Francesca Of Lost Nation

Delightful Read

Francesca of Lost Nation by Lucinda Sue Crosby is set in the early 1940s post World War II in a small village in Iowa. It is the story of one adventurous summer which nine year old Sarah spent with her grandmother, Francesca. Francesca is a 59 year old feisty woman with ideas which are well ahead of her time and Sarah is a precocious little child wise beyond her years. The two share an unusually close relationship. When Sarah's parents set sail on a cruise to Paris, Francesca and Sarah have the farm all to themselves. That is when all their adventures begin and that summer becomes for both Sarah and Francesca the most memorable summer of their lives. Learning to drive a truck, finding a lost mutt, an encounter with an arsonist, a strange but beguiling man called Matt Mosley who comes to live on their farm and ends up charming both Sarah and her Grandmother are only some of the things that happen on Main House and Home Farm that summer. Francesca of Lost Nation is a story on many different levels. It is a coming of age story. It is a story about relationships between different people where barriers of age and conformity are broken down. Francesca learns to let go of her past and falls in love with a man far younger than herself. Lucinda Sue Crosby writing from the perspective of a nine year old child deals with these relationships with remarkable sensitivity. When Matt comes into their lives, little Sarah remarks with a foresight far beyond her years, ` ...something closed -down in Francesca began to bloom again" as she realises that her beloved grandmother has found true love with a man that they had both initially disliked so much. The nine year old girl is confused and a little sad. She wonders whether she is losing her grandmother's affections to a stranger who has come to live on their farm. " Between Matt, car racing and house-cleaning, my grandmother had little private time left for me which hit me hard." This is a book which is hard to put down. It is very well written with a sensitivity which will warm your heart. Funny at times and filled with little pearls of everyday wisdom, this book is as much a romantic thriller as it is a perfect little capsule of a time gone by. It is a book about love of all kinds - between grandmother and child, between child and dog, between man and woman. I would recommend this book to many and look forward to more books from Lucinda Sue Crosby.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

from my own blog: Opinion: To an extent I did enjoy reading

from my own blog:

Opinion:

To an extent I did enjoy reading the book, but for some odd reason I felt disengaged from Francesca character or from their adventures. For me personally, the writing didn't have that shimmer and sparkle that would cause me to remember their adventures. While I liked and admired the characters, I think that choosing Sarah as a narrator of the book was not a good idea so to speak.

Enjoyable reading. Occasional 'rough' language. Undesirable for children

This is a sweet story about an exciting and life-changing year in a ten-year-old girl's life. There is a lot of feelings created by the author.
There is some suspense, adventure, romance and drama.
This would have been a great family book except for some very rough language used occasionally. The author successfully eliminated the extensive profanity with her literary skills. This could have been done throughout the book to make it a PG rated book.
The literature was creatively done but there was slightly excessive descriptive phrases that seemed somewhat repetitive.

It is enjoyable reading but would have been great for the whole family to enjoy.

My first impression of the books was that the farm looked charmi

My first impression of the books was that the farm looked charming, but boring. Lost Nation, Iowa is everything you would expect from a small farm town in Iowa. It’s a town where everyone knows your name and your business. However, that doesn’t stop the dynamic Francesca from dancing to the beat of her own drum. Lucinda Sue Crosby has created a memorable set of characters with depth and style for this summer love story. Francesca’s granddaughter relives the best summer of their lives with colorful flare as the duo embark on adventures completely unbecoming a lady of the 1940’s. At the same time, the book also gently probes the cultural taboos of the time while the young Sarah begins coming of age.

The story is well developed and engaging. As a summer beach read this is wonderful and I was moved to tears by the close of the book. I found the descriptions to be full and vivid. The mystery within the story adds a nice touch. It was well constructed and not completely predictable. The cover art however, was a huge disappointment. I think that this was a missed opportunity. After all the wonderful events that unfold within the pages, a more engaging cover would have been good. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a lite beach read, as well as those with an interest in the 1940’s. Full disclosure: I have been provided a copy of the book for the purpose of providing a review; however the opinions presented are my own and not influence or dictated by publisher or author.

What a wonderful book!

I thoroughly enjoyed Francesca of Lost Nation. The characters were endearing and real, the plot turning just enough to keep me enthralled and anxious for what would happen next. I haven't enjoyed a book so much in a long time. Always enjoy books that inspire me, and this definitely did. It should be a movie! I can see it all in my head :-)

One of the best reads I've had in a long time!!

I absolutely loved the characters of Francesca and Babe, they just made the book come alive for me. The character and plot development was right on and I was sorry to have the story end. I can't wait for Lucinda Sue Crosby's next book!!

Great story...a must read!

Fabulous find. A must read!!!!

funny, poignant, delicious - a must read

The heroine and name-sake of this story is completely unconventional. Born in the 1880s, we meet her in 1947 - I wish she'd been my grandmother! A race car driver, college educated, a poker player - and you believe every bit of it. No wonder granddaughter and boon companion 10-year old Sarah adores her!
The small town characters are every bit as quirky as you'd hope - the unexpected love affair satisfies - and the danger makes you care about the outcome. Warning - last chapter = 3 hankies.
Hey, great companion song too on the web site luckycinda
If you love to read wonderful fiction - this is your book!

Great story well told!

Great character development and intriguing plot twists make this a great read--I was sorry to have it end!

What a fun book!

This was such an inspiring book to read. There are few people in the world like Francesca and the story of this incredible woman was inspiring. Makes me strive to never slow down my drive to live life to the fullest.

Francesca of Lost Nation - Fun Read, Great New Fiction

Women will love this new novel, Francesca of Lost Nation. At the center of all the wonderful quirky characters in this tale is Frances. She is a witty, charming, feisty no-nonsense woman. She's known for having the best legs in the county but these days she is turning heads because of the unmarried, mysterious and wounded pilot she allows to move into the guest home where she and her 10-year-old granddaughter reside.

It's 1947 in rural Lost Nation Iowa. If the scandalous guest wasn't enough, Francesca decides to enter a car race at the county fair. Her sense for aventure also gets her in a trap - one that could be deadly.

Read more now and tell your friends. This is one great story.