Have you ever read a book that was so beautiful, so masterfully written, and reached so far into the depths of your heart that any words you used to describe it felt woefully inadequate? That is exactly my predicament after reading the long-awaited conclusion to the unforgettable “Belmont Mansion” series by Tamera Alexander, entitled “A Note Yet Unsung”. Although several characters are recurring from the previous books in the series, (including Belmong Mansion, which is almost a character itself!) “A Note Yet Unsung” is a brand-new story all of its own. If you haven’t already guessed from the title, the primary theme of this novel is the art of music. Quite simply, it is the story of how two people share their musical gifts with the world – but it is also so much more.

The basic plot of “A Note Yet Unsung” is based on the factual history of the nearly insurmountable difficulties that musically talented women faced in the nineteenth century, when they aspired to join an orchestra – something only men were considered capable of at the time. While this is unquestionably an interesting premise, it is the story that Tamera Alexander weaves around this historical circumstance which makes her novel noteworthy. Her characters are vivid. Walking off the page, they enter your imagination and your heart, and they become friends. And the music they make? We can hear it, feel it, almost touch it. As the secrets of each primary character are revealed, we smile, we wipe away a tear, and we relate. Clearly, while the factual history that surrounds “A Note Yet Unsung” is intriguing, it is the characters and their stories that capture our hearts.

Although “A Note Yet Unsung” is a memorable journey that almost any reader of Christian Historical Fiction will enjoy, I must mention that occasional scenes and flashbacks are disturbing, sometimes violently so. However, these scenarios are not described with great detail, and while they play an important role in the story they are certainly not the primary focus. Overall, the worst part of this beautiful book is obvious… It is the final, concluding story of the “Belmont Mansion” saga, and the only way we can revisit the characters and setting we’ve come to know and love is to reread the novels over again… But come to think of it, maybe that isn’t really such a bad thing after all!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”