The Way of Beauty comes in 4 parts; Birth, life, death and renewal.

This story is told in two parts (generations). Vera is a young lady in the early 1900's. Back when women had no rights. Her story follows her as she grows up in NY. She falls in love with a man that runs a newsstand. He marries a women's right activist named Pearl. Vera becomes a nanny and a friend to Pearl and her son Will. Vera makes the decision to leave Angelo, Pearl and Will so they can become a famil y.
Alice (the daughter of Vera and Angelo) grows up in NY in the 1960's. She is in love with 2 men. Emmett is a photographer and has a dark secret. William is the long lost "son" that Vera nannied for.
The events at Penn Station ate important to both stories. The beginning and the end of an era.

This is the first of Camille Di Maio's books I have read, and it won't be the last.

The Way of Beauty pulls you in immediately, into the WWI and WWII periods, though this is not a book about the wars. This is a book about the beauty of friendship and love - tied in with rich descriptions of early 1900's New York which make you feel like you are right there in Penn Station.

The characters are easy to follow along with, and equally as easy to fall in love with. Vera is a selfless woman who cares for her sick father, falls in love with Angelo. I don't want to ruin this story for anyone by spoiling the story lines.

I would strongly recommend this to any of my book loving friends who enjoy Historical Fiction.

The Way of Beauty by Camille Di Maio is more than a romance, more than an historical fiction, and more than a family saga. The Way of Beauty is a literary journey through a minefield of love, heartache, social justice (and injustice), poverty, choices, patience, secrets, and family. This story comes in two parts: Vera and then her daughter, Alice. Even though the end of Part 1 is sudden and startling, it works. You blink, and it’s twenty years later. Sometimes real life is like that too.

Camille Di Maio is an amazing writer. She can spin a tale so real and so rich that you feel you know the people, the places, and the events, and you feel as if you are right there living it too. The beautifully descriptive prose brings New York City, especially Penn Station, to life, and your senses are filled with all those sights, sounds, and aromas that comprise the bustling city. The historical aspects are weaved masterfully throughout the story, eliciting the need to research those events and places even more.

What I love most about The Way of Beauty is that it covers several difficult topics: the stark class line between the wealthy and the poor, the heart-wrenching line between the healthy and those who suffer both physical and mental infirmities and challenges, the tireless suffragettes battling for justice and the right to vote, and the melting pot of immigrants who helped build and shape this country in the early 20th Century (often at the expense of their youth and good health). Amidst these historical aspects lies a wonderfully written story about two women (mother and daughter) who live and love passionately and selflessly, both shaped by their families, their hardships, and their choices.

Prepare to be charmed by this breathtaking tale and to marvel at the lyrical writing and well-crafted plot that satisfyingly ends where it begins. The Way of Beauty is a lovely story that you won’t soon forget because “Our wrinkles tell our story, etched out like a road map. That’s the way of beauty. Birth, middle age, decline.”

This was the first book I read by Camille Di Maio, and after reading it, I plan to read her two previous books and anything that comes next. Don’t you love the feeling of finding a new favorite author who already has a few books out that can tide you over until the next one comes out?

I loved the characters of Vera and Angelo from their first meeting. And my heart broke with Vera when she realized that Angelo had married Pearl. But, Pearl ended up being a gem of a character in her own right. The intertwining relationships of these three characters kept me riveted for hours as I sped through the pages.

I also enjoyed the historical look of NYC and women’s suffrage—which, sadly, I knew next to nothing about.

And then there’s Alice, the daughter only Vera could have, the return of William, the appearance of Emmet, and another quest for happily-ever-after.

At its core, this book is about finding your passion—whether it’s another person, a cause, or an art—and finding a way to incorporate that passion into your life while living the life you were given.

I received an advanced copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

This beauty of a book does not disappoint! Loved the story line, which featured three strong female protagonists. It’s historical fiction and the backdrop is wonderful. NYC from WWI to WWII. Pennsylvania Station is a big part of the setting. Several love stories play out, as well as friendships. With missed opportunities, passionate causes such as the suffragist movement and saving architectural gems, family dynamics, love, and some intrigue too, this book lives up to its name, and is one beauty of a book!!

