Review by adria_charles -- Turka Bella by Jonathan Feldman
-
adria_charles
- Posts: 105
- Joined: 21 May 2016, 11:22
- Currently Reading: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
- Bookshelf Size: 268
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-adria-charles.html
- Latest Review: "Turka Bella" by Jonathan Feldman
Review by adria_charles -- Turka Bella by Jonathan Feldman
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Turka Bella" by Jonathan Feldman.]
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
It was a love he never expected. Having always believed in destiny he knew that his life was meant for something, he just didn’t know what. He never would have guessed that the devastation of the Twin Towers, on September 11, 2001, would lead him to someone who would change his life forever. Turka Bella is a romance memoir by Jonathon Feldman. It absorbs the reader on a journey of life, love, and the unexpected. I am not one to read romance novels, but reading Feldman’s own personal account on love has made me re-think how I feel about them.
Watching the television as the two planes were crashing into the Twin Towers gave Jonathon a sense of purpose in a way he never expected. He knew what he had to do, what destiny was telling him. He was meant to join the Army. Feeling that the terrorist attack was almost personal, he did just that. Days after the assault on United States soil he signed his life away to the government against his family’s wishes and felt he would have no regrets. Through training he pushed himself as hard as he could, to be the best soldier he could be. Finally, after training was done he was ready to fight the Taliban and take down Osama Bin Laden. Then he realized where he was being stationed and he wondered if he would regret his decision of joining the Army. In his opinion, Germany was no place for a Jew like himself and he was not excited to be going there.
The Bad Aibling base, located just southeast of Munich, being an old Nazi Air Force installation, turned out not to be as bad as Jonathon expected. It was easy for him to get into a routine but as the months went by he was wondering how his job as an electronic intelligence interceptor analyst was helping fight against terrorism. Questioning whether this is really what he signed up for, being a Jew in Germany and far away from home, destiny surprises him once again by bringing Ela into his life.
Working for her father’s almost bankrupt Turkish Textile Company Ela's job is to travel the world to negotiate with people to buy her father’s products. On the perfect day her travels took her to Munich Germany where destiny brought her to Jonathon. Once they found each other in the most unlikely circumstances it was as if it was meant to be. Even though they felt everything was against them they made it work as best as they could. Stolen moments in hotel rooms around Europe helped develop their passion and love for each other. Ela had a secret though. She knew her overbearing Turkish father would never let her spend the rest of her life with Jonathon. It wasn’t until he proposed she move in with him after he moved to England, that she knew she had to be honest with him. But is this love for Jonathan enough for her to leave everything behind? Would it give her enough courage to leave her overbearing and controlling father? Is this her destiny as much as Jonathon feels it’s his?
I really enjoyed reading this novel. I will say that the romance part could have been a bit more a part of the story. Feldman does an excellent job using half the book to explain his reasoning for going into the military, as well as his experience during training and stationing but I felt, as a reader, it was dragged out a bit. The love story between him and Ela was one that I could have just read a whole novel on. There were only small glances of Ela’s life that I got to read and sneak peaks of their time spent together as a couple. Ela is such an amazing character in the story I wanted to know more about her. I will say I did really enjoy the writing style. Once Ela comes into the story Feldman goes back and fourth between the two characters and their perspectives on one another and their relationship. It made me enjoy reading their love story that much more.
Overall, this is a wonderful non-fiction romance novel about two completely different worlds colliding unintentionally and whether or not one can drop everything in their life for love. Although I wish there was more in the story about Ela and Jonathon together as a couple I can’t say I was disappointed reading the first half about Jonathon’s military experience. I give Turka Bella a 4 out of 4 stars. Feldman is a phenomenal writer who wrote from his own personal experience on life and love and created an unforgettable story. I highly recommend those who enjoy novels about the military as well as those about romance to give this book a chance. Two different subjects wrapped into one amazing memoir.
******
Turka Bella
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like adria_charles's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
It was a love he never expected. Having always believed in destiny he knew that his life was meant for something, he just didn’t know what. He never would have guessed that the devastation of the Twin Towers, on September 11, 2001, would lead him to someone who would change his life forever. Turka Bella is a romance memoir by Jonathon Feldman. It absorbs the reader on a journey of life, love, and the unexpected. I am not one to read romance novels, but reading Feldman’s own personal account on love has made me re-think how I feel about them.
Watching the television as the two planes were crashing into the Twin Towers gave Jonathon a sense of purpose in a way he never expected. He knew what he had to do, what destiny was telling him. He was meant to join the Army. Feeling that the terrorist attack was almost personal, he did just that. Days after the assault on United States soil he signed his life away to the government against his family’s wishes and felt he would have no regrets. Through training he pushed himself as hard as he could, to be the best soldier he could be. Finally, after training was done he was ready to fight the Taliban and take down Osama Bin Laden. Then he realized where he was being stationed and he wondered if he would regret his decision of joining the Army. In his opinion, Germany was no place for a Jew like himself and he was not excited to be going there.
The Bad Aibling base, located just southeast of Munich, being an old Nazi Air Force installation, turned out not to be as bad as Jonathon expected. It was easy for him to get into a routine but as the months went by he was wondering how his job as an electronic intelligence interceptor analyst was helping fight against terrorism. Questioning whether this is really what he signed up for, being a Jew in Germany and far away from home, destiny surprises him once again by bringing Ela into his life.
Working for her father’s almost bankrupt Turkish Textile Company Ela's job is to travel the world to negotiate with people to buy her father’s products. On the perfect day her travels took her to Munich Germany where destiny brought her to Jonathon. Once they found each other in the most unlikely circumstances it was as if it was meant to be. Even though they felt everything was against them they made it work as best as they could. Stolen moments in hotel rooms around Europe helped develop their passion and love for each other. Ela had a secret though. She knew her overbearing Turkish father would never let her spend the rest of her life with Jonathon. It wasn’t until he proposed she move in with him after he moved to England, that she knew she had to be honest with him. But is this love for Jonathan enough for her to leave everything behind? Would it give her enough courage to leave her overbearing and controlling father? Is this her destiny as much as Jonathon feels it’s his?
I really enjoyed reading this novel. I will say that the romance part could have been a bit more a part of the story. Feldman does an excellent job using half the book to explain his reasoning for going into the military, as well as his experience during training and stationing but I felt, as a reader, it was dragged out a bit. The love story between him and Ela was one that I could have just read a whole novel on. There were only small glances of Ela’s life that I got to read and sneak peaks of their time spent together as a couple. Ela is such an amazing character in the story I wanted to know more about her. I will say I did really enjoy the writing style. Once Ela comes into the story Feldman goes back and fourth between the two characters and their perspectives on one another and their relationship. It made me enjoy reading their love story that much more.
Overall, this is a wonderful non-fiction romance novel about two completely different worlds colliding unintentionally and whether or not one can drop everything in their life for love. Although I wish there was more in the story about Ela and Jonathon together as a couple I can’t say I was disappointed reading the first half about Jonathon’s military experience. I give Turka Bella a 4 out of 4 stars. Feldman is a phenomenal writer who wrote from his own personal experience on life and love and created an unforgettable story. I highly recommend those who enjoy novels about the military as well as those about romance to give this book a chance. Two different subjects wrapped into one amazing memoir.
******
Turka Bella
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like adria_charles's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Turka Bella" by Jonathan Feldman
