The Lovers cover art

The Lovers

Echoes from the Past, Book 1

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The Lovers

By: Irina Shapiro
Narrated by: Wendy Wolfson
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About this listen

1665. When Elise de Lesseps is sold in marriage to Lord Edward Asher, she resolves to be an obedient and dutiful wife, until, on their wedding night, she finds out exactly what her husband has in store for her.

His request leaves her feeling shocked and humiliated, but being his chattel, she has no right to refuse. The consequences of that night seal Elise's fate and set her on a path that will lead to heartbreak and tragedy.

2013. Renowned archeologist, Dr. Quinn Allenby has a gift: She can see into the past when holding an object that belonged to the dead. When asked to host a BBC documentary called Echoes from the Past, Quinn uses her gift to find out what really happened to the 17th-century couple known only as The Lovers and unwittingly stumbles onto the secret of her own birth.

©2018 Irina Shapiro (P)2018 Merlin Press LLC Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Romance Science Fiction Time Travel Marriage Heartfelt Tear-jerking

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I really enjoyed this audio book. Being a lover of Romance and History i was drawn into this world. That this author so richly painted with real and honest characters. I loved how the story unfolded even with some tragic content. Very keen to see what happens next with this series. Highly recommended listening or reading this book.

History, Bodies, and Romance.

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Story was distinctly different than most love stories. loved the difference between time zones, would have loved more development of the parental search felt like the story ended too soon. It was desperately sad and happy too.

Great story

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I didn't want this book to end and was so happy to find there was another book at the end.

brilliant

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it is not often you finde historical romance like this. So well docimented and well written. you can feel that the auther have put alot of time and reserch into this book. And it payed off.
bouth auther and narrator is new to me. But I was pleasently surprised. And really liked this book.
feel like I need to finde more by them.

historical at its best

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Listener received this title free

1665. When Elise de Lesseps is sold in marriage to Lord Edward Asher,
2013. Renowned archeologist, Dr. Quinn Allenby has a gift: She can see into the past when holding an object that belonged to the dead.
amazing story line by Irina Shapiro and bought to life by Wendy Wolfson
can't wait for more book

amazing story

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I have been invested in this story from beginning to end. the narration is great and brought the story to life. i especially loved how Queen told the story of the Lovers. I enjoyed listening to this book. Highly recommended

A GREAT STORY

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The Lovers is the first book in Irina Shapiro's 'Echoes from the Past' series, which follows respected archaeologist Dr Quinn Allenby as she uncovers the secrets of times gone by. Quinn is uniquely qualified to give voice to the long forgotten, as alongside her academic knowledge and practical skill in the field of forensic anthropology, Quinn has another gift; she can glimpse history through the eyes of people who witnessed it firsthand, by connecting with objects they held dear in their lifetime. This proves to be a blessing and a curse for an archaeologist, and few people know of Quinn's abilities for fear that she will no longer be taken seriously by her colleagues if word gets out.

In this book, Quinn's personal life mirrors the fate of the titular lovers - James and Elise - who must navigate love, loss, vengeance, and plague in mid-17th-century England. It is clear that there will be no 'happy ever after' for this pair, as their story begins at its end. We first meet James and Elise as they take their last breaths, dying together and buried in an unmarked grave which will not be discovered for almost four-hundred years. Their fate is so compelling in those initial moments, and their interactions so tender, that it is impossible not to be drawn in to their story. Their parting gave me chills and immediately connected me to these doomed lovers, desirous to know how they met such a tragic end.

I was not disappointed, with the plot exploring their past in a way that often echoed Quinn's present. This was accentuated by the fact that the narrator, Wendy Wolfsen, used the same voice for Quinn and Elise, and for James and Gabe. Whilst this had the potential to be confusing, I did not find the book hard to follow, and found both the historic and contemporary couples equally compelling.

As it is the first book in the series there are aspects of Quinn's story which remain unresolved, but they are not such a cliffhanger as to be frustrating. I am looking forward to the other books in the series, as I very much enjoyed the premise and the recurring characters. I did feel like a few aspects of Quinn's life were a little rushed, and would have liked the intimacy between Quinn and Grant to have been explored in a little more detail as it blossomed, but as so often with a book of two halves it can be difficult to balance the needs of two distinct plot lines and sets of characters. James' relationship with Elise definitely took centre-stage in this book, perhaps occasionally to the detriment of Quinn's, but only a little.

Wolfsen's narration made the book a pleasure to listen to. Her voice is warm and inviting, and perfect for this story. I enjoyed her portrayal of almost all the characters, though I did find the voice she gave to Elise and Quinn to be rather insipid, which was a shame but did not entirely prevent me from connecting with the women.

There is some anachronistic language in the book, such as the use of 'making love' in a time when that would have meant little more than being particularly nice to someone, but the style is consistent throughout and thus it does not feel too overtly out of place. The vocabulary is suitably British for the most-part, which is a triumph for an author who I believe grew up in America, as there are lots of words and phrases which often trip people up. The language felt natural and not gimmicky, which was very pleasing.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes historical romance, and anyone who enjoys fantasy books with a bit of a twist. If you're looking for a sweet story that ends with the protagonists trotting off together into the sunset then this book isn't for you. But if you like your love stories to take the lead from darker tales of myth, legend, and Shakespearean melodrama, then you're likely to enjoy it as much as I did.

*I received this audiobook free of charge in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

A tale of love, loss, plague, and vengeance...

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The Lover's by Irina Shapiro is an incredible listen! I love how the author weaves together two separate stories into one like a tapestry. The imagery is so vivid, the characters are well developed, and there is mystery! History and romance are genre's that so appeal to me. I love the character of Quinn. I have actually listened to other books in this series before starting this one, and can honestly say, each one is a standalone. I found the suspense to be awesome in this book. The narration by Wendy Wolfson really brought the characters to life. She gives them distinguishable voices and has the emotions and expressions to match the author's words. I love it when a narrator enhances a book, and Wendy does that. I will most definitely listen to more books by this author and narrator.

Awesome Listen!

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This book has been amazing the author is very skilled in moving between the modern day and 1664 with great attention to detail.


Both of the characters story was entertaining and kept me in the edge of my seat desperately wanting more.

The narrator was perfect with a very soothing voice and gave such personality to all the main characters

Amazing

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The Lovers was the first book I experienced by Irina Shapiro. I was utterly fascinated with the story and captivated by the whole concept of the book and the way it was written. Even though I knew the couple, known as The Lovers, whose remnants have been found, didn't have a happy ending it was still exciting to read all the circumstances that lead to their fate. I loved the back and forth between the past and present.

Wendy Wolfson's narration was absolutely superb, the recording was high quality. I loved her pace and the voices she used. She was the perfect choice to narrate this story.

Fascinating!

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