The Memory of Us: A Novel

Written by Camille Di Maio

Narrated by Fiona Hardingham

Julianne Westcott was living the kind of life that other Protestant girls in prewar Liverpool could only dream about: old money, silk ball gowns, and prominent young men lining up to escort her. But when she learns of a blind-and-deaf brother, institutionalized since birth, the illusion of her perfect life and family shatters around her.

While visiting her brother in secret, Julianne meets and befriends Kyle McCarthy, an Irish Catholic groundskeeper studying to become a priest. Caught between her family’s expectations, Kyle’s devotion to the Church, and the intense new feelings that the forbidden courtship has awakened in her, Julianne must make a choice: uphold the life she’s always known or follow the difficult path toward love.

But as war ripples through the world and the Blitz decimates England, a tragic accident forces Julianne to leave everything behind and forge a new life built on lies she’s told to protect the ones she loves. Now, after twenty years of hiding from her past, the truth finds her—will she be brave enough to face it?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jan 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781536610949

Camille Di Maio

Camille Di Maio always dreamed of being a writer, and those dreams came to fruition with her bestselling debut novel, The Memory of Us, and her second novel, Before the Rain Falls. In addition to writing women’s fiction, she buys too many baked goods at farmers’ markets, unashamedly belts out Broadway tunes when the mood strikes, and regularly faces her fear of flying to indulge in her passion for travel. She and her husband homeschool their four children and lead an award-winning real estate team in San Antonio, Texas. They split their time between Texas and Virginia. Connect with Camille at www.camilledimaio.com.

Reviews for The Memory of Us

[Rachel Shipp · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have not cried in a book in as long as I can remember. This one brought me to tears on more than one occasion. I found myself engulfed in the story. Excellent characters and story telling.

[irenecole · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Julianne is a beautiful girl from a wealthy family and appears to have it all. However he parents have been keeping a secret from her, and she in turn has kept secrets from them. They are not aware that she has discovered that she is a twin, or that they abandoned her brother to an institution at birth, never to see him again. They are also not aware that she visits her brother at the institution. Nor are they aware that Julianne has met and fallen in love with a young man that they would never approve of.
This was a beautiful work of historical fiction that begins before World War II and spans decades. It is a bittersweet story of a young woman finding the love of her life and the choices she is willing to make for those she loves. I had so much empathy for Julianne that at times I had tears in my eyes. I don't know when a book has last taken me on such an emotional roller coaster.

I received an advance copy for review

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"The Memory of Us" was an okay read, but it was more romance than historical. Juliette was quite a good protagonist, but she annoyed me with the selfish, shallow decision she made after she was injured in the Blitz. Kyle, on the other hand, was very likeable and I sympathised with the struggle he faced choosing his life's path.There were parts of this book I thoroughly enjoyed especially in the first-half, but there were others where I skimmed through the pages. I found the ending too quick and contrived, and was left unsatisfied despite having invested so much time into reading "The Memory of Us".

[caslater83 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found this book hard to get into and I had heard great reviews about it from my book club. I like the fact that the setting is in Great Britain. Kyle and Julianne are such different people. She is from an upper class family and he basically lives in poverty. She's studying to be a nurse and he is in the seminary preparing for a life in the priesthood. You'd think that with such differences, they would be totally wrong for each other, but that is not the case here. They are excellently suited for each other.

The story line is good. The dialogue is "okay", but it's nothing spectacular. I was hoping that Charles (Julianne's brother) would have more of a role in the story and in their relationship. Even toward the end, I grappled to feel "connected" and I am sorry to say that I won't be rereading this book. I'm glad I tried it, but I can't force myself to love a book that I tolerate.

[creighley_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Julianne Westcott lives the life of a wealthy society girl in London. When she discovers that her parents have been hiding her institutionalized blind and deaf brother, her world seems to collapse. While visiting her brother, she meets, Kyle McCarthey, an Irish Catholoc priest. They fall in love and she must defy her parents for the man she loves. I never cared for Julianne. Her decisions throughout were typically selfish and self-centered. It was hard to care what happened to her. Her character was never developed enough for her to change or evolve.

[jcgirl-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Memory of Us set from 1930's through 1960's, tells the story of Julianne Westcott an upper-middle-class British girl, who falls in love with Kyle McCarthy, an Irish Catholic groundskeeper pursuing his dream of one day being a priest. I loved the story and never saw the twist coming which made the book more enjoyable. I look forward to the next novel by Camille Di Maio entitled Before the Rain Falls: A Novel.

[angela.k.winters · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Memory Of Us by Camille Di Maio is a wonderful story of love, loss then the return of love. The story starts off with a wonderful, full of life, Julianne Westcott. We read the story of a future debutante and her story of falling in love with Kyle McCarthy. The problem is that this is a forbidden love. The story continues with Julianne disappointing the ones that she loves the most. In an instant, just went she thinks that things are getting better, tragedy strikes. Julianne is forced to make decisions that no woman should ever have to make. After much soul searching, she continues on with her life, which is nothing like before. Just when she thinks that she can no longer take the pain, her life turns around. And the love that she thought she lost returns again.This is not the normal type of book that I read, but this story pulled at my heart strings. The characters were well thought out, the situations were heart wrenching and real. I can't believe that I loved this book this much! I can't wait to read more from her!!!!