way-of-beauty
book review,  Books

Lone Star Book Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: The Way of Beauty

I am so excited to bring you Camille De Maio’s newest book The Way of Beauty with the Lone Star Book Blog Tour. If you’ve read her previous books, you will not be disappointed. This is wonderful for fans of historical fiction AND for fans of authors such as Kristina McMorris or Sarah McCoy.

Read on for my thoughts AND enter the giveaway for a chance to win your own copy of this book! (We’re giving away TWO!)

THE WAY OF BEAUTY
by
Camille Di Maio
Genre: Historical Fiction / 20th Century / Literary
Publisher: Lake Union Press
Date of Publication: May 1, 2018

Number of Pages: 384

  
Scroll down for the giveaway!

Hearts and dreams evolve in the shadow of the once-magnificent Penn Station.
Vera Keller, the daughter of German immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York City, finds her life upended when the man she loves becomes engaged to another woman. But Angelo Bellavia has also inadvertently opened up Vera’s life to unexpected possibilities. Angelo’s new wife, Vera, the wealthy daughter of a clothing manufacturer, has defied her family’s expectations by devoting herself to the suffrage movement. In Pearl, Vera finds an unexpected dear friend…and a stirring new cause of her own. But when Pearl’s selfless work pulls her farther from Angelo and their son, the life Vera craved is suddenly within her reach—if her conscience will allow her to take it.
Her choice will define not only her future but also that of her daughter, Alice.
Vera and Alice—a generation and a world apart—are bound by the same passionate drive to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age in a city that is changing as rapidly as its skyline, they’ll each discover that love is the only constant.

PRAISE FOR THE WAY OF BEAUTY:

The Way of Beauty is a thing of beauty. The writing is gorgeous, the story is engaging, the characters are amazing. The amount of research that goes into historical fiction just astounds me. Add this to your TBR!”

“If you want to be swept away by a love story set in a fascinating and meticulously researched past, Camille Di Maio is the author for you. Don’t miss this one.”

“A captivating story of love and family that spans several generations.”

“The writing transports you to the time, not so long ago when women had to choose between love and their rights. Camille Di Maio’s dialogue, descriptions, and relationships create a complete picture of the era and struggles. Great book club book.” 

I confess that I (virtually) ran shouting and waving to the Lone Star Book Blog tour group to get my hands on this book as her last novel, Before the Rain Falls, was probably one of my favorites from 2017.  I’ve also been on a historical fiction kick, and The Way of Beauty spans both World War I and World War II (and beyond, in the Epilogue) as it explores the lives of mother and daughter, Vera and Alice.

Vera’s world has included Angelo since she was five-years old, and she is blind-sided when he introduces his fiancée, Pearl Pilkington to her.  Matters are complicated further when Pearl – who comes from a completely different world than that of Vera and Angelo, befriends Vera, who proves undeniably likable despite their differences, and asks a favor that complicates her life.

Years later, Vera’s daughter Alice meets a fascinating photographer who is mysterious and exciting. But when a ghost from their family’s past reappears, Alice must choose between two men, equally different.

This is one of those books that ticks all the boxes for me – really well-developed, strong and likable characters (you’ll find your heart breaking for Vera), a wonderful story, an incredibly well-researched look at an era and an interesting angle (it’s been some time since I’ve read anything about the Suffragettes). Alice is a strong, independent woman and her story – and personality – was so different from her mother’s, and yet in the end, they each faced a challenging situation or decision when it came to love. This truly is a wonderful story of love and family.

And speaking of characters – because honestly, Camille Di Maio creates some really amazing characters in her writing – Pearl Pilkington was also a very complex, fascinating character. (Camille, I would love to see a novel on the Suffragette movement from the perspective of women like Pearl, hint, hint.)

This book may prove to top my list of favorite books of 2018!

CHECK OUT THE BOOK TRAILER!

 

~Romance Writers of America Honor Roll Inductee~

Camille recently left an award-winning real estate career in San Antonio to become a full-time writer. Along with her husband of 19 years, she enjoys raising their four children. She has a bucket list that is never-ending and uses her adventures to inspire her writing. She’s lived in Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California, and spends enough time in Hawai’i to feel like a local. She’s traveled to four continents (so far) and met Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. She just about fainted when she had a chance to meet her musical idol, Paul McCartney, too.

Camille studied political science in college but found working on actual campaigns much more fun. She overdoses on goodies at farmer’s markets (justifying them by her support for local bakeries) and belts out Broadway tunes whenever the moment strikes. There’s almost nothing she wouldn’t try, so long as it doesn’t involve heights, roller skates, or anything illegal. The Memory of Us was Camille’s debut novel. Her second, Before the Rain Falls was released on May 16, 2017, and The Way of Beauty is her third novel.

 
GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY!
TWO SIGNED COPIES!
MAY 1-10, 2018

VISIT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

5/1
Notable Quotable
5/1
Notable Quotable
5/1
Notable Quotable
5/2
Review
5/3
Review
5/4
Guest Post
5/4
Excerpt
5/5
Review
5/5
Promo+
5/6
Review
5/7
Author Interview
5/7
Top Five
5/8
Review
5/9
Guest Post
5/9
Character Interview
5/10
Review
   blog tour services provided by
  

RELATED:

Click HERE for Hall Ways review of The Memory of Us

 

Click HERE for my review of Before the Rain Falls (one of my favorite books from 2017!)

 

 

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