Review of The Fortuna Coin by Karen Ann Hopkins

 

The Fortuna Coin by Karen Ann Hopkins is a departure from her traditional Amish stories that we all know her for. Read an excerpt as well as my thoughts and then follow the tour for even more. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Wendy Catalano, a newly remarried mother of four, finds herself, her husband and her children, murder victims of her ex-husband. A family heirloom takes her back in time to the beginning of her relationship with her eventual killer where she’s given the magical opportunity to change the future and stop her family's tragic ending. But she isn't aware that she's reliving a tortured life. With only glimpses of the future, Wendy struggles to survive present day, unaware that a bloody and unforgiving destiny awaits her.

The Fortuna Coin is a haunting psychological thriller about domestic violence and second chances…but will the truth really set Wendy free?

Read an excerpt:

Some kind of primal survival instinct brought me to life. I flailed my arms, terrified of the rising water.

I don’t want to drown. Why didn’t the crash kill me?

I couldn’t move. The passenger door was wedged into my back and side. Sharp pain invaded my senses. I attempted to wiggle my legs, but they wouldn’t respond. Blood dripped from my nose and mouth. My mind grew thick and heavy.

Josh’s broken body had gone through the windshield. I watched as he bobbed once, then went under. I didn’t want my last coherent thoughts to be filled with hate toward the man who had killed my entire family.

No, he isn’t worth it. He never has been.

The river water rose quickly. In a matter of seconds, it lapped the base of my neck. It was so very cold.

In an hour, maybe two, someone would notice the guard rail down and curiosity would drive them to look over the edge. This part of the river wasn’t quite deep enough to fully submerge the truck. Someone would see part of it sticking out of the water and call the authorities. They’d find my drowned body, and then they’d discover the girls and Ben. Or maybe it would be the other way around?

It didn’t matter anymore.

Poor Mom. This will destroy her.

As my eyes fluttered closed, I felt Harper’s slender arms encircling me in a brief hug.

Then Ben’s lips caressed mine.

Taking a deep breath, the cold water washed away the fear in my heart. I’m ready to join them.

Suddenly, a stabbing dig to my wrist popped my eyes back open and I struggled to free my arm.

When my hand cut through the water, the eroded face on the Fortuna coin stared back at me.

A rush of water went over my head. I held my breath as I fought against the bent metal that pinned me inside the truck.

The flash of light caught my attention and I stopped moving. The coin glowed a soft golden hue beneath the grainy water.

My last glimpse of the face showed that it had been restored to its original state. The bearded man had chiseled features and wore a crown.

How very odd…

Then the darkness swept in and carried me away.

Buy on Amazon

(affiliate link included)

**My thoughts**

I am a longtime fan of Karen Ann Hopkins, reading her Amish fiction pretty much from the start. I was intrigued by the storyline of this book when it came out and grabbed it, but hadn't yet gotten around to reading it.

It's quite different from her other novels. There are minor Amish characters in it, but it's a contemporary romance of sorts, slipping into alternate realities. I had a lot of different emotions while reading it, which I am not used to.

Of course there is the happiness of the wedding in the beginning, quickly followed by the horror of the murders. Then I had some confusion when Wendy slipped back in time because I didn't understand what was going on. Of course, neither does Wendy. But as the outsider reader, I was able to figure it out faster.

There's the pull toward Ben that I recognize in Wendy and an annoyance that she isn't listening to her heart and is following Josh "because that's how it is supposed to be." It brings to mind the age-old question about whether our lives are predetermined. And then if we use our free will to make different choices and take different paths, will we still end up in the same places? Kind of like how my mom used to talk about different Christian denominations taking different paths to get to the same destination. (An idea echoed by a minor character in the book as well.) Or can you slightly alter the outcome by making one small change? It makes the novel a bit more thought-provoking that you would expect.

I mean, she would not have her beautiful daughters if she hadn't been with Josh, right? And past mistakes make us into who we are today, right? 

Granted, there is that murder thing. But I think you know what I mean.

The book description calls it a thriller. I don't think it fits my definition of a thriller, but it definitely kept me completely engrossed once it got going. And I'm still sorting out all of my feelings about it.

I also want to make a note that the description clearly indicates that there is domestic abuse going on in here. It may be triggering for some readers. For others, it may be therapeutic.

You can visit Karen Ann Hopkins at her website: www.karenannhopkinsfiction.com.

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, sheep, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, pigs, dogs, and cats. Karen rescues and fosters a variety of pets and farm animals, but she also finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her first book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lives in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah.

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse bug at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, was rewarded with her first horse at the age of eleven. The feisty horse's name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen's steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, she found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Karen is currently working on her Amish mystery series, Serenity's Plain Secrets, along with several new projects.

Karen's Books:

TEMPTATION, BELONGING, FOREVER, DECEPTION: YA Temptation Series, originally published by Harlequin Teen. Currently in development with Wishing Floor Films

LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER, WHISPERS FROM THE DEAD, SECRETS IN THE GRAVE, HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT, PAPER ROSES, EVIL IN MY TOWN, FORBIDDEN WAYS, SWEET REGRETS, UNHOLY GROUND, BLOODY TIES, THE WIDOW, WICKED LEGACY, BLOOD ROCK, and THE OFFERING: Adult Amish-themed Crime Fiction/Mysteries, Serenity's Plain Secrets Series

EMBERS, GAIA, TEMPEST, ETERNITY: YA Paranormal/Thriller, Wings of War Series

WILLOW CREEK: Contemporary Romance published with HarperCollins/One More Chapter

THE FORTUNA COINT: Psychological Thriller

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KarenAnnHopkins

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/temptationbook

Instagram: karenannhopkins

Website: https://www.karenannhopkinsfiction.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Karen-Ann-Hopkins/e/B00DWJ6IS4

Karen Ann Hopkins will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway