Secrets of a Charmed Life
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Narrated by:
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Alana Kerr Collins
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By:
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Susan Meissner
About this listen
The author of A Fall of Marigolds journeys from the present day to World War II England, as two sisters are separated by the chaos of wartime.
She stood at a crossroads, half-aware that her choice would send her down a path from which there could be no turning back. But instead of two choices, she saw only one—because it was all she really wanted to see
Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades...beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden--one that will test her convictions and her heart.
1940s, England. As Hitler wages an unprecedented war against London’s civilian population, hundreds of thousands of children are evacuated to foster homes in the rural countryside. But even as fifteen-year-old, Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister, Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage. Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. Acting at cross purposes just as the Luftwaffe rains down its terrible destruction, the sisters are cruelly separated, and their lives are transformed.
©2015 eChristian (P)2015 eChristianListeners also enjoyed...
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This isn't my favorite but entertaining
- By Linda on 02-01-22
By: Fiona Davis
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The Ambassador's Daughter
- By: Pam Jenoff
- Narrated by: Joanna Daniel
- Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiancé she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all. Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job.
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Book 0 in the series
- By Stevon on 12-12-17
By: Pam Jenoff
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Mr. Fox
- A Novel
- By: Helen Oyeyemi
- Narrated by: Carol Boyd
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Fairy-tale romances end with a wedding and the fairy tales don't get complicated. In this book, celebrated writer Mr. Fox can't stop himself from killing off the heroines of his novels, and neither can his wife, Daphne. It's not until Mary, his muse, comes to life and transforms him from author into subject that his story begins to unfold differently....
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A Great Novel, just Poor for Audio
- By James A. Dittes on 08-13-16
By: Helen Oyeyemi
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Silver Wattle
- By: Belinda Alexandra
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In fear for their lives after the sudden death of their mother, Adéla and Klára must flee Prague to find refuge with their uncle in Australia. Later, Adéla becomes a film director at a time when the local industry is starting to feel the competition from Hollywood. But even while success is imminent, the issues of family and an impossible love are never far away.
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a really terrific read
- By Paddington on 06-21-11
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The Silent Woman
- Cat Carlisle, Book 1
- By: Terry Lynn Thomas
- Narrated by: Jan Cramer
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Catherine Carlisle is trapped in a loveless marriage, and the threat of World War Two is looming. She sees no way out...that is until a trusted friend asks her to switch her husband’s papers in a desperate bid to confuse the Germans. Soon Catherine finds herself caught up in a deadly mixture of espionage and murder. Someone is selling secrets to the other side, and the evidence seems to point right at her.
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Loved the characters
- By pam on 01-23-24
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The Last Summer
- By: Judith Kinghorn
- Narrated by: Jane Wymark
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Clarissa is almost 17 when the spell of her childhood is broken. It is 1914, the beginning of a blissful, golden summer - and the end of an era. Deyning Park is in its heyday, the large country house filled with the laughter and excitement of privileged youth preparing for a weekend party. When Clarissa meets Tom Cuthbert, home from university and staying with his mother, the housekeeper, she is dazzled.
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The Last Summer Delivers
- By Carmen dela Cruz on 05-22-16
By: Judith Kinghorn
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Evergreen Falls
- By: Kimberley Freeman
- Narrated by: Jennifer Vuletic
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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A long-forgotten secret, a scandalous attraction and a place where two women's lives are changed forever. 1926: Violet Armstrong is one of the few remaining members of staff working at the grand Evergreen Spa Hotel as it closes down over winter. Only a handful of guests are left, including the heir to a rich grazing family, his sister and her suave suitor. When a snowstorm moves in, the hotel is cut off and they are all trapped. No-one could have predicted what would unfold.
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Soooo Boring
- By Merford on 10-09-19
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The Quilter's Apprentice
- Elm Creek Quilts, Book 1
- By: Jennifer Chiaverini
- Narrated by: Christina Moore
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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An engaging tale full of warmth and wisdom, The Quilter’s Apprentice is the first novel in best-selling author Jennifer Chiaverini’s Elm Creek Quilts series. Sarah McClure takes a job helping elderly Sylvia Compson prepare her family estate for sale. Sylvia, a master quilter, agrees to share the tricks of the trade with Sarah. As the two women grow close, Sylvia shares her family’s tragic past, compelling Sarah to look at her own life more closely.
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A Mixed Bag
- By Potato Potato on 09-19-13
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The Tea Rose
- By: Jennifer Donnelly
- Narrated by: Jill Tanner
- Length: 28 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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East London, 1888 - a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths. Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and sacrifice to achieve their dreams.
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Wow. Wow wow wow!
- By I like to shop on 04-26-16
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Half a Lifelong Romance
- A Novel
- By: Eileen Chang
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 15 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Manzhen is a young worker in a Shanghai factory where she meets Shijun, the son of wealthy merchants. Despite family complications, they fall in love and begin to dream of a shared life together - until circumstances force them apart. When they are reunited after many years, can they start their relationship again? Or is it destined to be the romance of only half a lifetime?
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super
- By Marcus Aurelius on 10-05-17
By: Eileen Chang
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A wonderful Book!
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Gracie Thompson has a job, a loving family, a twin brother who drives her insane and a great friend. A chance meeting introduces her to the love of her life. But the storm clouds are gathering, Europe is teetering on the verge of war and threatening to destroy everything Gracie holds dear. When war arrives her family are split up, her younger siblings evacuated, her brothers join up to serve, her boyfriend, Charlie, is in daily danger and her life is threatened.
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REALLY GREAT STORY, not too heavy, fantastic narration
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The Next Ship Home
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Ellis Island, 1902. Francesca arrives on the shores of America, her sights set on a better life than the one she left in Italy. That same day, aspiring linguist Alma reports to her first day of work at the immigrant processing center. Ellis, though, is not the refuge it first appears thanks to President Roosevelt's attempts to deter crime. Francesca and Alma will have to rely on each other to escape its corruption and claim the American dreams they were promised.
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Fully human and timely immigrant story of the heart
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A Window to the World
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Here is the dramatic story of two young girls, Megan and Jen, who meet in first grade and quickly become inseparable friends. Inseparable, that is, until one of them is snatched away by kidnappers as the other young girl watches helplessly. The remaining child grows up with the haunting memory of her friend's abduction...and absence from her life. Then, 16 years later, the stunning truth of the disappearance is revealed. And once again, lives are changed forever.
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Perfect, perfect, perfect!
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What listeners say about Secrets of a Charmed Life
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- Imamomof4
- 06-14-15
Rare 5-Star Across the Board!
If you could sum up Secrets of a Charmed Life in three words, what would they be?
Enchanting, Intriguing, Powerful
Who was your favorite character and why?
The two sisters, Emmy and Julia - both superbly drawn.
Which character – as performed by Alana Kerr – was your favorite?
It's mainly a narrative spoken by Emmeline, and Alana's interpretation was lovely.
Who was the most memorable character of Secrets of a Charmed Life and why?
It was a story about two sisters, Julia and Emmeline, who were separated at the beginning of the Blitz on London. Both of these characters were equally memorable.
Any additional comments?
I truly enjoy historical novels -- stories set in the past-- but this was more than that. Ms. Meissner's tale of what innocent civilian's of London endured during Hitler's assault on the city and the surrounding area, was the most emotionally evocative telling of this bit of history that I have ever read. The intimate details, sometimes grotesque and sometimes touchingly beautiful, provided a perspective on this brief period that I had never considered. But most significant was her insight into the human experience, the weaknesses and strengths of the human mind and heart. Almost immediately, I felt like I knew Emmeline - her free spirit and rebellion against her mother's authority mixed believably with her love and protectiveness towards her little sister, Julia. The relationship of these two half-sisters is timeless. Every twist and turn of their young lives as they faced and triumphed over the horrors of loss and destruction all around, kept me longing to know where their choices would lead them next.
When reading for enjoyment, I tend to want everything to fall into place, not predictably, but neatly with a happily ever after tone. This is not what I found in Secrets of a Charmed Life. I found much more. An intriguingly complex tale with events as varied and unsettling as life itself. And, as is often the case in life, Ms. Meissner reminds us that troubled times do not preclude rich and precious rewards.
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74 people found this helpful
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Overall
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Performance
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- S. Hayes
- 08-02-15
Heart Wrenching
If you could sum up Secrets of a Charmed Life in three words, what would they be?
Fate vs. Providence
What other book might you compare Secrets of a Charmed Life to and why?
The Secret Life of Bees because it is also historical fiction and documents a young girl's emotional journey in dealing with her perceived guilt over her mother's death and how she found a safe place in Miss August's home and family.
Which character – as performed by Alana Kerr – was your favorite?
Juliana. She was so different from Isabel and was a pleasant surprise later in the book.
If you could take any character from Secrets of a Charmed Life out to dinner, who would it be and why?
Isabel. Because she was two people in one. I think that her journey to make peace with her two identities and the impact this had on her loved ones was a message of hope and tolerance for the healing process that many cultures do not embrace. It is an individual journey as was clearly exemplified by both sisters. No one can do this for you.
Any additional comments?
I enjoy Alana Kerr's narration which is what led me to this book. Plus I learned something new about the war along with the author regarding the foster program for London's children. I think the author kept the backdrop simple while creating a complex web of emotions and people which is a fair balance. Some author's of historical fiction tend to overwhelm readers with what they know. I'm sure the temptation was there but overall, a good read.
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28 people found this helpful
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- Dr. Nerissa Bauer
- 04-12-16
Loved this book
What a beautiful and touching story. I was captivated by the backdrop of the London Blitz and the story of the two sisters whose lives changed on that day. I could not stop listening. If you are a fan of historical fiction I highly recommend this book. I let was my first by this author but I cannot wait to check out her other titles. The narrator did a great job with the performance and made it easy to listen to
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- Rebecca L. G. Verna
- 06-16-16
Insightful and Chilling truths
I never knew much about the actual details of the bombing of London during world war II. This story was frighteningly able to enable the reader to be in the midst of the devastation from the eyes of a child, and to follow the slow healing proves that followed.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Christy Tackett
- 09-10-16
Secrets of a charmed life.
I did not like the ending. It was almost like another author took over and ended very quickly. There should have been more information about the sisters finding one another and the 20 years they spent together. It was almost as if, I found her, she died and now let's go to a party. disappointed really. Expected more once the sisters reunited.
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- Pam
- 09-27-15
Beautiful and compelling story.
Any additional comments?
Love the story and especially the underlying theme about the choices we make and their consequences. I could only give the narrator 3 stars though.....I found her performance lacking. The English accents seemed very forced.....like a little kid trying to talk in a fake accent. It was distracting from the story. Love this author though and will look for more of her work. A different narrator would be a great idea though...I have listened to lots of narrators with British accents that are beautiful, not this one.
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- Karen
- 08-13-16
Great story of 2 sisters during WWII
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
If you love historical fiction you will love this book.....
Who was your favorite character and why?
The sisters of course....
Which scene was your favorite?
Too many to count
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- consuelo
- 07-16-16
So worth it
A wonderful story told brilliantly. I found myself crying and feeling so strongly for Isabel.
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- M. Clark
- 10-07-18
What a Great Story
I’ve always loved Susan Meissner’s books, and this is one of her best yet. The research is impeccable, her depiction of life in WWII-era London so real it feels like you’re actually there. The story feels almost epic in scope, with a compelling plot and memorable characters. Just wonderful!
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- Cynthia C. Stellar
- 04-26-17
Full of twists and turns
Just when you think you have it figured out, you don't! This was a great story and very enlightening as far as what happened during the London Blitz. I had no idea it went on for 57 days and the degree of devastation described was horrendous.
It started to drag on a little at the end. It actually would have been better if she went a little deeper instead of trying to tie it up. Gwen, Mac, Tom and Simon could all have been given more time. I didn't like the Julia Letters. I thought that part was somewhat boring.
But, overall, a great story and worth the time.
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