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Illuminated

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Some loves are not made to last . . . Like Romeo and Juliet, Heloise and Abelard were doomed from the start, and their romance was destined to pass into history. Yet when sixteen-year-old Callie Martin discovers a diary hidden within an antique book, their story - and hers - takes on another life. For the diary leads Callie to the brilliant and handsome August, who is just as mysterious as the secret the diary hides. Their attraction is undeniable. As the two hunt down the truth behind the diary - and that of Heloise and Abelard's ancient romance - their romance becomes all-consuming. But Callie knows it can't last . . . love never does. Will their love that burns as bright as a shooting star flame out, or will these star-crossed lovers be able to defy history?

244 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2011

29 people are currently reading
4839 people want to read

About the author

Erica Orloff

49 books102 followers
"Erica Orloff is a native New Yorker, novelist, blogger, mother of four, chronic insomniac, alt-rock loving, voracious reader (and prolific writer) who has written over twenty novels across a number of genres and pen names. She currently lives in Virginia where she rarely sleeps, roots for the Yankees and the NY Giants, knits in her almost-never free time, herds worms with her six-year-old Pirate Boy, and tries to hold onto what little sanity she has left." (http://www.ericaorloff.com/about.html)

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5 stars
392 (27%)
4 stars
313 (21%)
3 stars
435 (29%)
2 stars
209 (14%)
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102 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
Profile Image for Kristi.
1,205 reviews2,863 followers
December 31, 2011
I don’t usually review books that I don’t finish. I have a rule that if you don’t finish it you can’t really do a complete review. BUT instead of a review I’m just going to explain why I didn’t finish this book.

I once did a post called “It’s Not Me, It’s You” which was basically a post of books that I had started and didn’t finish for whatever reason, but I’ve found that I do a fairly good job at judging if I’m going to like a book before I read it… so I didn’t have many of those posts.

As you can see from the shelfability rating I didn’t finish this book. I made it to page 102, which is a little under half way. I wanted to love this novel, it sounded like an epic love story. And there is nothing I love more than a LOVE story. I just couldn’t do it.

It’s not because the writing is bad. It’s not. The writing wasn’t why I couldn’t finish the book.

The reason I didn’t finish this novel is because I didn’t care enough about the characters to want to go on an adventure with them.

Initially I thought I was going to LOVE Callie. She loves books, so it should have been a given. Nope. I liked her until she met August. Then she turned into a big sap that only talked about how sexy August was. Do teenage girls even call guys sexy anymore? I mean… isn’t “hot” the new sexy?

The relationship was way to insta-love for me. From the tagline it seems like they were “destined” to be together, but I still would have liked to watch the relationship grow, instead of it just happening instantly.

August was inconsistent. I know he is a guy and boys will be boys. Yet, I just couldn’t buy the sophisticated college student one second, a douche-baggery line like “I can’ see through your shirt.” the next, and then “That’s so cute.” after that. For some reason it just didn’t mesh me.

I loved this mystery with “A” and the history and mythology, but it wasn’t enough.
Profile Image for Ilis Cruz.
31 reviews16 followers
January 2, 2012
This book it wasn't what I expected when I first read the synopsis. You would think its an epic love story... but its not.

The story was kinda ok with the history themes, the book hunting and Abelard, Heloise and Astrolab story, but the mystery and romance was like... I don't know... It was like everything happening out of nothing.

Calliope and August are assigned to find who's the author of The Book, right? So they go to this woman and she gives them the name of the author. Too easy.

They are suppose to be chased by this dangerous... human being (they don't even say if it is a man or a woman) who wants The Book... And he/she doesn't even show once!

Where's the mystery, complication, action, spice, climax in this book???

Now, about Calliope and August relationship:

It was meaningless. She met August and she's automatically madly in love with him and he with her. In just one day of met each other, he's already sending her texts saying he miss her. In the second day, they are planning in going together to Paris. In the third day they go to Paris and saying "I Love You". I mean... really?

