The latest release from author Joanna Politano is an eerie tale of the start of music therapy in Victorian England. Readers follow the heroine, Vivienne Mourdant, into the dark, dank, and disturbing mental hospital of Hurstwell. Though Vivienne begins her tenure there as a staff member, we quickly learn that there are several players who never want her to leave and will stop at nothing to make sure that happens.
What begins as a quest to find a woman the asylum says never existed turns into a journey of self-discovery, uncovering decades-long secrets, and self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.
There are lots of twists and turns in this story, and there are characters that are just as twisty as the plot. Many mentions of ghosts in the beginning had me wondering if in fact there would be some sort of paranormal thing happening, but rest assured – there is no paranormal activity in this story.
Insight to the life in asylums and the types of patients admitted, will tug on your heartstrings. It begs the questions of why and have we really done better in modern times?
If you love classical music and have an interest in how music therapy began, you’ll enjoy The Lost Melody.
I received an ecopy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

So happy to have found the time to read this new brilliant novel by one of my favorite authors! Perhaps not my favorite title because of the sad element of reading about people in an asylum. Usually I can't finish reading those novels, but this I could due to its excellent writing and the mystery and the likeable main character. The many twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat. Loved it!

As much as I think I can figure out the plot twists Politano is throwing my way, I was pleasantly surprised by the direction this story took. I loved how she wove just a brief cameo of previous characters from her book A Midnight Dance into the storyline. And for all the darkness of the subject matter, the faith and light, and lessons about embracing both in our personal lives that can be derived from the message, were a standout takeaway for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

I had mixed feelings about this book. Eventually I got drawn into the story of the music and using it to help those with mental health issues, as well as getting to know those in the asylum. However, the abuse that was happening – keeping people against their will, calling them insane when they weren’t, labeling people as lost causes, dosing them unnecessarily, isolation chambers, chaining them up, etc. was almost too much for me to continue. I knew things like that happened back then, but it was tough to read, even this mild version of what went on in the asylums. If the music part of the story hadn’t been in it, I might not have pushed through and missed the beautiful ending.

"There exists in most of us a small, hidden fear that we are secretly mad and on the verge of being found out" (location 279). Wow! Was this a great book! I think it's Politano's best. It was utterly fascinating. Vivienne, a concert pianist, enters the Hurstwell Asylum as a worker to try to solve a mystery brought about by her father's death. She soon becomes entrapped and finds herself doubting her own sanity. I wondered at times myself how things were going to turn out.

This book is so interesting. I think we've all wondered at times what it would be like to be trapped or imprisoned falsely with nobody to believe us. How desperate that would be. Yet others help Vivienne see and learn from the Apostle Paul that you can be light in incredible darkness and that light is more powerful than darkness. It was beautiful watching people blossom as they were exposed to the light of music.

I would highly recommend this book. I loved it. I enjoyed learning about music therapy and the Victorian asylums as both are pretty new to me. Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This mystery and writing are good – halfway through as reader I was confused, and convinced Vivienne is having delusions and are in fact Cora Fletcher.

As with this author’s other novels, there was twists and turns not expected revealed at the right time to keep the reader invested and intrigued.

I enjoyed how Ella Blythe was connected to this book. We met Ella in A Midnight Dance.

The pace of the story was a bit slow for me. Other readers might enjoy the slower pace, but for me it had the affect that I lost a bit of interest and just wanted to get to the end. The mystery was interesting, but not as captivating as I was with some of the author’s previous books.

The fact that this story played off within an Asylum made for a heavier read. The patients were treated with no compassion and humanity, which made for a difficult to read, especially those patients who the reader could see was not insane.

Vivienne/Cora was a character with so much depth and heart. The way she reached out to the patients and saw them should be a lesson for all.

The author’s way with words and bringing light and truth to the darkness was as beautiful as I have come to expect, which is evident in the number of quotes I have highlighted.

Rating 3.5.

