Review of Twilight Fires

Joule Mwendwa · Post by **Joule Mwendwa** » 22 Jul 2023, 06:45

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Twilight Fires" by Sabine Oishi.]

5 out of 5 stars

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Twilight Fires by Sabine Oishi follows the story of an older woman named Gabrielle. She is a widow living alone and trying to heal from grief. However, her problem is that her children and friends don’t visit her frequently, so she has to tend to her garden independently. When her friend Caroline visits her, she realizes why Gabrielle is struggling with the farm tools, her age being one of the causes. Caroline offers to send a man who will help Gabrielle in the garden, but to Gabrielle’s surprise, it’s a woman, Leila, who shows up. It turns out Leila’s intentions for coming into Gabrielle’s life were different, and the book explores how the two women’s lives intertwine, revealing Gabrielle’s past life, her insecurities, and the tough decisions she has to make in the present.

One thing I must commend the author for is the amazing character development. I loved the relevance of Gabrielle throughout the book. She is the center point that connects all other characters in the book, making their existence in the plot reasonable. The author also gave her relatable qualities such as strength and vulnerability. For example, she is seen as a hard worker, always taking care of her garden, but she is also sometimes weakened by loss and the difficult life choices she has to make. Furthermore, the book explores critical present-life topics such as sexuality. Some characters, such as Alix, find it difficult to address their sexual preferences, which is an experience that is relatable in real life.

I found the beginning chapters to be a bit mild, but later on, I was trapped in the flow. Rereading the book makes you absorb it better. There are flashbacks in the storyline that make the book interesting because of how they connect with present events. They also help reveal many secrets about characters that nobody could have thought about. Emotions of romance and grief also add more flavor to the book.

Just because I had trouble connecting the few initial chapters on my first read does not mean it will be the same for all readers. Therefore, I see nothing to dislike in the book. It was professionally edited, and I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. Twilight Fires will best suit lovers of romance books. However, they should be open-minded or comfortable with same-gender romance.

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Twilight Fires
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MacdonaldManana · Post by **MacdonaldManana** » 25 Jul 2023, 01:01

Thanks with your honest review. Yes expressing your sexuality can be a problem. Hope I learn a thing or two from the book. Looking forward to it

Rica Concepcion · Post by **Rica Concepcion** » 25 Jul 2023, 05:35

I've never read a same-gender romance novel before, so I thought I'd give it a try. The review was quite well written and simple to read.

Seetha E · Post by **Seetha E** » 27 Jul 2023, 00:17

I generally do not appreciate a reread just to be able relate to various characters or the plot. Simple language, good pace is good for a reader like me. However, the two lead ladies, and the premise of Twilight Fires makes for an interesting read. Thanks for the interesting review.