AUDIO BOOK / PRINT COMBO REVIEW. Warning! This book is going to take way longer to read with your ears than indicated. And that’s NOT a problem since what slowed me down was stopping, re-playing, and writing down the numerous quotes that caught my ear. The Way of Beauty is a treasure chest full of memorable lines uttered by characters with whom we want to spend time and know better. Listening to the story unfold makes the reader disappear into the past and into the hearts of the generations of people who live there.

In her first book, The Memory of Us, author Camille Di Maio convinced me that I am, in fact, capable of enjoying reading a romance. Happily, The Way of Beauty seals the deal, but like TMOU, it sets the bar high for all other books to follow. Camille’s books are gloriously literary, and the reader is swept into the passion and love the characters develop for each other. But the romance element is so much more than between people. Di Maio manages to evoke an air of romance with the setting and the times and the history. Readers fall in love with every piece of it, generation after generation.

“It was the one good thing about having little. There was little to lose."

While there is passion abounding, Di Maio also brings in the less than beautiful truths of the early 20th century. She has done considerable research that highlights the ugliness associated with immigration, workplace safety, extreme poverty, women’s rights, prejudice, sexual harassment, and war – and the government's lack of interest or ability to handle the issues. (Hmm. And we are still dealing with new iterations of these same issues today.) Without being preachy or feeling like a history lesson, the book informs, subtly, and makes the reader think. The historical details are seamlessly woven into the rich tapestry that is The Way of Beauty.

“What was the value of a life of a man when thousands of immigrants were desperate to take his place?”

There is a stark contrast between the privileged and the poor, but glamour is often presented in terms of the sacrifice it took to make that glamour happen. Again, Di Maio makes the reader think about the conveniences we take for granted and, literally, the lives forever altered or lost to provide them to us.

The Way of Beauty is clean (tasteful and classy), and cleanly edited, and the writing is lyrical and even dreamy at times. Dialogues are natural and work to further immerse the reader in the setting. Written in two parts, the story flows smoothly from that of Vera to that of Alice, Vera’s daughter. There is a prologue with one sentence that demands explanation that will begin niggling at the reader as Alice’s story progresses in part two. Audio book listeners miss out on this, but for those who read the book with their eyes, don’t skip the informative Author’s Note for even more tidbits to enrich the story. (And the Acknowledgments. Thank YOU, Camille, for sharing your beautiful stories with us. I am honored.) My only complaint is that I wanted more of everything! The story spans many years, and I hated missing out on any of the delicious details that surely must have happened in the in-betweens. I think a novella just about Vera and Angelo is in order!

The narration, performed by Meredith Starkman, is well-done. I listened at 1.25x speed, which was perfect for me and didn’t alter the vibe of the story. Starkman’s voicing of male characters is especially good, and she handles both the Italian and German accents and pronunciations admirably. Vera and Pearl are perfection. In part two, Alice sounds a bit too modern-teenish rather than how I would imagine a teen in the ‘40s should sound. And Emmett seems creepy instead of mysterious, and I’m not sure he reads that way. Overall, Starkman does a great job of keeping the pace even and there are no glitches or mispronounced words that I noticed. The style and pace of The Way of Beauty translate very well as an audio book.

Thank you to Lone Star Book Blog Tours, NetGalley, and the author for providing me the audio book and the eBook in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. This full review and more special features on Hall Ways Blog.

MORE LINES THAT CAUGHT MY EAR:

“She might never be able to see the world, but all the world came to her through the tunnels of Penn Station.”

“Why do people change their voices when speaking to someone in sorrow? As if death were played on the left side of the piano while life was played on the right.”

“Being a strong woman didn't mean she couldn't accept assistance, especially when she really did need it.”

“Our wrinkles tell our story, etched out like a road map. That’s the way of beauty. Birth, middle age, decline.”