I was anxiously awaiting this book because I have loved every one of Joanna Davidson Politano books. This book was a little tougher read because of the subject matter. The story is set in Hurstwell Asylem in northern England where Vivienne wakes up as a patient in said asylem. 19th century asylum's were notoriously horrible places to be an inmate. Vivienne is a concert pianist that is disciplined and in demand because of her father's training throughout her life. Her father was volatile and harsh, punishing her for every mistake. Then her father dies and although she is free of his tyranny, she finds out she is in debt and now a guardian for a woman that is an inmate in the Hurstwell Asylem. She doesn't know who this person is, but she wants to find out. When she sends a letter to the asylem asking about her ward, she is told that they do not have anyone by that name and never have. Vivienne is smart, curious, and brave and armed with her faith in God, she is going to find out what is going on.

This book is dark because of the subject matter, but it is full of faith, love and respect for others. As in all of this authors books, there are twists and turns that you do not see coming. The puzzle of the situation is always there as you try to figure it out. It is a ride that has your heart pumping, your nerves raw, and spirit trying to reconcile what is going on. You will never go wrong reading Ms. Politano, as she is a master story-teller.

Note: I also listened to this story on Audible and the narrator is fantastic and listening always adds a special dimension to the story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley from Revell Publishing.. Opinions expressed in this review are voluntary, unbiased, and are entirely my own.

This book took me completely by surprise! Don't let the sweet beautiful cover fool you, this is a suspense filled book that takes place in a Victorian era asylum. I really enjoyed the character development in this book. I couldn't put it down. It is a perfect fall read.
I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. I was not required to post a positive review

This book was so unexpected. I have always thought the saying “don’t judge a book by the cover” was silly because I’m usually able to guess a lot of details about a book by its cover. At the very least, I can almost always guess genre. The cover of this book is beautiful. In fact, it had me guessing of romance with some musical notes written in. I was so wrong. The beautiful cover gives no clues to the sinister within. I loved the surprise of it and genuinely admired the cover. I don’t often mention book covers in my reviews, but this is one I would love to have on my shelf.

This book is written from the perspective of pianist Vivienne Mourdant. When her father dies, she learns of an adult ward she is now responsible for. This ward is currently in Hurstwell asylum. When the asylum claims no record of the ward Vivienne enters to try to uncover the truth. Within the walls of the asylum, things begin to blur. Can Vivienne find answers and hold onto her own sanity?

You would never guess the twists and turns of this thriller by the cover of the book, but it does give you insight into this author's style. In the same way the cover reveals nothing of what's behind it, you will never guess what twist is coming next as you read this book. What I love is that you get a little piece of information that will allow you to form theories on what may happen next, but the author never gives you enough pieces to actually put together the puzzle before it’s time. I pride myself on being able to figure out book endings by the first few chapters. Sometimes, endings are easily guessed by the summary before I even open the book. This book kept me guessing and I loved it.

It wasn’t just the wonderful plot idea that made this book an easy favorite. The author’s writing style and ability to keep me guessing is what makes this book so uniquely wonderful compared to other recent reads. I’m happy to add both book and author, Joanne Davidson Politano, to my favorites list. I’m hoping to read more of her work soon.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano is one of those stories that tears into your heart and just embeds itself there. It's a beautiful tale of one of life's most tragic and darkest places, yet it's filled with love and light and music.

It's 1886 and renowned concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant learns upon her father's death that he had a ward, Rose, at the Hurstwell Pauper Lunatic Asylum. When the people in charge deny that Rose exists, she decides to go undercover in search of her. When Vivienne finds herself a patient at the asylum, she seeks the help of a doctor and fellow patients to uncover the truth behind Hurstwell.

This is such a deep, well told story! I highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

WOW. The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano is a book that is going to stick with me for a long time. Such a unique, suspenseful, informative and faith filled story that reminds you there is light in the darkness, no matter what situation you are going through. 4 stars!

