Carla Kelly is a master at writing gut wrenching, highly charged, emotional books with a light touch of humor and sweet poignancy without being heavy handed. She excels in telling of the horror of war and especially how it affects women and children. Warning: This book is not for those who get a bit queasy when reading about the realities of battle and its aftermath. In One Good Turn we learn how some men can be horribly brutal and barbaric and yet others so incredibly kind and compassionate. Every character is three dimensional and complex.Benedict Nesbitt (Nez), Duke of Knaresborough, is a veteran of the Peninsular War, and meets Liria Valencia and her son when he is shamed into picking them up from the side of the road during a rainstorm. Nez is traveling with his niece who has chicken pox and his butler. Miss Valencia's strength and surface calm hides deep pain and anger as she was a victim of the atrocities of war. But she courageously gets on with her life to care for her five year old son. Nez starts to suspect the horror of her past which also forces him to recall his own shameful secrets. This book is a testament to the healing power of love and is a MUST read. Go buy, beg, or borrow it any way you can and read it.
My Grade: A
2 comments:
Nice to see this since I just bought this at an outlet mall bookstore last weekend! Er, though, don't know when I'll read it.
Found you from Màili's blog.
Hi nicole: hope you actually get around to reading it. I have had it in my TBR pile for about 3 years, but I'm so glad I actual read it finally.
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