Review: Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

First line: The two boys rode their mountain bikes along the soft uncovered lake bed between the Bartam’s Field subdivision and the old Holly Hills property.

From the inside cover: 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.

My thoughts: This is a beautiful love story that transports you to another time. It’s a tale of love and loss, of making choices and letting go. I was hooked as soon as Lily started telling her story and read the book in two sittings (and that was only because I had to be somewhere, otherwise it would have been finished in one!). It all starts with a piece of paper from the past and in explaining the significance of this paper, Lily is given a chance to teach her granddaughter that things aren’t always what they seem. Mingled into the story are brief history and geography lessons and we also learn a bit about the work involved behind the beautiful firework displays we have all viewed at one time or another. I especially loved reading the author’s note in the beginning of the book, telling how he came upon this charming story. This is a debut novel for Jeffrey Stepakoff and I hope to see more of his work in the future!

(I received this book from the publisher to review.)