Echo from Mount Royal

by Dave Riese

AN 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL FALLS IN LOVE WITH A HANDSOME, WEALTHY MAN. HER LIFE IS PERFECT...
EXCEPT HIS FAMILY HATES HER!

Montreal, 1951. Rebecca Wiseman, 18 years old, from a Catholic-Jewish family, briefly meets a handsome young man at a local dance. She has little hope of seeing him again. When Sol Gottesman tracks her down and asks her on a date, her joy mingles with disbelief: he is the son of a wealthy Westmount businessman.

Sol takes her in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce to the most expensive restaurant in the city and Rebecca enters a world of upper-class wealth and privilege. She believes her life is perfect.

She soon learns that despite Sol’s outward charm, he lacks self-confidence. On a visit to Mount Royal overlooking the city, Sol reveals the simmering conflicts in his family. When Rebecca tries to help him stand up to his family, she puts herself squarely in the midst of it all.

Class, religion, family conflict and sexual secrets test their love. And then, a late night telephone call changes her life forever.


"A bittersweet story of love and loss set in one of the most colorful cities on the planet in its film-noirish heyday." - Peter Behrens, author of Law of Dreams and The O'Briens

Genres: Fiction, Canada

380 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2015

About the author

Dave Riese grew up in Massachusetts and attended Bates College in Maine, majoring in English literature. During his junior year, he studied at Oxford University.

After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, Riese worked at several Boston area companies in computer programming for forty years.

Upon retirement in 2012, he had a long talk with himself: “If you want to publish a book, you’d better take writing seriously.” He subsequently wrote Echo from Mount Royal, a novel about a young woman’s strange courtship in 1951 Montreal.

He and his wife live north of Boston.

Reviews

[Jypsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Echo From Mount Royal is a charming love story. It's told in hindsight so the perspective is unique. It's well written and unfolds at a good pace. The characters are likeable and richly drawn. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Although I did enjoy this story, I found the book hard to get into. I did empathize with Rebecca, but I found her hard to enjoy. I do believe the book had an appropriate ending. I do plan to read more from this author.

[Alexandra Engellmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was offered to read and review this book, I just couldn’t refuse, because like many of my favorite romance stories, it’s told from one of the characters’ perspective decades after the story itself happened. It’s the idea of all this time that’s passed, and how human feelings can survive all of it that shocks me every time. Remember how Titanic begins? With this old, fragile woman, talking about her first love with such feeling; with the contrast of modern days and the grandeur of the 20’s; with this incredible journey that you know from the start is doomed. I guess that’s what makes these stories so powerful – the anticipation of tragedy, and the understanding that this is what life is made of. The shocking realization that what we may see as dull or stupid now, will one day become part of our best memories.
Rebecca’s story is just like that. In 2014, she’s 81 years old, but it doesn’t keep her from telling the reader about what Montreal was like in 1951 in vivid detail. Back then, she was eighteen, a college student ready to fall in love for the first time. Her Catholic-Jewish family belonged to a working class, and so, when she meets Sol, a handsome boy from a wealthy Orthodox family, it’s obvious that their love story won’t be an easy one. However, the family conflict doesn’t have the power over Rebecca’s beliefs that love can overcome any troubles, and naïve or not, she’s what I call the strong female character. She finds a place in Sol’s world with a stubborn confidence, and troubles or not, she lets her love for him change her life forever.
This is a realistic, well-written story about class, religion, prejudices, and shattered dreams that won’t leave indifferent anyone who’s into women’s literature or the romance genre. A big thanks to the author for sharing a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Eishinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spell binding tale of love, separation and emotions:
'Echo from Mount Royal' is a wonderful, fast paced, enjoyable read taking us down the memory lane of Rebecca Wiseman's first, fresh blooming love with a super rich, young businessman Sol Goltesman back in 1950s in the beautiful city of Montreal.

Author Dave Riese moves very smoothly with Rebecca's tale, painting vividly the colorful images of time Rebecca cherished the wonderful moments of romance with Sol until harsh barriers of society, caste and family secrets came invading her way leaving her all alone struggling to fight the evil realities which proved wrong the saying-'love will conquer it all'.

'Echo from Mount Royal' made me live with the character of Rebecca, smiling, crying, feeling the pains she went through. Beautiful descriptions of the hotels and royal treatments experienced by the character were a feast to imaginary visuals for the readers proving the sheer talent of the author and his amazing knowledge over language and narration.

I found a life-like friend in Rebecca which made me enjoy every bit of my journey through Mount Royal, hooking me till the very end of the novel.

I love to recommend this flawless, captivating read to those looking for a strong story line with love, loss and family.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Editorial Review:
Plot: 4/5
Flow: 4.5/5
Character Development: 4/5
World Building: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5 Stars

This book hooks you with the intriguing plot. I ended up liking how Rebecca took initiative - she was the sort that stood up for herself; whereas Sol rarely did.

