ABOUT THE BOOK
On a rare night out, Liv, a divorced single mom, meets Theo, a gifted pianist with a past he’s fought hard to outrun.
Their connection is instant, electric, undeniable. But by morning? Out of the question.
Because Theo is a Dressler, and Liv Carter knows exactly what that means.
In 1920s New York City, two little girls vanished: one from a glittering world of privilege, the other from a crowded tenement. When a single child reappeared with no memories, two families claimed her. Wealth won, and the Carters kept the girl. The Dresslers were left with nothing but grief…and a wound that never healed.
Now, decades later, Liv and Theo find themselves on opposite sides of an unfinished story, with a legacy of loss they both carry. As their forbidden love deepens, so does the mystery binding their families together. Secrets surface. Relationships shatter. Fate draws Liv and Theo closer together, leaving them to decide how much of the past they’re willing to uncover. Especially when the truth could either break the cycle…or tear them apart for good.
MY REVIEW
Two toddlers vanish on the same cold, wintry night in 1927, and one of them returns with a mystery that remains unsolved for decades. This engaging dual-timeline mystery centers on a fated relationship between two strangers as they uncover the truth about their grandmothers. It is an absorbing story that combines mystery, romance, and a touch of the supernatural, so I couldn’t put it down.
Olivia “Liv” Brentwood-Carter is a successful therapist who has recently become a single mother and meets the charming pianist Theo Dressler after a bad dinner date that ends in an exciting one-night stand. The next day, they discover their family histories are linked through their grandmothers, and not everything is what it seems.
Liv is adopted into the wealthy Brentwood-Carter family and regularly feels inadequate and alienated. Honestly, I often wished she would stand up to her nasty parents more. Still, the hunt for the truth gives her confidence, and I cheered for her as she takes on the challenges thrown her way.
Theo has his own challenges with depression from growing up with abuse and abandonment that leaves him jaded about romantic involvement. But Liv accepts him as he is, which leaves him reeling and withdrawing from her and the feelings she brings out in him. I love his relationship with his brother Will, who is his lifeline and his sense of normalcy in a world of chaos.
There is a spark between Theo and Liv, and as a result, each moment becomes incredibly intense. It is truly worth waiting for to see them happy in the end, and it’s a lovely touch that they solve the mystery through its twists and turns while also providing closure and reconciliation for years of family grief and hostility.
Overall, this book is an enjoyable mix of sadness, happiness, rage, and fascination. It’s a story that pulls you in, makes you feel all the feels, and leaves you with more questions than answers, just like a great mystery should.
Thank you to Ms. Colin for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Colin’s debut novel, The Memory Thief, was a New York Times bestseller and Target Emerging Authors Pick. She is also the author of The Dream Keeper’s Daughter, which Publishers Weekly called “a splendid mix of time travel, romantic yearning, and moving on after grief.” One of her short stories appeared in the USA Today bestselling romance anthology, Dissent.
For young adult audiences, Emily is the author of the award-winning romantic dystopian fantasy series, The Seven Sins. She is also the co-editor of two YA fiction anthologies.
Emily’s life experience includes organizing a Coney Island tattoo and piercing show, hauling fish at a dolphin research center, and roaming New York City as a teenage violinist. Originally from Brooklyn, she writes, teaches, edits, and indulges her mocha addiction by the sea in North Carolina.
Follow Emily on her website, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Goodreads.
