Name: The Memory of Us
Rating: 3.5 (6 reviews)
ISBN: 9781548602888

Camille Di Maio

The Memory of Us: A Novel By Camille Di Maio

The Memory of Us

Julianne Westcott was living the kind of life that other Protestant girls in prewar Liverpool could only dream about: old money, silk ball gowns, and prominent young men lining up to escort her. But when she learns of a blind-and-deaf brother, institutionalized since birth, the illusion of her perfect life and family shatters around her. While visiting her brother in secret, Julianne meets and befriends Kyle McCarthy, an Irish Catholic groundskeeper studying to become a priest. Caught between her family's expectations, Kyle's devotion to the church, and the intense new feelings that the forbidden courtship has awakened in her, Julianne must make a choice: uphold the life she's always known or follow the difficult path toward love. But as war ripples through the world and the Blitz decimates England, a tragic accident forces Julianne to leave everything behind and forge a new life built on lies she's told to protect the ones she loves. Now, after twenty years of hiding from her past, the truth finds her--will she be brave enough to face it?

shelby mosel

J Sullivan

** spoiler alert **
           I really don't understand why this book has such high reviews! The whole story makes you roll your eyes but when the main character decides to give up her baby and act like she's dead because she got burned I almost stopped reading. Because I was so close to the end I decided to skim to the end where she somehow meets up with her husband who just forgives her no problem?! I'm glad this book was free from Kindle (and now I know why).

Jessica 

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  As a note, an e-galley of this novel was sent to me via Net Galley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.


Although tales of star crossed lovers are common in all forms of entertainment, the forbidden romance trope is very much so a go-to when writing a love story. Many would argue that it is overdone and perhaps that is true, but in some cases the 
  "I want what I can't have" 
element adds a little spice to a story and propels us into a world of romance and envy. The Memory of Us sports this trope and gives it a true, solid, heart that will have readers intrigued from the get-go.

There are quite a few things I should state, first, before tackling my review of this novel. First, is that it it is Di Maio's debut novel--a damn good one, at that, and I expect we shall be hearing more from her in the future. What's most striking about The Memory of Us is its delightful, realistic and heartfelt prose. Camille's words breathe life into the story and reader and will leave the audience feeling quite pleased throughout. Indeed, it is most easy to lose yourself in it. There's so much heart and warmth to the story that I promise you, readers, you will come out of it feeling something. 

Continued: BOOKEDJ

The Memory of Us

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