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With Kisses From Cécile
A STORY OF LOVE AND REDEMPTION, DRAWN FROM REAL-LIFE
Visiting Paris to find out more about her great-grandmother’s World-War-I-era pen pal Cécile, a forlorn Maggie, reeling from discovering her husband’s infidelity, learns of devastating one-hundred-year-old secrets involving loss and forgiveness. Revelations about her family’s past challenge Maggie’s decision to face her future alone.
Maggie Ruth Mitchell’s failed reconciliation with her unfaithful husband leaves her heartbroken—and pregnant. She accepts her family’s invitation to Paris to pay homage to Cécile, whose World War One era pen pal letters to Maggie’s great-grandmother Ruth are cherished family mementos. Through reading Cécile’s letters and learning about Ruth’s tragic past, will Maggie find the strength to forgive and love again?
In the year 1919 following World War One, Ruth and Cécile begin corresponding through an American-French pen pal program. Cécile is fighting against consumption, a life-threatening illness. Ruth is hiding the truth about a tragic death that has torn her family apart. She draws strength to face what fate brings from her pen pal’s inspiring letters, each signed With Kisses from Cécile.
Visiting Paris to find out more about her great-grandmother’s World-War-I-era pen pal Cécile, a forlorn Maggie, reeling from discovering her husband’s infidelity, learns of devastating one-hundred-year-old secrets involving loss and forgiveness. Revelations about her family’s past challenge Maggie’s decision to face her future alone.
Maggie Ruth Mitchell’s failed reconciliation with her unfaithful husband leaves her heartbroken—and pregnant. She accepts her family’s invitation to Paris to pay homage to Cécile, whose World War One era pen pal letters to Maggie’s great-grandmother Ruth are cherished family mementos. Through reading Cécile’s letters and learning about Ruth’s tragic past, will Maggie find the strength to forgive and love again?
In the year 1919 following World War One, Ruth and Cécile begin corresponding through an American-French pen pal program. Cécile is fighting against consumption, a life-threatening illness. Ruth is hiding the truth about a tragic death that has torn her family apart. She draws strength to face what fate brings from her pen pal’s inspiring letters, each signed With Kisses from Cécile.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 12, 2019
4 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Anne Armistead
4 books18 followersAnne Armistead is an award winning romance author. She earned her English literature degree from the University of Georgia and her MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University and is a member of the Georgia Romance Writers, Atlanta Writers Club, and Historical Novel Society.
When she's not conjuring tales of her own, she's reading those written by others. She writes love stories set in past and present. Her romance subgenres include historical , time travel fantasy, and sweet contemporary.
Most recent release: A TRYST IN PARIS, A Time Travel Romance, winner of the 2024 Georgia Independent Author Award in historical fiction.
A CHRISTMAS CANNOLI KISS, a sweet contemporary romance from The Wild Rose Press.
WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE, from Storyology Design & Publication, won the 2020 Georgia Independent Author Award in historical fiction.
When she's not conjuring tales of her own, she's reading those written by others. She writes love stories set in past and present. Her romance subgenres include historical , time travel fantasy, and sweet contemporary.
Most recent release: A TRYST IN PARIS, A Time Travel Romance, winner of the 2024 Georgia Independent Author Award in historical fiction.
A CHRISTMAS CANNOLI KISS, a sweet contemporary romance from The Wild Rose Press.
WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE, from Storyology Design & Publication, won the 2020 Georgia Independent Author Award in historical fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 7, 2019
With Kisses From Cécile is based on a true story of Jan Agnello's great-grandmother, Ruth, and her Fench pen pal, Cécile. It is a poignant and lovely historical that tells the story of two young women, one American and one French, whose friendship defied geographic restrictions. Through their letters, readers are given a glimpse into what their lives were like and the history they witnessed.
There are two timelines in this book. In the present timeline, Maggie is at a pivotal time in her life and marriage. Estranged from her husband, and now pregnant, she is gifted a trip to Paris with her grandmother. On the plane ride to Paris, her grandmother shows her the letters between Ruth and Cécile, and tells her of their friendship.
In the past timeline, Ruth and her family just moved in with her grandfather (and one feisty rooster!), after the tragic death of her brother. She joins a Pen Pal program at school and receives her first letter from Cécile in June of 1919, the day of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, when the Great War ended. Cécile lives in Paris and writes to Ruth of the events she witnesses and tells her of her life and family. It was fascinating!
