This novel was intriguing, with interconnected stories from the 1920s to the more recent 1990s. In 1920s, Maddie Bright is hired as a part of the staff for Edward, Prince of Wales, during his tour of Australia. While serving, her colleagues include Helen and Rupert Waters, a couple who share a passionate unrequited love for each other, who might be torn apart forever by the events of the trip. In the 1990s, journalist Victoria Byrd is struggling to write about the death of Princess Diana and with her own personal relationship when she's offered the opportunity to meet the legendary and reclusive author M.A. Bright. The stories are, of course, connected, and, while perhaps following a formula familiar to readers of this genre, done well enough to deliver sanctification and a kind of happy ending. ( )

t looks like the title of this book has changed from "The True Story of Maddie Bright
by Mary-Rose MacColl" so you might have read this already - don't be fooled.

This book has some trigger issues that may bother some readers: rape, assault, cancer.

I must agree with another reader that said that this book would have made a perfect trilogy. And I think it would have made a BETTER trilogy. I invested a lot of myself into reading this and felt a tad cheated at the end-fuller length stories, books or even novella might have given me that little something that my heart missed.

Both women deserved to have a fuller story told; a less rushed and somewhat confusing conclusion.

This book did hold my interest after the first few chapters -and the first chapter does resonate and really stay with you throughout the entire novel.

I had wished that the characters grew a little more, but I see that there really wasn't enough time for them to do so.

I do think that it was a very emotional novel and an interesting look into the early 20th-century royalty.

*ARC supplied by the publisher. ( )

In 1920 seventeen-year-old Maddie is learning how to be Prince Edward’s correspondence secretary on his train tour of Australia, feeling overwhelmed by her proximity to royalty.

In 1997 Victoria, a reporter, is asked to cover the death of Princess Diana, but finds herself at a loss for words.

In 1981 Maddie finds herself coming to terms with the loss of everyone she’d ever loved, wondering what she can to do right old wrongs.

In 1918 Helen, an ambulance driver in France, and Rupert, batman to the Prince of Wales, meet on the battlefield when she transports him to the hospital against the rules. They fall in love, but fate steps in to tear them apart.

The author bounces back and forth between these years as she tells stories of love, betrayal, broken relationships, strength and survival. Grief and loss, tinged with hope, survival and strength are woven throughout these stories.

I thought each storyline was interesting, and would have preferred to have each in its own standalone book. A particular favorite of mine was the World War I love story between Helen and Rupert, which inspired Maddie to write “Autumn leaves.” However, having so many storylines in one book was very confusing. In the many switches between timeframes, I had to constantly reread to figure out what had happened to that character earlier in the book.

Therefore I was a half fan of “Lost Autumn,” and will leave it up to you to decide if you want to read it or not.

Recommended for Adults.

I received an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Book review link: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress.com/2019/10/26/lost-autumn-by-mary-rose-mac... ( )