Book Review: Rose of Anzio #4 REMEMBRANCE by Alexa Kang

About Rose of Anzio – Remembrance:

Volume 4): a WWII Epic Love Story

“You have to stay alive, all right...You do what you have to but get through this war. Get through it and go back to her. Nothing else matters...If you die, she’ll be very sad. Don’t make her sad.”

A sequel to Desire, Remembrance follows the love story of army nurse Tessa Graham and Lieutenant Anthony Ardley after the fiercely fought Battle of Anzio.

With the Allies' victory in Rome, Tessa and Anthony find respite to avow their love in the Eternal City. Their happiness is shattered when Tessa is unexpectedly transferred to Normandy. Now, Anthony must continue on with his troops to Southern France. In pursuit of the cunning Wehrmacht commander standing in the Allies’ way of victory, he is caught in a deadly game of chase. How many men will he sacrifice in order to win?

Hopelessly in love with Tessa, Jesse Garland must decide whether to act on his feelings or to lose all possible chances with the only woman he has ever wanted. His unrequited love and his decision will alter their lives forever.

The final book of the Rose of Anzio series, this story concludes in an epic tale of love, loss, and redemption as the U.S. Army Third Division fights two of the toughest battles of WWII, the battles at the Vosges Mountains and the Colmar pocket.

Excerpt:

By the time the medical convoy drove into Rome, Tessa was seeing a city that was vastly different from the one she remembered.

          Years ago, she had come with her father when he wanted to see Rome as part of his preparation for the role of Brutus in his upcoming performance of

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Unlike the Rome they had visited, the ancient city today was filled with Allied soldiers everywhere on the streets. She wondered if this scene was similar to Caesar’s triumphant arrival in Rome. 

          Will you all look at that!” Gracie pointed at the Coliseum. “I never seen anything like this.” 

          Ellie and Tessa exchanged a smile. “It’s amazing,” Ellie said. “I’ve never seen anything like this either.” 

          “I’m definitely looking forward to taking  breather.” Gracie leaned out to snap another picture with her camera. “I hope we’ll have plenty of time to do some sight-seeing. I want to take a lot of photos to send to my friends back home. I can’t wait to show them what Rome is like.” She retreated back into the vehicle. “Ellie, do you think Captain Milton will give us the rest of the day off? I mean, we just arrived.” 

          “I’m not sure,” Ellie said. “We’ll probably have to help set up the hospital. The patients could be arriving soon.” 

          “Ugh,” Gracie moaned. “I hope we’ll at least have a few hours off. I need to look for Jesse and let him know I’m here.” Her face lit up when she mentioned his name. “I hope he and I can spend more time together while we’re here. Tessa, do you know when you’ll be meeting up with Lieutenant Ardley?” 

          Without answering, Tessa smiled and looked out to the street. Although she wouldn’t say it out loud like Gracie, she couldn’t wait to see Anthony. Dr. Haley had already told her she could have a three-day pass whenever she wanted while they were in Rome. She intended to take full advantage of it.

You may find the purchase link for Rose of Anzio Book 4: REMEMBRANCE by CLICKING HERE. 

My Book Review:

At first I thought this book was going to be anti-climatic. Not so. After the U.S. Army Third Division drives back the Germans from Anzio, they enter Rome to a triumphant welcome. There, Tessa and Anthony, two lovers of a love triangle present in books 2 and 3, meet and celebrate a very important personal occasion. However, the war soon claims their attention and they each move on to their tasks. Thanks to a meddlesome head nurse, Tessa is further separated from Anthony.

I enjoyed how the author added tension to the book, not only in describing the battle scenes, the interaction between the main characters and the enemy, but also the doubts that crept into the personal relationships. She did a wonderful job of developing the personalities of all the characters. The plot kept me engaged until the end, even though there were times I wanted to knock Anthony on the head and tell him to have more faith in himself as he develops his doubts when he becomes aware of the third person in the love triangle. There were secondary romances that were resolved beautifully.

This is a story not just of romance, but of war. I enjoyed how the author used fiction to acquaint me with battles I knew nothing about prior to reading this book. I definitely recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys World War II fiction, especially if they enjoy romance mixed in.

I read and loved the first book, Moonlight, which you may purchase by CLICKING HERE. You may find my book review for the second book, Jalousie, by CLICKING HERE and the third book, Rose of Anzio Book 3: DESIRE by CLICKING HERE.

 

About the Author:

Alexa Kang’s debut series, Rose of Anzio, was first released on Amazon on January 22, 2016. Alexa grew up in New York City, and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. She has traveled to more than 123 cities, and she loves to explore new places and different cultures. This September, she took a special WWII tour of Southern Italy to visit historical sites of the Allies’ Italian campaign (including the sites where scenes from Rose of Anzio occurred). You can view the albums of her tour on her Facebook Author Page.

When not at work, Alexa lives a second life as a novelist. Alexa loves writing larger-than-life romantic tales and hopes to bring you many more. 

Connect with Alexa Kang:

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