From this Moment by Elizabeth Camden

Stella West’s artistic talent made her the toast of London, but when her beloved sister dies under mysterious circumstances she abandons everything and heads for Boston. With single-minded determination she fights to pierce the ring of secrecy surrounding her sister’s death. Upon meeting Romulus White, a publisher with connections into every important power circle in the city, she quickly realizes he could be a valuable ally in navigating Boston society.

(excerpt from back of book)

I really enjoyed my first journey into Camden's work with Until the Dawn. The characters were wonderfully written, the twists surprised me, and I loved her inclusion of historical details. So, when I saw Camden had released her newest novel From this Moment I was curious to see if this novel could maintain that level of quality.

Personally, From this Moment offered a mixed bag. I really appreciate and enjoy Camden ability to weave out her plot and keep readers guessing. The story of Gwendolyn's death and it's cast of characters and motivations provided a fascinated plot to keep readers moving along and introducing a wide variety of characters. While I almost always find myself drawn to character over the setting, in From this Moment I found myself more interested in guessing the who's and why's rather than focusing on Stella and Romulus' interactions. 

Romulus in his own stead was interesting to read as the author was able to capture his passion and thought process with unique life. Although I'm not terribly familiar with attention disorders his characterization did evoke memories of my limited experiences. 

I also enjoyed the historical elements surrounding the construction of the Boston subway. Although I'm unfamiliar with the actual construction, the elements Camden included were interesting, realistic, and helped push the story along in an unforced manner. 

On a lesser scale I found the story of Evelyn and Clyde slowly worked itself into my heart without me realizing it. Their story of love, loss, and reconciliation was so slow and paced so well (an issue I had with Camden's last novel I read) I couldn't help but be drawn into their story as the characters themselves let each other back in.

My only drawback with the story was the main characters relationship. I saw Stella's connections with her family and her friendship with Evelyn. I also saw Romulus' friendship with Evelyn and Clyde but their own relationship, a central focus in the book, just never found that satisfying rhythm for me. They still seemed far more comfortable with their barbs and banter than their vulnerability and connection in the end. I can't quite put my finger on it but I did feel somewhat disappointed in this resolution in the end. 

3 out of 5 stars

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."