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My Starry Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reason for Rating: A touching story featuring an alternative holistic therapy that beautifully explored ancestral healing
What I Learned: Believe in yourself and move forward no matter what
Publication Date: August 20, 2024 by Lake Union Publishing
Genres: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Fiction
SYNOPSIS:
A woman delves into a centuries-old murder to find the truth behind her self-destructive behavior in a powerful novel about love, loss, and healing by the bestselling author of An Unfinished Story and The Stars Don’t Lie.
Unable to catch a break in life or love as she approaches thirty, Charli Thurman sees red lights at every crossroads. And given the Thurman family’s tumultuous history, she knows things will only get worse, unless she can break the cycle and figure out where—and when—it all went wrong.
Charli is skeptical when her best friend introduces her to a “soul reader” who specializes in generational trauma. But during family constellation therapy with the guru, Charli experiences an inexplicable memory of terrible violence. Whatever happened in the past, it created an imbalance that’s still in the Thurman blood.
When Charli’s research leads her to Winchester, England, she meets a charming pub owner named Noah, whose own family history is similarly twisted. As the mystery deepens around a damaged inheritance and a tragic death, Charli is resolved to find the truth—and create the fresh start she has been hoping for her whole life.
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REVIEW:
An Echo in Time by Boo Walker is a heartfelt soulful read about ancestral healing, transgenerational trauma, and the redemptive power of forgiveness.
Charli’s life is in a rut. Everything she tries fails and the baggage from her terrible upbringing isn’t helping either. Obstructed by her own negative thinking, her best friend Viv recommends family constellation therapy to help break her out of the vicious circle she finds herself trapped in. With nothing to lose, Charli tries the therapy which brings up a devastating memory from long before she was born that has left an imprint on every subsequent generation in her family. With no other choice but to solve the family mystery, Charli heads to Winchester England to research her family history and to hopefully and finally put an end to the inherited trauma of her bloodline.
I was delighted to read a book about family constellation therapy as it is gaining popularity. I enjoyed the whole concept of this story, how the mistakes, pain, and trauma from our ancestors can be passed down through the generations. For some readers, this might be a little woo woo, but for myself and many others, it’s a fascinating and thought provoking concept. As per usual with Boo Walker stories, the characters in this book were emotionally complex and their feelings so well articulated that you could feel their heartache emanating from the pages. Charli was an interesting character, a victim of abuse whose unresolved pain affected every aspect of her life. I’m glad that she was written with bravery and open mindedness since she was as much of a victim of her own self limiting behaviors as she was of her ancestral trauma.
The dual timeline was a great addition to this story as you could see the similarities between Charli and her ancestor and the ways in which the universe will conspire to bring you to your healing.
An Echo in Time is a story that will make you think, make you cry, and make you believe in the power to forgive, release the past, and choose a better tomorrow.
My only critique is that the cover at first glance looks more Italian than British, and I don’t really like the title that much.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Bestselling author Boo Walker initially tapped his creative muse as a songwriter and banjoist in Nashville before working his way west to Washington State, where he bought a gentleman’s farm on the Yakima River. It was there amongst the grapevines and wine barrels that he fell in love with telling stories that now resonate with book clubs around the world. Rich with colorful characters and boundless soul, his novels will leave you with an open heart and a lifted spirit.
Always a wanderer, Boo currently lives in Valencia, Spain with his wife and son. He also writes thrillers under the pen name Benjamin Blackmore. You can find him at boowalker.com and benjaminblackmore.com.
For a free copy of his Red Mountain cookbook, updates, and other goodies, sign up for his newsletter at boowalker.com.
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