✨ 🌟 🌕 "Dragonflies at Night" (2020) 🌕 🌟✨ - Book Tour & Review #DatNPrism
About the Author
Tour Giveaway
One winner will receive an ebook of All You Need is Love and Lilacs, a dragonfly suncatcher, and a $25 Amazon eGift Card (dragonfly suncatcher to US winner only, international winner will receive ebook and gift card only)
Ends October 14, 2020
Thank you in advance to the author,
Anne Marie Bennett, for providing a review copy through Prism Book Tours. A
positive review was not required or requested and all words are my own.
What drew me right off to this book by a new-to-me author was that super gorgeous cover. My goodness! Could anything be more perfect? The colors are my favorite so that is a bonus.
But, beautiful covers don’t make a book a great read – it is the characters and plot that drive the story.
The characters in this book are nearly flawless – Ben and Savannah are as darling as can be. I even warmed up to Ben’s bodyguard/best friend Brando, who surprised me as he warmed up to Savannah.
There were other minor supportive characters that are just as wonderful, but it is Ben and Savannah who take the literal center-stage. Ben is one of those celebrities who wants to be seen more as regular person than what he does for a living. Thus their relationship is more about being friends and being themselves than focusing on his celebrity. The author shows some diversity with two minor characters that are gay/bi-sexual. Ben’s sister Lila has a minor role at the end, though I didn’t like how strong she came on with Savannah.
With regard to the plot? Who could not love a story about falling in love with a celebrity, especially one you’re very fond of. Oh, do I have my own wish. And, Bennett’s writing “style” only added to this unique story.
The story is told from multiple POVs. The “ludes” are told in first person either through the departed Deirdre Rose (prelude/ two interludes/postlude), Savannah’s mom, or Aunt Suzanna (two interludes). This is similar to the style of Alice Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” where the character of Susie is watching her family from her “heaven”. Only it is Savannah’s mother and aunt who are watching her.
The story takes place in six parts with 27 chapters with Ben and Savannah’s perspectives told in third person. Some chapters are long, others are short. They’re named for the characters or scene that is taking place. The prelude is the most heart-breaking part.
I slightly identified with Savannah’s character due to the fact my mother is a cancer survivor.
Bennett takes the readers through a journey – starting with the heart-breaking loss of Savannah’s mom to the beginning of her splendid life. It is interesting that Savannah’s business is called Life Celebrations. The way she treats her staff and appreciates them is precious. She has truly shown bright despite the darkness that took both parents.
When Savannah meets Ben it is instantaneous love. And, I wondered if perhaps her mother had something to do with it.
As soon as Ben meets Savannah his music takes a different direction. Most of his songs are from things she says, does, or his feelings for her. Though, I do wonder how long that would last.
The story for the most part is uplifting and inspiring. There were some things that could’ve been left out. I would have been very interested to see how his fans took to his relationship with Savannah. I would also have liked to know, past one issue, how well Savannah and Lila did get along given the animosity that Lila originally showed.
The relationship factor was definitely whirlwind – by the end the couple had been together a year. Most of the book is about their “day to day” life which could drag down a reader who wants a more concise read.
There are a few “relationship” hookups that are quite predictable, at least I saw them coming to fruition in the story. Some readers may see them, others may not.
There were some punctuation and grammar issues, but they were not that distracting.
This is more or less a “slightly clean” read. I say that because there is no foul language, but one character does take the lord’s name in vain. For some Christian readers, this might be a bit offensive. There are multiple references to nudity. With regard to sex – there are multiple sex scenes, though not told graphically. I was a bit surprised by the amount of sex in this novel as I thought it was one “closed door” scene. There is multiple conversations about the sex as well. This acts as a warning to some readers who might want cleaner content.
The lessons are numerous in this poignant, inspiring, and beautiful story – celebrate the life that is given, long or short; also that no matter what happens, the love remains.
In the postlude, Deirdre Rose has some beautiful words – “we are all made up of light and we can all reflect that that light in powerful ways if we choose”. This is one lesson that is the most important.
Fans of the author or those who enjoy this genre will probably enjoy this. This has some elements of magical realism to it.
There was a sweet moment I enjoyed, yet cried – on pages 320/321, Ben is humming a song that has a very dear meaning to me. It is Art Garfunkel’s “All I Know” which I heard on a TV show back between 2003-2010.
In some ways, every time I hear the song – it is like a message, much in the way the dragonflies are a message to Savannah.
RATING:
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)
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