You can't help but be drawn to the strong women in this book, and it was co-written seamlessly. I absolutely loved every minute I spent reading it!
It also brought back some memories as I had a pen pal as a teenager as well. They captured the allure of writing letters - the excitement you feel when a new letter would arrive, and the disappointment when it didn't. I kind of feel bad for kids these days that won't know the bittersweetness of it all.
In addition to including the letters from Cécile, we are also gifted with photos of the real Ruth, Cecile, and drawings from the letters. That was really amazing to see! They were both so lovely! I am sad that they never got to meet, and I am grateful to know their story and be a witness to such a lovely friendship.
I highly recommend With Kisses From Cécile and can't wait to see what Jan & Anne write next!
There are two timelines in this book. In the present timeline, Maggie is at a pivotal time in her life and marriage. Estranged from her husband, and now pregnant, she is gifted a trip to Paris with her grandmother. On the plane ride to Paris, her grandmother shows her the letters between Ruth and Cécile, and tells her of their friendship.
In the past timeline, Ruth and her family just moved in with her grandfather (and one feisty rooster!), after the tragic death of her brother. She joins a Pen Pal program at school and receives her first letter from Cécile in June of 1919, the day of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, when the Great War ended. Cécile lives in Paris and writes to Ruth of the events she witnesses and tells her of her life and family. It was fascinating!
You can't help but be drawn to the strong women in this book, and it was co-written seamlessly. I absolutely loved every minute I spent reading it!
It also brought back some memories as I had a pen pal as a teenager as well. They captured the allure of writing letters - the excitement you feel when a new letter would arrive, and the disappointment when it didn't. I kind of feel bad for kids these days that won't know the bittersweetness of it all.
In addition to including the letters from Cécile, we are also gifted with photos of the real Ruth, Cecile, and drawings from the letters. That was really amazing to see! They were both so lovely! I am sad that they never got to meet, and I am grateful to know their story and be a witness to such a lovely friendship.
I highly recommend With Kisses From Cécile and can't wait to see what Jan & Anne write next!
April 26, 2020
I loved this sensitive story from Anne Armistead and how it was based on the true story of her great-grandmother. It was written in letter format that covered two timelines from the life of Ruth along with her pen pal Cécile.
Maggie is undergoing some serious trials in her life and marriage and she received the lovely gift of a trip to Paris from her grandmother. Her grandmother hopes that this trip will help Maggie to deal with her feelings of sadness, pain and regret. During the long flight, her grandmother gives her a box of letters that was given to her from her mother, and Maggie begins to read them. The first letter in this story is from Ruth to Cécile and was written in 1919. Maggie reads the letters as they were written, going back between her great-grandmother's and Cécile's. I loved how Maggie was able to discuss certain points with her grandmother as she pondered each letter.
The letters touched on both warm and tragic experiences that the women experienced over the years and how they came to become pen pals. Although I never had a pen pal, I know some that do, and they have often spoke of the wonderful experiences, including very honest feelings, sadness and life's failures as time wears on.
In most cases, I review digital ARCs, but in this case the author provided me a print ARC. This was a true bonus due to the wonderful black and white photos that I have gazed at more than once.
Thank you to Anne Armistead for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Maggie is undergoing some serious trials in her life and marriage and she received the lovely gift of a trip to Paris from her grandmother. Her grandmother hopes that this trip will help Maggie to deal with her feelings of sadness, pain and regret. During the long flight, her grandmother gives her a box of letters that was given to her from her mother, and Maggie begins to read them. The first letter in this story is from Ruth to Cécile and was written in 1919. Maggie reads the letters as they were written, going back between her great-grandmother's and Cécile's. I loved how Maggie was able to discuss certain points with her grandmother as she pondered each letter.
The letters touched on both warm and tragic experiences that the women experienced over the years and how they came to become pen pals. Although I never had a pen pal, I know some that do, and they have often spoke of the wonderful experiences, including very honest feelings, sadness and life's failures as time wears on.
In most cases, I review digital ARCs, but in this case the author provided me a print ARC. This was a true bonus due to the wonderful black and white photos that I have gazed at more than once.
