Are you looking for a sweet romance to kick off your summer reading? Then Della’s Song by Donna Jo Stone is a perfect choice. This fairytale-inspired story set in the 1930s is full of nostalgia and spiritual truths. Check it out below.
A tragic loss, a silenced song, and a scattered family … one North Louisiana tea room offers an unlikely reunion.
In the wake of a devastating train accident, Della Swan’s world is shattered. Her father and brother are forever changed, and the Swan Family Gospel Singers have no choice but to depend on the charity of formidable Aunt Leticia, proprietor of the Hotel Fairwood.
Of Della’s six brothers, only two remain with her at the hotel: Quiet Max, the youngest, and Frank, the pianist who lost his arm—and his heart for music. The rest are sent away to school or work. Aunt Leticia believes the children must learn to make their way in the world, effectively banishing them.
During Father’s recovery, the repercussions of his head injury make one thing clear. Life as the Swans knew it, traveling the south and sharing music, may never return. Yet Della clings to the belief that God isn’t finished with her family or their calling and sets a plan in motion to bring them together again.
When she develops an unexpected bond with Clayton Miller, the hotel’s reserved, long-time employee, his steady presence reminds her there is often more to people—and situations—than meets the eye.
The Swan Family Gospel Singers are separated by tragedy, Della’s brothers scattered to the wind. With needle and thread, faith, and a song, she finds a way to stitch them together again.
A touch of fairy tale, a spoonful of history, and a teacup of hope.
Della’s Song is a stand-alone novel in the Apron Strings Tea Tales multi-author series, and a 1930s historical with romance retelling of “The Six Swans.”
Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of historical, contemporary, and young adult fiction.
Life is messy and beautiful. In everyone’s story, there is truth and hope. Donna Jo’s novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.
When she’s not writing, she loves to read and talk about books, poke around in old bookshops and museums, and spend time with her family.
My Impressions:
I love a fairytale retelling! Della’s Song by Donna Jo Stone is inspired by The Seven Swans. With creative nods to the original story, Della is determined to reunite her family after tragedy has turned it upside down. Della is the lone sister in a large group of brothers. They were known as the Swan Family Gospel Singers before her father and older brother’s accident left her father with neurological difficulties and her piano-playing brother with only one arm. Della’s mission is to get the family back on the stage. She sees it as her one and only calling. I liked how her preconceived notions and tunnel vision are challenged. In a Google search of the original story, themes such as love, sacrifice, and perseverance are listed, and that’s what you get in Stone’s novel. The setting is charming, the characters are real and relatable, and the romance is sweet! Della’s dreams morph into a reality that is much more than she expected. It’s a quick read perfect for a lazy weekend sipping lemonade or sweet tea out on the porch! Be sure to grab a tea cake too. 😉
Recommended.
Audience: older teens and adults.
(Thanks to the author for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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