I loved this sprawling novel that spanned several decades. Book One focused on Vera and a complicated love triangle. I really enjoyed Vera’s tenacity. Vera sacrificed and always did what she believed to be right even if it caused her pain. The character of Pearl is another strong woman who also sacrificed and did what she believed to be right, she had a purpose and a cause that she stood behind until the end.
Book Two focused on Alice, and yet another love triangle, this time with a mystery. The reader is engaged to find out the secret that Emmett is hiding, as well as who Alice will choose, Emmett or William.
This is a book about strong women and the choices that they make. The author chose Penn Station as the setting for much of the novel and it was an interesting historical backdrop. The reader learns much about the suffrage movement and how hard some women fought for the right to vote. This is a page turner that leaves the reader with a lot to think about after the last page is turned.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I've always been in love with New York City. The giant buildings, the fast pace, and so rich with history! I love how Camille's story transported be back in time, and I could picture myself walking along the streets of the city back then. That's what I love about a well written historical fiction book, it's like time travel.

Romantic story about mother (Vera) and daughter (Alice's) quest for love in NYC.

Vera had been in love with Angelo since she was a child, so at age 17, she was devastated when he introduced her to his fiancee, Pearl, a suffragette fighting for women's right to vote. For this reason, Vera should have hated Pearl, but darn it, Pearl was just so darn likable that instead, Vera became a nanny to Pearl's 3 year old son, William, from her first marriage.

It was "such a recipe for jealousy. But it was impossible not to like Pearl, despite circumstances." - thought Vera.

Accepting this position as nanny to sweet, little William forever changed the course of Vera's life. This story followed (1) Vera as she struggled with her feelings for Angelo while living in such close proximity to him, (2) the suffragettes fighting for the vote, and (3) later, Vera's daughter, Alice, as she fell in love with two men and had to make the most difficult decision of her life. Throughout all of the plot lines, Penn Station was utilized as a historical backdrop and commonality affecting each of the characters in a different way, starting with Vera's father who suffered from the Bends after working as a sandhog, digging the tunnels to make way for the underground train.

If you're in the mood for a sweet, romantically tender, historical fiction novel full of intriguing characters and oh so many plots, then I would recommend The Way of Beauty. This was my first book by this author, and I look forward to more!

Thank you to the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Words really cannot express just how much I loved The Way of Beauty by Camille Di Maio. This is a heartfelt historical fiction novel that really pulls at the heartstrings.

The Way of Beauty mainly tells the story of Vera and her daughter Alice, but also other people that are connected with their lives. There are quite a few main characters, but not in a confusing way (and we only see things from Vera and Alice's POVs). The book is set in New York City during the women's suffrage movement, and is spread across the years 1900 to 1963. We start with Vera's story in 1900 and end with Alice's story.

There is a lot of history about Penn Station in this book which I found very interesting. I love reading books set in NYC, and I really didn't know much about Penn Station until I read this novel. And of course, it also talks about the women's suffrage movement. The whole time I was reading the book all I could think of was Mary Poppins and "Votes for women!" The author says she did embellish a bit in regards to things the women in the book did as part of the suffrage movement, but it was fascinating and very enlightening all the same.

Final Thought: In total honesty I ugly cried a couple times during The Way of Beauty. It is such a touching book and I felt so connected to the characters that I didn't want it to end. Apparently there are almost 400 pages to this book, but I was able to read it in about a day it was that good. I highly recommend to lovers of historical fiction and people who love novels set in New York. I can't believe this is the first novel I've read from Camille Di Maio and I cannot WAIT to read more!

The Way of Beauty in 3-ish words: Heart-Warming, Spellbinding, & Unexpected

Goodness! Camille Di Maio’s books keep getting better and better. The writing in The Way of Beauty is magnificent. It pulled me right in and made me feel I was right there in NYC's Penn Station. The vivid descriptions of Penn Station had me stopping to do an online search of the historic building and the eagles that sat atop the building. It was indeed a beautiful train station. I wish I could say I had a favorite character in this book but I can't. And that's because I loved them all. Each one captured my heart in their own way. The way of beauty is right here in this book, the beauty of words so wonderfully written that all you can do is sigh as that last page is turned. I was completely satisfied with the story and was sad to have it end. Truly wonderful!

