Oooohhhhh not to be unoriginal, but really the perfect word to describe this book is “enchanting”.
My word was this good.OKAY, LET THE GUSHING BEGIN.
Oooohhhhh not to be unoriginal, but really the perfect word to describe this book is “enchanting”.
My word was this good.
There’s something about certain classics written in the 1920s/1930s that is simply so charming. The simple yet eloquent sentences, the glorious fashions, the tea-drinking in gardens and letter-writing in drawing-rooms.
Oh, what I wouldn’t give for an escape to San Salvatore right about now!
Although I doubt going there would be as good as reading the book itself. Unless I had a Lotty Wilkins to accompany me and a husband to summon, I doubt my stay could be as delightful as this was. The Enchanted April was as unrealistic a novel as they come, but what an escape!
What a perfectly blissful, gloriously romantic journey. Elizabeth von Arnim has such a way with words, this book simply oozes with beauty, from Lady Caroline to the flowering gardens, and the last, sublime moonlit scene. The epitome of romantic charm, my friends. Love itself, with a capital L. Heaven, as Lotty would say.
I will admit, it started slowly. It was a great, promising beginning, but it was a bit slow (I also got very busy after I started it and went for a while without reading it, so maybe that’s why). It was very relatable, however.
Two women, on a rainy English day, find an ad in a newspaper about a castle in Italy to be let for the month of April. It seems too extraordinary to even consider it, especially since neither woman plans on telling her husband.
But just think – the ad promises wisteria and sunshine! How does one resist?
Besides, life is so suffocatingly dull in Hampstead. For Lotty Wilkins, it’s lonely and miserable; her days consist of feeling shy and awkward and getting her husband’s fish for dinner. It rains and it’s depressing. And for Rose Arbuthnot, life consists in burying her unhappiness by helping the poor every second of the day, trying her best to forget that her husband doesn’t love her anymore. So then, why not? Why not seize this marvelous chance and escape for a month? Just one glorious, delicious month amid the wisteria and sunshine, living in a castle in Italy.
Husbands can be left alone for a month, can’t they? They need never find out.
So Rose and Lotty decide in their turn to advertise and see if a couple more women would like to join to help reduce the cost. Their only two applicants are Lady Caroline Dester, an incomparable beauty in desperate need of solitude, and the elderly Mrs. Fisher, also in desperate need of a change of scenery.
These four incredibly different women therefore journey to San Salvatore to Escape Life for a month.
But Life, of course, has other plans, and coupled with Love, manages to intervene in unforeseen yet amazing ways. For the endless charms of San Salvatore work on everyone like a magical spell. The reader not the least of whom will be most affected.
If The Enchanted April doesn’t make you sigh with happiness, melt at the impossibly satisfactory ending, and dream of undying, passionate romance, I don’t know what will. What an utterly, thoroughly moving and transformative self-discovering journey. Filled with humour, beautiful flowers, luscious landscapes, and perfectly wonderful characters, The Enchanted April is escapism at its best. With just enough common sense to compensate for its sweet, unrealistic romantic elements, this book is quite the delight.
And if you happen to love flowers and are interested in hand embroidery, head on over to my blog The Diary of a Northern Belle, to see my latest project inspired from this book! I explore some flower meanings based on the Victorian Language of Flowers and stitch happy flowers....more
Looking for a sweet, heartwarming little novella, full of compassion and true love and Christmas-time feelz and forgiveness?
Look no further than thisLooking for a sweet, heartwarming little novella, full of compassion and true love and Christmas-time feelz and forgiveness?
Look no further than this wonderful gem - a perfect addition to the Frontier Vows series, and the continuation of the story between Leah and Bryant that we all wanted.
Depending on You was short and poignant, and filled with the richness of a true God-inspired message, reminding us of the true meaning of forgiveness. If you've read the rest of the series (which you really should!), then you know what happened between Leah and Bryant to drive them apart. This novella sees a repentant Bryant returning to his home and his wife in order to make amends, but after such a betrayal as Leah suffered, how will she be able to forgive him?
I found it very refreshing and honestly just really nice reading a romance between an "older" couple, already married and with grown children and a grandbaby. It added a layer of depth that is sometimes lacking in this genre, when everything is just floofy-romance-focused. The romance here is incredibly believable, yet no less exciting than if the main characters had just met. The romantic bits were really-well executed, and the chemistry was real and perfect.
I also really appreciated that there were other little conflicts and plotlines interwoven in the main plot - something that's rather impressive to pull off in a novella, but it worked! The length was perfect, nothing felt rushed, everything had a satisfactory ending, and there was even a sweet little epilogue! <3
You'll definitely want to keep your eye out on this one as it releases soon! I definitely recommend reading the previous books in the series first though - the main issue between Bryant and Leah will be so much clearer, and the context of everything will make their reunion all the sweeter. ...more
4.5 stars, definitely a top favourite read so far this year!
