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Carole Bellacera's work has appeared in magazines such as Woman's World, The Star, Endless Vacation and The Washington Post. Her latest novel, Her latest novel, LILY OF THE SPRINGS, is available in print and e-book format. Carole’s first novel, "Border Crossings", a hardcover published by Forge Books in May of 1999, was a 2000 RITA Award nominee for Best Romantic Suspense and Best First Book, a nominee for the 2000 Virginia Literary Award in Fiction. It was also a 2000 finalist in the Golden Quill award and in the Aspen Gold Award and won 1st Place in the Volusia County 2000 Laurel Wreath Award. Her work has appeared in various anthologies such as Kay Allenbaugh's Chocolate for a Woman's Heart, Chocolate for a Couples' Heart and Chicken Soup for Couples.
Publishing Credits
Border Crossings – Forge Books, May 1999
Spotlight – Forge Books, April 2000
East of the Sun, West of the Moon – Forge Books, July 2001
Understudy – Forge Books, June 2003
Chocolate on a Stick – Baycrest Books, Sept 2005
Tango’s Edge – Cerridwen Press, February 2008
Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite
"Lily of the Springs" by Carole Bellacera transports us back to the 1950s and 1960s with strong reminders of the morals, music, love and turbulence of the times. Lily lives in a small Kentucky town with her very strict Southern Baptist parents. Jake is the son of the trouble making Tatlow family. Jake and Lily have had a special bond since they were kids playing in the woods even though her daddy has told her to stay away from him. Lily has a fight with Chad, her high school boyfriend, and secretly turns to Jake for comfort. One night they go too far in the back seat of Jake’s Plymouth and Lily soon finds out she is pregnant. An un-wed mom in 1950 is really BAD so Jake is forced to marry Lily against his wishes. Lily believes their love and the upcoming birth of the baby will make everything right. She works very hard at learning to be what she thinks is the perfect wife. Jake doesn’t have to work at all to be the immature, drunken, moody, mean husband. The reader quickly becomes a supporter of Lily and feels compassion and sadness for all that Jake can have and is missing. They slowly work out some of their problems and others will always remain.
"Lily of the Springs" is a love story that is very real and very believable. Carole Bellacera has written a book that is hard to put down. I was hooked from page one until the startling ending. If you are a baby boomer and were part of the “Happy Days” you will be transported back, but all women will see something special in this book. "Lily of the Springs" is a five star success that could easily be made into an award winning great movie. I found myself emotionally attached to all of the characters and being pulled further and further into their lives. Carole Bellacera has been added to my favorite authors list.
