The Summer Before the Storm by Gabriele Wills

About this novel...
"It's the Age of Elegance in the summer playground of the affluent and powerful. Amid the pristine, island-dotted lakes and pine-scented forests of the Canadian wilderness, the young and carefree amuse themselves with glittering balls and friendly competitions. The summer of 1914 promises to be different when the ambitious and destitute son of a disowned heir joins his wealthy family at their cottage on Wyndwood Island. Through Jack's introduction into the privileged life of the aristocratic Wyndhams and their illustrious social circle, he seeks opportunities and alliances to better himself, including in his schemes, his beautiful and audacious cousin, Victoria.

 But their charmed lives begin to unravel with the onset of the Great War, in which many are destined to become part of the "lost generation".

 This richly textured tale takes the reader on an unforgettable journey from romantic moonlight cruises to the horrific sinking of the Lusitania, from regattas on the water to combat in the skies over France, from extravagant mansions to deadly trenches - from innocence to nationhood.

The Summer Before The Storm, the first of the epic Muskoka Trilogy, evokes a gracious, bygone era that still resonates in this legendary land of lakes.

 This novel was chosen by the Muskoka Chautauqua for their esteemed Reading List in 2010.

 If you are a Downton Abbey fan, chances are you will love this book and the rest of the series!"

Are you kidding me with this book?!? It has EVERYTHING I adore... The Age of Elegance, the rich families and the working class families, the fashions and manners of an innocent era teetering on the precipice of war and my favorite words to read on the front of a novel... "Book One"... because that means there will be more! And I love series!

The Summer Before the Storm is populated with vibrant and faceted characters who are written with care and feeling. As I read deeper into this great novel... dare I say...BFB (big fat book!),  I found myself  loving (and sometimes) hating them more and more. Ms. Wills is such a great author that she has created characters that I cannot wait to continue with in the next volume.

The descriptive passages are perfect in scale. She gives me what I want and need but not overdoing it. There are many books that I have, literally, tossed aside because the author didn't know when to stop writing. I look forward to reading the rest of the series because I'm comfortable with Ms. Wills writing style.

About Gabriele Wills:

The author of five highly acclaimed historical novels, Gabriele loves to recreate an era in which she can immerse herself (and readers), by weaving compelling stories around meticulously researched facts. Her characters are best friends, whom others are now calling "cherished friends".

With degrees in the social sciences and education, Gabriele has had a varied career as an educator, literacy coordinator, and website designer, and has been an active community volunteer, particularly in heritage preservation. But writing fiction has always been her passion. Her first short story appeared in the Canadian Authors Association Winners' Circle 5 Anthology. In 2001, she produced an award-nominated feature on CBC Radio's "Outfront".

Born in Germany, Gabriele emigrated to Canada as a young child. She grew up in Lindsay, Ontario, enjoyed several years in Ottawa, and currently resides in Guelph with her husband. She is the proud mother of an accomplished daughter, with whom she is collaborating on an historical YA novel. Visit her at Mindshadows.com for more information.

Gabriele's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GabrieleWills

Gabriele on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabrieleWills

~~Thanks to Teddy Rose at Virtual Author Book Tours and the author, Gabriele Wills for providing  The Summer Before the Storm in exchange for this review.~~