Luncheon of the Boating Party
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Have you ever looked at a painting and wished it c4.5 stars, definitely a top favourite read so far this year!
Luncheon of the Boating Party
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Have you ever looked at a painting and wished it could come to life? That it would start moving, and that you could get to know the people in it?
I haven't. I've never been particularly interested in art history or paintings in more than a passing sense, beyond finding certain styles beautiful and holding in high esteem anyone talented enough to produce colourful landscapes and immortalize people by wielding a brush. As someone who can't draw a decent stickman to save her life, I've always been in awe of painters, but never really interested in the art.
Susan Vreeland's excellent novel, however, might just change that. I suddenly find myself wanting to know a great deal more about art and paintings and Impressionism. Luncheon of the Boating Party was a brilliant, completely immersive novel that read exactly as you would expect "reading" a painting would be like.
The people in that painting, they're not just models, they're people. People who lived and breathed and had lives and made time on summer Sundays to pose for Renoir, to help create this beautiful masterpiece. Nous. Us. Luncheon of the Boating Party, although narrated mostly through Renoir's point-of-view, is about everyone involved in the creation of this painting. It's as much a novel of life as it is a celebration of art. La vie moderne. That's what it's all about.
Paris in the 1880s, the scene of artists and intellects and authors and actresses, of new ideas inspired by the past and hinting at the future, the Paris of street cafés and cafés crèmes, of cabaret dancing and prestigious Salons, of bustles and top hats and boating dresses, and above all, of leisure summer days along the Seine. Vreeland shows you all this and takes you right on the terrace at la Maison Fournaise, where Renoir beautifully captured a single moment in time, of people chatting and drinking and having a good time.
The painting is not supposed to tell a story, just illustrate a moment. The story is Vreeland's work.
She introduces us to all the models you see in the painting, even some who didn't make it on the final masterpiece. Most of them were Renoir's friends, acquaintances, or former lovers. There's Alphonse and Alphonsine, whose parents own the Maison Fournaise, his good friend and fellow painter Gustave, the art critic Charles Ephrussi, aspiring author Paul Lhôte, and the beautiful actresses, Jeanne Samary, Ellen Andrée, and Angèle. There was also the annoying Cécile-Louise-with-the-even-longer-last-name who didn't make it to the final thing because she couldn't stand still. We get to know them all. Snippets of their lives, their backstories, their interactions with each other, their Sundays eating and drinking and rowing and posing.
How much work goes into a painting like this! It's unbelievable.
Inspired by some of his favourite painters, like Vermeer and Veronese, Renoir blends classic techniques with Impressionism in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough in his career and defy critics, elevating Impressionism as an art style worthy of the Louvre. The result, as we all know, is the spectacular masterpiece that is Luncheon of the Boating Party. I can honestly say that I would not hold it in such high appreciation if I hadn't read this book. To me, at first, glance, "this painting is pretty", but knowing the story behind it and how it all came about makes it so much more interesting.
I absolutely loved the character of Renoir himself. He was so winsome! You can't help but want him to desperately succeed with his painting, and admire his passion for his art and for life. Here was a man who breathed beautiful things, "seeing the world with rose-coloured glasses" as his friends would say, desperate to capture beauty, love, and happiness.
"'The world is ravishing, Alphonsine. Just look. The distinct colours of the water quivering like moirée silk, the lattice of shadows made by branches shifting, [...] Life! Ravishing life!'"
And the way he made love to women on his canvas with his brush! Oh, enchanting!
Renoir painted under two main rules he'd imposed on himself: always paint from the live model, and only paint for pleasure. And what, to a passionate man enamoured with the female form, could give him greater pleasure than to pain the women he loved? The driven way in which he combined his passions was actually incredibly inspiring to read, and I congratulate the author on perfectly conveying that to the reader.
I also absolutely adored the fascination and the importance accorded to light. Light, indeed, is so crucial in so many forms of art. I am no painter, but I've always loved a sunny mid-afternoon room permeated by warmth and light that hit just right on my embroidery hoop, or the teasing early morning rays that gently poke through curtains, announcing a lovely day of gorgeous natural light to work with.
"Light. Ah, light. Pure radiance. It made the river lavender and pale ocher and aqua and white. It made the sailboats shimmer. It made the grassy hillock on the opposite bank glow a yellow-green. It softened the lines of the railroad bridge and made everything vibrate with life."
Light is actually quite an important character in this novel, because it sets a definite deadline for the completion of the painting. Renoir gets the idea for Luncheon towards the end of the summer, when there are seemingly just enough Sundays left before the light changes from summer vibrancy to the cool golden of early September. There was such respect, such appreciation, and such an urgency about light in this novel that I really, really like.
