The Lost Story of Via Belle by Melanie Dobson: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Searching for a story to adapt for film, an aspiring screenwriter becomes captivated by a bestselling classic novel and the mysterious disappearance of the woman who wrote it.

1940. Via Belle’s sweet romance novels made readers believe in happily ever after. But Via’s reality was much more complicated. While her first husband was alive, her creativity thrived in a beautiful stone estate situated above a pristine lake and moonflower garden. After his tragic death and a whirlwind second marriage shrouded in secrets, Via vanished from public life, leaving behind a shadow of scandal . . . and her final story.

2006. Screenwriter Harper Rayne is desperate for a breakthrough, if only she can find the right story to tell. But when she digs into the life of her late mother’s favorite novelist, she never expects it to become personal. Drawn to the quaint Pennsylvania town where both her mother and Via once lived, Harper discovers more than a mystery to solve—she finds echoes of her own longing for love, healing, and home. As long-buried secrets come to light, Harper must decide if she’ll protect the past or rewrite this particular ending.

Described as a “powerhouse in dual-timeline Christian fiction” (Library Journal), Melanie Dobson delivers another rich, atmospheric novel about the legacy of sacrificial love and the redemptive power of truth.

The Author

Writing fiction is Melanie Dobson's excuse to explore abandoned houses, travel to unique places, and spend hours reading old books and journals. The award-winning author of almost thirty books, Melanie enjoys stitching together both time-slip and historical stories including The Wings of Poppy Pendleton, The Winter Rose, Catching the Wind, Memories of Glass, and the Legacy of Love series. Five of her novels have received a Carol Award, Catching the Wind's audiobook won the 2018 Audie for Inspirational Novel, and The Black Cloister was ForeWord's Book of the Year for Religious Fiction.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, have two daughters. After moving numerous times with Jon's work, the Dobson family has finally settled near Portland, Oregon, and they love to travel and hike in both the mountains and the cliffs above the Pacific. When Melanie isn't writing, she enjoys exploring dusty back roads, dancing, and reading stories with her girls.

More information about Melanie and her books is available on her author website.

Book Review

Simply put... wow, what a story! To be honest, dual timelines can be a little tough for me to enjoy and I'll find myself enjoying one of the timelines immensely and trudging through the next. That was certainly NOT the case for this one. Both Via's life in 1940 and Harper's in 2006 kept me equally captivated to the very end. Admittedly, it did take me a bit to settle in my mind who was who and keep the timelines in line, but this is definitely a me issue. Once I sorted it all out, I was hooked. This story had so many twists and turns. I couldn't help but be drawn into the mystery of it all. All these hidden secrets (and there were many) are revealed slowly throughout the story, keeping me reading on to see how it was all going to play out. I won't give anything away, but trust me, this is one you're going to want to experience for yourself! If you enjoy dual-timeline Christian fiction, this is one not to be missed. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/4p1lbQQ