THE LOST MELODY

by

Joanna Davidson Politano

Historical Romance

Publisher: Revell

Pages: 384 pages

Publication Date: October 4, 2022

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When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant’s father dies, he leaves to her the care of a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. Vivienne had no idea the woman existed, and yet her portrait is shockingly familiar. When the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.

The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, receives strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know.

But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?

Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the nature of women’s independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era–and now.

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Praise

“Haunting. Riveting. Filled with hope. The Lost Melody is all these things and more. Author Joanna Davidson Politano delves into the dark world of Victorian mental health, and it’s the reader who comes out the winner after being enchanted by this tale of identity lost. After you read the last page, the characters will live on in your mind. Truly a fantastic read!” — Michelle Griep, author of Lost in Darkness

“Joanna Davidson Politano’s stories go on my bookshelf as a favorite! The stories she pens entice my Gothic-loving senses, thrill my literary soul, and inspire the dark romantic inside my spirit. I cannot emphasize enough how strongly I adore each story from this vivid and insightful author, and how badly I wish for all readers to experience her tales!” — Jaime Jo Wright, author of The Souls of Lost Lake, and Christy Award-winning The House on Foster Hill

This book is one that touched my soul. Despite the dreariness of the setting, it is inspirational and uplifting.

I love well told historical novels, and this one is no exception. While based on some facts, such as who was put into asylums and why, it is purely fictional. I have read several books that are set in asylums, and it is heartbreaking to think of how they were treated, or not treated, 100+ years ago. People were often put into asylums for things that the doctors didn’t understand, such as depression, epilepsy, and so much more. But that is how things were in the 1800s; medicine was still evolving.

In this story, we meet Vivienne, a concert pianist, who has just lost her father and discovered that there wasn’t much left of his estate except for someone named Rose, that was in the Hurstwell Asylum, and he was paying for her care. But attempts to discover who this person is and why her father was paying for her care were met with opposition from the staff. They claimed they had no idea who she was talking about. This leads Vivienne to go undercover to uncover the truth. What she finds is deplorable, and things continue to go south for her when she is locked up as a patient in this asylum.

There are so many inspirational characters that, despite their situation, continue to be a beacon of light for Vivienne and those around them. They lift each other up in times of despair and sorrow and want what is best for everyone. Other characters are closed-minded, and I think they have become frustrated with the job, which is understanding. The conditions are deplorable, and because of the century, modern medicine is not ready for all of these issues.

What fascinated me was the beginnings of music therapy in this story. Music touches everyone’s soul in one form or fashion, and it was heartwarming to see how it opened up some of the patients they thought to be a lost cause. Music is in everything. We just have to be open to hearing it.

There is even a little bit of romance in this novel. Because of the era, it is very mild, but we see a relationship developing between Vivienne and Dr. Turner. Will it continue, or is it two people caught in a situation that holds them hostage for different reasons?

This book held me captive, and I did not want to put it down or the book to end. There is so much growth due to the situations that the characters were embroiled in that it might make one take a look at their own life.

We give this book 5 paws up.

Joanna Davidson Politano is the award-winning author of Lady Jayne Disappears, A Rumored Fortune, Finding Lady Enderly, The Love Note, and A Midnight Dance. She loves tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives and is eager to hear anyone’s story. She lives with her husband and their children in a house in the woods near Lake Michigan.

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ONE WINNER!

Receives a Sterling Silver Treble Clef pendant necklace

+ Copy of The Lost Melody

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, October 13, 2022.)

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