Review: Fantastic historical romance...
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 31, 2012
Holding on to HeavenBy:  Keta DiabloISBN:  2940011264900Published January 30, 2012Available Format:  ebookMy Rating:  '''''Holding on to Heaven takes the reader back to the time just before the Civil War breaks out in the United States, when the Midwest was still "uncivilized" and the American Indians were being forced farther and farther out of their homelands. Lauren is a spitfire young woman from the south who travels to visit her aunt and uncle in Minnesota. Love finds her there, but it is far more complicated than boy meets girl. Pregnant with one man's child, she consents to marry his brother. One leaves for war; the other goes missing during an Indian skirmish. That's just the beginning of the turmoil that Lauren must face. Soon, her path will cross that of her twin sister that she did not even know was alive. Sage's life was very different from Lauren's, but she has her own burdens to bear, and she must somehow bring a new strength and love into Lauren's life just when she will need it the most.There was a time that I would have said, "I don't read erotic fiction." I still might wade in with a little trepidation, but I think Holding on to Heaven was so far from what I imagine erotic fiction to be. Honestly, I wouldn't even label it erotic--just historical romance. There is such a well-written plot, a true deep story, within this novel. There is sex, there is romance, but it isn't the focus of the story at all.Keta does an amazing job developing the characters, introducing us to each of their storylines and then weaving all of those lines together in interesting and profound ways.  It is so much more than your run-of-the-mill love triangle. There is so much more complexity involved. Then, add in the fact that these sisters are about run across each other again after all these years, not knowing the other even existed. It is such a fantastic story!I was honored to help Keta with preparing the manuscript prior to publication, and I have to say that sometimes it was difficult to do my job because I was so engrossed in what was happening!  I became completely emotionally invested in the lives of each of the characters. I cannot tell you how many times I started crying. I absolutely cannot wait to see where the story goes from here.