Thank you to Anne Armistead for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
September 12, 2019
I honestly thought this book was great! I am a sucker for places such as Paris and period pieces and the juxtaposition of present and past - and this had all of those features. Maggie is a woman who has just found out her marriage is over, that her husband is a cheater, and of course their trip to Paris ... well, that didn't work out, so she takes her Grams with her. It's not exactly how she wanted or expected things to work out, but she is trying to be strong and make the best of things - and not continue crying over her husband Cole. We find out at the beginning of the book that he had wanted children and she was just not ready yet, thus driving the wedge between them and he looked for it elsewhere, and found it at work with a pretty young redhead. Maggie doesn't want her marriage to be over, but she simply can't trust Cole anymore. She is excited to take her Grams to Paris and hopes for the best.
While she is awaiting the trip to begin, her Grams starts to tell her about some very old letters from a woman named Cecile that her own mother had been pen pals with a long time ago. Cecile lived in Paris during the rebuilding of Paris after the Treaty of Versailles was signed and the war had come to an end. So thus begins the story of Ruth - Maggie's Great Grandmother - and Cecile. At this point the story switches from being told from Maggie's perspective over to being told from Ruth's perspective - how she loved receiving letters from Cecile and did not like to be interrupted. It seems as though her family life was not good and that perhaps she didn't get along with her mother much, in a sense it mirrors the relationship between Maggie and her own mother. And we also find out that Cecile is writing these letters while she is battling consumption, a disease that was rampant back in the old days and she is slowly withering away. And then we find out that Maggie has a very large secret of her own - she is pregnant with Cole's child and has not told him and really doesn't want to tell him. Quite a revelation for the beginning of the book, and it is very interesting to see the relationship between Ruth and Cecile develops throughout the book as well as the relationship between Maggie and Grams. The character of Cecile is very richly complex, even though we only see her through her letters and through the eyes of Ruth. And as the story progresses, we see so much more in the other 2 main characters of Maggie and Grams, and how closely they are able to bond due to the trip and the letters.
This truly is a story of love, hope, longing, forgiveness and finding peace at the end of a long journey, and it probably never would have happened had Maggie not read the letters from Cecile. They awaken something inside of her that she didn't realize was there - her childhood had not been happy, she was not against having children but scared to be a mother, and figuring out that she was able to do it on her own and didn't need Cole to make her life better. And of course the most important theme of all - friendship. The bond between Ruth and Cecile is one that is surprising for 2 people who don't know each other except through correspondence, but their friendship seems to transcend all others and helps each of them heal from their problems in some way. I won't say whether she tells him about the baby or whether they get back together in the end. But this is a fabulous journey filled with amazing stories set against the backdrop of the gorgeous sights of Paris at an epic time in history. I highly recommend this book, it's probably one of the best historical fiction novels I have read, it's full of beautiful stories, sad stories, gorgeous expressions of historic times and much more. I would definitely also recommend some tissues, as there are a lot of sad moments and tearjerker moments in this book - but also ones that will make you cry because they are beautiful or happy moments!
While she is awaiting the trip to begin, her Grams starts to tell her about some very old letters from a woman named Cecile that her own mother had been pen pals with a long time ago. Cecile lived in Paris during the rebuilding of Paris after the Treaty of Versailles was signed and the war had come to an end. So thus begins the story of Ruth - Maggie's Great Grandmother - and Cecile. At this point the story switches from being told from Maggie's perspective over to being told from Ruth's perspective - how she loved receiving letters from Cecile and did not like to be interrupted. It seems as though her family life was not good and that perhaps she didn't get along with her mother much, in a sense it mirrors the relationship between Maggie and her own mother. And we also find out that Cecile is writing these letters while she is battling consumption, a disease that was rampant back in the old days and she is slowly withering away. And then we find out that Maggie has a very large secret of her own - she is pregnant with Cole's child and has not told him and really doesn't want to tell him. Quite a revelation for the beginning of the book, and it is very interesting to see the relationship between Ruth and Cecile develops throughout the book as well as the relationship between Maggie and Grams. The character of Cecile is very richly complex, even though we only see her through her letters and through the eyes of Ruth. And as the story progresses, we see so much more in the other 2 main characters of Maggie and Grams, and how closely they are able to bond due to the trip and the letters.