I received an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I don’t read historical fiction all that often, you guys know I stick to my thrillers with a rom com or some women’s fiction thrown in for some variety, but every time I do switch to a historical novel I wonder why I don’t read more of them?! The Way of Beauty was such a gorgeous book in every single way, it was so amazing that I’m going to be reading DiMaio’s other books ASAP.

The first half is set in the 1900’s and told from Vera’s perspective beginning when she’s just five years old and it follows her up until her early twenties. Much of her story revolves around the suffrage movement and while I had a basic grasp of what went on, this book definitely taught me more and it was fascinating. These women were warriors in lipstick, such strong and inspiring people, it was fantastic to read about this movement in detail. The second half follows Vera’s daughter, Alice beginning in the 1940’s so you still get to check in with Vera which was cool. I absolutely adored both of these women and DiMaio created such beautiful and heartbreaking stories for both of them. They were both incredibly well drawn, I felt like I knew both of their hopes, dreams and fears and I wanted what was best for them in the end.

The setting of NYC was so vividly imagined, I’m telling you guys DiMaio is an amazingly detailed writer and the style was part romantic, a dreamy type of wonder and part crisp, cool containment, it worked so well for me. There is some epic romance as well, swoon worthy stuff, but not the cheesy type, the kind that makes you sigh in contentment. This one broke my heart in it’s beauty one minute and made me ecstatically happy the next, if you’re a fan of HF this is a must read!

The Way of Beauty in three words: Moving, Tender and Compassionate.

I loved this book! The Way of Beauty is a charming novel about Vera and Alice, mother and daughter, a generation apart in age, but not so different in experiences. Although the futures they imagine contrast from each other, they both learn that their are many various types of loves in life and that each type is beautiful. I was drawn to this, as my daughter and I are experiencing something quite similar and I'm hopeful we will have the relationship that Alive and Vera develop through the story. As this was my first time reading her work, I enjoyed Ms Di Maio's writing, smooth and easy, like a great cup of coffee catching up with a good friend. I can't wait to drive into some of her other books. I didn't want the story to end. And though this was a historical romance, moments of suspense, sadness and intrigue were interspersed. The depth of the characters made me cheer for them, laugh with them and cry with them. This book is a must read for fans of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.

I picked up this novel and finished it in less than 24 hours. From the first page, I was pulled into this story of two women, a mother and daughter, as each comes of age in the shadow of New York’s Penn Station. The Way of Beauty is a stunner of a novel that takes place in two different, but important historic eras. It was sobering to read about the plight of the poor, working class immigrants in New York, as well as the Suffrage movement. We also have both World Wars playing a part in the characters’ lives.
This is a story about family, both the one you are born into and the one you create, friends, loyalty and love. Vera could have easily made different choices but instead embraced friendship and the new world that her new friendship with Pearl opened to her. Alice, her daughter, also faced choices and her background and the way she was raised, ultimately impacted her path.
I hated to see this novel end. Beautifully written, with characters you become emotionally attached to, I highly recommend this novel for anyone interested in New York’s history, the Suffrage movement, Penn Station, or just a beautifully written novel you won’t want to put down.

This is absolutely one of the best historical fiction novels that I've read in a long time. The characters are well written and believable and the setting of NYC's Penn station is a perfect focal point to tie the two main characters together. I highly recommend this book!!!

Vera is the daughter of German immigrants who are forced to move when Penn Station is build in NYC. When she is older, she falls in love with the young man who runs the newsstand but he marries a suffragette who becomes a friend. When Vera realizes that Angelo is also in love with her, she disappears from his life. One generation later, her daughter Alice has a dilemma because she is in love with two men. Both main characters live in the shadow of Penn Station and this historical site is an important part of both stories.

