Review: Gladly Beyond by Nichole Van

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

An ancient curse, fractured at the birth of three brothers.
Two strangers helplessly drawn to each other.
A love story two hundred years in the making.

Claire Raythorn arrives in Florence, Italy, shattered, alone, and anxious to rebuild her life--preferably one without men. But she soon finds herself hunted and haunted-- literally--when a mysterious stalker dressed like Mr. Darcy from BBC central casting appears in her photos. And only her photos. Who is this man? And what does his ghostly presence mean?

Dante D'Angelo simply wants to safeguard his brothers, despite the family curse that hounds his vision. But then Claire Raythorn walks into his life, untouched somehow by his curse. Soon, everything Dante thought he knew about himself starts to unravel, dragging Claire down with him.

Set against the lush backdrop of Florence, Italy--both past and present--Claire and Dante fight for a future together. But, first, they must uncover their shared past . . .

My Review

Epic, fascinating, enthralling, imaginative! The dynamic between Claire and Dante was surprisingly powerful as they work side by side, competing for a lucrative job offer, and share secrets as their past lives intertwine with the present. I normally don't care for time travel stories, but found this book to be an exception, primarily because the past was observed rather than actively participated in. The concept of reincarnation is front and center and was creatively explored through the "gifts" of Dante and his brothers. The romantic tension is strong since Claire has walls up around her battered heart but Dante is determined to win her trust. A threatening stalker ramps up the suspense as Claire and Dante roam the city searching for answers from the past to solve the art mystery they were hired to investigate as well as their potent shared connection. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author, especially the upcoming books in this series from the other brothers' points of view.

(Thank you to Ebooks For Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)