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Before Ever After: A Novel
"A smartly written romance, mystery and historical adventure all wrapped up in a page-turner that will have you guessing until the very end." – Adena Halpern, author of The Ten Best Days of My Life
Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max—same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose—he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.
As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem—how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up?—Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down—if it is really Max. Along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to.
Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max—same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose—he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.
As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem—how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up?—Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down—if it is really Max. Along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2011
38 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 12, 2025
5 stars
This book/story is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES! It's perfectly written... just enough suspense and disbelief (and suspension of disbelief) to keep you reading... You come to the same conclusions as the Leading Lady, as she's putting the pieces together.
It's like a cozy mystery, heart-pounding romance, historical fiction, contemporary, epic all in one!
Who doesn't love Marcus? And his CHICKENs!
This book/story is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES! It's perfectly written... just enough suspense and disbelief (and suspension of disbelief) to keep you reading... You come to the same conclusions as the Leading Lady, as she's putting the pieces together.
It's like a cozy mystery, heart-pounding romance, historical fiction, contemporary, epic all in one!
Who doesn't love Marcus? And his CHICKENs!
May 6, 2025
What a wonderful story.
I won't give anything away. All I want to say is, I loved this book. Talk about escaping halfway around the world. :)
I won't give anything away. All I want to say is, I loved this book. Talk about escaping halfway around the world. :)
December 31, 2025
Story was good, but I could have done without Shelley’s angst.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews