Angel Taormina

Fun Facts-
The Order in Which the Novels Were Written: (they were then released at all different times)

1. The Rose Princess- A Medieval Fantasy (2003-2011)
2. Eternal Love (2003-2008)
3. The Porcelain Doll (2005-2009)
simultaniously with
4. Oriana or The Secrets of the Rain (2005-2010)
5. Erik and Christine- The Beautiful Earthly Lives and Heavenly Eternal Love of Monsieur and Madame Charpentier and it's preface 6. Beautiful Lives (2009)
7. Carving A Life (2010)
8. On the Eve of Maye (2010-2011)… (lisätietoja)

This is actually the newest book by Angel Taormina. Her 5th (or 6th?) Oriana or The Secrets of the Rain and The Rose Princess A Medieval Fantasy were actually written before this book. This historical romance novel is Taormina's best to date. Carving A Life is about Sophie Meyer a well known philanthropist trying to rehabilitate a city divided and shattered by civil war who doesn't know that she is the daughter of the family of arsonists and war criminals who caused the majority of the damage in the first place. One night Sophie finds herself staggering around drunk and delirious in front of the house of the city's richest man and powerful philanthropist, Raphael Breckenridge. He helps her at first because he realizes that she is the sister of a woman he'd accidentally shot thinking it was the man who had raped his sister. This reason doesn't hold for long as he falls in love with Sophie from the moment she wakes up the following morning and begins to speak coherently to him. She doesn't realize that she'd been drugged the night before and that if Raphael Breckenridge hadn't found her there would have been an attempt on her life. She is unaware that there is an angry mob out for revenge against what they think she's done. When scandal breaks Sophie is clueless and helpless. Raphael takes her in and they go to his home in the countryside where Sophie meets the servants and townspeople and learns how to start over in life from nothing. Raphael and Sophie begin to fall in love but there is a secret that neither of them knows that is working to keep them apart. And Sophie will discover that Raphael has secrets of his own and... maybe... the truth about her own family. This is part 2. The book is made up of three parts. Part one in Merribry. Part 2 in the countryside called Hallows Ridge. And then, after a tragic turn of events, part three goes back to Merribry where all secrets are divulged and everyone learns the truth about every one and every thing. Because the book has only been released on kindle I won't give anything away except to say that there is a bone-chilling, heart wrenching interrogation and that a little baby has something to do with the eventual outcome of the story. 5 stars. Get it on Kindle now. Worth reading again and again.… (lisätietoja)

A piece Angel Taormina wrote called Beautiful Lives is the preface to this book and gives everyone the past of the two lead characters and of Paris at the time. The historical details are incredible. Once you get into the book which is actually called Erik and Christine-The Beautiful Earthly Lives and Heavenly Eternal Love of Monsieur and Madame Charpentier you discover a historical tale of two people in love who the world didn't want to be together but who found a way regardless. It is an insightful look at the marriage customs at the time and of the seemingly arbitrary standards of what different social classes can and can't do and what is allowed of a girl who comes from nothing, becomes great in spite of everyone, reluctantly joins high society and then rejects it in favor of what she truly loves. There is a very beautiful moment in Erik and Christine (for short) where Erik and Christine are discussing whether or not to run away and make a new life somewhere other than Paris and Erik finds it amusing that she thought he was the richest man in the city and must explain to her that money needs to come from somewhere and Christine knows he's been out of work for months. He is determined to get medicines for her and is in denail about her illness as much as she is in denail about the possibility of him dying from old age. A few chapters later when they both accept that they have no control over what may or may not happen to them Christine tells Erik that she wants them to stay in Paris because she likes it there and running away would only mean defeat. It is the moment that by admitting their lives are out of their hands they then gain the most sense and control over their lives and are finally able to fight back. I think the story is based on a true story and I know that a lot of the characters are based on or have the names of real historical figures. The book shows the few bumps in the road for everyone but throughout it shows every character/person in their best light and really gives Paris and its citizens a good name, a good persona, and a good legacy. 5 stars for Erik and Christine.… (lisätietoja)