I happened to read this book in late August/early September, and never took as much notice of the increasing change in light as I did this year. Reading about it in such an endearing way gave me a whole new appreciation for it, for which I am deeply thankful, and I was someone who was already quite obsessed with the sun and weather and seasonal changes!
Luncheon of the Boating Party was a wonderfully delectable novel, slow and sensuous like the making of the painting itself, and definitely well worth reading. My only complaint preventing me from pushing the rating to a full five stars was that certain bits did drag a little too much, and there were perhaps a few too many points of view included, from characters we didn't really hear from again, but aside from that it was a spectacularly beautiful read, full of light and colour and 1880s artist Parisian lifestyle....more
I really enjoyed this sweet and cozy second installment of the Tea Shop Mystery series, and being reunited with Theodosia, Haley, and Drayton to solveI really enjoyed this sweet and cozy second installment of the Tea Shop Mystery series, and being reunited with Theodosia, Haley, and Drayton to solve yet another "accidental death" that turns out to be murder.
Light and breezy, Gunpowder Green reads much like its predecessor: you'll want a good cup of steaming tea and a scone while you read and eliminate the suspects one by one. I found this one easy to solve, but I enjoyed it a lot nonetheless. There's something about Childs' writing style that is very soothing, even though she writes mysteries.
There's still some suspense and anticipation in all the right spots, but overall this is as cozy as cozy gets!
I love it though, and those recipes tacked on at the end are such a wonderful bonus. ...more
I've listened to this one probably about ten million times, it's one of my favourite go-to's during long studio hours and I just LOVE it ASIDE FROM THI've listened to this one probably about ten million times, it's one of my favourite go-to's during long studio hours and I just LOVE it ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT IT'S ABRIDGED.
How dare they cut even a sentence of this wonderful story?!
Richard Armitage does a stellar job as usual, his impersonation of Sylvester was per-fection and I just can't tire of listening to it.
A splendid collection of beautiful watercolours, painted by Alexander Cavalier Mercer around the years 1838-1842 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and other surA splendid collection of beautiful watercolours, painted by Alexander Cavalier Mercer around the years 1838-1842 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and other surrounding areas.
The book is divided into geographical sections to group the paintings by area, and each painting is accompanied by a short descriptive blurb and by quotes taken from Halifax history books. Through the beautiful paintings of a bygone era, we can see what Halifax and its surroundings would have looked like in the early Victorian period - full of trees and winding roads, cottages and unobstructed shorelines.
The style of the watercolours is very pretty, with earthy tones and pale blues, depicting only landscapes and buildings. Mercer was evidently a lover of nature, and I loved his renditions of the sea and the views from Halifax and Dartmouth.
This is a fun little Halifax treasure I'm really glad I own!...more
Hahahahaha oohhhhhh this book!!! Where do I start?!
I have just finished it, and am still busy wiping the tears from my eyes, born equally from laughtHahahahaha oohhhhhh this book!!! Where do I start?!
I have just finished it, and am still busy wiping the tears from my eyes, born equally from laughter and adorable feelz. I have absolutely no idea how Anya Wylde managed to write one of the most adorable Regency romances I've ever read, where half the book literally makes no sense and the other half consists of the H/h yelling insults at each other.
I don't know how it's possible, but it just happened, and I absolutely LOVED it.
As pretty much every single review will tell you, Penelope is a madcap Regency comedy. And by madcap, we mean literally impossible. Penelope (our dear heroine) has a pet goat, befriends highwaymen, and spends the night unchaperoned at a lord's residence. There is a cross-dressing modiste, an old butler who dances in the drawing-room, and an old grand-father who believes in mustaches.
The adventures of the Season include accidentally ripping a hostess's gown to the point where she is uncovered, being chased out of a mansion by a cheetah, and falling out of orange trees into the arms of unsuspecting gentlemen.
The historical inaccuracies range from these improbable and impossible plot lines, to women wearing bloomers (not a thing during the Regency era) and men wearing just a shirt (scandal!).
The hero repeatedly calls the heroine an imbecile, an idiot, a nuisance, a doxie, a country wench, and a thousand other vile names besides. He point-blank tells her at least three times, "I do not like you", and refers to her as a fruit fly or a mosquito for half the book.
The heroine naturally despises the hateful, arrogant, conceited, pompous, overbearing, domineering, impatient, horrible, blasted hero and spends 90% of the story boiling his temper.
Their romance was founded on insults and dislike.
Hottest thing I've ever read.
I genuinely don't understand how their chemistry was that good, but my GOODNESS, IT WAS SIZZLING OFF THE PAGES. I don't know how, but it WORKED. I loved them!! Such squabbling! Such heated repartee! Such passionate rejoinders! Such love!
I honestly can't explain this book. It makes no sense. But it's hilariously contrived and delightfully humorous. The characters are all gems, and somehow, somehow, it just...works.
