Every Word Unsaid provides another enriching, emotional read by historical author Kimberly Duffy.
Book Blurb
Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal at the worst possible moment, she’s forced to leave America entirely.
Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and adventures that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing.
As she grows closer to friends, old and new, and allows their words of truth to heal parched places, she pictures a new future. But when the fallout of her past decisions finds her in India, will it ruin her chance to finally stop running?
My Thoughts
I identified with Gussie, though I didn’t agree with her every choice. She can come off a bit selfish at times, but Duffy gives this character a depth that pulled me in and made me root for her.
With Gussie, Duffy explores a lot of things, but what struck me the most was the idea that words have the power to hurt or heal. The juxtaposition of Gussie’s parents with Uncle James and Gabriel was not lost on me, nor were they lost on her. These relationships drew out the complexity of relationships, especially valuing someone’s opinion so much that their disapproval hurts you even more. And Duffy does a great job of pointing it all back to our relationship with God and considering how He views us with a love we don’t deserve.
In her past novels (A Mosaic of Wings and A Tapestry of Light) I have found myself wishing we could have the romantic interest’s point of view. But with Every Word Unsaid, I wished it even more. I wanted to explore more of Gabriel’s journey, the way anxiety affects his life. But perhaps all we needed to see was Gussie’s acceptance of him, the way she acknowledges his fears but reminds him that he cannot control everything.
Overall, Every Word Unsaid is a compelling historical novel that romance and women’s fiction fans alike will devour.
(Note: I received a complimentary copy. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Further Information
Grab a copy of A Tapestry of Light by clicking the book cover or by visiting your favorite book retailer.
For more on Kimberly Duffy, visit her website and sign up for her newsletter. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