While I was reading, I got the feeling that they both were Abelard and Heloise reincarnation. That would explain their instantaneous love. Even Harry (Callie's uncle) mentioned once. That maybe they both were reincarnations. But that's all. Harry -out of nothing- says, "oh, maybe you guys are reincarnations" and that's all. They (Callie and August) don't even think about it, not even talk about it.

And that happened at the end.

The book never explain why that unrealistic attraction/relationship, why their dreams and their connection with Abelard and Heloise.

In my opinion, this book was shallow, insubstantial and real disappointment.

Profile Image for Parvathy.
204 reviews50 followers
January 1, 2012
Now this review is a tough one in the making as I have still not sorted out my feelings about this book to give it an honest review. But the book does deserve one so here I am.

I am not much of a fan of starcrossed love stories unless they act as precedents to other happily ever after love stories. Not giving away too much of the ending here as you can see it coming from miles away. For starters the book begins with Calliope a 17 year old spending her summer holidays with her uncle who works at an auction house and deals with rare manuscripts. But Callie like a not so typiacal teenager is fascinated by her uncle's latest find, an illuminated manuscript and his hunt for a person known as "A" who story is closely tied to it. When their hunt leads them to the handsome August, the son of a well known aquistarian it seems Callie's wish for a summer love story is also coming true. Drawn in to a hunt through history and thrust in to the lives of one of the greatest tragic lovers of all time Callie has to come in terms with her own blossoming love story with August(which seem to be going in a similar path) and certain parts of her own life which till now she was unaware of.

The story was highly engaging and the characters likeable yet not as believable. The character of August was a little diffcult to imagine as he felt like too charming and forward a character. Callie on the other hand is much more believable though she looses some of this when she is with August. There were parts that stuck out in their perfect little love story and most of dialogues seemed a little too sweet. I know I am being a little unreasonable after all this is a love story(Do people really talk like that), hence this is not much of a big flaw. That is not to say there weren't plot holes the size of craters. Everything seemed to be moving in a very fast pace. When I started the book I was hoping for more of a treasure hunt rather than a love story. What I got was the reverse. There are no puzzles to be solved, only stories to be told and the most of the hunt involves hunting down the correct story tellers(that to small in number). There are plots in this story that does not attain completion in the end . In the end the book is a very engaging read. One thing I can vouch for is that this is a kind of book that with never loose your attention in between pages and is a deserving one time read for YA fans.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,588 reviews
June 14, 2012
**This review contains spoilers. Read at your own risk***

The beautiful cover (oh, what a cover) drew me in. The synopsis was intriguing. I actually couldn't wait to start this one. Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. I found the book to be--how can I say this nicely?--boring.

Callie and August, the main characters, weren't all that interesting to me. Especially when Callie kept raving about how "hot/cute" August is. Callie just seemed really flat and uninteresting. August was slightly better--his fear of elevators and dealing with a shut-in father--but I still didn't care for him much. Callie's uncle and his partner were okay, but still seemed to lack depth. It seemed her uncle was more of a matchmaker than anything, and his partner, Gabe, pretty much just went along with whatever Harry said. I liked Miriam. She was a woman who went through a lot of heartbreak and I felt awful for her. She was really the only character I liked.

Now I'm going to rant briefly. The plot itself seemed weak. Basically Callie and August go to different people to find out more about the diary they've found for Callie's uncle and August's father, who deal with ancient books and writings. They later believe this diary belongs to the son of Heloise and Abelard. Who are Heloise and Abelard? A couple from the past who have a tragic ending where their love is concerned. It's supposed to be a true story, but I don't know if it's the way the author wrote about them or what, but although I kind of felt bad for them, I really didn't care too much about them. Maybe because I didn't get to know them.

I don't even really understand why Callie is so obsessed with the couple. It seems a little farfetched that Callie would risk her father's wrath and possibly never getting to see her uncle, his partner, and her grandmother again just to find out about this diary personally. I mean, her and August were assigned to find out who owned the diary, but her uncle didn't want her to go outside the country to find out, which she of course did anyway.