Set in 1886 England, this story is all about Vivienne Mourdant, a well-known concert pianist. Her father passed away and left her with several debts, including mysterious payments being made to Hurstwell Asylum for a ward she never knew existed. Vivienne goes to the asylum looking for answers but is met with barriers to all of her questions. The asylum claims the woman she is looking for, Rosemond Swansea, is not a patient there. Vivienne takes investigating things into her own hands when she goes undercover to work as an aid at the asylum under an assumed name, Cora Fletcher. But what Vivienne finds is more than she bargained for. We know from the prologue that things take a scary turn for Vivenne soon after she gets there. Things get crazy really fast, leaving the reader wondering who to trust, what’s going to happen next, and will we get the answers to our burning questions?

This story was very suspenseful, intriguing, captivating and full of plot twists! The back of the book labels this as Historical Romance, but this is so much more than that. It’s a beautiful story of how when we are lost in darkness and feel so alone – the Lord is always with us through every moment. This books sheds light on what men and women placed in asylums went through in the 1800s and how music therapy could help those locked away. I appreciated this story greatly in that regard.

The faith content in this story was my favorite part. She related the story of Paul so beautifully into what Vivienne was going through. Vivienne is a character that lived off the page – you could emotionally feel everything she was dealing with, and I loved her so much. God was truly present at all the right points in this story. God’s sovereignty and peace over our main character was beautiful. And one scene – repeating over and over, “Wash her feet”, just as Jesus would have done. The mercy and beauty shown. My heart. If you know, you know.

It was also nice to see characters from A Midnight Dance, however, I wish we would have known this book technically spoils the end of that book for those who haven’t read it. I am thankful a good friend let me know before I picked this up, so I could read A Midnight Dance first. Apologies if that is mentioned somewhere and I just missed it.

The side characters also deserve so much love. They really make the story too. Lew, Clara, Bridget, Anna, Dr. Turner – they were amazing characters. Dr. Turner really turned out to be a hero of the story and I appreciated that so much.

I appreciated learning the stories of those in the asylum. It really brought to life what they were going through. So many people were locked away in asylums for no real reason and they become victims of abuse and unlawful imprisonment. Which leads me to the trigger warnings – if you are sensitive to medical trauma, mistreatment, asylums etc., I would steer clear of this one because most of this book takes place within the actual asylum and there are many chapters dealing with what the patients went through.

This truly is a 5-star level book ya’ll, but the only reason I am giving it 4 stars is the level of anxiety I personally had in this reading experience was difficult and I did have to re-read several parts to fully understand what was going on, but that is a personal experience for myself.

Overall, this story gripped me, I was fully engaged, and I could NOT put the book down. I look forward to reading more of Joanna’s books in the future. Thank you to Baker Publishing for providing a copy for me to honestly read and review. I will rate this on Amazon and discuss it on my YouTube channel, BookLoverAmanda, in my mid-month wrap up.

While I have only had the chance to read a few other books by Joanna Davidson Politano, one thing was very clear to me even after the first one--- she is quite the amazing talent, with a way or telling stories that is beautiful and almost lyrical. When I saw the title of this book, I couldn't help but think it would be quite fitting... and it absolutely was that!

I think anytime I read a book about an asylum, they tend to be quite heavy... and that is particularly true for those taking place during this time in history. It is haunted to think about--- and read about--- what these patients suffered through and that can certainly lead to a darker read that so often weigh heavier on my heart. As such, I cannot always say that books such as this one are the easiest or even most enjoyable to read... but it was still a beautiful story that will pull at your heartstrings and stay with the reader long beyond the final pages.

If you enjoy historical fiction, this is one certainly worth experiencing for yourself.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Wrongfully confined to a Victorian mental asylum, a former concert pianist desperately tries to convince someone she's not mad!

