Photo Credit Amazon.com
From the Publisher:
Every so often a story comes along that reminds you of what it’s like to experience love for the first time – against the odds, when you least expect it, and with such passion that it completely changes you forever.
Lily was married for just days before her husband was sent abroad to fight in WWII. Now, he and the other soldiers are returning, and the small town of Toccoa, Georgia plans a big celebration. But a handsome and kind Italian immigrant, responsible for the elaborate fireworks display the town commissioned, captures Lily’s heart and soul. Torn between duty to society and her husband, and a poor, passionate man who might be her only true love—Lily must choose between a love she never knew and a commitment she'd already made.
Poignant and elegant, Fireworks Over Toccoa is a mosaic of all the emotions that only love can make possible.
About the Author:
Jeffrey Stepakoff was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received a BA in Journalism. In 1988, the day after getting his MFA in Playwriting from Carnegie Mellon, he drove to Hollywood where he began writing for film and television.
Jeffrey has “written by” or “story by” credits on thirty-six television episodes, has written for fourteen different series and has worked on seven primetime staffs, producing hundreds of hours of internationally-recognized television, including the Emmy-winning THE WONDER YEARS, SISTERS, WILD CARD, HYPERION BAY, THE MAGIC SCHOOL, C16: FBI, ROBIN’S HOODS, LAND’S END, FLIPPER, SONS & DAUGHTERS, MAJOR DAD, THE YAKOV SMIRNOFF SHOW, BEAUTY & THE BEAST, HAVE FAITH, SIMON& SIMON, and DAWSON’S CREEK where he was Co-Executive Producer.
Stepakoff has also created and developed pilots for many of the major studios and networks, including 20th Century, Paramount, MTM, Fox and ABC. And he has developed and written major motion pictures, including Disney’s TARZAN and BROTHER BEAR, and EM Entertainment’s LAPITCH, THE LITTLE SHOEMAKER, Croatia’s selection for the 1998 Academy Awards.
Photo credit Toccoa Falls College: Toccoa Falls Toccoa, Georgia
A few years ago, Stepakoff returned to Atlanta, where he lives with his wife and three young children, and began writing fiction. Fireworks Over Toccoa is his first novel. Presently, he speaks around the country, teaches dramatic writing at Kennesaw State University, and is hard at work on his second novel for St. Martin’s Press. In his spare time, he builds forts in living room with sofa cushions.
My Review:
I was excited to find this book to review because I have actually been to Toccoa, Georgia. My parents moved up to the Northern mountains of Georgia and actually live one town over. In fact when I found this book for review they were also asking for book clubs to sign up to be sent the book to read so I sent the information to my mom for her book club and they will be reading the book at their May meeting. I am going to try and get them to do a little bit of a review and write up and post it for all of you so you can get another perspective on this book. I want to thank Five Minutes for Books for the opportunity to read this book.
I personally have been to Toccoa Falls and into the city of Toccoa places that the book discusses. I have seen the Kudzu taking over the forests and old buildings all over Georgia. While the vines and its flowers are beautiful to this day every summer the vines climb over everything and anything by the end of the summer hte vines have reached the tops of the trees.During the time this book was set Toccoa was prosperous and full of life. Toccoa has lost almost all of its industry and is a very poor town. They are trying to bring back the main section of town to bring in tourist money and people from more wealthy towns in the area.
The book itself is a quick and easy read I was reading it on my plane flight back from Blog Paws and didn't want to put it down but between the allergy medicine I had taken that morning and the fact that I had an entire row of seats to myself I was reading and then fell asleep mutliple times during the two hour flight. So when I say that once you pick up the book you will not want to put it back down I really mean it. I didn't want to sleep but the medicine was getting the best of me.
The book opens in present day with Lily and her granddaughter going to the museum and finding a From page one you are drawn into Lily's story of being the prim and proper Southern Belle from a wealthy family in Northern Georgia at the end of World War II. I like the fact that while the story is a complete work of fiction much of the background of the story is based in fact. Lily the proper Southern Belle has secretes about herself that she doesn't share with anyone even her husband until she meets Jake Russo. Jake is the the pyrotechnics man the Lady's Auxiliary Club hires to put on the fireworks display to welcome the troop (including Lily's husband Paul) back from war.
Lily happens to see him set off test fireworks in preparation for the big event and becomes enthralled by the sight. She pulls off the road to her house and walks into the field to watch it ore closely. Not knowing the dangers Jake comes and pushes her down to the ground in order to protect her from the raining debris. One thing leads to another and he is cooking her Risotto for dinner in the field next to his fireworks. I don't want to give too much away because it is such a fun and easy read that you will be finished with the book before you realize. You might want to devote a rainy afternoon or an evening to read this book so you don't have to put it down.
Photo Credit Earth First: Kudzu taking over an old house.