And I know that Callie and August are drawn to each other because of Heloise and Abelard, but instant love is just . . . it's painful to read about. Okay, I've been there. I thought I was in love with my first boyfriend a day after meeting him. I know how it goes. How it feels. But Callie's uncle claiming she's in love? No, it isn't love. It's attraction. Infatuation. Love will come later. Relationships are much better (in the real and fictional world) when they grow over time. Be infatuated all you want, but please don't claim it's 100% love because it's not. Callie also acknowledges she is infatuated, but at the same time her and August are acting like they're going to be together forever no matter what. I'm just going to go headdesk for a while.

I know this book is supposed to be part fantasy and the plot could have worked, but it just wasn't well-executed. None of the characters questioned how Callie and August were having dreams with Heloise and Abelard in them, and how these dreams affected their relationship. It's even suggested that Callie and August are reincarnations of Heloise and Abelard. Really? Okay, I could maybe go for that, but there's so little questioning or depth about these ideas that it comes off as a flimsy excuse instead of a strong point of the plot.

Overall, this book really seemed to drag. I could have possibly looked over all the book's faults if it hadn't bored me out of my mind. A book that does not entertain isn't a great book in my opinion. So why did I keep reading it? Because I am one of those people who don't typically stop after reading a book. I wanted to give it a chance. By the time I didn't want to give it a chance any longer, I was already about halfway in. Might as well finish it so I can see if it redeems itself and post a truthful review, right?

What I liked:

Miriam. The part where Callie admits she used to act out soap operas with her dad's chess pieces (it reminds me of how I used to use playing cards to act out war/royalty scenes). August's house, garden, birds, the koi fish. How August faced his fear to do something for Callie (at the Eiffel Tower). The beautiful cover.

I wouldn't recommend this one. Great concept, weak characters, badly executed plot. The plot needed more depth to it. I'm really glad that I'm giving this book away. Hopefully they'll like it better than I did.
Profile Image for Nora.
40 reviews
March 1, 2012
It was bad. It was really bad. I'm kind of bummed because I went in with high hopes, which was probably my first mistake. There are so many different directions you could go in when it comes to illuminated manuscripts and the story of Abelard and Heloise and in the beginning it seemed like Illuminated might go in one of them. But it didn't.

The plot structure and the pacing sound (and I'm being serious here) like the way I would have written structure and pacing for Gilmore Girls fanfic when I was fourteen. In the first couple of chapters I thought things were alright, but needed to go back and have some really heavy editing done.

I'm just disappointed I guess. I didn't connect with Callie or August, Callie's gay uncle was basically a huge caricature, as was her absentee father. The fated romance that was supposed to tie everything together felt absolutely forced. Before this, there was only one book I've read (and rated) on this site that I couldn't push myself to finish. But I gave up on this one about three-quarters of the way through; then I skimmed to the (boring) ending to see if there was anything I'd missed.

There wasn't. I'll just be here in my corner, waiting for a YA author to come along and get stories that involve love crossing through time, or reincarnation, right. Finally. Eventually?
Profile Image for Jen.
2,174 reviews154 followers
January 4, 2015
Sometimes an author makes a valiant attempt at romance based on a legend. Sometimes it results in a long saga that lags in spots, sometimes it is completely brilliant, sometimes it is a half-hearted attempt, and sometimes an agonizing failture.

This one seems to be weighted on the side of half-hearted. The story has such potential that it's almost a shame that it ends up being so contrived. Callie is the spoiled, pampered-but-ignored daughter of a successful Boston lawyer. She is spending the summer with her uncle and his companion in New York. The uncle is an expert in ancient manuscripts, and is working with a colleague. The colleague is agoraphobic with a stunningly handsome young son named August. And within 20 pages into the story, it is more than evident that Callie and August (who have just met) are deeply in love.

What?

Exactly. The manuscript is apparently a diary written by the son of Heloise and Abelard, legendary lovers whose story ended tragically. It is also a book written over another book, which is a palimpsest. The idea of a palimpsest is a great one and yet seems to have been completely wasted here. The themes in this book - forbidden love, tragic love, mysterious artifacts, secrets and thieves - they're all wonderful elements. Wonderful elements for a saga, which this book is decidedly not. There was no time taken to really explore the themes, the relationships, the artifacts. Honestly, this book really can't decide whether it's young adult romance or historical romance or the movie "An Affair to Remember." It's all over the place.

I had a problem with the characters being inconsistent. Callie is confident but sassy; she is rude to her uncle and then sweet. She is completely taken with August and then doesn't want to speak to him for days. The backstory with her mother and father is out of place within the story; I found myself wondering why this was such a big deal when all the other stuff is going on. We are given a peek at Callie's father through her eyes and the eyes of her uncle - but then when Callie and her father have dinner, they bounce between hating each other and being sympathetic, even loving, to the other. It was a complete contradiction of behaviour.

The same was true with August. He's completely in love with Callie, and yet as soon as something bad happens, he can't even remember her name.

Talk about drama overload.

When the adventure and search for answers finally begins, it is ridiculous. The trouble is that it waffles between two kids doing things that get them in a lot of trouble . . . except no, all is forgiven in the end. I'm not even sure why these adults didn't taken Callie and August to task for completely defying what they'd been told to do.

In the end, the fairytale wraps up nicely and the teenaged romance concludes happily ever after. Right. Because virtually every teenage romance lasts forever.

Ah well. Even with so many glaring problems, this was a light, moderately enjoyable read. It could have been a spectacular, fantastic read. Forget Heloise and Abelard - the real tragedy here is simply the wasted potential.

Profile Image for Sharmaine Dela Cruz.
124 reviews16 followers
June 5, 2012
I am smitten with history and star-crossed love stories.
Put them together and I am completely in love.

I loved that Callie loved books especially Illuminated ones.
And I loved that not only did I enjoyed reading this book, I also learned so many things: a 900 year old star-crossed love story and books that hid meanings.

Honestly, I never knew Abelard and Heloise existed (same with Illuminated books) until I read this book.

I was so engrossed in reading this that I finished it right a way. Never wanting to miss to read such a story and put a book down as great as this.

And while reading, I really wished (sigh, me and my wishful thinking), that I would be able to find a love so great that I do not care that if it destroys me.

Isn't it what all teenage girls wish for, nowadays?
A love story so striking, so powerful and passionate. Finding someone you could connect to in all levels.

I felt that connection in Callie's and in Heloise's.


A book that made my heart yearn. A treasured loved story. :)
Profile Image for Verónica.
338 reviews14 followers
January 3, 2015
Un libro normalillo, que te tiene enganchada al principio pero poco a poco va dejando de interesarte. El libro empieza muy bien pero como ya he dicho poco a poco va decayendo, una pena la verdad.
Resumen:
El libro nos habla sobre Callie una chica que todos los veranos los pasa junto a su tío Harry, que tiene una tienda de antiguallas (creo) y a su poder llega un manuscrito que tiene un secreto. Así que nuestra protagonista tendrá que adentrarse en la historia del manuscrito para saber que hay detrás de él junto a alguien muy especial.
No destacaría nada de la protagonista, me pareció muy plana. El único personaje que me gusto fue su tío Harry.
La escritura es facililla, muy simple, es una escritura que no destaca.

La verdad es que cuando no me gustan mucho los libros no me gusta extenderme con mis reseñas, así que no voy a contar más de ella.
Profile Image for Shea .
261 reviews8 followers
May 28, 2012
Insta-love, and choppy brain dead writing. I usually always finish the books I start, however, I gave up here on page 86. I don't think I've ever been so bored in my life. I would recommend this book only if you had to sit at DMV for three hours and all the magazines are taken!
9 reviews12 followers
January 6, 2012
What a snoozefest! Epic love story it is not. I am usually a sucker for star-crossed lovers and what-not but this book . . . yikes. Proof that a lovely cover does not equal a good story.
Profile Image for Sháy The Obscure Bookworm.
213 reviews19 followers
March 22, 2020
3 stars.