"The Lost Melody" was a dark yet exciting historical Christian fiction novel about mental health care and treatment during the 1800s. The asylum storyline and setting are the stuff of nightmares: a creaking old building situated on the edge of the moors, barred doors and windows, hidden passageways, dimly-lit wards with confused and suffering patients, a crumbling tower off-limits to staff, all within view of a well-populated cemetery on the grounds. The main character must even hide in a morgue at one point!

When the story opens, Vivienne is relieved by her father's death; he'd been something of a tyrant. She's an angry young woman, and with good reason. Her father had been an abusive and harsh autocrat, taking the parenting style of the time to an extreme. She's just gotten out from under his thumb only to discover she's got a manager with an agenda that doesn't align with her own. This dissonance led to a gripping novel filled with plot twists and shocking surprises that kept me turning the pages to find out how it would turn out.

The author uses light and dark imagery throughout the story with beautiful results. Within the asylum setting, hope struggles with hopelessness, and dark, gaslit corridors are juxtaposed with the chandelier-bright conservatory. Candles and matches are Vivienne's only items within her control. Light and dark even plays a role in characterization, with some representing light and others darkness while still others actively suck the very light out of the lives of those left to disappear into the asylum.

With its gripping plot, superb storytelling, and sympathetic and engaging characters, I recommend THE LOST MELODY to readers of historical fiction, especially those who are interested in Victorian-era asylums, the treatment and care of mental health patients in the 1800s, and the beginnings of music therapy in mental health settings.

Politano is a gifted writer and I always appreciate her novels. I will say that there was a point in this story when I wondered why in the world I was reading this book. Honestly, the author made the story of Huntswell come alive in a way that I could practically feel Vivienne’s panic and helplessness. But taking a deep breath to separate myself from the character, I kept reading and found within this story a beautiful melody of hope and healing.

Vivienne found that God’s ways and plans were so much richer and fuller and more fulfilling than she could have ever imagined. Rich with melody, and harmony, this novel speaks to how each of us can bring light into the darkness right where we are through the mercy and grace of God. It was a beautiful and emotional story worth reading.

I received a free digital galley of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is one that touched my soul. Despite the dreariness of the setting, it is inspirational and uplifting.

I love well told historical novels, and this one is no exception. While based on some facts, such as who was put into asylums and why, it is purely fictional. I have read several books that are set in asylums, and it is heartbreaking to think of how they were treated, or not treated, 100+ years ago. People were often put into asylums for things that the doctors didn't understand, such as depression, epilepsy, and so much more. But that is how things were in the 1800s; medicine was still evolving.

In this story, we meet Vivienne, a concert pianist, who has just lost her father and discovered that there wasn't much left of his estate except for someone named Rose, that was in the Hurstwell Asylum, and he was paying for her care. But attempts to discover who this person is and why her father was paying for her care were met with opposition from the staff. They claimed they had no idea who she was talking about. This leads Vivienne to go undercover to uncover the truth. What she finds is deplorable, and things continue to go south for her when she is locked up as a patient in this asylum.

There are so many inspirational characters that, despite their situation, continue to be a beacon of light for Vivienne and those around them. They lift each other up in times of despair and sorrow and want what is best for everyone. Other characters are closed-minded, and I think they have become frustrated with the job, which is understanding. The conditions are deplorable, and because of the century, modern medicine is not ready for all of these issues. 

What fascinated me was the beginnings of music therapy in this story. Music touches everyone's soul in one form or fashion, and it was heartwarming to see how it opened up some of the patients they thought to be a lost cause. Music is in everything. We just have to be open to hearing it.

There is even a little bit of romance in this novel. Because of the era, it is very mild, but we see a relationship developing between Vivienne and Dr. Turner. Will it continue, or is it two people caught in a situation that holds them hostage for different reasons?

This book held me captive, and I did not want to put it down or the book to end. There is so much growth due to the situations that the characters were embroiled in that it might make one take a look at their own life.