This was kinda like Georgette Heyer meets Jen Turano, and I'm here for this. I didn't realize how much I needed a lighthearted, funny book until I started reading Penelope. I knew what I was getting into, having been warned by the reviews that it was a very silly, madcap story, so I was fully prepared to disregard logical plot points, and I had a fantastic time. I laughed out loud several times (in public) and didn't care.
It was such good fun, and I absolutely adored Penelope.
Gaaahhhhhh I loved it!! I'm an incoherent mess! <3 <3
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*A huge thank you to the author for giving me a copy of this book, I enjoyed it immensely, and all opinions expressed here are my own....more
This was a wonderful debut novel that has landed a place of choice on my Regency-romance shelf for its unique plot and entrancing atmosphere.
BeginningThis was a wonderful debut novel that has landed a place of choice on my Regency-romance shelf for its unique plot and entrancing atmosphere.
Beginning in York, Roses and Shadows follows Lord Blackmore, who rescues young damsel-in-distress Eleanor Grey by posing as her brother while escorting her to France where she is supposed to rejoin her aunt. Haunted by the death of his wife eight years previously, Henry Blackmore suffers a form of what is now recognized as PTSD, and it is soon evident that he is rather the one in distress.
Their adventure takes them to Paris, where, amidst glittering ballrooms and blooming gardens, they make new friends and encounter old enemies as a tender love between them intensifies. Their romance is not so much breathtaking and passionate, but rather it's just... one of the sweetest you'll ever read. It's the kind that makes you dramatically place a hand upon your chest while sighing "awwwwww this is so cuuuuuute!". The brooding and serious Henry and the innocent and sunny-tempered Eleanor were an adorable pair who had many heartwarming moments, and I enjoyed the overall simplicity of their relationship. It was like it was effortless for them to love each other, and that was refreshing. The epilogue was just icing on the cake, and one of the cutest ones I'd ever read.
But counterbalancing this sweet romance is a much darker plot in a slightly Gothic setting, and this blend worked to perfection. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of this book, and all the lovely imagery and beautiful descriptions. There are starlit church staples and nightly walks, promenades in the Champs-Élysées and dramatic carriage rides, as well as outings to the opera and sparkling soirées among Paris's Beau Monde. It's glittering and exciting, and follows a plot as unpredictable as it is unique.
Rebecca May has achieved something here that is not easily accomplished: writing a Regency romance without recycling any of your usual tropes and clichés. I'll admit that I'm a fan of the Redeemed Rake or the Marriage of Convenience romance as much as the next Regency fan, and I do love stories of débutantes balls and tea parties, but there was something so much more exciting here! There is adventure. Murder. Kidnapping. Mistaken identities. Countless plot twists. Lies. So many lies. Oh, it's good.
I've never read anything like it before, and I'll be honest, the true crowning glory of this book is the villain. My, but what a character. Deviously cunning and enchantingly beautiful, yet so very human and interesting. She was incredibly well-developed, and her motives, while pretty extreme, were in keeping with the rest of the plot elements. I'd definitely never read anything like it before, and I loved it.
Roses and Shadows is definitely highly recommended, it's one of the best debut novels I've ever read, and a refreshing new take on Regency romance. The prologue just plunges you right in, and the adventure doesn't stop until the last chapter. The story is as enthralling as it is memorable, and it makes for a perfect read on a stormy day....more
The more books I read, the stingier I become with stars, saving 5 stars for only those books which are my favouriFive stars of unashamed enjoyment :)
The more books I read, the stingier I become with stars, saving 5 stars for only those books which are my favouritest of favourites, but once in a while I feel I also must attribute such high ratings to either books of unparalleled worth, or unalloyed enjoyment. All the Way to Heaven belongs to the latter category.
I started reading it on my Kindle during a long trip to Europe last summer, and whether it was the excitement of my own European adventure or of the book's - which takes place in Italy - or a combination of both, it made for an incredibly escapist read that was most truly enjoyable.
Not only is this book filled with beautiful descriptions of Italian landscapes and food (and men), but there was enough sweeping romance to last me through the whole summer. The whole story was just so sunny and refreshing and invigorating, and I think that if I hadn't already been on a plane bound for Europe, I would have had to buy a ticket without any further delay.
It just made you want to travel and see and do things and drink real coffee (North American coffee just doesn't cut it) and rest in a villa in the middle of olive grooves. I could not have picked this book at a better time.
The romance was so cute and I just had such a great time following it. I was scared of the direction it seemed to be taking, but in the end ended exactly as I'd hoped.
Just like it's hard to resist the wonderful world of Pride and Prejudice (whether we're talking about the actual novel or the swoon-worthy '95 [image]
Just like it's hard to resist the wonderful world of Pride and Prejudice (whether we're talking about the actual novel or the swoon-worthy '95 movie version...), likewise is it hard to resist the lure of Austenland.