"Some people are like shooting stars. They burst through our lives in a spectacular arc, but they don't stay long. They just leave a trail."


This book is about the adventure in finding an illuminated palimpsest's origin and owners as well as star-crossed lovers bringing together couples throughout time.



While when I first read this when I was younger and absolutely adored it, that's not the case anymore. I picked it up because I've been in a terrible reading slump this month- I still liked it, but I wasn't like, "Wow! Yes! 5 Jillion stars!"

I love the slight history aspect of it.

I do like the thought of fate and soulmates because let me not kid myself, I can be a romantic sap/mush.

HOWEVER, I didn't find some characters to be believable. While I'm sure some people act and talk like August and Calliope, I find it do be more on the less common side of things. Especially at that age. It's not that big of a deal for me though, because this is a star-crossed love aimed towards teens. Also, I'll be honest, Calliope kind of annoyed me a little bit.

The story overall was great for a quick breather read, but it could've been a bit more.

***Sorry for my review being all over that place.
Profile Image for Rae.
84 reviews119 followers
October 23, 2012
** Some spoilers **

First off: I love the whole "love at first sight" thing, but this is to the extreme. They literally love each other right off the bat and act like they've known each other forever even though they met less than 24 hours. Who texts "I miss you" the night after meeting someone? No one.

August doesn't tell her what attracted him to her except for "your beautiful and intellectual." Okay... great. What other redeeming features are there?

Her uncle is a horrible parent. Yes, she's responsible and a "straight A student", but he lets her off the hook way too easily. Callies father is the only one who's wants to punish her for doing something reckless.

The characters are shallow. We don't learn anything about them. Like why August is afraid of elevators, and how he overcame the fear in 30 seconds. And she learns the truth about her mother in the first 100 pages. I didn't feel bad for her because I didn't relate to her at all. Wanna know why? Because it was the first freakin 100 pages!

They randomly see ghosts that pretty much solve the "adventure" (air quotes because it wasn't really an adventure). It shows you that the author didn't know how to end the story. It's a cop out situation.

The author also created another character, but never did anything with it. I thought there would be some serious action or it would have more of a part. Why introduce a whole character with nothing attached to it?

The whole sex talk with herself is also off. "I'm a virgin, will he care?" She's 16 years old. What, she's self conscious because she didn't lose it at 12? I can understand the whole "I'm a virgin will he feel uncomfortable" thing at 18+, but even that's pushing it.

This book had potential to be great, but there should be some major changes.

Oh, one last thing: I posted this review on Amazon and she got her friends to rate me down and review with "I related to her and her mother because blah blah blah". That seriously angers me.
Profile Image for Zoe Liew.
422 reviews26 followers
December 24, 2011
Brilliantly written.


Illuminated is an anthology of love stories. There is a love story within a love story. Love stories beside a love story. It's awesome.

When Callie meets August through her uncle's matchmaking endeavors, she is immediately attracted to him. And he to her. They embark on a search to discover the true story behind a mysterious manuscript which hides a love so beautiful it transcends time.

As they learn the story hidden in the pages of the manuscript and that of Heloise and Abelard's star-crossed love, things get dangerous and Callie and August start to wonder if their romance will last.

Erica Orloff very cleverly works a couple of other love stories into the fold as well. As Callie and August look for clues to the story, they witness the beginning of other long-lasting loves. Callie rediscovers her parents' love story and she even strengthens her relationship with her estranged father in the process.

This is a story about romantic love and familial love. It's about second chances.

The only gripe I had about Illuminated was with the way Callie and August let their love hinge on whether their beliefs about the manuscript turned out to be true. That's not very healthy. What if the manuscript was forged? Would their romance then go south?

However the premise of Iluminated hinges on the concept that true love is fated and mysticism is tied into that. So that's consistent with the storyline.

From now on, I might have to define a love story as one that rivals that of Heloise and Abelard's, as one that transcends physical, emotional, psychological and intellectual barriers.
Profile Image for Sarah.
61 reviews15 followers
January 19, 2012

Callie's about to spend the summer before her senior year in New York City with her Uncle Henry. She thought that being a glorified assistant at his auction house would be the highlight of her three month stay until she meets August and they embark on an adventure to find the owner of an old and mysterious book.

