I thoroughly enjoyed the setting and plethora of tantalizing Greek food references, and that was all I cared for in this book. The story jumps back and forth between the distant past and 2015. There are a lot of characters of which I had a hard time keeping straight and therefore I lost my focus quite a lot and was halfway through the book before I thought I might understand what was going on or where the connection might lie between the past/Elias and 2015/Helen. I admit the jumps to the past got to be too long and I was impatient to have the truth revealed. At the end of the book I was relieved it was over and I’m still not sure if anything was resolved or why it ended the way it did.

The love story between Elias and Helen felt like more of a vacation romance, which there is nothing wrong with, but I didn't feel enough from either of them to believe it was the love they were professing. This book was compared to books by Diana Gabaldon which is why it piqued my interest, but I don’t think I am the right audience for this historical fiction story.

Alexander was my favorite character. He was wise beyond his years and I had to keep reminding myself of his young age.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Wow wow wow! I can’t even begin to describe how much I absolutely loved this book! Anticipation was like no other historical fiction read I’ve picked up before. It was the perfect blend of history, romance, and suspense and I simply could NOT put it down!

I’d say that my taste as a reader is pretty straightforward and I don’t always gravitate to these more genre-bending stories, so believe me when I say I was surprised to have been so absorbed and blown away by this incredible story! Every single element to this story combined to make one highly memorable reading experience. It’s a saga that spans several centuries and truly feels magical.

This is one of those books I believe is best gone into “blind” to truly let the storytelling come alive throughout the pages. I was completely transported into the pages of the book what with the strong sense of place in the Greece setting, rich characters, and compelling storytelling. It was absolutely addictive and had me at the edge of my seat until the last page.

If you’re looking for a memorable read that will completely sweep you away, let this one be it. Highly recommend!!

Many thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy.

A rather long historical fiction that was a bit difficult to get into. I loved the setting, the story itself, and the fact that it was set in a different area than any other historical fiction I’ve read.

I really wanted to love this because I like The Scribe of Sienna. However, I could not get into this story at all. I think this was because it was focused more on the modern storyline than the historical aspect. Nevertheless, I recommend this fans of Juliet, The Memory Painter, and Overseas!

This was an impressive book in detail and scope. The author covers a lot of history and links it to a present day (2015) story of a scientist and her son traveling to Greece. I didn't enjoy this novel as much as I had hoped. I felt myself getting lost in the past stories (we are taken to multiple time periods) and at times the novel moved slowly for me. I didn't feel particularly close to Helen, or any other character (in present day). While Anticipation is objectively a great work of fiction, it did not resonate for me personally.

Why did this book have to end? I want more!

It was a bit confusing with all the time changes and character changes, and I had to flip back a page or two to figure out who and when I was reading about, but this book is amazing. I loved the story, the characters, and the way it all unfolded.

While historical fiction is a favorite genre of mine, I found this book hard to get into. The ancient time storyline was hard for me to get into and I was not able to finish the book.
I think this would appeal more to a person who is interested in mythology or ancient timelines.

This is a very complex story, weaving many layers of history together with medical research, reincarnation, loss, grief and love. Fascinating story. I especially loved that it took places in Greece. I have visited both Napflio and Monemvasia and enjoyed reading history that took place there. What wonderful relationships between Elias, Alexander and Helen.

Heavy with history and was extremely interesting. I thought the ending wasn't as neatly wrapped up as it could have been. The time flashbacks worked for awhile, but it maybe had too large of time jumps.

I loved Scribes of Sienna and Winawer writes another beautiful, sweeping story that spans great swaths of time and dives deep into the past. She brings to the page the emotions of loss, motherhood, triumph and tragedy.

What a wonderful historical fiction that combines part of the amazing history of the Byzantine empire with science and some magic. This combination across genres also with the authors wonderful story telling was a hit with me.

The story tells of Elias and his many lives over 800 years protecting the city he is connected with. IN 2015, Helen and her son have come to Green on a much needed vacation. The two stories come together beautifully.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for my copy of this book.

Anticipation was a unique novel. It had an original premise as it followed Elias throughout his lifetime - - which spanned much more than that of an average man. You bore witness to his pain at outliving many that he loved. The history of the time and how the area was affected was quite interesting.

What I was confused by - - I believe I expected more of Helen and her son's story to tie into Elias'. I understand that she tied in through her research and the fact that she was a widow. I just expected more - - I guess I thought there would be some big wow moment. That said, I did like the way things developed between the three of them and they developed into their own little family. It truly was lovely to see their injured and broken spirits all healed a little by finding one another.

Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read. I do believe it could have been trimmed up a little as it seemed that certain parts of the book felt as if they moved slowly.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Anticipation is the 2nd novel from Melodie Winawer after the excellent The Scribe of Siena. Melodie’s books are compared to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books, but I do not see that comparison. Both authors are excellent in their niche genres. Anticipation is a book about medical advances, reincarnation and the lengths people will go to achieve their desires and goal.

Anticipation follows scientist Helen and her son Alexander on a trip to Greece to help with dealing with the grief of the death of Helen’s husband and Alexander’s father. While in Greece they meet Elias the protector of a mysterious city, Mystras. It turns out that Elias is immortal and has been hunted for years by the powerful Lusignan family for the secrets of his immortality and recovery from an illness that plagues the Lusignan’s. Helen and Elias find themselves drawn to each other and in a race to save Mystras and themselves.

I recommend this novel to anyone who likes a bit of fantasy with their historical fiction.

Thanks to Netgalley, Gallery Books and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

This was a really creative story, and I love how the author pieced together a multigenerational saga all within the same locale.

Helen is recently widowed, and as a single mother and scientist, she is clearly overworked and in need of a break. Alexander, her nine-year-old son has always dreamed of visiting Greece, and Helen quickly agrees. When they reach Mystras, they instantly fall in love with not only the ancient city but one of its residents as well.

Elias has survived throughout the centuries thanks to a promise his mother made to the Profitis Ilias in exchange for surviving an illness. But over the years, one thing has remained…his enemy, the Lusignan family. They have been doomed to succumb to a deadly disease that worsens with each generation, and Elias may be the key to curing them of the illness. When he meets Helen and Alexander, they too are put in danger and they must choose between the city they love and each other.

I thought this was a wonderful mix of history, suspense, and science with a hint of romance to spice things up a bit. The characters were dynamic and I couldn’t help but adore them. The landscape was vibrant and portrayed so well that it was virtually within reach. And the history behind the beautiful city of Mystras was so enthralling that I couldn’t put it down.

Definitely recommending this one and I look forward to reading more from Melodie Winawer.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4297136150

ANTICIPATION by Melodie Winawer is a gripping, beautifully written story. Weaving together long-distant past with the present, Winawer weaves the magical story of an unending feud between two smart, proud families and a woman with the expertise, creativity, and heart to untangle longstanding issues and misunderstandings. The heroine/protagonist Helen Adler is recovering from the death of her beloved spouse when she and her son take a spontaneous trip to Greece where they grieve, reconnect, and contribute their intelligence, spirit, and joy to others. Throughout this throat-grabbing, wondrous read, I marveled at Winawer's ability to tell an intricate story with vivid characters, involving settings, and gripping moments while informing me of history and science that I never would have otherwise encountered. Once again, a talented writer has wrought an incredible story. I received an advance reader copy of this novel and my review is unbiased and my own opinions.

I enjoyed The Scribe of Siena and was looking forward to reading Winawer's new book, Anticipation. It's compared to books by Diana Gabaldon and Philippa Gregory, which made me even more excited. I must say it certainly wasn't as satisfying as Diana Gabaldon's books. The book is rich in historical details about Greece, and Winawer's writing is compelling, but the story and the romance left me wanting more. The blurb promises Gabaldon-like historical romance, but there is actually very little romance in the book. You will enjoy this book more if you don't go into it anticipating a great love story. Read Anticipation for the history of Greece (and a lot of battles descriptions), not romance.

I usually love historical fiction, but this book was not what I was expecting. The writing was good, I just could not get interested in the story and stopped reading at about 50%.

I normally love historical fiction -- and am open to fantasy elements, but this just wasn't for me. It was more of a mystery-fantasy than I expected. It just wasn't my cup of tea. The writing was good though.

WOW! This sophomore book by author Melodie Winawer is soooo different from her debut novel. The reader is introduced to two very different characters in this book, Helen and Elias. Their meeting is inadvertently instigated by Helen's son, Alexander. Winawer presents her extensive knowledge in the medical field through her character Helen's career as a research scientist for Huntington's disease. Through Elias the reader is provided glimpses of the history of the Greek ruins of Mystras. The contemporary viewpoint combined with the historical throwbacks all interwoven with the subplot of the Lusignan family exemplify how much of an extraordinary undertaking this book was. Readers of Christina Baker Kline's The Exiles will find this book very similar in both style and scope.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was hard for me to read, although I loved the premise of the book. There was more in-depth mystery than I like in a book. I really had to think about what I was reading, in order to follow along. Great novel for history lovers.