Bonnie's Review of Debbie Lynne Costello's "Shattered Memories"

Shattered Memories by Debbie Lynne Costello

Debbie Lynne Costello's Shattered Memories (February, 2016)

Reviewed by Bonnie Roof 

August 30th, 1886 - Charleston, S.C.:

The Macqueen family - Papa, Mama, daughter Olivia and son Simon are deep in a serious discussion re: how to prosecute former employee Lloyd Pratt for embezzlement of funds and writing fake insurance policies - without damaging the family name and that of their business. Involved in a previous relationship with Lloyd, against her father's wishes, Olivia was abused by Lloyd when she ended the relationship. Since treating Olivia's wounds, childhood friend Dr. Andrew "Drew" Warwick has won Olivia's trust and affection, and has plans to propose to her the following Friday.

August 31, 1886, 9:50 p.m.: 

Mr. and Mrs. Macqueen and Olivia's quiet evening at home is interrupted by a long low rumble drifting in the window as if a heavily-laden horse-drawn wagon is approaching. Seconds later the low rumble has turned into a terrifying roar, the floor rolling beneath their feet, the whole house swaying, the chimney buckling and spitting bricks forward. An earthquake has hit the city of Charleston, toppling the Macqueen home!

Sifting through the wreckage, Drew finds Olivia unconscious, penned under a collapsed doorway frame, and her parents expired. Olivia awakens, more than a week later, with total amnesia of the previous year. She has no knowledge of who Drew is, and believes herself still engaged to the nefarious Lloyd, who sees this as the perfect opportunity to absolve himself of any responsibility for his crimes. Drew is faced with either helping Olivia remember her past, or re-winning her heart before she marries the wrong man.

Debbie Lynne Costello has penned a novel full of non-stop action, gripping suspense, emotion-filled romance, and laced with a thread of faith. Based on an actual event, the realism of "Shattered Memories" kept me captivated from beginning to end - a beautifully sensitive story with spiritual lessons of God's love, forgiveness, and trusting His timing! 

Additional info re: the 7.6 magnitude earthquake, from Debbie's Feb. 7th, 2016 post on the blog Heroes, Heroines, and History: Gas and water lines broke, fires broke out - the broken water lines making fighting the fires hopeless, wires were cuts and railroad tracks torn apart - separating Charleston from the outside world. People gathered in city squares, many singing songs to calm the crowds; homes not being safe to sleep in - people slept on lawns, and in parks. Tents were sent in as the word of the earthquake got out to the rest of the world. There were over 300 aftershocks over the next 3 years, 60 people died, the health of many was affected - with PTSD, nausea, headaches, loss of hair, some people even dying from fright. 14,000 chimneys fell, damage was in excess of 112 million dollars (in today's market), and structural damage was reported as far away as Alabama, central Ohio, eastern Kentucky, southern Virginia, and western West Virginia.       

I was provided a copy of "Shattered Memories" in return for my honest opinion, which I have given. 

GIVEAWAY: A copy of Debbie Lynne's new novel in ebook.