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Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara & Giveaway (US only)

by

Cascade

Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara is a novel that captivated me from beginning to end. I adore those books that draw you in from the first page and you feel that immediate connection with the people and the story. Taking place in the 1930’s this novel finds Desdemona, an artist, trapped in a marriage in a small town but desiring so much more.

Dez grew up in Cascade, Massachusetts but went away to study art in Paris and longs for an art career in New York. She was forced to come home when her father fell ill and bankrupt to care for him. Her art is what keeps her going and later with her father gone she feels trapped by the seemingly humdrum life in a small town. She yearns for more and finds it somewhat in the form of Jacob, a Jewish painter with who she has much in common. They share their passion for art but in small towns it doesn’t take much for scandal to erupt.

As for Dez’s husband Asa, he is a good man but his dreams for the future are very different from hers. All he wants is a good wife who keeps a clean home and lots of babies and in truth he doesn’t really appreciate his wife’s art as he should. All this drives a bigger and bigger wedge between them. When Dez starts to draw postcards and they are published in a big New York paper she realizes there is more for her and when she’s offered a job at the paper she knows she can’t turn it down or her spirit will be forever killed.

In the backdrop of all the marital strife is Massachusetts making a decision on whether to flood Cascade in order to build a reservoir for Boston. The town is in utter turmoil over this but Dez sees it as an opportunity to move somewhere bigger and better where she can pursue her art. The only thing worth saving to her in Cascade is her father’s theatre, the Cascade Shakespeare Theatre, and she will do anything to make that happen. As more scandal hits Cascade things hit a turning point for Dez and she has to make some big decisions on what she truly wants for her future.

Cascade is a beautifully written story set in the Depression era of star crossed lovers, desires, ambition, and betrayals. I was instantly transported back in time in this novel and I loved every minute! This is the debut novel of Maryanne O’Hara and she is definitely an author to watch after penning this fantastic book! I was lucky enough to grab the audio version from my library and the narrator Madeleine Lambert made it all the better for me!

Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara is on tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours so be sure to check out the other tour stops.  You can learn more about Maryanne on her website and you can buy your own copy of Cascade at Amazon and Amazon Canada.

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS (US only)

I have one copy of Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara to share with my readers.  To enter…

  • For 1 entry leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog.  Let me know if you already do and I’ll pass the extra entry on to you as well.
  • Tweet, like on Facebook, or blog for 3 entries.

This giveaway is open to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, May 11/13.  Good luck!

Note:  BookTrib is also featuring Cascade so be sure to pop over there for another chance to win this great debut novel!

 

Cascade Tour Banner FINAL

Source:  Review copy provided by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the Publisher.  Audiobook from library.   No compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

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Comments

  2. I would love to read the captivating and wonderful novel. Thanks for this giveaway. I subscribe via e-mail.

  3. Your review made this book come alive. I would enjoy this very much. I am an e-mail subscriber.

  6. Your review interested me in reading the book, thanks.
    I also follow you via email

  8. What a wonderful review! I can imagine that it was so difficult for Dez when her husband did not care for not support her art. As the wife of a part-time artist, I can certainly attest to the fact that my love of his work and admiration for his amazing talent is key to motivating him even more.

    Cascade sounds like a terrific novel and I’m most definitely adding it to my Wish List.

    Thanks for sharing!

    Connie Fischer
    conniecape(at)aol(dot)com

    Will tweet and share on Facebook.

  9. Cascade by Maryanne O’Hara & Giveaway (US only)I tweeted
    I love beautiful covers and this one is exquisite. I love reading about the past and find this review of yours very interesting.
    I follow with email

  12. Thank you for such a wonderful review on this book. Has me interested in it. I love a book that just pulls you right from the start and holds you there. I twitter and posted on facebook of this book. Thank you

  13. I am listening to this one next, and I am excited about it. I do love Depression-era stories, and this one sounds like it has an excellent premise. It’s almost easy to see why she doesn’t get along with her husband, with them having such different values and such. Very nice review on this one today. I can’t wait to get started, and wish everyone who enters your giveaway much luck 😉

  14. Wonderful review and presentation! I’ll post this giveaway in my blog’s side bar, Darlene. I’m a follower. Thanks for hosting!

    suko95(at)gmail(dot)com

  16. I read this.

    CASCADE by Maryanne O’Hara is a gorgeously written novel.This book would be perfect for the reader who likes well-written romances that are far and away better than most books called romances. CASCADE has a story that does not depend on descriptions of sexual gymnastics.

    Still, I wanted again and again to skip through paragraphs and pages. A couple times I even considered giving up on the book entirely. That is because O’Hara makes the common mistake of what I call “too much rumination.”

    The main character, Dez (Desdemona Hart), thinks, at length, too much. If the purpose of a novel is to capture and hold a reader’s attention, to entertain them, CASCADE wanders from that intention too often with excessive narration.

    Besides, Dez is detestable. She marries a good-looking successful pharmacist, Asa, just so she and her father have a home. At her every mean and selfish act, Asa forgives, even goes out of his way to be kind. How could she not love someone like that? Instead, she chases after another man, one she continues to love for years and years.

    Don’t think that this storyline goes the way of GONE WITH THE WIND. But it would have been nice to see Asa tell Dez that he no longer gives a damn

  18. This is a new author to me. I would like to win her book and check out her story telling. I am a follower of this blog, and also have liked you on FB. And, I shared this on my FB page.
    Maxie mac262(at)me(dot)com

  19. What an unusual setting for a novel! I love HF set in Depression era America. Thanks for the giveaway.
    lcbrower40(at)gmail(dot)com

    Google follower

  20. Wow, sounds like a great novel. What a great review! Thanks for the giveaway!

    I follow via GFC (Lara Frame)

    lafra86 at gmail dot com

  24. This author is new to me and your review has made me want to read her book. I follow by email and I liked your post on Facebook.

    tmrtini at gmail dot com

  25. This one has been on my radar. I am pretty sure that I will read it at some point!!

  27. “Cascade” sounds like an amazing book. Over the past few days, I’ve been reading reviews and awesome comments from other authors about it. I’d LOVE to win a copy!

    P.S. I’m a faithful follower of your blog!!

  28. So sorry, but I forgot to add that I “liked” this on FB!! Thanks so much for the extra entries.

  30. Sounds like a great novel. I really like the setting for this book, and would enjoy reading it. Thanks for this chance.

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

  32. Like and posted on Facebook.
    Facebook Name: Anita Yancey

    ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net