My Take on the Book:
I wasn't the hugest fan of Ezra; and even though Max was a minor character - he's still the sort of person that the reader can warm up to. I thought it was sad the way things ended as they did. I feel that once Rebecca Wiseman was in the correct frame of mind, she should have confronted Sol's parents.
Please note that this is an Editorial Review, and I received a review copy from BooksGoSocial (The International Review of Books), though part of this review includes opinions that are my own. If you’re an author, please consider supporting ‘The International Review of Books’, you can find out more information about them with this link:
https://bgsauthors.com/product/produc...

[Dianne McMahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read and one that definitely holds your intetest.
Not my.usual genre' but really could relate to the 50's.
An 81 yr.old woman,gets a new computer and reaches out to an old friend.
She goes back in time and remembers the young girl,that she once was. The highs and lows she remembered too well.

She was from a good home with limitations and she fell In love with a very wealthy fellow,at least his parents were.
They planned their lives together,got engaged and her family sent out wedding invitations.
Everything was all set for a lovely life together.or was it ?

To tell you more would ruin the book and it's a good one.
A big thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.
A thank you,to Dave Riese for writing "Echo from Mount Royal."

[Kathleen Daly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 really is what I think. This was a really good book about a relationship between a wealthy man and a fiesta middle income woman. He is a good guy, it's his parents who are demanding, manipulative, and blind to the unhappiness they create. But Sol is not exactly capable of standing up to them but Becca is.
They have a little more than their share of ups and downs. You will be wishing for a reunion and we get to see happiness in the end.

[SJ Santilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love that its a local author.
Took me over half way to get into it.
Was surprising the things that happened once I reached the over half way point. Wish I could do 3.5 stars.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Montrealer, I enjoyed hearing about the city in the 50’s. I felt, however, the author missed some details of the emotions of Rebecca.

[Natalie Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s eternally cold, wet and miserable in uptown Montreal where a ‘bereaved and lust-tormented narrator reconstructs his relations with the dead.’

While my quotation comes from the rear cover blurb for Leonard Cohen’s 1966 novel 'Beautiful Losers', it could serve also as the epigraph for 'Echo from Mount Royal' , a story that captures in barely 190 pages all the repressive hypocrisies of the city and period in which the famed Canadian minstrel grew up. No wonder he fled to Hydra!

Joking apart, the new story is by first-time novelist Dave Riese who is not Jewish but relates with sympathetic relish the doomed romance of a gorgeous wealthy Jewish boy who’s forced to ditch his sassy, sparky girlfriend simply because she’s from the wrong side of the social, religious and financial tracks.

Riese says he’s a ‘compulsive’ writer. I believe him! Only a genuine wordsmith takes a nugget of truth as told by a friend and transforms it into a riveting page-turner, as he has, strongly supported by resolute research, revision and something much more than flair.

The story’s not perfect. Some characters and plotting devices are weak and a few references to Jewish practice and 1950s Israel don’t ring one hundred per cent true despite the author’s painstaking care. But I won’t cavil. It had been a long time since I’d read a ‘true romance’ and I loved every line. Well done!

[Malka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echo from Mount Royal by Dave Riese is a sweeping saga about young Rebecca who finds herself head over heels in love with Sol, a boy from a wealthy family. Told from the perspective of a much older 81-year-old Rebecca, she recalls, in vivid detail, the year 1951, when she was only 18 years old and falling in love for the first time. She’s a bright college student living with her family in Montreal, Canada when her path crosses Sol. Not a typical romance because once they try to get to know each other as a couple, their own respective backgrounds and family secrets begin to surface, threatening to tear them apart. Firmly believing that love is more than enough to overcome any of the issues that they face, her tale is a reminder of the exhilarating joy first love can bring, and the deep scars it can leave behind. This story is full of great discussion topics such as first love, religion and social class, which is why it makes for an ideal read for a Book Club.

Rebecca is a very likable character. Even though she is very headstrong, she’s very naïve to think that love is more than enough to conquer all complex issues such as class and religion. Despite all the roadblocks that she’s faced in her quest to remain with Sol, she fights hard and passionately in the love that she believes she deserves. From the opening pages, I was hooked on her narrative. Generally, I’m not a fan of prologues, but this prologue was executed perfectly in the sense that it made me hungry for the story. The tale begins in 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts and 81 year old Rebecca reaches back into her memory to conjure up the Montreal she knew in 1951. Rich in details, and vivid descriptions to bring many different scenes to life.

