Amy Hardy once lived a life full of colour, but a tragic accident has turned her world to shadows. Determined to embrace her new life, Amy sets off on the famous Compostela pilgrimage, hoping to find light in the darkness and a new path.
Accompanying her on her journey is Luke Patterson a man whose own troubled past casts dark shadows over his life. He’s hoping that guiding Amy will be a distraction from his own troubles.
But as Luke and Amy travel through the stunning scenery of Northern Spain, following in footsteps of those travellers before them, they feel a connection to each other. And as their bond grows, a love story from the distant past emerges before them, forcing them to confront their own secrets, pain and feelings for each other.
Can a story of courage and bravery help them both to emerge from the shadows into the light once more?
Under A Spanish Sky is an enchanting novel about the search for happiness, fulfilment…and above all love. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
It’s been a while since I’ve read one of T.A. Williams’s romance novels–lately, I’ve been delving into his cozy mystery reads. Under A Spanish Sky was the perfect bridge back, with characters who are deeply connected and engaging. I loved the dynamic between Amy and Luke. They are an unlikely pairing, portrayed well when the two meet for the first time. Yet, over time, they both begin to learn a lot more about each other, allowing for the chance for something possible to grow.
The trip they take in 2016 replicates and parallels a story that is also center stage with two characters (Luc and Aimee) in 1314, and I appreciated going back and forth between the two timelines. In 2016, Luke feels guilt in developing any sort of feelings for Amy, because it goes against his moral compass. In 1314, Luc feels the same way, and for the same reason, but with an entirely different backstory from Luke’s. Ultimately, both men are drawn to the strength and perseverance of the women they are guiding, at times sure their feelings are reciprocated, but entirely unsure of how to feel about that.
Out of the two timelines, 1314 is my favorite. The author made the Late Middle Ages fun and exciting. Luc and Aimee face a lot of obstacles and there are plenty of action-packed moments. It had more of a physical explorer element, given the era and lack of modern comforts. Yet, I liked 2016’s take on going from an era of modern comforts to stripping some of that away, to where Amy feels like she’s reconnecting with the core of herself and re-discovering who she is. Excluding Luke as her guide, it felt a little Eat, Pray, Love in that regard.
There was a sweet, gentle tone mixed in with the adventures both couples take, and while reading it, I felt refreshed. Usually this author’s writing makes me yearn for food (he usually includes scenes with delicious meals that makes me want to travel to the destinations he writes about) or makes me want to hop on a plane and fly hours and hours to see the destinations in person), but this time I yearned for my own special pilgrimage, that could potentially help me to grow and expand in ways I would have never thought possible. This was a well-worth it experience!
Accompanying her on her journey is Luke Patterson a man whose own troubled past casts dark shadows over his life. He’s hoping that guiding Amy will be a distraction from his own troubles.
But as Luke and Amy travel through the stunning scenery of Northern Spain, following in footsteps of those travellers before them, they feel a connection to each other. And as their bond grows, a love story from the distant past emerges before them, forcing them to confront their own secrets, pain and feelings for each other.
Can a story of courage and bravery help them both to emerge from the shadows into the light once more?
Under A Spanish Sky is an enchanting novel about the search for happiness, fulfilment…and above all love. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
It’s been a while since I’ve read one of T.A. Williams’s romance novels–lately, I’ve been delving into his cozy mystery reads. Under A Spanish Sky was the perfect bridge back, with characters who are deeply connected and engaging. I loved the dynamic between Amy and Luke. They are an unlikely pairing, portrayed well when the two meet for the first time. Yet, over time, they both begin to learn a lot more about each other, allowing for the chance for something possible to grow.
The trip they take in 2016 replicates and parallels a story that is also center stage with two characters (Luc and Aimee) in 1314, and I appreciated going back and forth between the two timelines. In 2016, Luke feels guilt in developing any sort of feelings for Amy, because it goes against his moral compass. In 1314, Luc feels the same way, and for the same reason, but with an entirely different backstory from Luke’s. Ultimately, both men are drawn to the strength and perseverance of the women they are guiding, at times sure their feelings are reciprocated, but entirely unsure of how to feel about that.
Out of the two timelines, 1314 is my favorite. The author made the Late Middle Ages fun and exciting. Luc and Aimee face a lot of obstacles and there are plenty of action-packed moments. It had more of a physical explorer element, given the era and lack of modern comforts. Yet, I liked 2016’s take on going from an era of modern comforts to stripping some of that away, to where Amy feels like she’s reconnecting with the core of herself and re-discovering who she is. Excluding Luke as her guide, it felt a little Eat, Pray, Love in that regard.
There was a sweet, gentle tone mixed in with the adventures both couples take, and while reading it, I felt refreshed. Usually this author’s writing makes me yearn for food (he usually includes scenes with delicious meals that makes me want to travel to the destinations he writes about) or makes me want to hop on a plane and fly hours and hours to see the destinations in person), but this time I yearned for my own special pilgrimage, that could potentially help me to grow and expand in ways I would have never thought possible. This was a well-worth it experience!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was previously published as Chasing Shadows
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1 comment:
Warmest thanks, Sara. So glad you enjoyed this one.
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