Gabriel's Rapture (Gabriel's Inferno Trilogy Book 2)

When I read Gabriel's Inferno last summer, July 19th to be exact...I had no expectations of the book or author other than that I'd seen a lot of people saying positive things about it on Twitter and Goodreads. I was intrigued by the cover and the synopsis, and so early one Saturday morning I downloaded it to my Kindle and began reading...and I couldn't stop. I read the entire book that day and I fell in love with the story, characters, and the beautiful writing....O the writing...descriptive perfection for one who favors that style...that would be me.Gabriel's Rapture begins where Gabriel's' Inferno left us...in Florence, Italy. Not a bad place to be. I have to say that I had to reread the very first sentence about 5 times before I could move on because of the visual it created for me. In fact, I'll admit that there were a lot of moments like that for me while I read through the first time. I'm an extremely visual person...one of those people who "sees" the book happening as I read. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I enjoy SR's writing so much. He paints such vivid scenes with his words, and I have great appreciation and admiration for that because I feel like I'm witnessing the story as he tells it.While in Florence, Gabriel and Julia experience getting to know each other better both emotionally and sexually. I find it interesting that while I'm sympathetic to Julia's insecurities, I find myself feeling worse when Gabriel's come to the surface. I think it makes him even more endearing as a character...not that I need any help with my adoration of him mind you. He's almost always so sure of himself (to the point of arrogance) while Julia has always been lacking in self-confidence. I will tell you that during GI, I sometimes struggled with that part of Julia's make-up, but I think it's more a case of me remembering how awful that can feel, and not wanting to, rather than a character flaw. It took quite a while before Julia earned a place in my heart. But she did.I had a great time during the Professor's lecture. Envisioning him standing there talking about Dante and artwork?!? Very cool and informative. I looked up the pieces that were mentioned btw and I encourage you to do the same. The fun continues after the lecture...Geez, Gabriel. I gotta say that he's hot when he's hot. Steamy hot. You might want to have a cold wash cloth at hand...just sayin'.Christa Peterson. Isn't that a name that just makes you want to slap something...or kick something...really hard?!? O. Me too. We get to learn more about her which I found helpful...not that it changed how I feel about her, but it's great character development, and as she figures so prominently, and is integral to what happens down the road I think it's necessary to understand her a bit better. There's also a flashback to a certain Starbucks scene that is a real treat. I was outside on my balcony when I read it, and I was laughing...yes, out loud. I have a neighbor that can verify that.I won't outline every wonderful moment of passion that Gabriel and Julia share (much as I'd like to) but I will tell you that I think you'll be as happy as I am with all the sensuousness that SR gives us. It's beautiful, romantic, and spicy enough to make you feel...well...the way we want to feel when we read love scenes. Gabriel's Rapture delivers the "goods" in an elegant package. It reminds me of the difference between eating a store-bought chocolate cake versus a seven layer confection from a 5 star restaurant. Adequate versus luscious. Gabriel's Rapture is indeed luscious. I for one have an entirely new appreciation for showers, and lavender poofs...I think you will as well.Upon their return to Pennsylvania for Christmas, Gabriel and Julia must face some very unpleasant events. First and foremost for me is finally meeting Paulina. If that name sends fear up and down up your spine...you're not alone. No matter what... a shared past that includes a child can cause actions and reactions that have far-reaching consequences. There are many highly emotional scenes that involve Paulina in this part of the story, and I don't mind sharing with you that I broke down and wept for everyone involved at the end of chapter 12, including for Paulina. Well done SR.At this point the story takes us to Toronto for the first time in the book, and after a few nicely written set-up chapters...all hell breaks loose. Let me say that again...ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! Christa Peterson returns with a vengeance. Since the synopsis mentions this, I will use part of the same sentence in reference to Gabriel and Julia and what comes next... "their happiness is threatened by conspiring students, academic politics, and a jealous ex-lover." That my friends is an understatement of monumental proportions. The things that occur had my heart racing, and my adrenaline pumping. I kid you not. You are about to embark on an emotional roller-coaster ride. From this point on I couldn't read fast enough, nor could I stop reading.I alternated between complete rage, tears, sadness and despair for both Gabriel and Julia. I totally understand the need they both feel to protect each other...BUT...HOLY CRAP! They make a mess of things... with plenty of help from all parties involved. My heart just aches for them while at the same time I want to jump into the story and throttle them both...repeatedly. Just writing this makes me hurt all over again. The last thing that I want to happen to this couple...happens...they are separated by the choices of one, but with the help of many.As the story moves forward Gabriel experiences so many different things that touched my heart. I finally realized that in order for him to be able to come to terms with all of the ugliness of his past, and to be able to forgive himself and to grow emotionally...to become a better man...he really does need to go through the journey he finds himself on...without Julia. With that realization...I felt better...I felt hopeful. And of Julia during this time? After the initial pain and humiliation she suffered, she handled herself with a grace and dignity that was truly wonderful, and inspiring.Eventually, Gabriel and Julia meet again. I think my heart stuttered a few times as I read it, and I found myself holding my breath. The scene is unforgettable, and I can call it to my mind's eye instantly thanks to the way SR wrote it. It's unexpected and haunting and beautiful and brilliant. Don't expect a quick fix or an instant "happily ever after" though. I don't believe that easy will ever be in the cards for this couple, and to be quite frank...at this point I think it would have been a wrong choice if SR had written it that way. I would have been disappointed. Some things have to be earned by the characters and reader alike, or they aren't worth it. As a reader I appreciate and value that.It'll take hard work and time to repair the damage that was caused between Gabriel and Julia, but there are many delightful moments that await you in the last hundred pages...sweet things, funny things, surprising things. I think you'll be happy and satisfied at the ending that SR penned for us.I said at the very beginning that when I read Gabriel's Inferno for the first time I had no expectations of the book or author. That wasn't the case with Gabriel's Rapture. Knowing what SR was capable of left me with very high expectations for the sequel. When I received the e-ARC from the publisher I was both excited beyond description and apprehensive in the extreme. What if I didn't like the story? What if the writing wasn't all that I wanted or expected it to be? These were the questions that plagued me...until I began reading.Gabriel's Rapture is one of the best books I have ever read. I don't say that lightly, or without thought. It has a perfect blend of romance, heartbreak, humor, and sex. I read it twice in four days. I will read it again...soon. It's just that good. My recommendation is that YOU read it as soon as you can.My rating for Gabriel's Rapture...A strong and unequivocal 5 out of 5 hearts

(Warning: Spoilers ahead!)There's a longstanding belief that sequels don't live up to the original, "The Godfather Part II" notwithstanding. That makes it all the more pleasurable to read "Gabriel's Rapture," because the book disproves that axiom so thoroughly. It takes the superb groundwork set in the first book, "Gabriel's Inferno," and builds upon it to give the reader a rich and rewarding continuation of Gabriel and Julia's story.We meet up with the couple where we left them at the end of "Gabriel's Inferno:" in Florence, where they've deepened their passionate affair while immersing themselves in all this cultured city has to offer. Sylvain Reynard draws us into the beauty of Italy and makes us feel as if we're experiencing everything along with Gabriel and Julia. Glorious artwork, most of which is housed in the Uffizi museum, is highlighted. A number of musical selections provide a lovely accompaniment to the couple's tender moments. There are romantic dinners, and even more romantic and erotic tangos in museums and their hotel room. The reader sees and feels these perfect touches, and it's another testament to Reynard's writing that it's a sensual experience for us, too. When Gabriel and Julia have intimate moments in Florence or Umbria, readers feel as if we are right there with them, and it makes us wish all the more that we could be.Even as we're enjoying this sojourn in one of the loveliest countries in the world, we get the sense that it can't last. Vacations never do, right? Neither does that heady sensation that comes when you find your other half and love them body and soul for the first time. Surely enough, shortly after Gabriel and Julia return to Toronto and their daily lives, they find that reality has intruded in the form of a complaint that threatens to reveal their love affair, which is prohibited by University of Toronto policies that forbid fraternization between teachers and students. As the investigation into their relationship grows more serious, it becomes apparent that Julia's career will be short-circuited before it even starts. In order to spare her, Gabriel sacrifices himself at the altar of academic bureaucracy, but the ultimate penalty is that it means the end of their relationship.It's heartbreaking to see the bitter turn of events, particularly since we know both Julia