We give this book 5 paws up.

The Lost Melody, by Joanna Davidson Politano, is a dark tale that takes in England in the year 1886!

Concert pianist, Miss Vivienne Moudant, learns of her father’s death as she is practicing at the piano. She has been under her father’s thumb for years, now Vivienne feels free to move forward with new possibilities. However, she soon discovers that she must first pay off her father’s debts. It is even more surprising when Vivienne learns that she must also take on the responsibility of her father’s ward!

Rosamond Swansea is currently a patient at the Hurtswell Asylum. When Vivienne sees a sketch of this woman, she cannot hold back a memory of this face revisiting her mind. After Vivienne learns that there is no record of her father’s ward, she actually signs on at Hurtswell as an aid. This place looks as ghastly as she had imagined it would!

Before she knows it, Vivienne finds herself trapped in this lunatic asylum. She has no idea who placed her in this horrid place; however, all Vivienne knows is that she keeps hearing music and no one believes her. You wonder who will come to Vivienne’s rescue!

Hang tight to discover who is responsible for all this madness!

Joanna Davidson Politano’s The Lost Melody was a book that captured my complete attention. Full of tension, mystery, romance, and depth, this book checked every one of my “excellent novel” criteria boxes. Politano has a masterful way of crafting a story full of twists and turns accompanied by prose that causes me to rethink my perspectives. This is a book that deals with pain, with restoration, and with purpose. Let’s just say I felt this story to my core.

I enjoyed this story immensely and highly recommend any and all of Politano’s books. You will not be disappointed!

I received this book from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

What I Liked:

-Politano keeps you wondering throughout the novel whether or not you're reading a reliable narrator, which keeps you wondering how the story will shape up.

-Politano writes with a slight lyricalness to her prose, which is fitting for this story.

-The asylum setting managed to be both slightly creepy and saddening at the same time--in a good way if that makes sense.


What I Struggled With:

-The Rosamund plot element, while needed as a catalyst for the story, felt a little awkward at times once Vivviane was at the asylum.

- SLIGHT SPOILER: I'm not sure I 100% understand why they pretended that Vivviane (as Cora) was insane to actually get her locked up at the asylum. Yes, they wanted her to stay when she wanted to leave, but they really didn't think that things would get out of hand?


Overall:

I find musical therapy super neat, so reading about its origins was super cool. And I feel like Victorian asylums aren't often explored in books. So the combination of the two created a fun read.

Cautions: light romance; three kisses *

*As you might expect since the story takes place in an asylum, The Lost Melody has some heavier themes in it, such as mental illness and abuse

2.5 stars, personally.

About this book:

“When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant's father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman's portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.
The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?
Fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the nature of women's independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era--and now.”


Series: Mentions and features characters from “A Midnight Dance”, review Here!


