No Safe Harbor (Edge of Freedom, #1) by Elizabeth Ludwig

No Safe Harbor (Edge of Freedom, #1)

By: Elizabeth Ludwig

Published: October, 2012

Published By: Bethany House Publishers 

Format Read: Kindle for PC, eBook

Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance

Rating: 3.5/5 

Cara Hamilton thought her twin brother Eoghan was dead, but when a cryptic letter confirms that he is alive, she risks it all and boards a ship to America. Cara is warned to be cautious and not trust anyone until she is safely reunited with him. However she accepts the help of a fellow passenger aboard the ship who directs her towards a boarding-house and an irresistible young man named Rourke. While Cara searches for her brother, she finds her own life at risk. But can she figure out how this relates to her his disappearance and can she really trust those who she has befriended?

Back in 2013, I won my first Goodreads giveaway which was a copy of Elizabeth Ludwig’s Dark Road Home, the second book in the Edge of Freedom series. However I had yet to read this first book until now.

No Safe Harbor is set in 1897, New York, a time period and city that I enjoy reading about. The story moved at a good pace throughout and held my attention. The main characters had detailed backstories that played into the events that transpired.

Unfortunately I didn’t love No Safe Harbor as much as I did Dark Road Home. I found Cara to be very naive and careless. I tend to enjoy stronger female protagonists and felt she was the typical damsel in distress.

I liked how the author switched narrative perspectives throughout however I wish it was more consistent. There were some characters that was only featured once or twice and left me wanting to learn more about them.

No Safe Harbor was a good story, despite those minor things I mentioned. I would recommend it to those who enjoy historical Christian fiction.  

Edge of Freedom Series 

1. No Safe Harbor 
2. Dark Road Home

Wishing You Were Here by Catherine Chant

Wishing You Were Here
By: Catherine Chant

Published: December, 2012

Published By: Catherine Chant

Format Read: Kindle for PC

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance 

Rating: 4/5 

💚💚💚💚

I was sent a copy of Wishing You Were Here by Catherine Chant from the author in exchange for an honest review.

17 year-old Callie is rummaging through her Grandmother’s attic one day when she comes across a record of a 1950’s Elvis Pressley style musician by the name of Joey Tempo. As a music lover, she is surprised to have never heard of him before and is eager to learn more about the handsome man on the record cover. While listening to his songs, Callie is saddened to learn that Joey was killed in a plane crash shortly after his career took off in 1957. There was something about his songs that draw her in and captivate her like nothing ever had before. Then all of a sudden, like she had been hypnotized Callie is sent back in time to right before Joey was to step onto the plane that would seal his fate. She feels she must save the star thus ensuring further success in his career.

My kind of time travel:

The concept of time travel is something that intrigues me, but I admit that I am quite picky with the books I read that focuses on this idea. I am not a big fan of science fiction or fantasy, so technical time travel having to do with time machines and the like don’t really appeal to me. However I do like it when it involves a more fate based storyline, like Wishing You Were Here has. As a music lover myself, the idea of an Elvis Pressley style character also really caught my attention.

50’s charm:

Set in a small American town of Shelby Falls, Chant paints a picture of a typical 1950’s era setting. Complete with the small-town support, drugstore diners and ice cream shops. Think Grease. While others may find these descriptions cliché, I loved them all.

Make it or break it:

Although a cute romance, Wishing You Were Here examines the power the record industry holds over their artists. They can make or break a career with the snap of their fingers. This still rings true today, just as much as it did during the time period that this book was set in.

Oh Callie!

Callie was definitely a 2000’s girl with the ideals to match. This didn’t exactly bode well for a young woman trying to pass off as someone coming of age in the late 1950’s. There were times when I wanted to shake her for stepping outside the character she was trying to keep up. I found her attitude to boarder on disrespectful, like an angst-ridden teen. She was also quite meddlesome with Joey’s career, although I know she only wanted what was best for him.

How about that plot twist?

I admit that earlier on in this book, I found some passages to be repetitive making me roll my eyes. However I really enjoyed this story and was able to set aside the unrealistic more often than not. I enjoyed reading along as all was revealed and honestly didn’t see the plot twist coming near the end.

Further reading and recommendations:

I look forward to reading the follow-up novella, as well as the sequel to this series soon. Wishing You Were Here is a fun contemporary romance-style read with a time travel twist. I would recommend it to fans of that genre and think that it would make for an enjoyable beach read. 