At first glance Illuminated sounds interesting. YA mixed with a bookish mystery that could rival The Shadow of the Wind. Unfurtuneatly all the back cover left me with was broken promises. Illuminated is 99% unbelievable romance, and when I say unbelievable I mean texts in the middle of the night saying "I'm thinking of you" after knowing each other for five hours and dialogue that would make a wedge of cheese cringe.

When Callie, August and her Uncle Henry (who is clearly the best, most believable character) actually talk about the illuminated manuscript that the story claims to focus on there are some interesting moments. Since these frail pages may have belonged to Heloise and Abelard's son Astrolabe the historical exposition is interesting, especially if you don't know much about the star crossed lovers and their less than desirable fates. However, these moments are few and far between. Even the search for proof proves unsatisfying. A trip to Paris that is set up to be rife with danger turns into little more than a typical vacation, with a rarely mentioned villain never gracing the reader with their presence.

Overall I'd recommend you stay away from Illuminated if you are interested in anything but a cheesy teenage love story, because that's really all you are going to get from these 244 pages.
Profile Image for Carrie Kaut.
162 reviews13 followers
January 10, 2012
OMG to even write a review for this seems to be an insult to my intelligence i lost half my iq reading this...(grammar is gonna suck considering i have a ton of reviews to write and 27 minutes to do it battery is dying lol )
the dude was way tooooooo nice and was wayyy to good to be real

the girl was just annoying...

thats right i dont remember there names i just remembered the guys and its august...if i was 13 or 15 i would of enjoyed the book maybe its because im older i dont care for it in the least
Profile Image for Felicia.
44 reviews7 followers
July 7, 2012
Okay, so I liked the book essentially but I think if there would have been more to the 'national treasure'type hunt, it would have been better. 3 stars because of the lovers and it was sweet/bittersweet depending on which couple your talking about.so I liked but it could have had more plot/action in there. It was going too fast and I actually thought it might have a sequel because I really didnt think the author could end it so quickly. But alas, she did end it quickly and obviously no sequel.It was good but definitely could have been better.
Profile Image for Cha.
437 reviews
January 11, 2012
"The heavens may present a crown of stars, and may take that same crown, but the starcrossed lovers have the grandest passion of all."

Interesting story! And I totally love August's letter to Calliope.

(Excerpt)
"...we were united by the quest for the origins of the greatest love story ever. We were united by spirits from a thousand years ago. And now we'll spend the rest of our lives writing our own love story. I am forever yours, Calliope, my muse. Your A. August"

Loved it!
Profile Image for Shannon.
966 reviews3 followers
January 6, 2012
It was just ok. Underneath this gorgeous cover that so much potential, are hollow leads without emotion, action, or charm about them. I did love the ancient love story attached to the plot, and to be honest that was they part that kept me reading. Callie and August did nothing for me. The gay uncles were more fun to read. I am grateful this is a stand alone. There isn't enough material for another book.
Profile Image for Nathaly Alvarez Jimenez.
328 reviews56 followers
September 18, 2016
Algunas personas son como estrellas fugaces. Irrumpen en nuestras vidas como un arco espectacular, pero no se quedan mucho tiempo. Ellos simplemente dejan un rastro.
Profile Image for ullianachase.
403 reviews46 followers
April 29, 2016
The book was short, cute and kind of mysterious. I like Callie and August, but they relationship was too fast, too sudden. I know true love at the first sight but still there was something too sweet and unreal.
Profile Image for Brooke.
282 reviews27 followers
April 1, 2012
Started out good, but the last 20% was so boring that even skim reading was painful.
Profile Image for Right.
25 reviews
June 7, 2012
Full of belief in loveeeee....
the answer is found when you are just about to lose hope and want to cling on to something for love.
Profile Image for Bianca.
207 reviews2 followers
May 8, 2013
Interesting and lovely story <3
Profile Image for Bri.
59 reviews1 follower
February 11, 2020
The front cover of this book drew me in! It is a very pretty cover, and I felt like it would attract my middle school students!!

