Item: Return to Lerici
Author: Gina

Return to Lerici (The Invisibles Series Book 2) by Rachel Dacus | #BookReview #FamilySagaFiction

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Brief Summary

“Return to Lerici” is a compelling addition to The Invisibles Series, offering readers a poignant exploration of family ties, redemption, and the pursuit of a sense of belonging. Rachel Dracus has created a novel that seamlessly combines mystery, emotion, and the beauty of the Italian coastal setting, making it a must-read for fans of character-driven fiction.

Book Details

Return to Lerici (The Invisibles Series Book 2) by Rachel Dacus | #BookReview #FamilySagaFiction

Return to Lerici by Rachel Dacus
Series: The Invisibles #2
Published by Independent Author on January 5, 2024
Genres: Fiction, Women's Literature
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 292

Family secrets, legacies, and the power of forgiveness – a new story by the author of The Invisibles, again set on the beautiful Italian coast.

Sisters Elinor and Saffron rarely see eye-to-eye, but they agree that locating an unknown half-brother can only spell trouble in their lives. The Greene sisters gather in their cottage in Lerici, Italy to support their ailing mother, Betsy. But they don’t want her to search for Baby Boy, the only name for their lost sibling on faded adoption papers.

While the Greenes debate, Baby Boy finds them. A rough childhood has led Daniel to becoming a thief. When he finds out he’s connected to a wealthy family, he decides to scam them and get his share. He goes to Italy and uses a fake identity to get close to them. Watching the Greenes makes Daniel ache for what he never had—a loving, supportive family. But Daniel’s shady past is catching up and putting them all at risk.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions

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Excerpt from Return to Lerici

Elinor picked up the letter from the stack of today’s mail on the dining table. The return address was casella postale, a postal box with a number and no name. A clumsy advertisement? The lack of information made her curious enough to open it, though she knew it was going to be junk mail.

Dear Ms. Greene,
I know you have a lost relative, a half-brother your family abandoned. If you do not wish to have this dirty secret publicly revealed, you may send five hundred sixty-two euros by return mail, and nothing will ever be published. No scandal will ever happen if you pay me right now.
Yours sincerely,
A Well Wisher

Dread prickled through her scalp and dripped to her shoulders. She hunched them to shake it off. How wrong she’d been. This was no junk mail, it was aimed at her personally. There was a return address and a demand for money. A scam—but how would anyone know about Baby Boy? That was private, that was even sealed in a closed adoption. Betsy couldn’t find him with all her amateur sleuthing around.

Another chill ripped through her. This person must have hired a detective, but if so, why ask for so little? And why assume the family considered it a dark enough secret to pay to keep it concealed? Plenty of people had unplanned pregnancies that became children given up for adoption. Back in the days when Nathan was a professor at UC Berkeley, it wasn’t enough to pay to conceal, and certainly not an odd sum like this person was demanding.

Something smelled fishy. A “well wisher”? Seriously? And the phrase “by return mail” struck her as American. Yet the return address PO box was in Rome. It seemed more likely that a blackmail attempt would come from an American who had somehow discovered the existence of Baby Boy. Could it be from someone who had adopted the child and now wanted some sort of reimbursement? But the amount was ridiculously small. Blackmailers didn’t take the risk for so little. She knew that much from her addiction to crime dramas and mysteries.

This was one lame blackmailer, or … could it be from Baby Boy himself? Had he somehow found them?

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

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Purchase Links for Return to Lerici

Return to Lerici: An emotional tale of two sisters, their lost brother, and the guardian spirit who brings them together (The Invisibles Series)

Dacus, Rachel (Author)
English (Publication Language)
292 Pages - 01/05/2024 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)

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My Thoughts on Return to Lerici

“Return to Lerici” by Rachel Dracus is a captivating exploration of family dynamics, secrets, and the potential for redemption. The novel, part of The Invisibles Series, follows the lives of sisters Elinor and Saffron as they grapple with the discovery of a long-lost half-brother, Baby Boy, and the unforeseen challenges that come with reconnecting with their familial roots.

Set against the enchanting backdrop of the Italian coast, the story unfolds in Lerici, where the Greene sisters gather to support their ailing mother, Betsy. However, their reluctance to delve into the past and search for Baby Boy becomes the focal point of tension. The faded adoption papers reveal only the name “Baby Boy,” a mystery that lingers over the family like a shadow.

The narrative takes an unexpected turn when Baby Boy, now known as Daniel, enters the scene. Having faced a challenging upbringing, Daniel has resorted to a life of thievery. Learning about his connection to a wealthy family, he decides to exploit the situation for personal gain. As he infiltrates the lives of the Greenes using a fake identity, he witnesses the warmth and connection that have eluded him throughout his tumultuous past. Dracus skillfully weaves Daniel’s internal struggle for belonging with the external threat his criminal history poses.

The strength of “Return to Lerici” lies in its gripping storytelling and well-developed characters. The author delves into the complexities of sisterhood, portraying the strained relationship between Elinor and Saffron with nuance and authenticity. The novel is firmly rooted in the bonds of family, exploring themes of forgiveness, acceptance, and the enduring power of love.

The book is aptly described as sister fiction, as it skillfully navigates the intricacies of familial relationships. Dracus exhibits a talent for crafting a well-plotted, character-driven narrative that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end. While it is a sequel to “The Invisibles,” “Return to Lerici” stands on its own, allowing readers to dive into the story without needing to read the previous installment.

In Summary

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

If you are interested in more by this author, here is my review of Jane Austen, Time Traveler: A romance writer revises her love life through time travel.

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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

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About Rachel Dacus

RACHEL DACUS writes about history, love, family, and art -- with a touch of magic. Rachel is the author of both prose and poetry.

When she’s not writing or reading, she listens to music and walks through the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives with her architect husband and a lively Silky Terrier.

She blogs about books and the writing life.

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