The relatable and witty commentary of Jane Hayes Erstwhile as well as the fun, perfectly escape-worthy setting are really what make this book a little gem. It's nothing extraordinary, let's not fool ourselves, but there is something incredibly refreshing in its simplicity and direct approach to an Austenite's problematic obsession with fantasy (including one Mr. Darcy in a wet shirt - played by Colin Firth, of course).
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Mr. Darcy has become such a staple of the modern girl's classy gentleman dream. "So, anyone in your life?" they ask you, again and again. "Ahhhhh. *cough* No, 'afraid not..." you invariably respond. "*Deep sigh* Still waiting for Mr. Darcy, eh?".
You know what I mean. It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single woman who reads Jane Austen must invariably raise her standards in love. It's not that we all want Mr. Darcy, but rather that we come to appreciate the old-fashioned charm attached to him and other heroes of and around the Regency period. The mannerisms, the careful restraint, the gallantry... some of us just sigh in despair at today's standards of "dating" and would rather have our hand reverently kissed over lustful making-out on a first date. It's not that we don't want passion - we most certainly do - but one slowly and carefully built, made all the more tantalizing by the waiting and the restraining, that comes to really mean something in the long-run.
This is part of what's meant when we say we are "waiting for Mr. Darcy". Just plain good old-fashioned romance.
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Is it a fantasy? Sure. Romance in real-life rarely unfolds like romance in novels, but that doesn't mean you should lower your standards, let alone settle, heaven forbid. Just be realistic, and above all be patient.
The book's exploration of the fine line between having standards and living in an impossible fantasy were both highly amusing and very realistic, which for me raised it above the typical rom-com chick-lit it appears to be at first.
Of course, it is a rom-com and there is a happily-ever-after and a fantasy come true, but come on, how utterly disappointing would it be without it, and how boring would the story be without the heart-melting Mr. Nobley?
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I dare anyone to resist JJ Feild as a romantic hero.
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I mean, COME ON!
I suspect that the fact that I had already seen the movie adaptation of Austenland added to my enjoyment of the novel because I could already just picture JJ Feild as Mr. Nobley in my mind, but regardless (we are trying not to fantasize here, and be sensible!) it was a super fun, light-hearted book I enjoyed a lot and heartily recommend to my fellow Austenites who are equally enamoured with Jane Austen, Mr. Darcy, and being the heroine of our own story.
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Also, Miss Charming and Miss Heartwright are absolutely hilarious in the movie, and they need their own real happily-ever-afters as well (there goes the romantic in me again...).
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PS- What's up with the Northanger Abbey ill-feelings? "Sure, Jane had first read Pride and Prejudice when she was sixteen, read it a dozen times since, and read the other Austen novels at least twice, except Northanger Abbey (of course)." And why, pray tell, is Northanger Abbey thus slighted?
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IT'S WONDERFUL AND ALSO STARS JJ FEILD AS AN IRRESISTIBLE HENRY-HERO AND DESERVES TO BE SHOWERED WITH LOVE (and for other reasons than just the hero).
*Off to go re-watch Northanger Abbey to make up for this singling out*...more
This is such a lovely little collection of helpful advice and beautiful illustrations!
Be More Jane is a wonderful addition to any Austenite's shelfThis is such a lovely little collection of helpful advice and beautiful illustrations!
Be More Jane is a wonderful addition to any Austenite's shelf. It explores various themes and lessons discussed and learned by many different characters in all of Austen's six novels. I really enjoyed how this book alluded to secondary characters as well as the main heroes and heroines.
There are short and sweet sections discussing various themes and commenting on Austen's intent within her stories, as well as useful tips and gentle reminders of what we should do in certain situations that are very Austen-approved. This is a little like a "What Would Jane Do" book, and it's full of beautiful illustrations and personalized advice from a few Austen characters. I think those were my favourite sections - who doesn't want to know how to catch a husband according to Lydia, or how to protect oneself against illness according to Mr. Woodhouse?
This book was sweet and humorous and pretty and I am so happy to have it on my Jane Austen shelf! A big congratulations and thank you to dear Sophie for giving us this lovely gem!
*All opinions expressed in this review are purely my own and I was not asked to provide a positive review for this book. ...more
I have been excited for this book ever since it was announced that Tamara Leigh was starting a new series about the Wulfrith family – this on4.5 stars
I have been excited for this book ever since it was announced that Tamara Leigh was starting a new series about the Wulfrith family – this one set a little over a hundred years prior, in the 11th century during the Norman conquest.
I was not disappointed.
This book is full of promises of all the amazingness yet to come. The first installment of what I believe will be a series of 8 books, The Age of Conquest is off to a most excellent start.
If you want to take a break from modern politics to immerse yourself instead in the politics of nearly a thousand years ago, this is the book for you! I noticed that this was one of the most recurring complaints about this book by reading some of the other reviews, but I personally really enjoyed that aspect.
