The Last Camellia

I was so excited that I got two Sarah Jio books for Christmas.  I read The Last Camellia first and while I wasn't as IN love with it as I was The Violets of March I devoured it.  When I sat down I was instantly in the story and did not want to get out.

I really felt like I was in a scene from The Sound of Music when the chapters were focused on Flora and her time at the manor.  The children's mother died, the father was aloof and hard, didn't show love towards his family and they had run off nanny's and then Flora comes in and even though they might not be nice to her right away they fall in love with her sand she charms the father.  Sound of Music, am I right?

Then I equally felt like I was in an episode of Downton Abbey and was just waiting for the dowager to show up! With all the proper English ways and well I may have watched a few episodes right before reading.  But it definitely made me think that The Sound of Music was meeting Downton Abbey, in a good way. 

The book slips back and forth between 1940 and 2000 and is mostly set at Livingston Manor where there is sadness, a bit of mystery and possibly a most rare flower that flower thieves (could NOT take that part seriously) were after.  Speaking of the thieves, I just could  not buy into that storyline but, I also really don't care that much for flowers.  The narrators are Flora who leads the 1940 chapters and Addison who is at Livingston Manor in 2000.

I loved it.  I would LOOVE LOVE LOVE to read a novel about certain characters times after 1940 but if by chance you have NOT read this yet I won't say more on that.

I did read a few reviews they didn't care for the ending and while it still left a bit of mystery I felt it was hurried up to finish.

If you are looking for a new author to check out, I'd highly recommend Sarah Jio!

If you've read books by Jio, which is your favorite? Is there another author you are rarely disappointed with?