“My dear Lizzie, Wear this in good health and happiness. I trust you’ll know what to do with it! Keep shining brightly, and remember I love you always. xoxo Nan”
Liz Moretti is consumed with grief at the sudden death of her Nan, Ella when she discovers a cameo locket/necklace inside the desk left for her in Nan’s will. Liz thought she knew everything about her grandmother, but inside the locket is an inscription marriage proposal to her grandmother from a man different from her grandfather, and she’s also left a diary. Liz decides to find out the truth behind her family’s secrets.
At this point, author, Kristin Contino introduces us to three generations of women in THE LEGACY OF US (SparkPress)who change by love, loss and a little necklace over the course of the novel. Liz is the anchor character in this complicated novel about the relationships between Liz, her sisters, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She’s able to weave a compelling, complex tale of mother and daughter relationships from 1905 Italy to present-day Philadelphia. As Liz explores her family’s history, she also comes face to face with choosing between the life she thought she wanted and the possibilities of a much richer future.
THE LEGACY OF US is a wonderful story that’ll make you want to curl up with a cuppa yummy tea and delicious biscotti and read from beginning to end. I can tell you now, just plan a full day around this book; it’ll be a treat and then you can give it to your mother and girlfriends as the perfect gift. It’s actually great for Book Club.
Thanks to Spark Press http://www.gosparkpress.com for including Thoughts on This ‘n THAT on their #FRC Fall Reading Challenge tour. For all things Kristin, check out her website http://www.kristincontino.com or on twitter @kristinco
We have one copy of THE LEGACY OF US to give away to one lucky winner. All you have to do is go to the comment section of the Thoughts on This ‘n That Blog www.writeoncindy.wordpress.com and tell us if you’ve ever had a piece of jewelry that was special to you, perhaps a family heirloom and why. We’ll pick a winner Thursday.
Remember you can check out more reviews at http://www.cindyroesel.com and news about my novel, “Viewer Discretion Advised.”
Cindy Reads & Writes 
Other than my wedding ring being special to me, I’d have to say that some aquamarine earrings given to me by my parents for my birthday when I was in my 20s are pretty special. That was the first piece of jewelry I had with my birthstone and I remember how happy my Dad was when they gave those to me. My Dad passed away quite a few years ago and when I wear those earrings, it brings back a happy memory of my Dad!
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I have my mother’s engagement ring that my father gave her. It has a broken band. It is broken on the underpart of the ring where she wore it so much and wore it thin. There is a story behind it, of course. My parents eloped the good old-fashioned way with a ladder at the window and such. They were in New Jersey and there was the whole waiting period thing, so they had a friend drive them to Maryland, where there was no such thing at the time. They were young and broke and my father was in business college, having just been released from the Navy. He bought her the ring at a fire sale. Really. It’s such a romantic story. I was always going to fix the ring and wear it, but I never did. I am now faced with who to leave it to and that’s rough because it has to be someone who cares. Oh, and I have way too many grandchildren to make the choice that way.
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I have several pieces of family jewelry that I treasure. My favorite is a lovely cameo that my grandfather bought for my grandmother in Italy when he was posted there in WWI. I had it set in a bezel and got a pretty, antique chain. I love to wear it. I will pass it on to my daughter.
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A beautiful necklace which I treasure from my mother and wear for special occasions since it is so meaningful and precious.
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A ring my husband gave me when I was a freshman in college. Even though we broke up all those years back kept the ring. Twenty years later he came back into my life. Now I have both he and the beautiful ring.
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I have 2 rings 1 from my mother and 1 from my aunt that are special to me. I inherited the 1 from my aunt and I could verify the story but I was told that the 2 diamonds in the setting 1 came from my grandmother and the other from my great aunt both came from Sicily.
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I have a tiny diamond pendant from my late grandmother that is my treasure. I wore it on my wedding day, so it’s in all my wedding pics, too. This book sounds great, and I can’t wait to read it! Cindy, please don’t enter me; I just wanted to participate. My book got here, and I cannot wait to read it. Thanks again! 🙂
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My brothers gave me a bracelet and ring set that they bought for me at Disneyland when were kids. It is made of wood with painted flowers. I still treasure it. I can’t wear them but still keep it for memories. Recently, my parents gave me a cameo ring that belonged to my grandmother. I treasure it and wear it from time to time.
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I was given an Onyx ring that was my grandmothers. She had written descriptions and anectdotes about many items that she new would be left to us. Of this ring she said that it was the ring my Grandfather gave to girls when he went steady with them. But she got to keep it.
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Actually…not really. My family isn’t very full of Accessorizers lol. Does the necklace my husband gave me on our wedding day count? I couldn’t find a necklace I liked with my wedding dress so i finally said screw it, I won’t have one. Then the day of the wedding after we were all ready and before the ceremony started he came and found me and gave it to me. I was so shocked. ❤
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I don’t have any jewelry that has been passed down to have that kind of special meaning. But I do have a special pendant that my ex gave me after we were divorced. We remained good friends. He moved to Hawaii a year later and he sent me a gold and diamond flip flop pendant for Christmas that year.
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While I have pieces of jewelry that I like, there is no one piece that is particularly special. I don’t really have any family heirlooms.
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