and Gabriel bear responsibility for what happened, though Gabriel seems to shoulder more guilt. (As the professor and academic mentor, and certainly the more experienced of the couple, he's probably right to do so.) After so many struggles to acknowledge their love for each other - so many misfires and miscommunications, so much anger and fear over their past - they finally fulfilled the destiny ordained by their night in the orchard so many years ago, only to have it denied by the very institution that, ironically, reunited them.And yet...and yet...I came away realizing that if they hadn't gone through this separation, they may not have survived as a couple despite their great love. They were better off because they grew individually and were forced to mature emotionally on their own. The heartbreak they endured gave them a better respect for what they had and almost lost. It's an astonishing thing to see because as you're reading it, you realize how rare it is. They acknowledge that the first rush of love, while real, couldn't be sustained because they'd pinned too many of their dreams on it. And in the process, they'd idealized each other in a way that also couldn't be maintained, and ultimately, could have undermined the strength of their genuine bond if the University hadn't interfered. In a way, they owe Toronto a debt of gratitude for it.Julia is understandably devastated by the separation. Having been so careful to trust Gabriel, she feels as if she's been duped and begins to doubt that he ever loved her. She tries to reach him but the only communication is a brief e-mail from Gabriel that bluntly tells her to stop. She even goes to his condo and finds that everything is gone, except for the clothes that he'd bought for her just months ago, when their feelings for each other still lay just under the surface of their skin. It's especially heartbreaking to watch Julia's efforts to complete her Master's degree in Dante studies, a subject that's an emotional minefield considering that it reunited her with Gabriel. But she perseveres and even thrives under the supportive friendship of Paul and the firm, guiding hand of her advisor, Katherine Picton.Gabriel embarks on a journey he hoped he would never have to take; one where he's alone, without Julia. Before their relationship, Gabriel lived an empty, dissatisfied existence - one with professional fulfillment but without hope of finding the love and grace he truly craved. He's forced back into that existence now that he and Julia parted, and it's especially cruel for Gabriel. Having finally known true joy and unselfish love, he feels the loss all the more bitterly. Reynard skillfully draws a picture of a man again skating along the edge of his own destruction, driven to despair by the loss of a woman who inspired the redemption he believed was always out of reach. But just as we worry that Gabriel's old vices will again draw him under, we see that the virtues learned in his time with Julia have had a lasting effect. He returns to Italy, at first to mourn, but then to find faith and grace in his circumstances. We also see another facet of the Professor's genius as we gradually realize he'd planned a way out of their situation that would help both of them.But the real victory - the real uplifting part of this story - is Julia's newfound strength. She mourns, too, but is determined to forge ahead with the life's work she's chosen for herself and her studies. A romantic alternative is offered to her, but Julia knows it would be unfair to both of them for her to settle when it comes to love. Even when Gabriel returns, she doesn't accept him easily. She's wary, careful; though her heart is sure he's its ultimate destination, she has now seen too much to fall back into old patterns. On the one hand, it's almost humorous that she makes him work so hard for it, but on the other, it makes perfect sense, and it's brilliant. Julia comes out of adversity and heartbreak a smarter, stronger woman. And she knows what's at stake. If she and Gabriel are to truly flourish together, they need to confront their weaknesses and the issues that they tend to repress. I came away from this book loving Julia almost as much as Gabriel does.At the end of the story, I thought of one of my favorite quotes, from "Zoo Story" by Edward Albee: "Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly." Julia and Gabriel were forced away from each other, but they were smart enough to appreciate the lessons learned from the experience. They loved each other enough to allow it, and they put those lessons to good use once they returned to each other.There are literary and artistic references within the sequel, as there are in "Gabriel's Inferno." I found these genuinely enhanced my reading experience, as they often sparked an interest in finding out more about a painting or in reading a book I hadn't considered before.One last thought: Gabriel's Rapture is again told through the eyes of the Snarky Narrator. His wry humor and asides are a welcome part of the series. I'm really fond of him, and I've come to think of him as the couple's guardian angel. Even though he's as pointed and sarcastic as ever, you sense that he wants the best for Gabriel and Julia.