The story gives just enough backstory on her family so that the characters leap from the page during each scene. This aspect is key, because the story deals with many class issues, and having intimate knowledge about Rebecca’s middle-class family is vital for when she is introduced into Sol’s world of wealth and upper-class privilege. The author does a very good job at showing the readers how Rebecca struggles to try and find a place into Sol’s world. For example, when both of them are dining at a fancy restaurant, Rebecca comments that she felt like she’d “sneaked into a theatre without paying.”

Sol is a very complicated character, from the very beginning as a reader, you find that there is something very mysterious about him. He is mistrusting and has a very complicated relationship with his family. When terrifying family secrets come to the surface, Rebecca tries her hardest to make him believe that her love and support is all he needs.

“Echo from Mount Royal” is mostly a tale about a young girl maturing and recognizing the kind of love she really deserves, versus a boy meets girl type of tale. Full of vivid descriptions, crisp dialogue and a headstrong female protagonist at its center, this book left me emotionally exhausted but equally sad to see it end.

[Billy Buttons · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:

Title: Echo From the Mount Royal
Author: Dave Riese
Star Rating: 4 Stars
Number of Readers: 16
Stats
Editing: 8/10
Style: 7/10
Content: 8/10
Cover/blurb: 7/10
Of the 16 readers:
13 would read another book by this author.
11 thought the cover was good or excellent.
9 thought the writing style worked well for this genre of novel.
9 thought the setting was the best part of the novel.
7 thought the characters were the best part of the novel.
Readers’ Comments
‘A novel of young love and class prejudice. Interesting story with a fab cover.’ Female reader, aged 54
‘The 1950s Montreal setting is very interesting. Also, the characters, particularly Rebecca, are well-developed. The pace is a little slow in parts but the mystery element is excellent.’ Male reader, aged 44
‘A little more to this than the usual romance. The writing style was also accessible. The ending might need work as it was a tad slow.’ Male reader, aged 36
‘I do enjoy a good romance. And this is good. The Montreal setting is the best part of the story and helps carry the plot. Cool cover and enticing blurb.’ Female reader, aged 55
‘Good read. The author works well with speech and description of character and setting. The plot was too slow for me but it was much better than most romance novels on the market.’ Female reader (publisher), aged 43

‘A fascinating story of young love and class prejudice set in 1950s Montreal. A RED RIBBON winner and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards

[Loren Schechter · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The View From Mount Royal, David Riese gives us a reality-based story of a young woman who must adapt to the shattering of her romantic dream. Rebecca Wiseman is a bright college student in Montreal of the 1950s, when women’s options, knowledge and goals were far more limited than today. Swept off her feet by a handsome and super-rich young man, Rebecca is too naïve to believe that differences in social class, wealth and religion will undermine true love. In Riese’s insightful novel, those factors are ultimately less important than personal character in making relationships succeed, and in determining how much satisfaction and happiness with one’s life can be obtained after they fail. By bookending the story between accounts of an airplane crash and a mysterious photo found at the scene, Riese implies that the memory of our first true love never dies and that the unpredictability of life often seems ironic.
Riese writes clearly and directly. He portrays very believable characters and situations and is masterful in recreating the Montreal of the mid ‘50s. While many readers will be fascinated by the details of young love, I was personally more interested in the mystery of what happened and how the characters dealt with it. There’s a lot to like in this novel for anyone who appreciates a good story.

[MCMAHAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

This love story which took place in the 50's had me hooked from the 1st.chapter.
It was almost impossible to put down,but sadly I was unable to read it in one sitting,as other chores kept me busy as well.
The story starts when a daughter wants her 81 yr.old mother to get a computer.As she knew nothing about the computer or even how to get on the net,the job is left to her 12 yr.old grandson to teach her.
He comes over,turns on the computer and she is able to look.up an old friend she had lost touch with and with that simple reaching out and with a prompt reply from the old friend,she drifts back to the 50's.
She was from a comfortable home but far from rich and she met and fell in love with a rich gentleman,at least his parents were.
They disliked her and her.family almost immediately and his brother was despicable in his treatment of her.
They let them go ahead and plan for their wedding and the groom's father even bought the bride's gown,all at his own insistence. Invitations were sent out,at least on the Bride's side?
They were given an apartment,furniture moved in and everything was ready for the wedding or was it?
To tell you more,would ruin the whole book and it's too good of a read to do that !
A huge thank you to,the author Dave Riese for writing "Echo from Mount Royal" and to Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read and review.

