paperback ? March 16, 2010 by Liz Curtis Higgs B. Burnham 5 out of 5 stars Best book yet from Liz Curtis Higgs Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2010 Verified Purchase I am a BIG fan of Liz Curtis Higgs. I have read all her novels and have done 4 of her Bible studies. Here Burns My Candle is by far her finest offering. Here Burns My Candle is a retelling of the story of Ruth, set in 1745 Edinburg. The book opens with the Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr enjoying her very comfortable life at the top of Edinburg society. Living with her are her two much loved sons, Lord Donald and Andrew and her daughters-in-law, Lady Elizabeth and Janet. All seems well in the Kerr household. The family is well-respected and accepted throughout the royal city. Their apartments are filled with the things that bring them pleasure and there is more than enough gold to pay for whatever their hearts desire. In marches Bonny Prince Charlie and his quest to regain the British crown for his father. The Kerrs all join in his cause, some for pride, some for hopes of valor and one with the heart of a true follower. All of Edinburg welcomes the Prince and his Highlanders, until the tide turns against the Jacobite cause. Everyone loves the story of Ruth, especially women. We love how Ruth loves and cares for her mother-in-law, and how she is rewarded for her faithfulness with a kinsman redeemer. But the first 18 verses of the book is the only glimpse we see into how Ruth and Naomi's relationship developed. I love the amount of time Liz spent in developing the relationship between Lady Marjory and Elizabeth. The reader really experiences how a woman can go from Naomi (pleasure) to Mara (bitter), and how a daughter-in-law truly becomes a daughter. I can't wait to rejoin Elizabeth and Marjory in the sequel, and last book in the series, Mine Is The Night. I recommend this book to any reader. Do not be turned off by the length (450+ pages) or the fact that it is an historical. Here Burns My Candle is a timeless, can't-put-it-down novel you'll love. The best book yet from Liz Curtis Higgs! (I received a free review copy of this book from Waterbrook Publishers. The opinion expressed are mine alone)