The Smiles and Tears of Love, written by Ray Cantan, follows Mabel Fox’s life. Starting with devastating news as an adult, the author changes directions and takes us back in time to right before Mabel was born. We get to read about Mabel as she grows up as a small child living with her parents in Tullow, Ireland. As she gets older, she moves in with her aunt in Curragh, where she learns to become a lady.  As the story goes on Mabel marries the soldier of her dreams. Life brings her many ups and downs as she navigates life as a military wife. Mabel even has a steamy fling with a married man.

I want to say first that the overall story was spectacular. I really enjoyed reading about Mabel’s life from right before she was born to where it ended. It is rare to read a book that starts off with so much information at the beginning. I feel like it really builds up the character, and you can get to know their personality very well. Her character was very well developed, and it felt natural. I would have thought I was reading about a real person if it wasn’t stated that it was a work of fiction.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and plotline of this interesting book, I felt like there wasn’t much of a description of what Mabel looked like. I had a hard time envisioning her appearance. I know the styles of the Victorian and Edwardian Era, so the outfits were easy to picture in my mind. I feel that the story would benefit from another editing and proofreading as well to correct some grammar, incomplete sentences and some repeated chapters.

The Smiles and Tears of Love is, overall, an exquisite family saga. Once the author polishes up the manuscript this will be a wonderful novel that readers of historical fiction will be drawn to with its attention to detail of the period and strong relatable characters that readers will feel like they know personally.