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The Summer Garden

Book 3 in the series:The Bronze Horseman

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The Summer Garden is the third book in The Bronze Horseman series by Paullina Simons. The novel continues the love story of Alexander and Tatiana, set against the backdrop of war and post-war life. The book delves into the emotional journey of the characters, portraying their struggles and triumphs as they navigate through life, love, and the aftermath of war. The writing style is described as emotionally intense, evocative, and detailed, capturing the essence of familial emotions and the horrors of war with mesmerizing details.

Characters:

The characters are deeply flawed yet relatable, specifically focusing on the challenges in their post-war lives and the impact of their pasts.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by emotional complexity and vivid descriptions, although it suffers from occasional editorial issues.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot mainly deals with the aftermath of war, focusing on the characters' everyday struggles and relationship complexities, culminating in a shift to Vietnam.

Setting:

The setting shifts through various locations in post-war America, enhancing the theme of searching for belonging.

Pacing:

The book has uneven pacing, often dragging in the middle but picking up during significant plot developments.
Once upon a time, in Stonington, Maine, before sunset, at the end of a hot war and the beginning of a cold one, a young woman dressed in white, outwardly calm but with trembling hands, sat on a bench ...

Notes:

The Summer Garden is the final installment of the Bronze Horseman trilogy by Paullina Simons.
The book continues the love story of Tatiana and Alexander in post-war America.
It explores themes of trauma, love, and survival after the devastating effects of war.
The writing style has been criticized for being overly long and repetitive, especially in terms of sexual content.
Characters, particularly Alexander, face significant personal challenges, including PTSD from the war.
The family struggles with the complexities of raising their son, Anthony, amidst their traumatic past.
There are flashbacks throughout the novel that provide insight into Tatiana's childhood and help develop her character.
Many readers found the ending unsatisfactory or unrealistic, especially in portraying domestic bliss after such turmoil.
The book also portrays societal expectations of gender roles in the 1950s and conflicts arising from them.
It includes a shift in setting from America to Vietnam as the story progresses, focusing on Anthony's involvement in the war.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of spousal abuse, infidelity, PTSD, sexual violence, and trauma.

Has Romance?

The novel features a high level of romance, focusing heavily on the relationship between Tatiana and Alexander.

From The Publisher:

The Magnificent Conclusion to the Timeless Epic Saga

Through years of war and devastation, Tatiana and Alexander suffered the worst the twentieth century had to offer. Miraculously reunited in America, they now have a beautiful son, Anthony, the gift of a love strong enough to survive the most terrible upheavals. Though they are still young, the ordeals they endured have changed them-and after living apart in a world laid waste, they must now find a way to live together in postwar America.

With the Cold War rising, dark forces at work in their adopted country threaten their lives, their family, and their hard-won peace. To regain the happiness they once knew, to wash away the lingering pain of the past, two lovers grown distant must somehow forge a new life . . .or watch the ghosts of their yesterdays destroy their firstborn son.

The Summer Garden . . . their odyssey is just beginning.

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