[Jae Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of "Echo From Mount Royal" from Goodreads Giveaways, thank you!
The story starts with an older Rebecca being taught how to use a computer by her grandson. She asks to see photos of Montreal from the 1950s, but when she sees one particular picture, she becomes lost in memories.
The book then goes back to the 50s to recapture Rebecca's romance with the love of her life, Sol. Introduced by Rebecca's brother at a dance, they soon become inseparable. As a reader, I was engrossed in the picturesque descriptions of Montreal as well as the family dynamics at play, both with Rebecca's parents and Sol's family.
Sol's brother Ezra makes a great villain in this tale, and is rather creepy. When Rebecca finds out the truth of the relationship between the brothers, she is shocked and feels very badly for Sol.
I won't give away the ending for other readers, but it was a very good one. I was glad Rebecca didn't give in to Sol's pleas and stuck to her guns to live her life the way she needed to. All in all, a truly enjoyable book with strong characters and plot.

[Romuald Dzemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Echo from Mount Royal by Dave Riese is a captivating love story set against the backdrop of Montreal in the 1950s, a mesmerizing tale of love and what one woman will do when her romantic dream meets impossible odds. Rebecca Wiseman is a lovely, intelligent college girl who seems to be chasing a very complicated love with a boy from a rich family. Sol might have been a difficult person to be with, but things just get too complicated when the dark secrets of his wealthy family. Can her love be enough to help keep Sol in one piece and for how long can they hold on to the fragile threads of their love?

This is the kind of romance story for readers who are keenly looking for something stimulating and plot driven. The writing is smart and the characters are even smarter. The author knows how to temp readers and it will be hard to get ones eyes off the book once started. I particularly loved the masterful cut of characters and how they develop throughout the story. There were instances I felt annoyed with Rebecca's ignorance. I was enthralled by the setting and the way the author portrays the culture at the time. This one is a sheer delight to read.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I wish to thank Goodreads First Reads and author Dave Riese for the good fortune of having won a copy of this wonderful book in a drawing. I really enjoyed this book. It takes place in the 1950's in Montreal, and is a coming of age story centering around an 18 year old girl and her first love. The girl, from a Jewish-Catholic lower middle class working family falls for a wealthy orthodox Jewish boy, whose family does all they can to break the two up. The author does an excellent job capturing the feel of those years. Excellent character and plot development. I really felt for the characters and did shed some tears.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this novel and thank #netgalley for the opportunity to read it before publication.
I found myself drawn in from the first page to a world unlike any I had experienced or read before—Jewish Canada of the early fifties—which felt very true to the time. This story is told from the point of view of an old woman remembering her life as a young woman in college awakening to love, life and possibilities beyond what she is used to. I really like and felt for her character and most of the other characters too. Some were not nice but how they acted was understandable in the context of the story.
Read #echofrommountroyal for the joy of discovering another way of life in another time.

[Judie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot of Echo from Mount Royal is nothing new, but I did read to the end, so it held my attention.

What I didn't like about this book:
There are a lot of anachronisms.
Robert the brother works in Ottawa and five pages later he's returning to work in Quebec.
The French - isn't correct.
The story takes place in Montreal, but the writer or researcher didn't use a map.
Holt Renfrew is not Renfrew - it's know as Holt's.

Why use Montreal as a setting when the writer knows so little about the city and its Jewish community.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free kindle copy from the author. I really enjoyed this book. I am not French but managed to remember some of what I learned in junior high many years ago so there were only a few words I did not understand. Thankfully for me there wasn't a lot to worry about. I think I was in a vindictive mood while reading this because I would have loved to see Ezra and his Mother get their comeuppance. I would recommend this book.

[Helen Manoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through Net Galley.
A very interesting story line,although I think thst dome of the characters could have been developeped further ,such as Ezra,and Jacqeline to make the story a super read,alghough I thought that the story finished a bit abruptly for the reader,it needed a bit more polishing out,but after saying that it was a good read and can be used as discusion points for a book club or classroom debate about how society was in the past.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful slice of love, loss and life.

I was stunned that Echo from Mount Royal was authored by a man. It was well written. I enjoyed all the layers and the realism. I breathed and felt Rebecca's love and sorrow. My thanks to Dave Riese for sharing his gift with me.

[Cristie Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much more than the typical love story. It captured the emotions and excitement of first love. I loved how the story was told via a Rebecca that is older. This was just so well written that I am going to seek out more from this author.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Granted, I'm a little bias, but I really did love it!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!! For a guy who wrote and published his first book -- this is a good one!

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that ECHO FROM MOUNT ROYAL by Dave Riese is a B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kept my attention from the first page. I absolutely loved it! Right when you think you know the next move thats around the corner, the author throws a spin on it. Very well done indeed. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on Goodreads. I highly recommend reading this book.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review through the Read It & Reap group on Goodreads. The book drew me in from the very beginning. I wanted to read to follow how their relationship would develop during this time period compared to now.

I recommend you read this book. It shows how it was during this time period where prejudice was prevalent, social class status made a big impact, and how religion was a big part of how things were perceived. When you fall in love there are good times and other periods of loss. What becomes of them.