The story starts in 1066 on the morning after the Battle of Hastings, and the majority of the plot takes place in 1068 as the Saxons try their best to resist the Normans. The only thing I knew about this time period was “1066 Battle of Hastings” and “William the Conqueror”. I knew they were somehow connected, but I honestly didn’t really know anything beyond that.
In Merciless, Leigh seamlessly immerses you in 11th century England, right at the heart of the conflict between the Saxons and the Normans. You’ll find yourself sympathizing with both, because of course we have a Norman hero, and a Saxon heroine. Who would never, ever dare fall in love with each other, naturally not.
Several reviewers have mentioned that they thought the politics and main action-driven plot eclipsed the romance a bit too much, but I thought the blend was perfect. I think it just felt different from the Age of Faith books because the external conflict was more political than personal, but the balance was certainly there. All your favourite Leigh romance-type scenes were present, with enough build-up and chemistry. My one little complaint would be that (view spoiler)[the wedding, although it made a lot of sense, came a bit suddenly, and I was expecting Aelfled to resist a bit more…same for the wedding night scene, although quite realistic, I thought it would come later in the book once more feelings had developed. But it was still very well done and I enjoyed it. (hide spoiler)].
I absolutely LOVE the introduction of the D’Argent family, and I already can’t wait to read everyone’s story. Just like the Wulfrith family won me over completely in the Age of Faith series, so too are the D’Argents and I’m so glad I have so many more books in this series to read ...more
And to think that when I first picked it up two years ago, right after having finished A Distant 4.5 stars
Ooooh this was a wonderful, wonderful book!!
And to think that when I first picked it up two years ago, right after having finished A Distant Melody and A Memory Between Us, I abandoned it! Granted, it was only because I wasn't in the mood for a WWII story at the moment, and because I was busy, not because I didn't like it - although I don't remember being sucked into the story as I was when I tried reading it again last week.
My goodness, but I loved it. Definitely my favourite in this series.
Sarah Sundin writes WWII fiction like no other (not that I've really read that much WWII fiction by other authors, but yeah), and if you've seen some of my other reviews (namely the three books in the Wings of Nightingale series), then you know I rave about her and recommend her books shouting from the rooftops (not literally, sadly).
Blue Skies Tomorrow was the perfect blend of adventure and romance, with a wonderfully well-executed double storyline as the heroine remains in small-town Antioch, California, dealing with battles of her own, while her hero is off fighting the Germans in Europe. I loved Helen, and I absolutely adored Ray - what an absolute darling, and seriously, could anyone get any dreamier? I'm very jealous of Helen and desperately want one of his long, luxuriously silky kisses too.
The romance was beautiful; sweet and tender and loving, with cute moments and swoony kissing scenes, but also enough grief, sadness, and hardships to make it all the more sweeter in the end. This was a love founded on strong mutual respect, budding friendship, and deep understanding. It went deeper than the surface-level attraction that often passes for love in CF novels. Ray and Helen's romance was so much more, and given that an ocean separates them for most of the book, this was no small achievement and was made all the more impressive. Sigh <3
The adventure and suspense levels were also superbly well-done; gotta love those air battles, and a hero who ends up stuck in Germany for over two months! It was exciting, real, and I couldn't get enough. I know nothing of planes, much less of B-17 fighters, but let me tell you, you'll definitely learn alot about them just by reading this book! I didn't really understand it all, and most of the technical terms just went over my head, but it was still very interesting, and I did not find it boring (because, well, I find planes very exciting).
Helen's story was also painfully amazing; I hurt for her, felt for her, sympathized with her. She was as strong and brave as Ray, and made an incredible heroine. I also loved seeing Ray's brothers and family again (they're my favourites), and honestly cried tears of joy at the end of this wonderful story.
I love this book and highly, highly recommend it!!
P.S. - Recommended for mature audience, because, well, war-book, and (view spoiler)[ lots of domestic abuse. I'll be honest, much as I love this book, it wasn't always an easy read. OUCH MY FEELS. (hide spoiler)]....more
Ah, the good old days back when children played outside, used their imagination, and were rarely bored! No TV, iPads or tablets, video games, or compuAh, the good old days back when children played outside, used their imagination, and were rarely bored! No TV, iPads or tablets, video games, or computers. What bliss!
If I had children, I'd want them to have a childhood just like this - only I'd rather they not attempt to learn to fly from the rooftop, or give each other haircuts, or mix everything in my kitchen to make an "Everything Pudding". But I do hope they have just as much fun as Betsy and Tacy and Tib, and prove to be just as adorable.
Betsy with her overflowing imagination, her ability to create entrancing stories effortlessly, and her "ideas" to divert herself and her friends. Tacy with her sweet temper and easy compliance and lovely red ringlets. Tib with her doll-like appearance and her good-sense and practicality. Julia and Katie the big bossy older sisters, who can be nice on occasions. Margaret and Hobbie the adorable babies who are too young to understand, and all the mothers and fathers who are too old to understand. This book is priceless.
