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theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
2.0
Love, Alice by Barbara Davis is the story about grieving and moving beyond it. Dovie Larkin is thirty-six years old and lost her artist fiancé a year ago. He committed suicide two weeks before their wedding. Dovie cannot move on because she has unanswered questions. William, her fiancé, did not leave a note. Dovie does not understand why he killed himself. Was she not good enough for him? Dovie takes her lunch each day at William’s grave (which people think is weird). Dovie has been forgetful and flighty the last year. She needs to get her act together or she will lose her job at the museum (and she worked very hard for her promotion). Dovie is a curator at the Charleston Museum of Cultural Arts and is organizing a fundraiser for the new art education wing (with the help of the Austin Tate). One day in the cemetery Dovie sees a woman who seems to be as grief stricken as Dovie. Dovie watches her leave a letter at the grave that has Alice’s Angel on it. Dovie takes the letter and reads it. This letter leads Dovie on a journey to help Dora. It also sets Dovie on a path to get the answers she needs to help her move on with her life.
Love, Alice is about Dovie finding answers she feels she needs by helping Dora. Ultimately, though, the book is a romance novel (it dives into a romance between Austin Tate and Dovie). The story is set in 2005 with the letters taking the reader back in time. I liked Dora and her daughter Alice’s story. It was the best part of the book. It was interesting how the author tied everything together. I found the “surprises” were no surprise. The reader can easily figure them out in advance of the reveal. I wanted to give Dovie a good shake and tell her to open her eyes. Dovie was too old to not see what was right in front of her (it was so obvious). She is not some naïve twenty-something. I give Love, Alice 2.5 out of 5 stars. I found the book to be a too long. It desperately needed some rewriting and trimming. There are many slow sections in the book. Dovie does her “thinking” and “questioning” which gets tedious (I skimmed through these areas). Love, Alice was not my type of book. If you are looking for a feel-good romance novel, then you will enjoy Love, Alice.
Love, Alice is about Dovie finding answers she feels she needs by helping Dora. Ultimately, though, the book is a romance novel (it dives into a romance between Austin Tate and Dovie). The story is set in 2005 with the letters taking the reader back in time. I liked Dora and her daughter Alice’s story. It was the best part of the book. It was interesting how the author tied everything together. I found the “surprises” were no surprise. The reader can easily figure them out in advance of the reveal. I wanted to give Dovie a good shake and tell her to open her eyes. Dovie was too old to not see what was right in front of her (it was so obvious). She is not some naïve twenty-something. I give Love, Alice 2.5 out of 5 stars. I found the book to be a too long. It desperately needed some rewriting and trimming. There are many slow sections in the book. Dovie does her “thinking” and “questioning” which gets tedious (I skimmed through these areas). Love, Alice was not my type of book. If you are looking for a feel-good romance novel, then you will enjoy Love, Alice.
shannonpifher's review
4.0
Dear Little One,
This book is about Dovie Larkin. A museum curator who spends her lunches and weekends at the cemetery, mourning the sudden death of her fiancé, Will, and searching for answers she will probably never find into why he committed suicide 2 weeks before their wedding. One day, Alice sees a grieving lady leave a letter on the most famous gravestone in Charleston, SC. Hoping to discover in the letter a way to move on, Dovie steals the letter and finds her life spiraling in a way that threatens her job and new relationships.
It was a very cute story. However, predictable. Throughout the book there are 2 big secrets, what happened to Alice Tandy's search for her baby and why did William kill himself. Both answers were apparent early on in the book. And William's secret is the same secret every book in the 21st century has now. But i still enjoyed reading this. 4 stars. -1 for the predictability
Love, Alice
This book is about Dovie Larkin. A museum curator who spends her lunches and weekends at the cemetery, mourning the sudden death of her fiancé, Will, and searching for answers she will probably never find into why he committed suicide 2 weeks before their wedding. One day, Alice sees a grieving lady leave a letter on the most famous gravestone in Charleston, SC. Hoping to discover in the letter a way to move on, Dovie steals the letter and finds her life spiraling in a way that threatens her job and new relationships.
It was a very cute story. However, predictable. Throughout the book there are 2 big secrets, what happened to Alice Tandy's search for her baby and why did William kill himself. Both answers were apparent early on in the book. And William's secret is the same secret every book in the 21st century has now. But i still enjoyed reading this. 4 stars. -1 for the predictability
Love, Alice
kdurham2's review against another edition
5.0
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
What an epic story! Dovie Larkin has spent the last year mourning the loss of her fiance as he committed suicide just before their wedding. She has visited his grave site trying to find the answers and she interestingly finds the answers in a completely different place. While at the graveside she sees a woman put a letter on a grave and her inquisitive side comes out and she will do anything to find answers.
