Hidden

This is a wonderful family saga spanning a time period rich in drama and change, with characters that come alive off the page. I was sorry to get to the end, and hope there will be a sequel!!

When I picked up this book I was hooked from the first page. Ms. Lustbader's style of writing transported me onto the page and into the heart and soul of every character. I was enthralled, in love and enticed by certain characters, and loathed others - which of course, for me, allows me to travel into another world. The author also very coyly and inteligently inserts strategically placed "life lessons" which serve to kindle enlightening and entertainingly inspirational motivation. Mysterious, inspiring, flowing, entertaining and definitely a page turner.

A terrific read - especially for readers who love dramatic family sagas and the bygone days of both the grand and the gritty New York. This book is right up there with the best of them! It was to be my book of the week, but I devoured it in one weekend. The author does a beautiful job of bringing us back to old New York and the lives of two families who hail from opposite ends of society. The first, a powerful WASP dynasty, the second family, Jewish immigrants barely scraping by on New York's lower east side. Ms. Lustbader brings them together in a rich, descriptive tale of unrequited love, passion, betrayal, treachery, redemption, etc. - all the good stuff that makes the pages fly! One of her villans is deliciously bad, and the other characters are equally compelling. Not only has Victoria Lustbader written an excellent first novel, she also has demonstrated a literary flair for Erotica. Her "steamy" passages are steamy! I won't give anything away, but suffice it to say, I thoughouly enjoyed this book and its many facets, and I'm keeping my eyes open for her next novel.

I could not put this book down. Literally. I became so immersed in the lives of all of the characters and plot lines, that I found myself walking down the street feeling that I might run into some of them! Ms. Lustbader creates such rich characters and unpredictable story lines...I only would allow myself to read ten or so pages toward the end of the book...because I was so upset that it would be finished. A MUST READ!!!

Victoria Lustbader has created a rich tale of two families set in New York City during the post WWI and pre- depression years. I am a lover of historical fiction and this novel does not disappoint. It is beautifully written with great character development and vivid descriptions of life in New York during a very interesting time. It takes a few pages for the characters to grab you- but once they do, you cannot put this book down.