Lemongrass Hope is the debut novel of Amy Impellizzeri and it is one of those novels that captures you in its pages from the very first word that you read to the very last. I adored this book that tells of a love story with elements of time travel and a little mysticism, of connecting with a love, losing a love, and being destined to love. Lemongrass Hope is about shaping your destiny, hope, love, and second chances although not in the way a reader will expect (and on this I will not give away a single hint!).
When Kate accepts a invite to go to her friend Benton’s party and be set up with a man, Rob, from her office she has no idea how much her life will change. While waiting for them she meets another of Benton’s friends; a man named Ian who she feels a powerful pull towards. While Rob doesn’t call right away Ian does. They begin a intense romance fueled even more by the imminent departure of Ian for Africa. Ian would like Kate to come with him and Kate would like Ian to stay … yet neither happens. Ian leaves and eventually Kate marries Rob but she never forgets her connection to Ian, the man who owns her heart.
Years later Kate and Rob have two young boys and a marriage that is on the fast track to nowhere. What Kate needs is some time away so she takes a cruise with Benton and is more than surprised to find Ian there as well. This is the man who knows her more intimately than any other and she can feel them picking up right where they left off. What this trip gives her is the chance to change her destiny … with Ian. So what will she do? Live her dream life with Ian? Or go back to Rob and her beautiful boys?
I can’t say more without spoiling the book for future readers but I will say that the turn this book takes asks you to suspend belief which you are quite willing to do. It’s a unique story and I didn’t expect the turn that the book took but fully appreciated it. Amy has a beautiful and smoothly flowing writing style that leaves the reader feeling the emotions of her characters. The characters worked their way into my heart and the story itself did so as well.
Book clubs – Lemongrass Hope is going to be a book you want to put on your radar for October! It is chock full of discussion topics of which my favorite would be second chances. Don’t we all wish we could go back to one specific time in our lives and take a different turn than we did? How different would our lives be if we had taken that other fork in the road? Would it be better or worse? Add to that the topics of marriage, children, and motherhood and you have a book club pick your members are sure to love.
I loved Lemongrass Hope and it’ll be in my top ten of favorites this year. It’s unique and beautiful and a story that I won’t soon forget. Highly recommended!
Add to your Goodreads List
Amy’s website, Facebook, Twitter
GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS
Win a signed ARC PLUS a fun artisan designer item!
*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter
Draw Date July 26/14
Good luck!
This one sounds good, though I don’t usually like time travel much. But I’d like to try this one!
It does sound like a great book club read. Thanks for posting and offering a giveaway.
Ann
I’m intrigued, but at the same time not sure. I can’t help but wonder what direction the author will go.
Hallo, Hallo!!
*waves!* I am on the Lemongrass Hope Progressive Blog Tour myself! 🙂 I honestly could not wait to wake up and find out the ending, so I was up until the wee hours of the morn (til 4am!) finishing the novel!! I simply could not get the characters & the storyline out of my heart nor mind! 🙂
I was about to claim that I appreciate how this story ends compared to another novel of a similar thematic but then I realised by doing so would be the biggest spoiler of all! 🙁 I held back but what I loved about Lemongrass truly is the suspension of time and of reality. I always adored the keener aspects of time travel (esp those theories rooted in Quantum Physics and/or Mysticism as you mentioned),… where those stories take us, this one allows us to go further, and into the internal struggle of a woman attempting to fuse the pieces together as much as understand the workings of her heart.
The story simply opened up so much in my own mind about what to muse and blog about that I cannot wait to find other readers who appreciated the story & hopefully will spark conversations therein!
Everything you murmured a love for is exactly what captivated me until 4am!
My Review of Lemongrass Hope