Deluge (River of Time Series #5)

Three years ago, Waterfall (River of Time #1) was the very first book I downloaded on my brand new Kindle. It was a freebie for a short period of time, and I downloaded it because it was about time travel, which is subject I like. I didn't know anything of the author, Lisa Tawn Bergren, or her previous works.I've never been more glad that I one-clicked a book.Deluge is the final book in the River of Time series. Lia and Gabi have come such a long way since they were first dropped in medieval Italy. Then they were scared and unsure and wanted nothing more than to get back to their own time. Now, they are fierce and confident and secure in the knowledge that they are where they were meant to be, both literally and figuratively.They also have the burden of knowledge. Namely that the time of the black plague is nearly upon them. They know full well that all the provisions in the world won't matter if even one person in their keep contracts the disease. And, with each marriage comes spouses and babies which means more people to love and grieve if the plague takes them. It's an extremely heavy burden to bear, and I felt the weight of that on their shoulders throughout the book.I loved so much seeing all the different relationships in Deluge and how different they all are. Gabi's and Lia's parents are in their prime. They have a second chance at making their marriage amazing, and they are excelling at it. Gabi and Marcello are newlyweds and soon-to-be first time parents. They are learning how marriage works and that there's a possibility of loving another human more than yourself. Then there is Lia and Luca - the newest couple, not quite yet ready for marriage. Lia's struggling with a lot of fear. She's afraid of taking that step with Luca, knowing she might lose him or a child of theirs to the plague, and not sure if she could handle that.All previous books have really been Gabi's story as she came into her own, both as a "she-wolf," as a woman and as the love of Marcello's life. Although Deluge is told in dual POV - both Gabi's and Lia's - this is really Lia's story. She goes through so much in this book. Although, most of her experiences are shared with her sister, Lia seems to bear the brunt of them much harder. She feels more, internalizes more. It seems sometimes that Luca is the only thing that grounds her.I will say one thing about Lisa Tawn Bergren. She knows how to go out with a bang. Deluge has absolutely EVERYTHING. There are battles like none that have come before it. The plague is an awful thing, and Lisa made me feel all the sadness that came along with it. The romance as absolutely incredible. The utter adoration the Forelli boys feel for Gabi and Lia was so sigh-inducing. And that ending, albeit completely heartbreaking, was pretty perfect.Not all the characters we've grown to love make it out alive. Realistically, how could they? When those deaths happen, I cried so hard. I actually had to take a few breaks toward the end, because there were way too many feels to handle all at once.If you have never read this series, I urge you - please give it a try. It's so incredible.

Wow. Seriously, wow. Writing a novel can be daunting enough, but sometimes even more daunting is writing a sequel...or a finale. In comparison to the first in a series, many times the following books can be left a little flat, as though the best of the author was all put in to the first. Not so with the River of Time Series.I am generally a very happy-book kind of reader. A bit of drama, a measure of suspense, romance with a chemistry you can feel. The first three books really fit the bill for my kind of reading. High in romance, suspense, and, the best - but hardest - aspect of a past era novel - believability. Authenticity. When the novellas for this series were coming out, I wondered how the author would do with those afterthoughts, and was pleasantly surprised to see how they picked up right off where the others left off. I'm not talking about timeline, but tone. The characters held the same traits, mannerisms, and actions that had made them so great in the first three books. I was bummed to come to the end of the novellas because I wanted more. When I heard she wanted to write Deluge, I started getting excited simply because I loved the Forellis and Betarrinis so much. As it got closer and I started seeing it take form (via Facebook updates for those that have 'liked' the River of Time series), I was getting reeeeeeeally excited for it.Much as it was for me in reading the last Harry Potter installment, I was thrilled but so anxious when I got my hands on Deluge. Would it be a good ending? Would anything happen that I really didn't want to happen? Talk about nail-biter anticipation!I was not disappointed. At all.The difference with Deluge on first impression is that the book is divided in 2 parts (the table of contents gives it more than 2 parts, but I separated it into just two mentally). The first picks up shortly following the last novella and it takes us over the personal relationship of Luca and Lia. It had a measure of intrigue, we got to see the gorgeous city of Venizia, but it kept along the same flow. More of the same She-Wolf-esque-ness I loved, more of Gabi and Marcello, Lia and Luca, and the Betarrini parents. Yay! The Black Plague is on the horizon and in the back of their thoughts (or the front, for some). However, seeing more ends tied with the two families FIRST was a plus.Then...the second part. Another wow. This was the part I was bracing myself for, based on the author's 'warning' to River of Time fans. Yep, it's sad. Depressing, tear-jerking, gasping-in-agony sad. But remember, I'm the happy-book person who also wants believability. And I got it, truly. It was so real, so agonizingly heartbreaking, but so full of those good things in life God places in our path that I really just 'got it' and, although it was hard to read through the second part, I think the author did a fantastic job. Nothing fell flat and I even felt that the characters she chose for death or certain types of depression/hardships...well, it really did make sense.Just as J.K. Rowling nailed the end of her series, in my opinion...so did Lisa Bergren. This entire series will be reread by me many times over in future.

A friend loaned me books 1-3,had to know how it finished so only option was to buy the ebook 4 and 5. Worth it. Easy read, time travel, yay!Suitable for all ages!

Just a couple more wild adventures with our favourite characters was all we wanted and this final book certainly delivered! I loved this series, my children loved this series and my friends loved this series. It was well written, intimate and did not hover too much in fantasy but delivered a story tempered with reality. As a stand alone book I'm sure it's a great read, as the final in the River of Time series.... It's STUNNING.

The book was a amazing , I loved it. It takes me to another world where I never want to come back.

The twists and turns just got even better. How does this amazing author keep you reading? Fantastic story line.

Love this series