Waterfall Wednesdays #5 (Chapters 24 - 28)

Waterfall Wednesdays, a read-along of Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren, is hosted by Tina at Tinasbookreviews, Joy & Serena at Edgy Inspirational Romance, Nic at Irresistible Reads, Jenny at Supernatural Snark, and Missie at The Unread Reader.

Welcome everyone to this week's post for the Waterfall Wednesdays event. This is the fifth and final week of the event and I'm actually quite sad to see it end. I've met so many new and friendly people, have been introduced to some very interesting blogs and have had the opportunity to spread my love for the amazing characters in this series. I cannot express enough how much I have enjoyed this journey with you all. Thank you to everyone who has participated!

This week’s questions are hosted by Nic at Irresistible Reads.

1. After Gabi is injured, the doctor gives her a tonic. Gabi questions the doctor several times what is in it but he refuses to tell. Would have you taken the tonic in Gabi situation?

I probably would have been in too much pain to actually care. I am generally very trusting of people, so I would’ve justified the doctor’s secrecy by putting it down to a fear of revealing a special recipe known only to him. Of course, I would have considered the possibility that it might be poisoned since he was Lady Rossi’s physician and she would have wanted me out of her way but then the romantic in me would have been willing to risk death as long as it was in the arms of my dreamy Marcello (who would later avenge my death, of course *sigh*). What stood out for me, though, was that the tonic tasted of fertiliser (if I remember correctly). Now, while I expect I would’ve gone ahead and taken the tonic if I were in Gabi’s shoes, I doubt I’d have been able to keep it down like she did*shudder*.

2. Before the games Gabi asks Lia to let Lord Forabosch win in the archery event as people especially Lord Forabosch are becoming suspicious of them. But during the games Lord Forabosch upsets Lia trying to throw her off her game. So Lia decides to win. Do you think she did the right thing by not letting Lord Forabosch bully her or do you think she took an unnecessary risk?

The feminist in me went “woohoo!” when Lia showed him what she had and beat his sorry ass. Really, I couldn’t bring myself to be angry with Lia for beating him despite knowing the risky situation she placed herself and Gabi in by gaining his attention and further suspicion. I suppose it was Lord Foraboschi’s chauvinistic ideas about the ability of any member of the female sex to beat him that made me so desperately want to see him lose. While I understand why Gabi expected Lia to lose in order to not draw unnecessary attention to them, I can’t help but be proud of Lia for taking a stand and showing him what she’s made of. For some reason, Lord Foraboschi didn’t strike me as being such a great threat to either Gabi or Lia. I suppose I didn’t see him as being an entirely evil person. I felt that whatever problem he might create would be between Gabi and Marcello and would work to the benefit of Lady Rossi, but it would not place Gabi’s and Lia’s lives in danger because it would not expose their secret to society. If their secret was exposed, I expected that Marcello and the rest of castle Forelli would stand by them and make sure that they were seen out of the situation safe and unharmed.

3. When Gabi is dying and she and Lia decide to return to the tombs so they can get the cure at home but they have to tell Marcello the truth. Even though Marcello thinks that it is madness that they are from the future he believes in Gabi because he loves her. Do you think this is believable? What would you have done if you were Marcello?

I kept wondering how the scene would play out when Marcello finally knew the truth and I wasn’t sure whether I’d have preferred for him to refuse to believe, and possibly even get angry with, Gabi and give her the cold shoulder for a while or whether I’d have wanted him to be so in love with her that he’d blindly believe her. However, the circumstances prevailing at that time did not allow for disbelief as Gabi was obviously dying and it called for Marcello to put aside his doubts and believe Lia’s story, as long as it meant being able to save Gabi. Given the situation, I think his reaction was believable. If I were Marcello, and being the open-minded person that I’d like to think I am, I would’ve believed Lia and done anything in my power to save the person I loved (even if it meant possibly making a fool of myself).

4. In the end Gabi and Lia return home. Do you think Gabi will return to Marcello? Would you go back?

Yes, I definitely think that Gabi will return to Marcello. Me? I’m surprised you had to ask. Hell yeah! I’d certainly go back to claim my man *wink*. I’m not leaving him with a cat like Lady Rossi to sink her claws into and take what’s become mine. I’m possessive like that *blush*. Besides, once I fall in love, I’m sure I’ll never experience anything like it again. So, even if it meant sacrificing the comforts of the twenty-first century (indoor plumbing!), my home and my family, I would risk it all for love. I wouldn’t want to lose something so rare and beautiful and spend the rest of my life feeling incomplete, thinking about how things could have turned out differently. Yes, I’m a hopeless romantic like that *sticks out tongue*.

5. Looking back at Waterfall what was your favourite moment?

My favourite moment.... Gosh! This book was so amazing; I’m having a hard time trying to think of just one moment as my favourite. Scenes that will always stay with me are:
•When Gabi first emerged from the tomb and her eyes met Marcello’s- instant connection! *le sigh*
•When Gabi changed in the forest, wore her dress the wrong way and had to change it around, seeking Marcello’s help in buttoning up the back. I found it so sweet that he was willing to help her with that without perving all over her.
•When Luca was teaching Gabi how to dance and quietly switched places with Marcello. When Gabi opened her eyes and found Marcello looking back at her, my breath caught. How romantic!
•Gabi’s take-charge attitude when it came to helping Fortino overcome his condition really impressed me. The way she got the servants to bring in boiling water and helped them sweep and mop the floors, then made Fortino breathe in the steam and checked in on him regularly- truly admirable!
•Lastly, the battle scene in which Gabi is forced to kill the enemy and enters a state of shock, only to have Marcello snap her out of it. I could identify with her feeling of shock because, at that point, she ceased to be the seemingly-invincible, twenty-first century kick-ass, sword-wielding chick and appeared unsure and vulnerable- a completely normal young girl who’s unsure how to act after an intimate encounter with death.
• Overall, I think it was just the relationship between Gabi and Marcello and the respect he showed her by putting aside his doubts when faced with her strange behaviour and choosing to accept her as she was, unquestioningly, that appealed to me throughout this novel.

So those were just some of the more memorable scenes that stood out for me in my reading of this novel and which I remember now, long after I’ve read it. Thank you to the wonderful author, Lisa T. Bergren, for writing this amazing novel and continuing Gabi’s and Lia’s story with another two books in the series. I’m looking forward to Cascade and Torrent and hope to read them as soon as I can. Thank you to all the wonderful bloggers who have introduced me to this event and have participated each week by writing their own posts, visiting mine and generously commenting. Thank you! 