Never The Moon by Australian author Rita H. Rowe is a heart wrenching romance fiction novel.
Jennifer was twelve when her mother, Judy moved her and her elder sister Elle to Tandaro from
New York City. Their father had passed and had left them penniless.
It was a big adjustment financially, they had lived a comfortable life and Judy had never worked, she now found herself picking up odd jobs, the money was not enough to support two growing girls. When Jennifer and Elle became older, they got part time jobs to contribute to the family home.
Judy always encouraged Jennifer to study hard and make something of herself as she wanted
her out of the small town.
When she was older her mother would find eligible bachelors to set her up with, this irritated Jennifer as she was in love with Michael and had plans to move away with him when they turned eighteen. That was until she met David when she first laid eyes on him, she felt butterflies and love at first sight.
Jennifer and Jack spent a wonderful summer together, inseparable making the most of the time they had together before David returned to school in Boston. They kept in touch by writing but over time his letters became infrequent and suddenly stopped.
Her love remained but when she found out he was getting married it was time for her to move on and start a new life in New York. She became a successful model and meets Jack.
Jack, well groomed, tall, and handsome sweeps Jennifer away. They marry, but before long cracks start to show. Jack is violent, and manipulative and likes to maintain power and control. Jennifer is in a loveless marriage and does not know how to get out of the situation she is in.
When Jenifer runs into David at a Gala, she is shocked to see him, memories of the time they had spent together come back and the deep feeling of love she held for him, he was truly her heart.
Over time they reconnect, but Jennifer is torn to make the right decision. Especially as someone is going to get hurt: Jack, David and most probably herself.
Rita H Rowe’s writer’s web really drew me in. I am loving a book that clearly features a woman who is arguably torn between two men. I shared all the emotional turmoil getting to know the characters involved, regardless of your opinion going in, it’s easy to be pulled into each of their thoughts and feelings and in doing so, you find empathy for Jennifer’s situation.
I appreciate the cliffhanger at the end of the story. It was totally unexpected and exposes the creative genius of the author. The theme of lost love versus present love was thoroughly explored. This makes you wonder about your own personal relationships and past love.
Never the Moon is beautifully written as Rowe explores the nuances of relationships, desires, guilt, love, and heartbreak. It shows how decisions and actions (or inactions) have ripple effects into so many lives around you.
Poignant and heartbreaking, this novel tells a compelling romance story involving characters that stay in your mind long after you’ve read the book. I highly recommend it.
Thank you, Beauty & Lace and Shawline Publishing Group Pty Ltd for the opportunity to read
and review.
ISBN: 9781922751317
Copy courtesy of publisher: Shawline Publishing Group Pty Ltd
A selection of our Beauty and Lace Club Members are reading Never the Moon by Rita H Rowe. You can read their comments below, or add your own review.
My love of books started at a very young age. My mum has always been a reader and encouraged me to read, buying me endless book from classic fairy tales advancing to the world of Enid Blyton, CS Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Kathryn Kenny, Carolyn Keene, Francine Pascal. In my adult years the list of authors is endless and every room in my house is filled with books.
One of my favourite novels is Narnia which has always has a special place in my heart. I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1978 and when I was given this book to read it let me escape to another world where I felt like I was in the book with all the characters, it wasfun and exciting to escape from reality and eased the ups and downs of the disease at such a young age.
In books nothing is impossible and there is endless potential and hundreds of places to explore or being taken to places that are only made up from the authors’ great minds, the past and future to navigate, characters lives you step into taking you on an emotional rollercoaster ride or being scared out of your wits. I can experience things that I can’t in real life because they’re not possible or real. It challenges my perspective and mindset expanding my worldview.
I find joy, comfort and peace with books, many people may not get it, but I know bookworms like me truly understand. Reading makes my heart happy.
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the chance to read this fantastic book fantastic book by a new Australian Author. A very powerful and moving story about love and the destruction it can leave in it’s wake. I loved it.
What a great read!!. Each chapter delves into the life of each character, and also goes back and forth from 1998, when the main characters all meet, to 2017, and how there lives have been intertwined all that time. A story of a deep love, a dangerous obsessive love, and everything in between.
Many novels have a very rushed ending, but this one came to it’s conclusion beautifuly, if not so utterly sad.
It really is a page turner, and one which will appeal to many. Beware though, as it does feature a side of one of the characters, Jack, who is physically abusive. This has been written into the story brilliantly.