I’m halfway through the book... and I think this is an okay read for middle schoolers. I think it could be something they would like. I think this could be a book you read at the beach or on a train.

I don’t think it’s great. I don’t think it’s realistic or believable. I think it attempts to do something... to make readers feel something... but it missed the mark? I wouldn’t read this again. Callie isn’t super likable as a protagonist and her relationship with August doesn’t really have a spark... I don’t know WHY they like each other other than initial attraction?

Also when I was in middle school, I LOVED a good first kiss scene!! I loved the details! I loved how it happened. The first kiss scene in this book is NOT it. I felt nothing. It was waaay too rushed. In fact the whole relationship is waaay too rushed.

I’ll probably finish this and let my students read it in class during reading time, buuuut I wouldn’t say it’s a great or epic read.
Profile Image for Dani.
417 reviews197 followers
April 19, 2012
There’s just something about star-crossed lovers, isn’t there? I find it extremely interesting that some of the most enduring romances are the ones that end tragically. Arthur & Guinevere, Tristan & Isolde, and of course, Romeo & Juliet, just to name a few. So what keeps us coming back to the unhappy ending? For me, it’s the promise of what might have been; the way the two lovers burned impossibly bright before everything went so horribly wrong. It’s the ever-present “what if?”, imagining what their future might have been had not bad timing, misunderstandings, or betrayal befallen them. Maybe it’s even the vain, silly hope that this time, this time the ending might be different. Happiness so tragically thwarted. These are the stories that have made their mark on history and literature, that capture the imagination, and this is no less true for heroine Callie Martin.


A summer intern for her uncle at Manhattan’s prestigious Royal Auction House, Callie becomes caught up in the romance of Heloise & Abelard when an illuminated text crosses her uncle’s desk. Uncle Harry’s expertise lies in antique books and manuscripts, and while appraising his newest acquisition, he discovers that the book is, in fact, a palimpsest. (What is a palimpsest, you might be wondering? It’s basically a super-old recycled book. Back in the day when paper or vellum was a little harder to come by, sometimes book would be wiped clean and rewritten on. Today, with the benefit of technology, modern-day scholars are able to find and sometimes read the original words hidden beneath the newer. Such books are obviously very special and extremely rare.) Beneath the gorgeous illustrations and religious text of the book, lies the mysterious pennings of a tragic love by an individual known only as A. To correctly appraise the book’s value for auction, her uncle must first discover and verify who the anonymous A. truly is. And so, Harry gives Callie along with August, the handsome son of an antique book dealer, the job of unraveling the secrets of the palimpsest’s original author. As they uncover the story of A. piece by piece, Callie begins to fall for August. Realizing that their own stories share parallels with the ill-fated lovers’, Heloise & Abelard, August & Callie begin to wonder about the fate of their own fledgling but passionate romance.


Callie. When Callie was in Kindergarten, her mother died of cancer leaving Callie in the care of her cold, emotionally-distanced father. She and her dad do not have what one might call a close relationship, and while she hardly knows her workaholic dad, she knows even less about her mom. Her refuge/confidante/trusted parental figure has always been her Uncle Harry, with whom she spends her summers. He’s Callie’s closest link to her mom and the nearest person she has to a supportive, involved dad. In turn, she’s like the daughter Harry never had. I love the multi-faceted dynamic of Callie and Harry’s relationship. It’s very sweet and most certainly one of my favorite aspects of Illuminated.


Callie herself is a perfect blending of her parents’ personalities – her success-oriented dad with his high expectations and her free-spirited, spontaneous mother. Callie is extremely intelligent and on the Ivy League track for college, pushed and prodded to academic excellence by her father. She desperately wants to know more about her mother – to discover who her mother was, how Callie herself fits within the story of her parents’ failed relationship, and if her future relationships might be tainted by the toxicity that marred her parents’ marriage. She’s determined, driven, a bit more on the reserved side than August, but she can also be impetuous, allowing her heart to lead her.


