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Book Review: The Love Note by Joanna Politano

The Love Note, Joanna Politano’s latest, takes the reader back in time to Brighton, England in 1859 and is the second of her four books that I’ve read.

Willa Duvall has gained a reputation for collecting and disgarding marriage proposals. She has no interest in settling for being someone’s wife when she wants to be their doctor. But society and 19th-century culture keep her from her goal.

As she digs through her desk one day, she find an unopened, unsigned letter that she deduces belongs to someone at Crestwicke Manor where the desk came from. With pressure to marry coming from her father, she makes a bargain with him to land a lengthy nursing job or marry a man of her father’s choice. Thus starts her time at the manor.

She and others at Crestwicke fall under the influence of the anonymous letter. As it finds its way into various hands, it affects that person’s outlook on life and love.

With two of her books under my belt, Joanna Politano is quickly becoming a favorite author. Her stories have that 19th century gothic, Jane Eyre feel to them.

The Love Note is told in Willa’s first person and other characters’ third person POVs. The writing is first class, the characters both mysterious and tragic, and the setting has just the right amount of atmosphere to give it that dreary English countryside, somewhat eerie feel.

However, it’s a lovely, sentimental tale with an ending that totally blew me away with its twist and sweetness. If I could manage it, I’d give this book eight stars. Since I can’t, I’ll give it a full five.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Agree? Disagree? Thoughts?





As an author of heartwarming historical and contemporary romance, Sandra Ardoin engages readers with page-turning stories of love and faith. Rarely out of reach of a book, she's also an armchair sports enthusiast, country music listener, and seldom says no to eating out.

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