The Time Between
By Karen White
ISBN# 9780451239860
Author’s Website: http://www.karen-white.com
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie
Synopsis:
A stunning new novel of betrayal and forgiveness from the New York Times bestselling author.
Thirty-four-year-old Eleanor Murray is consumed with guilt for causing the accident that paralyzed her sister—and for falling in love with her sister’s husband. But when her boss offers her a part-time job caring for his elderly aunt, Helena, Eleanor accepts, hoping this good deed will help atone for her mistakes.
On the barrier island of Edisto, Eleanor bonds with Helena over their mutual love of music. Drawing the older woman out of her depression, Eleanor learns of her life in Hungary, with her sister, before and during World War II. She hears tales of passion and heartache, defiance and dangerous deception. And when the truth of Helena and her sister’s actions comes to light, Eleanor may finally allow herself to move past guilt and to embrace the song that lies deep in her heart… (Goodreads)
Review:
Some books are fun to read, but they lack depth and purpose. Other books are deep, but they’re not inspiring. Some books are everything you want and more. The Time Between is one of those books. The Time Between is between the world and somewhere better. It’s between me and myself. It’s a book meant to be shared between you and a friend.
Let me begin by saying that when I started this book, I was in the worst mood ever. Mentally, I was exhausted and annoyed. Physically, I was worse. I was not in the mood for any book. I wanted to breeze through The Time Between and be done with it.
As you can guess, that did not happen. The Time Between cured me, saved me, changed me. It starts with a spark, and then the rest just kind of happens. The Time Between is not simply a read; it’s a lifestyle.
Eleanor is such a broken character. She’s so sacrificial, so different from her past self. She’s struggling as a person to forgive herself and forget. She’s in love with her sister’s husband, slaving away to her sister’s demands, and trying to forget her love of music. She’s so far from where she could have been.
I connected with Eleanor immediately. As people, we all have regrets, but Eleanor’s far surpasses mine. There’s an Eleanor in all of us, and The Time Between really plays to it. I like Eleanor as a person, especially since she develops in a raw, convincing way.
As for Helena, she’s quite a character. I didn’t understand at first why she acted the way she did, but as you get deeper into the book, you realize she’s quite broken as well. She’s ridden up with guilt; it eats her up. I learned to love her as she and Eleanor had mini battles over their wills.
The plot is simply amazing. There is no other way to put it. I loved how intricate it is. It’s such a deep and winding plot that is totally unexpected. It’s about World War II and stories of the past. It’s about a love for piano. It’s about forgiveness and honor and everything in between.
It’s inspiring.
The Time Between is such a beautiful book. Don’t put off reading it.
