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It is 1863, and Clarissa Fontaine lives in the Virginia countryside with her two children, awaiting the return of her beloved husband, Charles, from the war between the states. She comforts herself by confiding her innermost thoughts in a diary. One of these thoughts relates to how she cast a spell to compel Charles to return to her. The horrors of wartime lead to the couple’s separation, and Charles becomes a broken man, aimlessly wandering the streets. In 2007, Claire LePaige is a widowed mother of two taking her kids on an impromptu vacation. When driving in Virginia, she is awestruck by a splendid home she comes across in Shenandoah. She decides to rent it despite warnings from the realtor that the place is haunted. Claire is nonplussed until her children tell her of seeing and interacting with an apparition named Charles.
The theme of eternal love is explored in depth in this entertaining romantic drama where tragedy parts the young lovers, yet a little bit of magic provides a second chance. Charles is a charming and chivalrous man literally from another era. The loss he experienced has left a weight on his heart, and time has not healed his deep wounds. Claire is a woman seeking a fresh start after suffering the loss of her husband. She possesses a resolve to keep going for the sake of her children. Her vulnerability is shown in her initial interactions with Charles. The plot of the story excels in transporting the narrative from the tumultuous 1860s to the early twenty-first century in an almost seamless fashion. This is an endearing tale from beginning to end.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review