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August 24, 2012

Review: Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren

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Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”
Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.
Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.
 It took me quite a while to get my hands on Cascade, but once I delved back into this amazing interpretation of fourteenth century Italy, I remembered exactly why I loved book one so much.

Cascade picks up right where Waterfall left off--sisters Gabriella and Evangelia Bettarini have returned to the present day wearing six hundred year old gowns with a tale that is beyond anyone's wildest imagination. Gabi and Lia must convince their mother, an archaeologist, to believe their story and then return to the land of Gabi's beloved, Marcello, and Lia's own charmer, Luca. Going back is a dangerous decision that very well may ensnare the Ladies Bettarini into further conflict with the Florentines, but Gabi is willing to risk it all for a chance at true love.

As in the previous book, Gabi is fierce, Lia is kindhearted, and even their mother proves to be a skilled fighter when her daughters are in mortal danger. Not surprisingly, both Marcello and Luca continued to make me swoon. Marcello is undeniably attractive--you really cannot go wrong with a fourteenth century Italian knight--and Luca's sense of humor kept me entertained even in the most daunting situations. Another intriguing addition to the story is Rodolfo Greco, a childhood friend of Marcello's , whose questionable loyalties made for a very unpredictable plot.

The world-building in this series is something that set it apart very early on. Lisa Bergren's ability to paint a both descriptive and accurate picture is exceptional. I'm not usually a big fan of historical fiction, but these books rank very high on my list of favorites because they are just so unique. As soon as I finished Cascade, I moved directly on to book three with high anxiety over the final outcome. Of course, the author did not disappoint. In fact, she basically blew my expectations out of the water. My review of Torrent will be up shortly. Fans of historical fiction and medieval times, as well as chivalrous, smoking hot guys, do not let this series pass you by.

Rating: 5/5 stars


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