August. August is endearing. He blows into Callie’s life and immediately takes her heart by storm. He’s optimistic, brilliant, confidant, friendly, honest, easygoing and charming. He’s instantly drawn to Callie. It’s clear from the get-go that August knows what he wants, and Callie is it.


Typically, I’m not a fan of relationships that reach an extremely deep level of commitment in an unbelievably short amount of time. However, in Illuminated, while I thought Callie and August’s relationship develops quickly, it works for me. Perhaps it’s the shared excitement, the adrenaline rush of being thrown together, hunting down clues to an archaic mystery together. Perhaps it’s the poetic, romantic words of A. bringing them together. Perhaps it’s the fact that August is just so sweet and so obviously into Callie. Perhaps it’s that, even though I’m usually a skeptic, I want to be mushy and believe in soulmates – that one soul can instantly recognize a like soul. Perhaps it’s a combination of all of these reasons. But given the conditions, I can understand how an intense romance could be kindled under such circumstances.


In addition to solving the mystery of the book, both Callie and August are two people who are struggling to avoid their parents mistakes and “eccentricities” – they don’t want their parents’ choices to define them. Both characters have very interesting back stories and family lives. Both are a bit heartbreaking, and it’s interesting to see the story of the illuminated manuscript unfold alongside the events and revelations of both August & Callie’s personal histories – how they merge and differ. The mystery of the book quickly transforms into an intensely personal journey as Callie wonders what the tragic outcome of the Heloise & Abelard’s story means for her own, and what it means for her and August.


Overall, with just the slightest hint of magical realism, Illuminated is a story of the all-consuming beauty, the hopefulness, the limitless potential of young love contrasted against the tragedy of a centuries old romance.
2 reviews
May 3, 2019
The book i am reading is illuminated by erica orloff. Like romeo and juliet, heloise and abelard were in love but there love was doomed from the start. Their romance was destined to pass into history, yet when 16 year old callie martin discovers a diary hidden within a book, their story and hers takes on a new life. The diary takes her to the most amazing guy and secretive guy she will ever meet named august. He is just as mysterious as the secrets between the pages. Will there love last or will it crash and burn because it was never meant to happen. Will it work, are they strong enough to get through the obstacles of there love will they fight for there love? Does he love her as much as she loves him? Would they die to be together forever together such as romeo and juliet or will they give up on there forbidden love.
Profile Image for April Mansfield.
27 reviews1 follower
August 20, 2021
Love that stands the test of time! History buff uncle, that is a part-time matchmaker, sets his niece, Calliope, up with this stunning college guy, August. Smart, good-looking, takes care of his dad, all around good guy. Calliope is smart, beautiful, wants to follow in her uncle's footsteps, & major in history. Her dad, the lawyer, is a hard guy to please. Do-what-I-say kind of guy. Her mother dies of cancer when she was 6, & her uncle & grandmother is her only link to her mom, & memories of her mom. Calliope's & August's adventure for the search of the truth about the Book of Hours, & the story of Heloise, Abelard, & the mysterious A., is one of the best love stories I have read in a very long time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Savannah Henry.
1 review
October 17, 2023
This book was beautifully written and contained romantic and descriptive language that contributed wonderfully to the story itself. August is the definition of a "man written by a woman": poetic, romantic, caring, patient. However, I would have loved for this book to be longer so we could have truly seen August and Callie's love story develop. Yes, I understand they were "meant to be" but they seemed naïve and like they rushed into an intense relationship. But regardless it was a wonderful novel and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a good romance with a historical twist!
Profile Image for Kathryn.
22 reviews
March 25, 2018
I bought this book at the airport when I had a major delay... 5 years later and I finally read it all the way through.

It’s a simpler book about romance and mystery. A typical cheap book you by at the airport to pass time. However it is definitely one of my favorite ones i have bought off a whim.
Definitely one to keep in mind if you just need a quick book to read.

Prefect age to read this - preteens day 12-14
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