"The friendships and family that you meet and collect along the way are the culmination of a well-lived life. Love is the meaning of life. Love in all forms. Love unconditional. Love unconquerable. Love everlasting."

"The Unfortunate" is a compelling read of Evangeline Harper, who is faced with a tough life of poverty after her mother's passing. Her indomitable spirit shines brightly throughout the book as she navigates life purely driven by survival. It's impossible not to be inspired by Evie as she faces triumphs and tragedies and travels far and wide across the world. Her thirst for knowledge and her determination and intent to leave behind a legacy better than hers is riveting. I must admit that a lingering cloud of melancholy was my constant companion as her life and well-being. At some points, it wasn't easy to envision a brighter future for her. Her realistic love story with Tobias is simply magical and beautiful, and I couldn't help but smile at their scenes. Numerous time jumps shift the pacing of the book and sometimes left me confused. The numerous subplots sprinkled across the chapters tie in extremely well. Some moments were over-the-top, but it does not take away from the central theme of survival, love and hope. A 4 star read!

I received this ARC via Booksprout, and this honest review is left voluntarily.