Blog Tour: In Another Life by Julie Christine Johnson: A Book Review

Julie Christine Johnson

In Another Life

(Historical Fiction/Contemporary Women's Fiction/ Fantasy/Romance) Release date: February 2, 2016 at Sourcebooks 368 pages ISBN: 978--2954168197 Website | Goodreads
Source: This book was given to me by France Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Historian Lia Carrer has finally returned to southern France, determined to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. But instead of finding solace in the region's quiet hills and medieval ruins, she falls in love with Raoul, a man whose very existence challenges everything she knows about life--and about her husband's death. As Raoul reveals the story of his past to Lia, she becomes entangled in the echoes of an ancient murder, resulting in a haunting and suspenseful journey that reminds Lia that the dead may not be as far from us as we think. Steeped in the rich history and romantic landscape of the Languedoc region, In Another Life is a story of love that conquers time and the lost loves that haunt us all.

     My Review: After the death of her husband, Lia returns to France to start a new life. When she is working on her dissertation, she finds herself encountering three mysterious men Each of these men are not what they seem, for they are trapped in time. They seek Lia’s help to solve a murder mystery that occurred in 1208. As Lia learns their stories, she learns of her own connection and how it is linked to her husband’s death. Can Lia help save these men and at the same time heal from her loss?

     Lia is a very sympathetic character. She is in grief. She is trying to cope with her loss and start a new life. When she encounters these men, she finds herself drawn to one of them, Raoul. She relates to him because he has experienced the loss of losing his loved ones too. By trying to solve what really happened in 1208, I felt that it has helped her cope. She is also very smart and curious. She is also very selfless. Lia knows she has to make hard choices, and she makes sacrifices to  to help these men. Therefore, Lia is a very relatable character, and I found her to be a strong protagonist.

     Overall, this book is about friendship, love, loss, sacrifices, and redemption. This book is about a woman’s quest to heal from the loss of a loved one. The message of the book is that there is always hope. This story alternates between the present and the medieval storylines. I found myself liking the present storyline better because I liked Lia’s character. The story is slow at the beginning, but halfway through it picks up. The story had a mystery, and it was fascinating to find out what had happened. The characters were complex and very human. They all had their flaws, which made them very realistic. I also thought this book to be very well-written, and I liked the descriptions of France. I recommend this book to anyone who not only likes to read about mysteries and time-travel, but also for anyone who is trying to heal after the loss of a loved one.


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 
Photo by Al Bergstein

     Julie Christine Johnson is the author of the novels In Another Life (February 2016, Sourcebooks Landmark) and The Crows of Beara (September 2017, Ashland Creek Press). Her short stories and essays have appeared in several journals, including Emerge Literary Journal, Mud Season Review; Cirque: A Literary Journal of the North Pacific Rim; Cobalt, the anthologies Stories for Sendai; Up, Do: Flash Fiction by Women Writers; and Three Minus One: Stories of Love and Loss and featured on the flash fiction podcast, No Extra Words. She holds undergraduate degrees in French and Psychology and a Master's in International Affairs. A runner, hiker, and wine geek, Julie makes her home on the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington state with her husband. In Another Life is her first novel.Visit Julie's website and blog. Follow Julie Christine Johnson on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up to receive her Newsletter. Buy the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Indiebound.

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