There are almost two storylines going on at the same time. One is Dora as she tries to find the answers to what happened to her daughter after her daughter left her 40 years ago and then Dovie's storyline. I loved how these stories slowly wove together. I won't spoil anything, but the author perfectly stitched them together at just the right pace. There were a few moments where I predicted what was coming next, but it in no way affected my reading.
What an epic story! Dovie Larkin has spent the last year mourning the loss of her fiance as he committed suicide just before their wedding. She has visited his grave site trying to find the answers and she interestingly finds the answers in a completely different place. While at the graveside she sees a woman put a letter on a grave and her inquisitive side comes out and she will do anything to find answers.
There are almost two storylines going on at the same time. One is Dora as she tries to find the answers to what happened to her daughter after her daughter left her 40 years ago and then Dovie's storyline. I loved how these stories slowly wove together. I won't spoil anything, but the author perfectly stitched them together at just the right pace. There were a few moments where I predicted what was coming next, but it in no way affected my reading.
kdowli01's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
susanthebookbag's review
5.0
This author is new to me but I had been seeing this book everywhere and everyone was talking about it. I knew I had to read it! This is an amazing story with a gripping storyline that kept drawing me back to it. I couldn't stop reading because I just had to find out if Alice was ever going to find her child. And would Dovie ever find peace and be able to move on with her life?
The story goes back and forth between 1962 when Alice is sent away as an unwed mother in England and the year 2005. Oh my goodness, what Alice had to endure at the Blackhurst Asylum for Unwed Mothers. And then to have her baby snatched away from her without even so much as a peek at the child. The year 2005 seems just as bleak as Dovie mourns her fiance who took his own life two weeks before their wedding. It's been a year and she still doesn't have any answers.
The characters become so intertwined in the story but they all have their own pain and secrets. The collection of letters, even though they are wrought with sadness, help to heal those that they touch. The letters are what kept me going, I hoped the letters would give me the answers I was looking for as well.
I just loved this whole story and the way that the author wove it all together. I wasn't sure how it was all going to end and it kept me guessing. What a sad but beautiful tale.
The story goes back and forth between 1962 when Alice is sent away as an unwed mother in England and the year 2005. Oh my goodness, what Alice had to endure at the Blackhurst Asylum for Unwed Mothers. And then to have her baby snatched away from her without even so much as a peek at the child. The year 2005 seems just as bleak as Dovie mourns her fiance who took his own life two weeks before their wedding. It's been a year and she still doesn't have any answers.
The characters become so intertwined in the story but they all have their own pain and secrets. The collection of letters, even though they are wrought with sadness, help to heal those that they touch. The letters are what kept me going, I hoped the letters would give me the answers I was looking for as well.
I just loved this whole story and the way that the author wove it all together. I wasn't sure how it was all going to end and it kept me guessing. What a sad but beautiful tale.
kbranfield's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars.
Love, Alice is a heart wrenching story of loss and grief that is ultimately uplifting. With the secondary story arc that takes place during the 1960s, Barbara Davis brings much needed attention to the abhorrent "Magdalene Laundries" where unwed mothers were forced to give up their babies and endure horrific living conditions. The present day storyline is equally affecting as a grief-stricken young woman searches for answers about her fiancé's inexplicable suicide a year earlier.
On the one year anniversary of her fiancé William Prescott's death, Dovie Larkin is no closer to understanding why he took his own life and she still remains mired in grief as she visits his grave daily. With her family, boss and friends running out of patience with her inability to move past her tragedy, she is already in danger of losing her job when she becomes obsessed with a series of letters that were written by Alice Tandy during the 1960s. Trying to help Alice's elderly mom, Dora, find a measure of peace for forcing her unwed daughter give her baby up for adoption, Dovie puts her career in jeopardy when her search for answers leads to the Tate family, who just happen to have recently made a huge donation to the museum where she works. Working closely with Austin Tate on a fundraiser, Dovie tries to respect his request that she stay away from his grieving mother, Gemma, but she quickly realizes that Gemma quite possibly holds the key to finding out what happened to Alice. Will uncovering the truth about what happened to Alice and the baby she gave up for adoption help heal Dora's wounds? Can understanding Dora's grief provide a way for Dovie to move past her own grief?
Dovie's need for answers about William's suicide is completely understandable but it is very frustrating watching her push away her friends and family in the process. It is also somewhat maddening that even though she KNOWS her job is in jeopardy, she continues to make reckless decisions that puts her career on the line. It is not until she meets Austin that she is forced to take a hard look at her relationship with William and face the truth that has been staring her in face all along. Dovie is also very dismayed by her unnerving attraction to the handsome Tate heir, but Austin has his own demons to make peace with before their relationship can move forward.
