I received an advance reading copy of this book thanks to Simon & Schuster (Australia) via NetGalley

I really did not know what to expect of this book and after a little bit of online research scoping the different titles etc., I decided straight off the bat (not really knowing what the book entailed) that I preferred the both the title The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton and also the cover art of this specific edition.

Once I began reading, it was incredibly easy to keep pace and continue to read on. I sat back cautious about where the story was heading; I highly despise the generic boys treats girl badly, girl is a wreck, boy apologies, girl happily returns, narrative. So many books have great promise only to travel the same path as so very many before them and honestly, it's just a little boring and predictable - I like a thrill and pleasant surprise when I read fiction books of this nature every now and then. For them all to have a similar ending isn't overly enjoyable for every reader. I am so happy I put my trust in Harris and where she was directing the narrative. I didn't know whether I felt angry, helpless or sorry for Grace whilst I was reading but I'm glad Harris took her in the direction that she did. By the end of the book I felt a sense of pride and camaraderie at the strength Grace built after tackling some very difficult situations that one hopes never to be in the midst of.

The structure in which this book is written is beautiful. It flows gracefully and I felt a sense of gentleness whilst reading. The amount of detail written about the violin family and how they are crafted is perfect. You get a good overview of the art without receiving too much information that distracts from the flow of the story. Atherton has done a fantastic job at fusing romanticism to the craft of violin-making throughout her narrative.

I highly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to reader of contemporary fiction.