Spiritual Content- John 1:5 at the beginning; Isaiah 60:1 at the end; A couple Scriptures are remembered & quoted; Many Prayers & Talking to God; Hymns are sung & played; Talks about God, being a light for Him, God fixing us, & apostle Paul; 'H's are not capital when referring to God; Vivienne found comfort in talking to God when she was younger, not thinking of Him as a Father but as an imaginary friend who was with her when she was locked in the larder; Vivienne wonders at one point why would God create these people (patients) and weave madness into their lives (her firm thought of God as being ultimately good slips and wonders if she imagined Him in her childhood, but shakes the thought as she can’t bear the possibility of God not being real); God tells Vivienne to wash someone’s feet; Mentions of God; Mentions of those & events in the Bible (quite a bit about Paul); Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, & having a relationship with God; Mentions of hymns; Mentions of a priest’s hole; A few mentions of the Creator & His creation; A few mentions of Bible reading; A couple mentions of clergymen/parishes; A couple mentions of blessings & curses; A mention of a psalmist; A mention of an outspoken vicar’s wife being committed to the asylum because her ideas didn’t align with his; A mention of a funeral mass;
*Note: Many, many mentions of ghosts/specters (including rumors of a ghost at the asylum and things being ghostly); A few mentions of evil; A couple mentions of magic and a magician; A couple mentions of bad luck; A mention of someone describing melancholia as a wave and it “doesn’t matter what you believe about the Almighty or anything else. You can’t climb out.”; A mention of a man seeming otherworldly as if he has one foot on earth and one in Heaven; A mention of a patient having a fit of panic as if “someone tried to pull her soul right out of her body”; A mention of a patient clutching Vivienne’s gown like a demon; A mention of Thornhill thinking that God is blessing his (evil) plan.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘hush up’, a ‘shut up’, a ‘thank the stars’, two ‘leave off’s (used as a replacement for shut up/hush up); Set at an asylum and being around patients there (they can be admitted there for a number of reasons like: having delusions, hearing music or voices in their head, a great-grandmother not remembering the names of her children, post-partum depression, stroke victims, people born with epilepsy or mental illnesses, children born deaf or mute, etc.) & the some of the people in charge believing that they can’t be fixed and should be locked up so they don’t harm others; Pain, Being shoved, Being drugged, Being locked up/chained, Being pulled by her hair, Fighting back, Being held underwater, & Having a “spell” (similarly described as a panic attack or seizure, all up to semi-detailed); Seeing patients having seizure-like events, fighting the aids, being yanked and slapped by the aids, their screaming and crying, & overall mistreatment (semi-detailed to detailed); Hearing melancholia described (semi-detailed); Throwing up (barely-above-not-detailed); Possible social drinking (Vivienne has a glass of something at an event—the first glass is not said what is it, the second glass is said to be water); At the beginning, Vivienne has the opinion that those who are mad (insane) is a disease without a cure and are broken in a way no one can fix; Vivienne feels anger towards the laws that say that men own their wives; Vivienne lies to cooperate with the aids; Vivienne is told to write “I’m not a concert pianist” multiple times which starts messing with her sense of reality; Vivienne says that she grieves her father’s death, but is not unhappy about it; Mitchell is grieving the death of a loved one & recalls seeing their body (semi-detailed); Many mentions of patients being yanked and slapped by aids & their screaming, crying, and distress (semi-detailed); Many mentions of Vivienne’s father physical punishments of lashings and her being locked in a larder (and her being scared of the dark now because of this); Mentions of fires, a “mad” man killing people then setting a fire, & deaths (border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); Mentions of barbaric ways people punish others with (referring to an isolation ward where a patient is locked up and/or held underwater for long amounts of time); Mentions of patients that are deemed a “lost cause” and are locked up; Mentions of patients who are said to be violent & near savagery; Mentions of prisons & prisoners; Mentions of wounds, injuries, & pain (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of the deaths of infants/children & a patient being uncontrollable when she learns of her child’s death (including a couple that lost five of their six children, semi-detailed); Mentions of adults smacking children (boxing their ears) & one becoming deaf because of it; Mentions of drugs, being drugged, injections, & a death because of a “bad injection” (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of throwing up, vomit, chamber pots, & emptying them (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of gossip & rumors; A few mentions of a possible plan to drown those deemed “lost causes” (borderline barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed); A few mentions of a possible murder or suicide; A few mentions of a rumor of a skeleton being found at a place; A few mentions of nightmares; A couple mentions of kidnappings; A couple mentions of fights & gunshots; A couple mentions of a man hitting another man; A couple mentions of thieves; A couple mentions of drinking & social drinking; A mention of a missing girl; A mention of a possible scam.