Through it all Jennifer holds on to her soul mate connection to David, and their love will shine through the darkest of times.
Rita H Rowe should be proud of this easy to read, to gripping story.
Thank you Beauty& Lace, and Shawline Publishing, for the opportunity to read and review this fabulous book. I will definitely be on the look out for more novels from Rita H Rowe.
Never the Moon, is a captivating story from beginning to end. Congratulations must go to Rita Rowe on producing a riveting story line that takes the reader on a thought provoking journey.
Domestic violence underpins a true love story, a tale of two lovers who spend a finite amount of time together. Childhood friends who were once the best of friends become the worst of enemies. A longed for child sent away to boarding school. An ageing mother who despairs for the welfare of her beloved daughter. Best friends who are helpless to assist a friend in desperate need.
An insight into the tragic world that some unfortunate women sadly endure.
A terrific read! Thoroughly recommended.
Thank you for these lovely reviews. They absolutely made my day!
Thank you to Rita Rowe and Beauty & Lace for the opportunity to read and review Never the Moon.
Never the Moon is the story of David and Jennifer, an unexpected love that from the beginning you know was meant to be but never seems to quite align.
It isn’t a typical love story, it’s one you find yourself really hoping that the two can somehow make it together all the while knowing it isn’t that simple.
The storyline has many facets that make it feel impossible for their love to ever evolve.
The majority of chapters had me feeling so sad for David and Jennifer and at times, even Jack – Jennifer’s abusive husband. So much trauma.
This is easily a 5/5 stars from me; Never the Moon is an easy read that I struggled to put down…so I didn’t!
Congratulations Rita on the fantastic book!
Thank you Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read this amazing book by Author Rita H Rowe.
It’s a while since I read a book in one go, but ‘Never the Moon’ by new Australian Author Rita H Howe is one such book, fast paced compelling escapism, you really don’t want to put it down!
Never the Moon pulls you in with great detail of each main complicated character Jennifer, David and Jack’s love triangle and the power of unrequited love, guilt, destruction and power. It leaves you feeling emotional and involved with the characters and lures you in with wanting the best for them.
Each chapter brought you closer and closer to the plight of each character and the Author’s ability to have you feeling empathy and sadness to great happiness definitely pulls at the heart.
Highly recommend this book and to be honest, I didn’t want this story to end. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time! Thanks again Beauty and Lace.
If you enjoy a lovely romance and one that’s not run of the mill you’ll enjoy ‘Never the Moon’ by Rita Rowe.
Jennifer is always having dates set up for her by her mother Judy, but she has her own ideas of a suitor and that’s Michael. However Judy has hit the mark when Jennifer meets David (he’s visiting his aunt in Tandaro), Michael soon becomes a thing of the past!
After some time of getting to know each other David has to return to Boston but they correspond regularly until David’s circumstances change and his letters cease.
David has a best and childhood friend in Jack and finds himself committed to Jack’s sister Dell who he has genuine affection for.
Jennifer, although distraught by no longer receiving David’s letters is determined to make a new life for herself and moves to New York with her friend. There she steps into a modeling career but never really forgets David and the love they shared.
I could write so much more about the characters and outcomes in this super book but that would spoil it.
The book is in chapters beginning in 1983 and finishing in 2017, so much happens during this time, exciting and absorbing, and also sad. To realise that relationships in real life can be as Jennifer’s has been, is dreadful.
Thankyou Beautyandlace and Shawline Publising Group and of course the author Rita Rowe for the opportunity to review.
I normally like my books a lot longer so wasn’t sure how this would go but I also love a good drama and romance novel ..and of course a love triangle doesn’t hurt and this definitely had all of those things. I really enjoyed the past and present time lines…they always allow for excellent character development and I because invested in the characters and the outcome of the story… it was easy to read and a great page turner that kept me wanting to get to the end to see how Jennifer’s story would end up.
What an amazing book! Spanning 4 decades this is a story of love forced, found, lost and rediscovered.
Thank you for allowing me to read such an artfully written book which grabs you from the onset and doesnt let you go. The wonderful character development enables you to understand the challenges and decisions made by the three main characters (Jennifer, Jack and David – although it is really Jennifers story). You want them all to ‘live happily ever after’ but how can this happen when there are three people involved!
A brilliant, must read in one sitting kind of book that you will not want to put down!