3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Double Identity is a coming of age novel written by Jaye C. Blakemore. It is a story about two lovers separated by secrets and tragedy. Identical twin girls were born as a result of this union. They will experience deceit, betrayal and lies. But in the process they will uncover a beautiful legacy that was left to them by their parents.
Gillian and Julianne are twins born to the same parents but lived completely different lives. They were separated at the very young age of three. Gillian grew up in America and was raised by her father, a wealthy art dealer. Gillian was raised with all of the luxuries a child could ever wish for. She is the sole heir to Paul Allenswerth. Upon his death she stands to inherit a vast fortune. Her father leaves her with a key to a box that will reveal a shocking past. What she does with her newfound knowledge and power will either destroy her or make her stronger.
Julianne was raised by her French mother in the vineyards of France. The twins possess the same striking beauty. But, in many ways the lives that they lived made them completely different individuals. The death of their parents reunited the twins, but the secrets of the past will prove to be even more heartbreaking than they could have ever imagined. Their lives will be changed forever.
Double Identity takes place in the 1970’s and spans from New York City to Paris, France. The story is told from two perspectives, the main characters, Julianne and Gillian. The characters in this novel are all very developed and had many dimensions. I loved that the characters were not one dimensional and predictable. The plot is one that grabs the reader from the very beginning. There were so many plot twists I never knew what to expect. I was intrigued from the beginning to the end. Also, the author uses subtitles with each chapter so the reader knows whose point of view they are experiencing. I enjoyed reading this book. It was heartbreaking and thrilling at the same time. I cried and laughed with these characters. There were moments when I actually felt like I was in New York City or in the vineyards of Paris, France. The author’s descriptive imagery was truly amazing. This is a book that I could read over and over again.
I did not enjoy being distracted from this amazing story with the typos and omitted words that were dispersed throughout the novel. Also, the book lagged a bit in the middle and the last few chapters felt a little rushed. It would have been more enjoyable if the last chapters consisted of more than one page. With a little editing, this book has the potential to be on the New York Times bestseller list.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I would have rated it 3.5 stars if I could have. I really wanted to give it the ultimate four stars because it was such a great book. I could not, however, because of the reasons mentioned above. In addition, the book was a bit far- reaching at times. I am not a big fan of spirits and exorcisms, but there are some readers who will find it intriguing. Nevertheless, it all came together in the end. I was not disappointed. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy romance as well as suspenseful novels.
******
Double Identity
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on Barnes and Noble | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Like TammyO's review? Post a comment saying so!