Three Words for Goodbye: A Novel

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From Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, the bestselling authors of Meet Me in Monaco, comes a coming-of-age novel set in pre-WWII Europe, perfect for fans of Jennifer Robson, Beatriz Williams, and Kate Quinn.

Three cities, two sisters, one chance to correct the past . . .

New York, 1937: When estranged sisters Clara and Madeleine Sommers learn their grandmother is dying, they agree to fulfill her last wish: to travel across Europetogether. They are to deliver three letters, in which Violet will say goodbye to those she hasnt seen since traveling to Europe forty years earlier; a journey inspired by famed reporter, Nellie Bly.

Clara, ever-dutiful, sees the trip as an inconvenient detour before her wedding to millionaire Charles Hancock, but its also a chance to embrace her love of art. Budding journalist Madeleine relishes the opportunity to develop her ambitions to report on the growing threat of Hitlers Nazi party and Mussolinis control in Italy.

Constantly at odds with each other as they explore the luxurious Queen Mary, the Orient Express, and the sights of Paris and Venice,, Clara and Madeleine wonder if they can fulfil Violets wish, until a shocking truth about their family brings them closer together. But as they reach Vienna to deliver the final letter, old grudges threaten their reconciliation again. As political tensions rise, and Europe feels increasingly volatile, the pair are glad to head home on the Hindenburg, where fate will play its hand in the final stage of their journey.

Reviews

"Utterly delightful and the perfect escape. I loved being swept away to 1930s Paris, Venice, and Vienna alongside Maddie and Clara who, despite their differences, have come together to fulfill their dying grandmothers final wish...A heartwarming and wonderful story about the power of forgiveness and the unbreakable bond of sisters. Natasha Lester, New York Timesbestselling author of The Paris Secret "Vibrant and laced with fascinating historical references...this tale of the complicated love between sisters and the mending of fractured relationships will move you, entertain you, and maybe even inspire you to seek out a truer path of your own." Kristin Harmel,New York Timesbestselling author ofThe Book of Lost NamesandThe Forest of Vanishing Star "Illuminating the importance of family and the power of forgiveness, Three Words for Goodbyebeautifully renders the romance of France, Italy and Austria with picturesque streets and culinary delights...I couldnt stop turning the novel's pages until Id reached the high-octane conclusion." Meredith Jaeger, USA Today bestselling author ofThe Dressmakers Dowry What a treat! Three Words for Goodbye is an absorbing, escapist, uplifting read... Reading this novel is like reclining in a comfortable beach chair with warm sun on your skin and a glass of champagne at your elbow: you wont want it to end. Gill Paul, bestselling author ofThe Secret Wife "The perfect escapist read, full of heart." Liz Fenwick, award-winning author of The Path to the Sea "Three glorious locations, two different but equally engaging sisters, family secrets to uncover and hearts to be won and lost, plus one big, shocking finale, Three Words for Goodbye is the very best of immersive, escapist historical fiction. I loved it from the first page. " Liz Trenow, author ofThe Forgotten Seamstress "Oh, how I adored this. I missed Clara and Madeleine every time I had to put the book down and felt like I was with them on their journey." Prima Magazine "Charming historical fiction." Booklist Three Words for Goodbyetakes us there: inside the cultural and class norms, the social pressures, the sense of duty and propriety, unrealized dreams, plus all the complexities that test and form relationships along the way: from sisterhood to family, courtship, engagement, friendship, even an encounter with a charming stranger. BookTrib The suspense of decisions to be made and secrets to be revealed are intensified as the sisters travel to each destination. In Three Words for Goodbye, the anticipation of what lies ahead for Clara and Maddy adds to this enriching, enjoyable journey. Historical Novels Review

Author Bio

Hazel Gaynor is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Memory of Violets and The Girl Who Came Home, for which she received the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award. Her third novel, The Girl from the Savoy, was an Irish Times and Globe & Mail Canada bestseller, and was shortlisted for the BGE Irish Book Awards Popular Fiction Book of the Year. In 2017, she has published The Cottingley Secret and Last Christmas in Paris. Hazel was selected by US Library Journal as one of 'Ten Big Breakout Authors' for 2015 and her work has been translated into several languages. Hazel lives in Ireland with her husband and two children. Heather Webb is an author, freelance editor, and blogger at award-winning writing sites WriterUnboxed.com and RomanceUniversity.org. Heather is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Women's Fiction Writers Association, and she may also be found teaching craft-based courses at a local college.