The Legacy of Us Review

Distiller: Hikari Loftus
Rating: 4/5 Stars



The Legacy of Us
by Kristin Contino
SparkPress (August 18, 2015)

364 pages

Generally I write up my own synopsis of the story, but the published one is so perfect, I am just copying it here:

"Liz Moretti thought she knew almost everything about her grandmother, Ella, from her love of "The Golden Girls" to the perfect pound cake recipe. But when Ella passes away and Liz finds a cameo locket with a marriage proposal engraved inside (from a man who was not her grandfather), she realizes that sometimes a person's secrets are discovered only after they're gone. 

On top of losing Ella, Liz's career as a jewelry designer is stagnant and her love life lacks sparkle, too. When she reconnects with the one who got away, Liz thinks maybe things are finally starting to look up. But after a few drinks and a trip down a flight of stairs, Liz wakes up to realize the cameo is gone. Her ex offers to look for it, but so does Justin, the intriguing new guy in her apartment building. 

While dealing with her feelings for two very different men and generally trying to reinvent her mess of a life, Liz finds answers and solace in Ella's diary. The story of the cameo, and the relationship between her grandmother and great-grandmother, an outspoken socialite from Italy, inspires Liz to grow up and accept responsibility for her missteps. Eventually she must choose between the life she thought she wanted and the promise of something better.” 

This is one read that gets better and better as you go. I was completely intrigued with the mystery of the cameo locket and the way the story was told. When Liz is reading from her grandmother’s diary, the perspective changes and readers are transported back to either 1957 or 1905 as the story of her grandmother and great-grandmother unfolds. I LOVED that, and it was so well done. I found that the three different perspectives and stories really blended well with each other. 

I think there are a lot of women that can relate to Liz in some way, and that is good women's fiction to me. I loved the message of family and Liz learning what it means to take hold of her own life as she learns about the lives of the women who came before her.

This is definitely a fun, easy read with some empowering messages in it.