Vera and Alice are both tying to to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age , they’ll each discover that love is the only important thing in life. I loved this book and highly recommend it!

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

THE WAY OF BEAUTY by Camille Di Maio is my favorite book by her yet. The story follows three generations of women tied together by the women’s suffrage movement, Penn Station, family, and chance. The characters are so well written and the engagement between them makes for an engaged reader as well. I loved the emotional pulse of this book – playful at times but also very thoughtful. The tension between the men and women in this book made for a romantic read of emotions and not physical details. I really appreciated all the details to the women’s suffrage movement, the class system, the crisis of nationality during WWI and WWII, and the renewal focus on the book. A really enjoyable read that shows Di Maio’s writing just keeps getting better.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

We meet Vera who lives with her father who has some medical issues . She’s about to meet her friend, Angelo. She thinks that Angelo will ask her to marry him but instead she’s meeting his fiancée, Pearl. Angelo thinks of Vera as a little sister due to the death of his little sister, Stephania who at age 5 drowned in a current at Brighton Beach. Pearl asks Vera to lunch to nanny for her son, William as she continues to stump for women's right to vote

This was my first book of Ms. Demaio’s but by far, it's her BEST BOOK. The characters will stay with me for quite a bit. i loved all the characters especially Angelo, Pearl, Vera and William.

Loved this book. Didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend.

Love love love. Incredible book. Fabulous book club pick too

First of all, in the spirit of full-disclosure, I'm a HUGE Camille DiMaio fan, she can do no wrong. Once again, she delivers a beautiful novel with her third book, THE WAY OF BEAUTY (LakeUnionPublishing). It has all the elements her novels share; an interesting historical setting, well-developed likeable characters and this time it's set in New York City - my kind of town! Once again, congratulations for a lovely cover. Lake Union Publishing has hit another home-run.

Vera Keller, the daughter of German immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York City, finds her life upended when the man she loves becomes engaged to another woman. But Angelo Bellavia has also inadvertently opened up Vera’s life to unexpected possibilities. Angelo’s new wife, Pearl, the wealthy daughter of a clothing manufacturer, has defied her family’s expectations by devoting herself to the suffrage movement.

In Pearl, Vera finds an unexpected dear friend…and a stirring new cause of her own. But when Pearl’s selfless work pulls her farther from Angelo and their son, the life Vera craved is suddenly within her reach—if her conscience will allow her to take it. Her choice will define not only her future but also that of her daughter, Alice. Vera and Alice—a generation and a world apart—are bound by the same passionate drive to fulfill their dreams. As first mother and then daughter come of age in a city that is changing as rapidly as its skyline, they’ll each discover that love is the only constant.

Fans of Camille DiMaio won't be let down. I think THE WAY of BEAUTY is the best of her three novels. ENJOY!

What a fantastic read this book is. I was pulling for the characters the whole time I was reading. I was connected to the characters in ways that pulled me in and live their experiences with them. I felt the love, the passion, the pain, the indecisions and so much more while wanting to "help" them find their way. The story of family devotion and being there for each other no matter what is so strong. I love the parallel Camille Di Maio used between the building of Penn Station to the building of Vera's and Alice's lives, from beginning to end. This paragraph spoke to me, "The way of beauty. We are born shiny and new, and people marvel at us. How we smell. How we look. They celebrate when we take out first step. Fanfare all around. I remember when Penn Station was just like that. Angelo and I watched the opening ceremony from his newsstand together, and it was as magnificent as anything I've ever seen." Another quote from the story that I liked was, " Maybe we all have to find our cause-our purpose. The thing that makes us get up in the morning with our battle armor on." Life happens and choices are made in the story. Some of those choices are heart wrenching but in the end, they are the right ones. The way of beauty.....birth, life, death and maybe a fourth stage-renewal. I really liked the history that was not overbearing but enough that I learned new things. I am so thankful for the opportunity to read it. TY Lake Union, Netgalley, and Camille Di Maio!