Review: The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge by Christine Nolfi

Title: The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge

Author: Christine Nolfi

Source: ebook from author for review

goodreads...

A savage rape on hallowed ground. Secrets buried for decades by the town’s most influential family.

Now Ourania D’Andre will learn the Great Oak’s secrets as construction begins at the Fagan mansion. She can’t afford to turn down a job that promises to stir up the long-buried guilt—and the passion—she shares with powerful Troy Fagan.

She’s already juggling the most important job of her career with her new responsibilities as a foster mother for young Walt and Emma Korchek. And there’s a hard, older man on the construction crew with eyes void of emotion—cold and killing. The secrets of his brutal past will pose a grave threat to the children in her care. Will she find the courage to face him? 

My Take...

Ourania hasn't been back to the mansion since her best friend Jason died so many years ago. Now here she is, standing before his brother Troy, about to start on a job that could potentially make a name for herself and her new business. If all goes well, she will be putting in a bid for the new Fagen plant on the very same property, which would be really huge for her. But things go from bad to worse on the first day and her job is threatened. Oh yeah, that plant job is looking more further and futher away.

Troy can't believe Ourania is actually standing before him on the job. He still thinks her as beautiful, but has a strict 'No dating employees' rule and just the sight of her reminds him of Jason. Crash, his lead man, is trying desperately to get her to step down from the job, but the stubborn girl is not budging. Yep, same Ourania. These next couple months should be fun.

In The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge, Nolfi tells a story of a horrific past and a tortured present. This story is one of forgiveness for many of the characters and the road back to it is not an easy one. Guilt is so heavy in their lives that forgiveness is a faraway dream. Could everything that has led to these moments actually be a curse that was set into motion one night long ago under the Great Oak?

Ok, gonna be honest here, I really wasn't looking forward to reading this one. I think because I have been reading so much lately, trying to catch up, I felt kinda burned out. And the thought of having to read another book for another review made me feel sorta blah. But once I started I was transported into Nolfi's world, I could actually smell apples in the orchards. Her writing is so beautifully done, it's like you feel every emotion running through the book, the good and the bad.

Nolfi's characters are extremely endearing, I fell for them and just wanted to hug them up and tell them it would all be ok. Well, except for one character...he was just plain evil. But the others, yeah they were great. I thought the banter between Troy and Ourania was hilarious. The girl can hold her own and wasn't shy about it. I mentioned probably a hundred times before I love romance in my reads, this story had some, not overdone, but it was just right for the book.

The plot was fabulous, absolutely fabulous. I enjoyed how the author would reveal bits and pieces at just the right time. And how the past would sneak in to tell it's story. It's like I was watching a movie and you know how the screen will get sorta fuzzy to show you it was going back to a different time...that's the image I would get. Would love to see The Tree of Everlasting Knowledge as a movie, and I think after you read it, you would too. (Yeah, we need to make this happen, Nolfi. Oooh time to start thinking of possible casting?! lol)

Thank you, Christine Nolfi for a chance to read your beautiful story. I hope to read more of your work someday.