The Lost Story of Via Belle
Searching for a story to adapt for film, an aspiring screenwriter becomes captivated by a bestselling classic novel and the mysterious disappearance of the woman who wrote it.
1940. Via Belle's sweet romance novels made readers believe in happily ever after. But Via's reality was much more complicated. While her first husband was alive, her creativity thrived in a beautiful stone estate situated above a pristine lake and moonflower garden. After his tragic death and a whirlwind second marriage shrouded in secrets, Via vanished from public life, leaving behind a shadow of scandal . . . and her final story.
2006. Screenwriter Harper Rayne is desperate for a breakthrough, if only she can find the right story to tell. But when she digs into the life of her late mother's favorite novelist, she never expects it to become personal. Drawn to the quaint Pennsylvania town where both her mother and Via once lived, Harper discovers more than a mystery to solve—she finds echoes of her own longing for love, healing, and home. As long-buried secrets come to light, Harper must decide if she'll protect the past or rewrite this particular ending.
My Thoughts
The Lost Story of Via Belle by Melanie Dobson is a compelling dual timeline tale. It did take me a beat to adjust to the
two timelines in the story. I admit that
I preferred the historical timeline over the 2006 timeline. It is an engaging story with a few twists and
turns to keep things interesting. The
mystery had me curious as well as all the secrets (there were so many). I wanted to know what would happen next and
how the two timelines would play out. This story has layers (like an onion). The layers are peeled back slowly revealing a
little bit of information at a time (which I found frustrating because I wanted
to know it all at once, but it kept me reading to find out more). I enjoyed the unexpected ending. The faith thread was subtle but present. The Lost Story of Via Belle would be
a great selection for a book club (there is so much to dissect and
discuss). The Lost Story of Via Belle is
a stimulating character driven, layered tale.
The Lost Story of Via Belle can be obtained from Amazon*. You can find Melanie Dobson's other novels here. I hope that you have a relaxing weekend. I have Christmas decorations to wrangle (they need to fit into their allotted space in the storage area). I will be glad when I am done with organizing the items in the storage space (too much stuff and not enough space). I will return next week with Murder in a Lavender Daze by Daryl Wood Gerber, Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth, and An Unexpected Match by Shelley Shepard Gray. Enjoy the picturesque spring day. Take care and Happy Reading!
The
Avid Reader
*I voluntarily read an advanced copy of this book. I am not required to leave a review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.
*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Avid Reader.
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