TLC Book Tour: The Girl in the Castle (Deverill Chronicles #1) by Santa Montefiore

The Girl in the Castle
(Deverill Chronicles #1)
By Santa Montefiore

Format Read: Trade Paperback
Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Rating: 3.5/5

I was sent a copy of The Girl in the Castle by Santa Montefiore from the publisher and TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

About The Girl in the Castle

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (September 27, 2016)
 International sensation Santa Montefiore presents the first book in a trilogy that follows three Irish women through the decades of the twentieth century—perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Hazel Gaynor. Born on the ninth day of the ninth month in the year 1900, Kitty Deverill is special as her grandmother has always told her. Built on the stunning green hills of West Cork, Ireland, Castle Deverill is Kitty’s beloved home, where many generations of Deverills have also resided. Although she’s Anglo-Irish, Kitty’s heart completely belongs to the wild countryside of the Emerald Isle, and her devotion to her Irish-Catholic friends Bridie Doyle, the daughter of the castle’s cook, and Jack O’Leary, the vet’s son, is unmatched—even if Jack is always reminding her that she isn’t fully Irish. Still, Jack and Kitty can’t help falling in love although they both know their union faces the greatest obstacles since they are from different worlds. Bridie cherishes her friendship with Kitty, who makes her feel more like her equal than a servant. Yet she can’t help dreaming of someday having all the wealth and glamour Kitty’s station in life affords her. But when she discovers a secret that Kitty has been keeping from her, Bridie finds herself growing resentful toward the girl in the castle who seems to have it all. When the Irish revolt to throw over British rule in Southern Ireland, Jack enlists to fight. Worried for her safety, Jack warns Kitty to keep her distance, but she refuses and throws herself into the cause for Irish liberty, running messages and ammunition between the rebels. But as Kitty soon discovers, her allegiance to her family and her friends will be tested—and when Castle Deverill comes under attack, the only home and life she’s ever known are threatened. A powerful story of love, loyalty, and friendship, The Girl in the Castle is an exquisitely written novel set against the magical, captivating landscape of Ireland.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Santa Montefiore

Santa Montefiore was born in England. She went to Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset and studied Spanish and Italian at Exeter University. She has written sixteen bestselling novels, which have been translated into thirty different languages and have sold more than two million copies worldwide. Find out more about Santa at her website, and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

I had seen this authors name around the book blogging community and on Goodreads and became intrigued by the fact that she is recommended for fans of Kate Morton. As she is one of my favourite authors, I knew I had to give Santa Montefiore a chance.

The downstairs-upstairs plotline appealed to me and made for an interesting comparison between the two classes. The Girl in the Castle is set during a time period that covered the years of World War I. However I was unaware of the important events that occurred in Ireland, while the fighting in Europe went on. Although this book is a work of fiction, it has piqued my interest to learn more about the suffering of the Irish people during this time.

Aside from the time period in which the characters in The Girl in the Castle lived, my favourite part was most definitely the setting. Santa Montefiore did a wonderful job of describing the beauty of the country. The pride her characters had for their country added so much to the Irish peoples fight for independence from Britain.

While I found the story to be interesting, this wasn’t a fast read for me. In fact it took me a lot longer to complete than I anticipated and this left me quite discouraged. The writing was beautifully done, however by the latter half of the book I began to dislike characters that I initially favoured.

Although I haven’t decided yet if I will continue on with the second book in this trilogy, I would like to give this author a second try. Even though The Girl in the Castle might not have been the perfect fit for me, I would still recommend in to other fans of historical fiction. Those who enjoy Downton Abbey may enjoy this book as well. 

A Beauty Refined (Sapphire Brides, #2) by Tracie Peterson

A Beauty Refined (Sapphire Brides, #2)
By: Tracie Peterson

Published: July, 2016
Published By: Bethany House Publishers
Format Read: ARC, eBook
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance
Date Read: August 8, 2016, 

Rating: 4/5

I was sent a copy of A Beauty Refined (Sapphire Brides, #2) by Tracie Peterson, from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Phoebe Von Bergen has led a sheltered life growing up as the only daughter of a German nobleman. Her father’s severity made her believe that all men were of the same nature. However despite his temper Phoebe loves him dearly and is more than happy to accompany him on a trip to America. Graf Von Bergen’s interest in purchasing sapphires takes him to Helena, Montana. It is there that Phoebe would meet a local lapidary Ian Harper and a charming young boy named Kenny. This stay in the American west will also reveal her father’s true colours and long kept secrets that lead to danger.

I was initially interested in a Beauty Refined due in part to the author Tracie Peterson, who I have read from in the past. The historical fiction genre was also of interest to me.

The early 20^th century time period drew me in as well as the detailed descriptions of the lavish Von Bergen lifestyle. The characters were interesting with background stories that supported their reasoning’s. This was especially true for Phoebe’s naïve and obedient nature. Although I found she adapted to a less glamorous life in Montana a bit too fast for someone of her social standing.

I was able to predict the outcome of several situations, but the way it all played out had more excitement than I expected. This was a pleasant surprise that earned it a 4 star rating from this reviewer.

A Beauty Refined was an enjoyable read and even though it is the second book in the Sapphire Brides series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. I look forward to reading more by Tracie Peterson in the future and would recommend this book to Christian historical fiction fans. 

Helen Keller in Love by Rosie Sultan

Title: Helen Keller in Love
Author: Rosie Sultan
Narrator: Christine Williams
Published: April 2012
Published By: Blackstone Audiobooks
Format Read: Audio Book
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical Romance
Date Read: October 29 2015
Rating: 2.5/5

The story of Helen Keller’s life is widely known. Rendered blind and mute by a childhood illness, Helen with the guidance of her teacher Annie Sullivan would grow up to become an author, lecturer and political activist. 

After doing some research, author Rosie Sultan came across information mentioning that Helen had been engaged at one point during her life, but little was known about the relationship. This information inspired her to write a fictional account of Helen’s engagement to a man named Peter Fagan.

 Readers are taken back to a time when World War I was ravaging Europe, speaking engagements and aid from wealthy friends are the only things keeping Helen and Annie afloat. Then Annie comes down with tuberculosis and reluctantly hires a secretary to assist Helen in her day to day tasks. Unbeknownst to Annie, Helen and her secretary Peter would fall in love, sneaking off to be alone whenever they got a chance. Their love would remain a secret because according to Helen’s family and beliefs of that time period, it wasn’t suitable for a woman with a disability to marry. 

A young Helen and Annie. Image from Biography.com

Why I Chose to Read Helen Keller in Love

I remember writing a report back in elementary school about Helen Keller and finding her story to be very interesting. I knew she lived to be a ripe old age, but most of what I had learned centred around her childhood, like in the Miracle Worker. The iconic image of Helen and her teacher at the water pump sticks out in my mind. I knew that she had never married or had children, so the indication of a relationship peaked my curiosity.

Helen and Annie demonstrating how they communicate. Image from Biography.com

The Pros:

Known for being a strong minded political activist, this World War I setting gave a great backdrop to this love story. Especially due in part to Peter Fagan being an outspoken journalist himself. Despite the seriousness of the time and the threat of contagious disease, the tone of this novel was lighthearted. The devotion Helen and Annie shared for each other was quite touching and I enjoyed listening to their interactions. 

Although Helen Keller in Love is a work of fiction, the author did include many real quotes and tidbits about the woman’s life. These inclusions were among my favourite parts of the novel. Sultan as does a good job of retelling Helen’s biography, which would be helpful for anyone who may not be familiar with her story. Told from her point of view, I would sometimes forget that she was disabled at all. She had such a strong mind, opinions and dreams that it was quite sad she wasn’t able to lead the life she wanted. Her reality was that she could never be fully independent.

The Rest

Here is where my thoughts and final rating become conflicted. Although I did enjoy some parts of this story, the majority left me feeling quite uncomfortable. The reason for this is due to the tone it was narrated in and the way the subject manner was approached. 

The narrator for this book is Christine Williams, who has a great voice for audio, but a style I wasn’t excepting going into this story. The way in which it was read gave off more of a contemporary romance type feel, rather than that of a historical fiction. This didn’t make the story sound very believable in my opinion. In fact it came across more much more sensual than I would have ever imagined a book about Helen Keller to be. I am not trying to stay that Helen Keller didn’t have a right to romance or seduction, but I wouldn’t think it would play out quite as it did, especially during that time period. 

As for the love interest Peter Fagan, I did not like him one bit. He was portrayed at a very domineering man, a characteristic I found to be quite off putting in this scenario. Peter was constantly holding Helen’s arms over her head and pulling down her blouse in a way that came across as so inappropriate and uncomfortable. 

Hellen Keller, suffragist and political activist. Image from Biography.com

In summary

Although this story was depicted in such an unexpected manner, there were a couple of qualities I found interesting. All things considered I would describe Rosie Sultan’s Helen in Love to have been quite an ambitious undertaking, which missed its mark.