A Romance Of The Republic Book

This book was read for my 2016 Reading Challenge Around the World in 80 Books

I picked this "bargain" book up on a whim, partly because of the plot description but mostly because I didn't have one selected for Lebanon yet. And I was pleasantly surprised. Season of Betrayal by Margaret Lowrie Robertson is exactly how I enjoy my historical fiction. Well known events & landmarks with loads of context & understanding carried along by a compelling narrative. The story is not a new one, it's ultimately the story of a marriage at war while living in a country at war. Lebanon in the 1980's was a tumultuous place to call home, which is exactly where Lara and Mac find themselves as journalists during the Lebanon Civil War. Mac is the go-getter journalist from the moment they arrive in country, chasing leads and crafting the story. Lara came to Lebanon as his supportive wife, but fear is the only emotion Lara is experiencing. Gunshots, shell bombs, explosions, and death become constants in their lives. While Mac is energized into the fray, Lara turns to hide. While the buildings crumble around them, their marriage begins to crack as well.

Like I said, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It's extremely readable, and a quick read at that. The story is written with Lara as the narrator, from the future. My one complaint about the writing is that it's a little heavy handed on the foreshadowing. Lots of "little did he know that in just a few months…." or "I see this now, after his death…". The reader quickly realizes that things fall apart in Lara's life in Lebanon, so we are discovering the journey of getting there. All in all, I really liked this book.