This truly is a story of love, hope, longing, forgiveness and finding peace at the end of a long journey, and it probably never would have happened had Maggie not read the letters from Cecile. They awaken something inside of her that she didn't realize was there - her childhood had not been happy, she was not against having children but scared to be a mother, and figuring out that she was able to do it on her own and didn't need Cole to make her life better. And of course the most important theme of all - friendship. The bond between Ruth and Cecile is one that is surprising for 2 people who don't know each other except through correspondence, but their friendship seems to transcend all others and helps each of them heal from their problems in some way. I won't say whether she tells him about the baby or whether they get back together in the end. But this is a fabulous journey filled with amazing stories set against the backdrop of the gorgeous sights of Paris at an epic time in history. I highly recommend this book, it's probably one of the best historical fiction novels I have read, it's full of beautiful stories, sad stories, gorgeous expressions of historic times and much more. I would definitely also recommend some tissues, as there are a lot of sad moments and tearjerker moments in this book - but also ones that will make you cry because they are beautiful or happy moments!
September 10, 2019
This book was received from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own
http://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com
Maggie Ruth Mitchell {Maggie}, is completely heartbroken her marriage is on verge of collapsing. Her husbands infidelity and recent developments have left her devastated.She accepts her family’s invitation to travel with her beloved grandmother, Grams.
Maggie's grandmother has asked her along to pay homage to a hundred year old friendship between Maggies great-grandmother mother, Ruth and a Parisian pen pal, Cécile.
With Kisses From Cécile, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming hopeful story that explores love, loss, and hardship, the relationships that bonds people together.
Ruth Calderhead Carlock And Cécile Cosquéric frienship is documented in over 100 letters and served as the inspiration for this captivating novel.
What really stood out for me and what I really loved about this story was the compelling and emotional layered dual timeline and how they connected the story and the family also with an amazing friendship. We see the historical side to the story and then a modern side to it. Each are strong, interesting stories with their conflicts and heartache that shaped one families history. Maggie learns of devastating one-hundred-year-old secrets involving loss and forgiveness. Revelations about her family’s past challenge Maggie’s decision to face her future alone.
With Kisses From Cécile, captures something extraordinary here as well as fully capturing my heart. I was immediately taken with this story and found myself totally mesmerized and in awe of long distance friendship between Ruth And Cécile. The Author’s ability to weave such a fantastic story that is based on real-life people and their lives. This incredible storyline is a page turner with a wonderful heartwarming storyline of heartbreak and strength.. and ultimately in the end forgiveness.
There are some books that the storyline tugs at your heartstrings, this is one!
I absolutely loved this book, and recommend it to everyone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars
http://gwendalynbooks.wordpress.com
Maggie Ruth Mitchell {Maggie}, is completely heartbroken her marriage is on verge of collapsing. Her husbands infidelity and recent developments have left her devastated.She accepts her family’s invitation to travel with her beloved grandmother, Grams.
Maggie's grandmother has asked her along to pay homage to a hundred year old friendship between Maggies great-grandmother mother, Ruth and a Parisian pen pal, Cécile.
With Kisses From Cécile, is a heartbreaking, heartwarming hopeful story that explores love, loss, and hardship, the relationships that bonds people together.
Ruth Calderhead Carlock And Cécile Cosquéric frienship is documented in over 100 letters and served as the inspiration for this captivating novel.
What really stood out for me and what I really loved about this story was the compelling and emotional layered dual timeline and how they connected the story and the family also with an amazing friendship. We see the historical side to the story and then a modern side to it. Each are strong, interesting stories with their conflicts and heartache that shaped one families history. Maggie learns of devastating one-hundred-year-old secrets involving loss and forgiveness. Revelations about her family’s past challenge Maggie’s decision to face her future alone.
With Kisses From Cécile, captures something extraordinary here as well as fully capturing my heart. I was immediately taken with this story and found myself totally mesmerized and in awe of long distance friendship between Ruth And Cécile. The Author’s ability to weave such a fantastic story that is based on real-life people and their lives. This incredible storyline is a page turner with a wonderful heartwarming storyline of heartbreak and strength.. and ultimately in the end forgiveness.
There are some books that the storyline tugs at your heartstrings, this is one!
