Book Review: Grand Central - Original Stories of Post War Love and Reunion

GRAND CENTRAL
Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion

By: Melanie Benjamin, Jenna Blum, Amanda Hodgkinson, Pam Jenoff, Sarah Jio, Sarah McCoy, Kristina McMorris, Alyson Richman, Erika Robuck, and Karen White

Published: July 1, 2014

Publisher:  Berkley Trade - Penguin Group

Fiction/Short Stories/Historical Fiction

Last year Grand Central Station turned 100 years old. This drew a renewed interest in its history and the millions of stories of people who had passed through its doors.  A group of best-selling authors decided to create their own stories set at Grand Central on the same day, just after the end of World War II.  After reading each other's stories, the authors found a way to piece their stories together, connecting characters from one story into the next. The result is truly well-done. 

All of the stories in this anthology are connected to the war.  A Jewish violinist plays at Grand Central for the pure joy of it and for a beautiful woman who visits a pastry stand every day.  A Holocaust survivor works as a busboy at the Oyster Bar, but can't seem to forget his previous life before the war. A woman returns home to a man she loved before the war and finds life isn't as she expected. An abused wife and son wait for her husband to return from the war and meet a woman who will change their lives forever. A woman pilot visits the family of her best friend and realizes she needs to trust her instincts in order to move on. A budding actress waits for the audition of a lifetime in the famous Kissing Room.  These stories and five others bring in iconic pieces of Grand Central that visitors to the terminal will be able to envision and feel part of the story. Every single story left me in tears and wishing there was more, but Sarah Jio's and Erika Robuck's are ones I am still thinking about days later.

In each of these stories, you feel the devastating pain of war and the love that kept hope alive.  You will be left wanting more and you won't be able to forget the characters or their choices.  The unique way the stories are intertwined is a treat that the reader will enjoy finding as they read. This anthology is emotionally moving and so descriptive that you will be able to place yourself in Grand Central and see the lives played out.  It truly is a splendid compilation of high-caliber writing.  Fans of historical fiction and love stories will be riveted and deeply moved.  It was a book I didn't want to end. 

GRAND CENTRAL Authors: Pam, Alyson, Jenna, Sarah, Erika, Kristina, Karen - Source

GRAND CENTRAL features stories from:

Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife
Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us
Amanda Hodgkinson, New York Times bestselling author of 22 Britannia Road
Pam Jenoff, bestselling author of The Ambassador’s Daughter
Sarah Jio, New York Times bestselling author of Blackberry Winter
Sarah McCoy, bestselling author of The Baker’s Daughter
Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of Bridge of Scarlet Leaves
Alyson Richman, bestselling author of The Lost Wife
Erika Robuck, critically acclaimed author of Hemingway’s Girl
Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of After the Rain

With an Introduction by Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Home Front.

For more on the authors and the book, visit http://grandcentralanthology.com/ or like the book on Facebook, HERE. 

To purchase a copy of GRAND CENTRAL, click the photo below:

Thanks to Penguin Group for sending an eBook for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com reviews.