Sexual Content- A fingers-to-lips touch, an almost cheek kiss (barely-above-not-detailed), two semi-detailed kisses, a border-line semi-detailed //detailed kiss, and a detailed kiss (told in both point of views); Wanting to be kissed & kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Touches, Embraces, Dancing, Hand holding, Nearness, & Flutters (barely-above-not-detailed); Noticing & Smelling (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kisses & kissing; Mentions of married couples kissing; Mentions of the moral dilemma of a doctor being attracted to one of his patients & a teacher attracted to one of his students (ages or age gaps are not brought up expect for the teacher being much older, a man tells the doctor that he’s putting others in boxes and that a woman should be more important to him than rules); A few mentions of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy & the couple getting married; A few mentions of a man leaving his betrothed for another woman; A few mentions of woman being committed into the asylum for either being caught kissing the master’s son or kissed by him (the person sharing this story isn’t sure which); A couple mentions of a couple mothers who were not married and having a baby; A couple mentions of flirting; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a bawdy house; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of a woman at the asylum having post-partum depression (never exactly said, but described in the same way with also details about the woman’s melancholia); A few mentions of a doctor ordering for a woman to have a surgery that means “she won’t be having no more babies” & an aid not seeing how the woman deserved that; A few mentions of a story (rumors) about a woman who went mad after her baby died; A mention of a baby that didn’t open it’s eyes; A mention of a dress hugging a woman’s curves (in her point of view); A mention of women entering menopause could be committed to an asylum; A mention of a man not wanting to raise another man’s child.

-Vivienne Mourdant
P.O.V. switches between Vivienne (1st), Mitchell (3rd, x7),
Someone else (1st, x1), & Thornhill (3rd, x1)
Set in 1886-1887
384 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars (and a half)

{Minus a full star for those sensitive to asylums, people being treated differently, & mistreatment}

I have very mixed feelings on this novel.

I enjoyed all the faith content (it was well done and I liked the correlations to Paul) and the musical therapy sections were interesting, but it did take about half of the book for me to not feel stressed about things that were happening or were to come.
Like other books by this author, there’s a lot of twists which keeps you on your toes when reading, and there’s also a lot of hints, but those hints are worded in a way that teases you and probably won’t make sense until the reveal of whatever happens. I like that, but at the same time, I feel left out. Because of that, I ended up rereading many different parts to make sure I was understanding what was going on.

I think the hardest part of this story for me was the asylum, it was good to see some kind workers to the patients, but, goodness, I had the hardest time trusting anyone. It’s still a really hard topic to read about, though, and I don’t feel like the back-cover blurb doesn’t give the heads up that Vivienne is in the asylum herself for the large major of the story, which I think should be an important thing to note. In that way, this book was heavier than I was expecting, but thankfully the faith content helped balance it out some.

It was interesting to see characters from “A Midnight Dance”, I wasn’t expecting that at all with this novel due to the gap in time, but even with those parts, it wasn’t necessarily a happy element or even being-happy-to-see-those-characters-again element to me.

All of that said? Hmm, I’m just not sure. Mixed feelings fits well and the biggest factor into my personal rating is that I did not feel happy when I finished this story—yes, it’s a good ending, but I think I was mentally exhausted by the time I got there.





*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Revell) for this honest review.

<b><i>”When it came to darkness, you could succumb and let it consume you . . . or you could invade it with light of your own.”</b></i>

I was overwhelmed with the beauty of this book. There were times when I had to just stop reading and let it all soak in. While this book definitely has a dark setting (a Victorian asylum) and a distinctly Gothic feel, Vivienne brings such an unexpected light into this dark space. At the beginning of the story she has some definite feelings about asylums and the people inside them, and it’s lovely to see her thoughts change as she realizes they are still people, people who deserve compassion and comfort, respect and understanding. While she is bringing her own brand of light to the asylum’s inmates, Dr Turner (who oversees the care of many of them) is quite taken with her. Their own midnight dances and collaborations lead to a forbidden relationship that weighs heavily on their hearts. I loved the burgeoning romance between them, the presence of God in such a dark place, the music and music therapy, the workers and inmates. There were some difficult aspects but the satisfying ending makes all that they endured worthwhile. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to write a review.