Blurb:
A chance
encounter between a penniless young woman in search of her missing brother and
a hobo burdened with a big secret takes both on a journey to Chicago's
glamorous yet crime-ridden 1920s, where prostitution, bootlegging, and
corruption rule. Separated by fate and reunited by chance, WHERE THE NIGHT
NEVER ENDS is an unforgettable tale of courage and perseverance, a tribute to
the triumph of hope and love against all odds.
When feisty and headstrong
Samantha Bruno loses her mother in a freak accident, she decides to search for
her brother, Angelo, who didn't return from a business trip to Chicago seven
months earlier. It is the year 1924, the height of prohibition, and the city of
Cincinnati is in the midst of a deep recession. Narrowly escaping a band of
thugs, Sam meets Paul, a mysterious hobo with a big secret. Together they
embark on a harrowing journey to Chicago, where Al Capone is building an
empire.
Just when it seems their
friendship is blossoming into something more, a raid tears Sam and Paul apart.
Sam is sold into a brothel while Paul is arrested. Trapped without money and
desperate to escape her new profession, Sam realizes she is on her own. Not
only to free herself and search for her brother among Chicago's three million
residents, but also to do the impossible--find Paul.
During his hearing, Paul learns
that his father, a wealthy Chicago inventor, is on his deathbed. The judge, an
old family friend, gives Paul an ultimatum. See your father or go to jail.
Reluctantly, Paul returns home, where he finds that his decision to run away
seven years earlier was based on a terrible mistake.
Narrated in alternating chapters
by Sam and Paul, with rich historical detail, complex characters, and stunning
prose, award-winning author Annette Oppenlander once again delivers a touching
novel that lets us imagine what it was like to live and love during the roaring
1920s.
Excerpt:
Sam
I awoke in the early morning, my
bones chilled as if they could fracture. I stomped back and forth in the
abandoned lot until an inkling of warmth returned to my feet and hands.
Remembering the sack from yesterday, I pinched my nose and took a drink from
the whiskey. I shook myself as the liquid edged a fiery trail down my throat
and gathered heat in my middle.
I’d made up my mind to leave.
What about Papa’s favorite
cooking pot made from cast-iron? And his knife used for cutting ingredients,
Mamma’s quilt that carried her scent? Should I return and check? Visit my
girlfriend, Helen, who lived on the same block? We’d gone to school together,
but Helen worked in a canning factory six days a week because her father worked
there too.
No, I couldn’t risk it. Talbott
had no doubt taken over my apartment and everything in it. Or he was lying in
wait. There was no telling what he’d do if he caught me.
Straightening my achy knees, I
stumbled onto the street and turned south. Frost covered the muddy trail and
puddles. I filled my lungs because the air was almost bearable this morning,
not yet soiled with manure from the daily herding of pigs to slaughter and the
neglected dirty skin of men out of work.
I’d go search for my brother. He
was bound to be in Chicago and he had to be alive. I was sure of it. Why else
had there been that mysterious Chicago Tribune newspaper in the mailbox? It had
only happened once—it couldn’t be a coincidence. But for some reason Angelo had
chosen not to return, not even write. Something big had to have happened,
something that had scared Angelo into abandoning mighty George Remus,
abandoning Mamma and me. If there was any chance he was still there, I had to
find him.
Only when the rail yard came into
view did I realize I knew nothing about traveling on trains. In my cluttered
brain, I’d figured to catch a free train north. How else was I going to get
there without money? Buses required tickets. Walking took weeks and provisions
I didn’t have.
Hundreds of cargo wagons
stretched in every direction, seemingly parked helter-skelter along miles of
rails. Where they went was anybody’s guess. There was a chill in the air, a
frigid wind whistling along the tracks. It carried none of the filthy odor I
knew from my neighborhood, but something unfamiliar and hostile. I tucked my
coat around me, the shotgun a comfortable weight beneath my armpit. I’d
fashioned a loop into the lining, the butt of the gun resting in the inner seam
of my coat.
Angelo’s blue eyes, so much like
my own, appeared in my vision. I angrily wiped a sleeve across my face and
climbed over the first rails.
I’d heard of hobos, men
crisscrossing the country in search of jobs. Surely one of them knew how to
find Chicago. I’d simply ask directions.
“Look what we gots here,” a voice
snickered.
“Is the girly lost?” another
chimed in.
“She needs a fella to help her
out,” a third voice said as the man attached to it stepped into my way. “Where
to, doll?” His grin exposed a graveyard of foul teeth. There was no telling how
old the man was, his face hidden behind a jungle of beard and month’s worth of
grime.
I stopped abruptly, hugging the
sack with my remaining supplies to my chest. Unless I threw everything down and
had space and time to wrestle out my shotgun, I didn’t stand a chance.
My Review:
4 stars
While
everyone talks about the glamour of the roarin’ 20s, it’s easy to overlook the
grittier, darker side of that time. Not here though. Where the Night Ends
perfectly captures the 20s as a whole, and the level of detail, from real-life
historical figures accurately woven in to beautifully detailed scenery, is
phenomenal. I can’t even imagine how much research the author put into this
book, but it definitely shows.
I
enjoyed the chemistry between Sam and Paul, as it felt realistic and drove the
story along. Add that and plenty of action and adventure with a little mystery
thrown in, and you’re on one heck of a ride. The only downside I had with the
story was that Sam irritated me at times because I felt that some of her
actions didn’t match the time period or her own abilities. For example, constantly
rushing into situations she was not equipped to handle. It felt a little forced
to move the story along, which seemed a bit odd to me considering how detailed and
accurate other characters and situations were.
Even
with that, I still enjoyed the story, and would recommend it to anyone
looking for a well-researched historical fiction.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Don’t forget to visit the other stops
on the tour.
Author Bio and Links:
Annette Oppenlander is an
award-winning writer, literary coach and educator. As a bestselling historical
novelist, Oppenlander is known for her authentic characters and stories based
on true events, coming alive in well-researched settings. Having lived in
Germany the first half of her life and the second half in various parts in the
U.S., Oppenlander inspires readers by illuminating story questions as relevant
today as they were in the past.
Oppenlander’s bestselling true
WWII story, Surviving the Fatherland, won multiple awards, including the 2017
U.S. National Indie Excellence Award. Her historical time-travel trilogy,
Escape from the Past, takes readers to the German Middle Ages and the Wild
West. Uniquely, Oppenlander weaves actual historical figures and events into
her plots, giving readers a flavor of true history while enjoying a good story.
Oppenlander shares her knowledge through writing workshops at colleges,
libraries, festivals and schools. She also offers vivid presentations and
author visits. The mother of fraternal twins and a son, she recently returned
to her home, Solingen, Germany where she lives with her husband and old mutt,
Mocha.
Website:
http://www.annetteoppenlander.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/annetteoppenlanderauthor
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/aoppenlander
Pinterest: annoppenlander
Blog:
http://www.annetteoppenlander.com/blog/
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Annette-Oppenlander/e/B00W8QRTJ4/
Email:
annette.oppenlander@yahoo.com
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGreat cover and awesome giveaway! Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hosting and reviewing! I'll be stopping by occasionally in case anyone has questions. All the best, Annette
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking time to bring to our attention another great read. I enjoy these tours and finding out about many terrific books.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read!
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