All That Was by Tanya E. Williams

Release: October 20th, 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Rippling Effects
Source: Suzy Approved Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N,

Separated by a century. Bonded by loss. Will examining all that was invoke comfort or calamity?

Seattle, 2015. Emily Reed refuses to dwell on her emotions. When the first-year attorney gets a church archival project, she dives into the records to hide from her own heartache. But when she discovers her parent’s marriage took place in this very chapel, she confronts the grief she buried a decade ago.

After she died in 1935, Elizabet Thomas was devastated when her beloved husband wasn’t waiting for her on the other side. A lost soul, she’s wandered their church for the past eighty years, desperate to find him. And now she must persuade a young, living lawyer that the historic building needs to be preserved rather than sold and torn down.

Discovering a diary among the disarray in the building’s basement, Emily is first engrossed and then moved by the dead woman’s words. And as the fate of her home unravels, Elizabet realizes she and the grieving archivist have more in common than she ever would have guessed.

Can Emily and Elizabet save themselves and their cherished sanctuary?

All That Was is an uplifting standalone women’s literary fiction novel deeply woven with historical elements. If you enjoy dual-perspective storylines, complex female characters, and the rekindling of lost hope, then you’ll love Tanya E Williams’s soul-stirring tale.

About the Author:

A writer from a young age, Tanya E Williams loves to help a reader get lost in another time, another place through the magic of books. History continues to inspire her stories and her insightful view into the human condition deepens her character’s experiences and propels them on their journey. Ms. Williams’ favorite tales, speak to the reader’s heart, making them smile, laugh, cry, and think.

Author of historical fiction titles:
Becoming Mrs. Smith
Stealing Mr. Smith
A Man Called Smith
All That Was (October 2020)

Also, Author of Inspirational title:
Breathe

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All That Was Review:

All that was is a beautiful, heartwarming tale about love and loss and will move you.

Firstly, the author describes the characters very nicely. As the story starts, there is a sense of mystery about Emily’s past. Why is she fixated on her parent’s death from 10 years back? Who is Elizabet, and why does she notice Emily at work?

As the story progresses, the author describes the relationship between the characters in an attractive manner. I liked how supporting Ryan, Veronica and Colin are to Emily, even if she doesn’t share everything with them. I also loved the details of the flashback of Emily and her parents. The author also contrasts the lives of Emily and Elizabet interestingly. On one side, Emily is trying to avoid her feelings by focusing on work. At the same time, Elizabet is drowning in grief as she mourns for Rupert. Moreover, I loved the theme of the story about keeping faith and moving forward.

Some of my favorite moments were when Pastor Michael tells her about the history behind the dime and Mrs. Parsons, or how Elizabet talks about the war and how it affected Rupert. Furthermore, I loved the small moments of Emily and Allison’s friendship or Elizabet and Dorothea. Additionally, there is also a pleasant twist in the end with one of the characters, which I did not expect. Indeed, the author paced the story very nicely.

However, at times the story felt a bit slow and repetitive. Also, I missed Veronica and Colin’s presence towards the end and wished they had been prominent. Apart from that, this was a wonderful tale about faith and opening your heart to others, and I liked it a lot!