It's cute and lovely and peaceful and summery; guaranteed to amuse you if you're grownup, and delight you if you're young. I hope my children will grow up reading good books like this.
Classical children's books are absolutely wonderful, and even though I didn't really grow up reading them, it's never too late and I take endless pleasure in discovering them now.
Betsy-Tacy and Tib is a short, sweet little chapter book set at the turn of the 20th century in Minnesota, and features the three title characters and their fun antics as they meet up to play and follow where their eight-year-old minds take them. It's soothingly lovely and wonderfully diverting. Wholeheartedly recommended. ...more
I'm not sure why I left this book sitting on my "currently-reading" shelf for ever, because I gobbled it up in a matter of days and could not put it dI'm not sure why I left this book sitting on my "currently-reading" shelf for ever, because I gobbled it up in a matter of days and could not put it down. I mean, it's a Sarah Sundin WWII romance, so there's nothing surprising there.
This book was just awesome. Pure delight from start to finish.
I loved, loved, loved the hero! He was so sweet and gentle and bright as the Texan sun. Aww he was cute. And Dorothy was wonderful too, and I thought they had the most charming romance.
I also really liked learning about her job - she was in charge of analyzing photographs of key areas to look for discrepancies and signs of enemy presence on British soil. It was very interesting.
I'm reviewing this so late that I don't remember enough of the particulars of the story to do it justice in this miserable review, but I remember really loving it and being very entranced with it while I was reading it.
This beautifully vivid tale of adventure and romance in Italy during the early 19th century has confirmed that I need a vacation - and a sunny villa -This beautifully vivid tale of adventure and romance in Italy during the early 19th century has confirmed that I need a vacation - and a sunny villa - of my own somewhere around what used to be Lombardy-Venetia. The setting and descriptions in this book are simply sublime; you can feel the warmth of the sun, hear the gentle rustling of the water, see the Roman ruins, taste the delicious fruits, all in the most beautiful and peaceful of settings. This is the sort of book that will make you travel far, very far, to sun-kissed lands where all is romance and adventure.
Perhaps I feel this way because I haven't read many books set in Italy and the new setting made it more exciting for me, but regardless of that the fact remains that So Wild the Heart was a captivating story and a joy to read under the sun (of my own backyard and not an Italian villa, sadly).
It moved very slowly at first; there is a lot of exposition to introduce us to the main character, Mr. Adam, who proved to be a very unusual albeit interesting (and quite loveable) sort of hero. An Oxford Fellow with a classical bent, Adam has devoted his life to the study of classic literature, and is in the middle of translating a work by the Roman poet Antonian. His good friend George Seabrook persuades him to travel to Italy to immerse himself in Antonian's country and find the mysterious villa on an island referred to in the poem, which no one seems to know where to find. Seabrook knows, of course, that a good vacation out of Oxford and England will do his friend a lot of good.
So the book moves about very quietly at first, but it is still highly enjoyable, and full of interesting historical details. From England we are briefly transported to Paris, and then we finally arrive in Italy, where Adam hopes to begin his search for Antonian's villa at once. Admittedly some of the twists were quite predictable, but others not so much and the second half of the book definitely held my interest throughout and I found it quite hard to put down.
If the romantic setting of this novel is one of my favourite aspects, something must also be said of the wonderful character development. To be sure, some of the characters were highly annoying, and I was quite glad some were never seen again after a certain time. I definitely did not care for the Mortimers and their philosophy of Reason, however much I appreciated the overall philosophical (or satire of) tones of this book. But our hero Mr. Adam made excellent progress over the course of the story. At the beginning we were introduced to a shy, extremely introverted man with his nose forever in a book, awkward in social situations and hopeless with women. And by the end...we have a wonderful man with a newly acquired appreciation for the ironic and the ridiculous, who has managed to stay true to himself while winning the lady of his dreams, and who is now considerably less straitlaced and serious. ;)
The romance was slightly unbelievable and quite under-developed, but as the book was overall more a work of general fiction than pure romance, it didn't really bother me and I still greatly enjoyed it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for an adventurous yet relaxing book to read, filled with gorgeous descriptions and historical detail.
I would like to thank The Odyssey Press for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I greatly enjoyed it, and all opinions expressed were my own. Thank you!...more
I LOVE this book. And I also LOVE the film adaptation of this book.
It's such an inspiring, beautiful story that is equal parts entertaining,4.5 stars
I LOVE this book. And I also LOVE the film adaptation of this book.
It's such an inspiring, beautiful story that is equal parts entertaining, romantic, and touching, and I absolutely loved the way it was written. (I'm sorry for my serious overuse of the word "love", BUT THERE IS SO MUCH I LOVE ABOUT THIS BOOK, I CAN'T HELP IT) The epistolary form, the humour, the characterization that just came alive through the letters and stories, the literary love and references, the sense of unity...there are just so many aspects that are done right, so many things that just work in this novel.
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The book is divided into two parts, the first focusing on writer Juliet Ashton in post-WWII England, and the second focusing on Elizabeth McKenna, founder of the actual Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society during the war on the island of Guernsey.
Juliet is inspired to write Elizabeth's story after she receives a letter from a Mr. Dawsey Lawson from Guernsey, who came in possession of a book that used to belong to her. Her address was written inside the front cover, so he decided to write her and thank her, and their correspondence sparks a series of war stories about the German occupation on the island, and the power of books and literature in bonding people together.
Tell me that doesn't sound amazing.
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I cannot stress just how wonderful the whole story is, how cleverly the book is written, and how amazing all the little details are.
I don't want to spoil anything because the experience is so much better if you don't know too much about the story, but it's so worth it. The only reason it doesn't get a full 5 stars was because I enjoyed the second half just a little bit less. It was still really good, but not quite as engaging as the first part, and although I loved the romance, it fell a little flat for me in the end, and I was much happier with it in the movie ;)
I highly, highly recommend both; the movie is incredibly satisfying to watch after reading the book since it's fairly accurate and provides a beautiful visual.
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When I finished the book, I was inspired to write. And when I finished the movie, I was inspired to do all the sewing.
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I absolutely adore this yellow dress, AND I WANT IT!!! ...more
I think this one just may be my favourite Sarah Sundin novel so far.
It's so good.
Everything is there: romance, suspense, character growth, romance, I think this one just may be my favourite Sarah Sundin novel so far.
It's so good.
Everything is there: romance, suspense, character growth, romance, well-developed themes, romance, amazing WII history, ROMANCE, DID I MENTION ROMANCE?!?!
Oh but Dan and Tess were just perfection.
I've enjoyed every single Sundin novel I've read thus far, and the romances have all been really good so far, but this one was on a higher level than the others. This one was just really, really well done, so cute and chemistry-filled I just wanted to keep on reading.
I've noticed that I often really enjoy the last book in Sundin's trilogies a lot because it usually features an H/h we've already met and got to know in the previous two books, so there's room for even greater character development, and they just feel so real and it's overall just so well-done.
I'm also a really huge fan of the starched-hero-gets-unstarched, and I lost my heart to Dan within the first few chapters. Who doesn't want to witness the tireless workaholic's carefully built armour crumble through his blossoming relationship with the courageous, energetic and fun-loving beauty?
I tell you, it's good. I wanted more. I wanted another book in this series.
The rest of the plot was amazing as well, When Tides Turn is not just a romance (although that was definitely my favourite aspect of it) and had so much more to offer!
I highly, highlyyyyyyyy recommend this book, this series, this author. IT'S AMAZING. ...more
THIS BOOK IS AWESOME Y'ALL. I am so behind on reviews it's ridiculous, and I feel awful because this one was actua4.5 solid stars of excellent quality
THIS BOOK IS AWESOME Y'ALL. I am so behind on reviews it's ridiculous, and I feel awful because this one was actually a review request, so, until I get all my wits together once again, I just wanted to say that I loved this book. It was deep, intriguing and highly interesting, and I strongly recommend it. This is not your typical light-tea-party romance, ooooohh noooooo! It's way more intricate, and superbly written.
If author Melissa Jagears isn't already on your radar of authors-I-need-to-watch-because-their-books-are-so-awesome, add her to your list RIGHT NOW! You will not regret it. I have loved everything I've read by this author so far, and this book took it even a step further because it was so deep. As much as I love Christian historical romance, the big majority of them qualify only as fluffy escapism, and most are not even well-written. A Heart Most Certain, I guarantee you, is not one of those at all.
Firstly, it's interesting and different from the first few chapters, and not only are you sucked right into the story, but you can tell it's going to be something grand. And it is. Wow. I was completely amazed at the depths of this book: the character development, the issues brought up, the writing, everything was profound, well-thought out, and challenging. This is a daring book. It asks the hard questions and makes you examine your own heart. Few Christian fiction novels attain such a level as this one. There is nothing shallow or cliché about A Heart Most Certain, and I can't tell you how surprised and satisfied I was to read this.
I wouldn't recommend to younger readers however, this is certainly a tougher book dealing with mature subject matters. The romance isn't the focus of the story (although it was beautifully done too!), and despite the divinely gorgeous cover that hints at a sweet novel of moonlit moments and walks around beautiful gardens, it is not the case!! It's absolutely wonderful, but be prepared for something challenging ;)
Melissa Jagears, bravo! You have accomplished a true Christian fiction novel, something I'm sure many aspire to but fail to deliver. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series!!
A huge thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to review, and all apologies that my full review is so late, and that I stupidly forgot to give it a rating when I first reviewed it. I LOVED IT!!!...more
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