Review: Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren

From Back Cover: Gabi knows she's left her heart in the fourteenth century, and she persuades Lia to help her return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, months have passed, and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence - while their enemies will go to great lengths to see them dead. Even in the midst of the battles, Gabi's heart is increasingly drawn to Marcello, just as Lia's is to Luca. In medieval Italy, the sisters discover things inside themselves that they couldn't seem to find in the present - connection with their mom, courage within, and the understanding that a life well lived often means encountering sacrifice. But in a world long past, many things still keep Gabi from giving Marcello her heart forever ... and one thing in particular calls all three of the Betarrinis home. 

My Rating: 5 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: It’s rare for me to like a sequel just as much as the first book in a series, and with trilogies, I tend to find that the middle books lag a bit. Lisa T. Bergren’s Cascade however was just as awesome as Waterfall!

At the end of Waterfall, Gabi and Lia had returned to the twenty-first century out of sheer necessity. In Cascade then, they appear in their medieval dresses in the Etruscan tomb and quickly get into trouble for entering the archaeological site without being authorized to do so. After Gabi and Lia explain to their mother what happened to them, Mrs. Betarrini decides to humour her daughters and they all end up going back to the tomb. Of course, Gabi and Lia aren’t lying and the two soon find themselves in fourteenth century Italy with their mother. This time though Gabi and Lia are clearly aware of how dangerous life is in medieval Italy.

So not only does Cascade reunite us with Gabi and Lia who are mentally tougher now, but it continues to be action-packed and full of romance. While Gabi and Marcello are still deeply in love, the relationship between Luca and Lia is heating up as well. Also, though there wasn’t a lot of Fortino, we’re introduced to the mysterious Lord Greco who may or may not be a villain. Since Luca seems like he’s going to be off the market soon, I’d like to thank Bergren for adding another hot Italian knight to the mix. I love morally ambiguous characters and there better be a lot of Lord Greco in Torrent!

Cascade ends with a huge twist that will have you pining for Torrent, the final book in the River of Time trilogy. Since I’m now dying to see the ramifications of the Betarrini ladies’ actions, it’s a good thing that the wait for Torrent – it comes out September 1, 2011 – isn’t long.

Cascade was released in June 2011 by David C. Cook. 

Comments About the Cover: I want a cover that captures your eye and shows off how amazing the River of Time series is. This cover does neither and makes me wonder why the model looks like she is asleep (seriously, that’s one of the two ways I lie when trying to go to sleep). Alternatively, I think that she is praying and that makes me want to avoid picking up the book. Oh well, it least matches Waterfall’s cover.