The storyline about Alice's time at the Blackhurst Asylum for Unwed Mothers is incredibly poignant and utterly heartrending. The stigma of unwed pregnancy is the driving force behind Dora's decision to force her daughter to give up her child for adoption. Through a series of letters written over the years to her beloved baby, the truth about Alice's time at Blackhurst and her subsequent search for her child emerges in heartbreaking detail.
From the first gut wrenching and emotional letter to the final deeply moving missive, Love, Alice is an absolutely riveting story that is impossible to put down. The plot is a bit predictable but this does not lessen the impact of this touching story. The characters are beautifully developed and although deeply flawed, they are sympathetic and easy to root for. Barbara Davis's decision to include the "Magdalene Laundries" in the novel adds an incredible amount of depth and substance to the storyline. The addition of a slight romantic element lightens the story but it also forces Dovie and Austin to deal with the unresolved issues from their previous relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend beautiful novel of healing and redemption.
Love, Alice is a heart wrenching story of loss and grief that is ultimately uplifting. With the secondary story arc that takes place during the 1960s, Barbara Davis brings much needed attention to the abhorrent "Magdalene Laundries" where unwed mothers were forced to give up their babies and endure horrific living conditions. The present day storyline is equally affecting as a grief-stricken young woman searches for answers about her fiancé's inexplicable suicide a year earlier.
On the one year anniversary of her fiancé William Prescott's death, Dovie Larkin is no closer to understanding why he took his own life and she still remains mired in grief as she visits his grave daily. With her family, boss and friends running out of patience with her inability to move past her tragedy, she is already in danger of losing her job when she becomes obsessed with a series of letters that were written by Alice Tandy during the 1960s. Trying to help Alice's elderly mom, Dora, find a measure of peace for forcing her unwed daughter give her baby up for adoption, Dovie puts her career in jeopardy when her search for answers leads to the Tate family, who just happen to have recently made a huge donation to the museum where she works. Working closely with Austin Tate on a fundraiser, Dovie tries to respect his request that she stay away from his grieving mother, Gemma, but she quickly realizes that Gemma quite possibly holds the key to finding out what happened to Alice. Will uncovering the truth about what happened to Alice and the baby she gave up for adoption help heal Dora's wounds? Can understanding Dora's grief provide a way for Dovie to move past her own grief?
Dovie's need for answers about William's suicide is completely understandable but it is very frustrating watching her push away her friends and family in the process. It is also somewhat maddening that even though she KNOWS her job is in jeopardy, she continues to make reckless decisions that puts her career on the line. It is not until she meets Austin that she is forced to take a hard look at her relationship with William and face the truth that has been staring her in face all along. Dovie is also very dismayed by her unnerving attraction to the handsome Tate heir, but Austin has his own demons to make peace with before their relationship can move forward.
The storyline about Alice's time at the Blackhurst Asylum for Unwed Mothers is incredibly poignant and utterly heartrending. The stigma of unwed pregnancy is the driving force behind Dora's decision to force her daughter to give up her child for adoption. Through a series of letters written over the years to her beloved baby, the truth about Alice's time at Blackhurst and her subsequent search for her child emerges in heartbreaking detail.
From the first gut wrenching and emotional letter to the final deeply moving missive, Love, Alice is an absolutely riveting story that is impossible to put down. The plot is a bit predictable but this does not lessen the impact of this touching story. The characters are beautifully developed and although deeply flawed, they are sympathetic and easy to root for. Barbara Davis's decision to include the "Magdalene Laundries" in the novel adds an incredible amount of depth and substance to the storyline. The addition of a slight romantic element lightens the story but it also forces Dovie and Austin to deal with the unresolved issues from their previous relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend beautiful novel of healing and redemption.
addy1991's review against another edition
I couldn't decide whether I liked some of the choices Dovie made or not. Her ease at meddling in other people's business bothered me, mainly because she avoided resolving her own situation for so long. As things unfolded and various characters faced their part in the "puzzle", I realized that certain things might not have come to light without her doing what she did. Do the ends justify the means? I think this can only be answered while reading this book... I learned a little bit more about myself when I mentally placed myself in her shoes.
readwithkyladawngail's review against another edition
5.0
Beautifully written book. It pulls at your heart strings and you can't put it down. Parts of it were predictable but somehow I didn't care as much because it's such a good story
kacarella's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended for readers that like Moriarty, I wouldn’t say it was that level. I guessed the two secrets almost immediately.