Melissa and Kasho 
by Camilla Chance (Goodreads Author) Jessica Bronder's review Apr 04, 2018

It is 1958 and Melissa is in Florence, Italy at a finishing school. We follow along as she navigates school but also as she remembers her parents and their brutality. Her parents believed they were high class and trying to mold Melissa into the perfect high-class girl. The problem is Melissa is too much of a free spirit and individual. Of course, this behavior is not acceptable to her parents' abuse and terrorize her to follow their direction. 

They finally have enough and decide to ship her off to a finishing school. There she meets Kasho, a spirit that she has a connection with. Kasho gives Melissa the love she longs for and helps encourage her to be herself. He also helps her create a friendship with Daisy. But no matter how happy Melissa is, her parents decide to send a suitor to Florence. The plan is for him to seduce Melissa and bring her back to the high society that she has escaped. 

This is a wonderful story. Melissa has been terrorized by her delusional parents for so many years. As a kid, she had her brother Kim for a short while to help her deal with their mother. But he disappears to school never to return. Melissa is not alone, she does find Kasho, a spirit that has a connection to her. He is a spirit guide that helps her grow into a strong woman. And when things get very tough, he even stands up to shake some sense into her.

This story is touching, sad, and inspirational at the same time. Melissa has risen from the destruction of her parents to find herself just to be trapped by them once again. But thankfully she has someone to help her break free to become everything she desires. It’s a wonderful story that is not one I would normally pick but is a great read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.