I absolutely loved this book, and recommend it to everyone.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars
September 16, 2019
With Kisses From Cecile is probably not something I would have grabbed a year ago. I am so happy I am reading historical fiction now, because I was missing out on awesome stories like this. This novel is based on a true story of Jan Agnello’s great-grandmother Ruth and her pen pal, Cecile. It’s a lovely historical tale of a beautiful friendship. Poignant and breathtakingly written.
I love the dual timelines in this novel. In the present, Maggie is given the letters between Ruth and Cecile. In the Past, Ruth has just moved in with her grandfather after the tragic death of her brother. She joins a pen pal program and receives her first letter from Cecile.
It’s fascinating to hear about all of the history going on in this story. The women are strong characters and beautifully represented in this novel. I love that this is co-written by Jan Agnello & Anne Armistead – you can’t tell. It’s seamlessly written and wonderful.
I definitely recommend checking this out. It’s a well-written, wonderful story about a friendship that captured my heart. I absolutely loved it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this novel as part of a blog tour with HF Virtual Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
I love the dual timelines in this novel. In the present, Maggie is given the letters between Ruth and Cecile. In the Past, Ruth has just moved in with her grandfather after the tragic death of her brother. She joins a pen pal program and receives her first letter from Cecile.
It’s fascinating to hear about all of the history going on in this story. The women are strong characters and beautifully represented in this novel. I love that this is co-written by Jan Agnello & Anne Armistead – you can’t tell. It’s seamlessly written and wonderful.
I definitely recommend checking this out. It’s a well-written, wonderful story about a friendship that captured my heart. I absolutely loved it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this novel as part of a blog tour with HF Virtual Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*
Find this review and more on my blog: https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/
November 21, 2020
WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE by Annie Armistead ❤️
My Rating - 4.7/5 🌟
My Review 📚
🧿WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE by Anne Armistead portrays two characters Ruth and her French pan which gives a snapshot into their lives and of the precious friendship that is formed between two mates through their letters.
🧿I highly recommend WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE, a timeslip historical fiction by Anne Armistead and Jan Agnello. Using a “now” and “then” structure, it tells the story of Ruth and her French pen pal Cécile set in 1919 and the story of Ruth’s great-granddaughter, Maggie, set in contemporary time.
🧿 Ruth and Cécile form a precious friendship through their letters exchanged in 1919 after World War 1, in which they confide to each other about traumatic events they are facing in their lives.
🧿Maggie learns about them while traveling to Paris with her grandmother, Ruth’s daughter, after learning of her husband’s infidelity. Maggie’s grandmother shares the letters from Cecile with her in hopes Maggie will gain strength to forgive and love again.
🧿 Embedded in the novel are actual letters written by Cecile that place the reader into post World War 1 Paris and provide an intimate insight into that historical era.
🧿If you love Paris and are looking for a lovely book whose themes are friendship and love then this book is for you.
My Rating - 4.7/5 🌟
My Review 📚
🧿WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE by Anne Armistead portrays two characters Ruth and her French pan which gives a snapshot into their lives and of the precious friendship that is formed between two mates through their letters.
🧿I highly recommend WITH KISSES FROM CÉCILE, a timeslip historical fiction by Anne Armistead and Jan Agnello. Using a “now” and “then” structure, it tells the story of Ruth and her French pen pal Cécile set in 1919 and the story of Ruth’s great-granddaughter, Maggie, set in contemporary time.
🧿 Ruth and Cécile form a precious friendship through their letters exchanged in 1919 after World War 1, in which they confide to each other about traumatic events they are facing in their lives.
🧿Maggie learns about them while traveling to Paris with her grandmother, Ruth’s daughter, after learning of her husband’s infidelity. Maggie’s grandmother shares the letters from Cecile with her in hopes Maggie will gain strength to forgive and love again.
🧿 Embedded in the novel are actual letters written by Cecile that place the reader into post World War 1 Paris and provide an intimate insight into that historical era.
🧿If you love Paris and are looking for a lovely book whose themes are friendship and love then this book is for you.
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December 9, 2022Cute idea from real life. A simple romance with life tragedies over generations. Very YA. 3/5
June 11, 2024
Great read! Author was able to capture the era. Characters were wonderfully drawn.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews