In Leah's Wake

In Leah's Wake
by Terri Giuliano Long
A Novel

Description from Goodreads:

The Tylers have a perfect life--beautiful home, established careers, two sweet and talented daughters. Their eldest, Leah, an exceptional soccer player, is on track for a prestigious scholarship. Their youngest, Justine, more responsible than seems possible for her 12 years, just wants her sister's approval. With Leah nearing the end of high school and Justine a seemingly together kid, the parents are set to enjoy a peaceful life...until Leah meets Todd, a former roadie for a rock band.

 As Leah's parents fight to save their daughter from a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties, their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage. Meanwhile, twelve-year-old Justine observes her sister's rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family-leaving her to question whether anyone loves her and if God even knows she exists.

Can this family survive in Leah's wake? What happens when love just isn't enough?

In Leah’s Wake is a story about family, relationships, finding your true self, forgiveness, and taking action. It’s also a cautionary tale of how the small choices we make today can have immense costs tomorrow.

Pros – The biggest pro of reading this book is getting to know the characters. They are so nicely developed and full of depth. Even through their faults (and boy do they have them!) they are likeable, sympathetic and easy to relate to.

Leah – She’s not unlike many teens. She follows a path of destruction that is (unfortunately) common in today’s world.

Justine - Leah’s younger sister adds softness to the story. Her personality fits the little sister role very nicely.

Zoe & Will – These parents have completely different strategies of how to keep their marriage and family afloat.

Todd – No comment. (I don’t want to spoil anything for you.)

The plot is believable and kept me interested throughout. There were no lagging chapters or far-fetched scenes. Terri Giuliano Long did a fabulous job of allowing the severity of Leah’s mishaps and changes to develop as the story moved forward. (A major pro!) The progressing troubles and consequences give it a realistic, dynamic feel.

Cons – The use of character’s names was distracting at times. The flow would be smoother if the author used she and he (in place of names) throughout—especially the beginning. Perhaps because I was so wrapped up in the characters as I advanced through the story, I didn’t notice it as much later on. This is the only con that comes to mind though, and certainly not a reason to set the book aside.

Overall – I loved it! I recommend reading In Leah’s Wake. It is powerful, raw, and matter-of-fact. A story where relationships are strained, perceptions are distorted, and each character deals with their own unique internal struggles. Filled with angst, anger, resentment, fear, betrayal, love and underlying hope, In Leah’s Wake is an emotional read sure to leave you changed.

First Lines: Zoe and Will Tyler sat at their dining room table playing poker. The table, a nineteenth century, hand-carved mahogany, faced the bay window overlooking their sprawling front yard.

The Gift of a Memory

Today, while working on my Italian romance novel, I got lost in the memories of my recent trip. One of the numerous things I cherish from my time in Italy is not only the delicious cuisine, but witnessing the Italian culture passionately embrace mealtime.  Family and friends gather at local ristorantes for lively and lengthy full course meals; spending two to four hours savoring their dining event. Yes, I said event. Mealtime in Italy is exciting, significant and fun.

After an exhausting day in Rome, a ninety minute train ride to Lucca, and ten minute hike to our hotel, my daughter and I just wanted to grab a bite to eat and go to bed. We left our bags in the room and asked the kind (and very handsome) desk clerk, if there was a nearby restaurant that stayed open late. He pointed us down a cobblestoned walkway that forked in four different directions and said it would be on our left—we couldn’t miss it. We followed his directions (although not very well) and after passing the same white church for the third time, we somehow reached the trattatoria.

We were warmly greeted by the owner and seated in the back of the empty dining area. I told her we would just get dessert since it looked liked they were about to close, but she insisted we eat a meal. “No.” She patted my arm and smiled. “Big party come soon.”

Big party came soon, and came loud. Over a dozen men and women took their seats at a line of tables adorned with floral bouquets, bottles of wine, and colorful cloth napkins. Almost immediately my daughter and I were invited to join them. We kindly declined their invitation, saying we were leaving soon, but they wouldn’t hear of it. Four men came to our table, lifted the chairs we sat in, and placed us at their table. What were we to do but laugh and enjoy the ride? Corks began popping and brimming plates were set before us. Our bellies rumbled as our senses were tempted by the wide array of cold cuts, cheeses, steaming pastas and plates of tiramisu. The powerful scents’ effect on our bellies rendered us incapable of resisting further. We were happy to be held captive by happy, generous Italian friends and forced to eat and drink more than I thought our bodies were able.

The food and wine was delicious, but the countless cheers, clinking of glasses, and laughing with generous friends made the night unforgettable. When the bottles ran dry and the party came to a close, one of the gentlemen offered to walk us back to our hotel—in the rain! Good thing he did, because we had no clue how to find our way back. Waterlogged and weary, we said our Ciaos at the entrance to our hotel. The Lucca showers saturated our bodies, but didn’t extinguish the glow in our hearts.

Memories are a wonderful thing, aren’t they? You can relive the noteworthy times and revisit those who’ve made an impact on your life, no matter how many miles distance you or years pass by.

Now…back to writing my novel.

~A Writer's Hart

An Italian Romance Novel

Yesterday, while trying not to obsess over the submissions I sent off last week, I started outlining a new novel. The idea for the story crept into my mind in March, when I began planning a trip to Italy.

In preparation, I watched the movie classic Roman Holiday (for the zillionth time) and pushed my nose into travel guides every spare moment. I learned about the land of love, its magnificent countryside, cuisine, museums, basilicas, piazzas, and more. That's when it popped into my head... What a fabulous opportunity to write a romance!

Making sure to pack a journal, I plotted to document every Italian site, nuance, and flavor I encountered so I could implement them into my book. I was certain Italy was the perfect setting for this new romance to blossom.

The moment I stepped off the airplane at Rome’s Fiumincino Airport, the story began to take shape and the characters in my mind came alive…

Now, two weeks later, a romance novel is born from a colorful imagination, fabulous memories, and a journal bursting with Italian treasures.

Molto emozionante! (Very exciting!)

~A Writer’s Hart