Made to Last

Made to Last by Melissa Tagg
4/5 stars
Bethany House Publishers, 2013
365 pages
Adult Contemporary Christian

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes you just need to take a break from your main reading interest and read something else. In my case, that meant stepping back from YA, which has largely left me feeling dissatisfied of late, and slipping in to Christian romance such as this book. I've read this genre on and off over the years as can be seen when looking through my review archive. It's been a few months and it was fun to be back.

Miranda "Randi" Woodruff hosts a homebuilding show whose ratings are threatened. To try to save the show, it is suggested that she finally introduce her husband, the one who taught her everything she knows. The problem? Said husband actually left her before they married and she never admitted the truth, pretending instead that the marriage went through. So they round up a fake husband and allow their "marriage" to be documented by journalist with something to prove Matthew Knox. The complications mount though as the two start to fall for each other while she also maintains her sham marriage and he digs deep for a dishy scoop that could resurrect his career.

When I mention complications above, boy do I mean that! As the book progresses, Randi's lies and men become increasingly entangled. While I trusted in a resolved happily ever after, I wondered how Randi would have the courage to confess her vulnerability and take the consequences. It was interesting to follow that journey. I liked both Randi and Matthew so it was easy to root for them as a couple and to follow especially their professional struggles. I initially though Randi was going to fall for her fake husband Blaze but his personality was so not compatible with hers. Instead we get Matthew who has a huge axe to grind with his father but is also just about the sweetest uncle imaginable.

As for the religious part, I thought it was pretty muted. Both have had church lives but are estranged from God at the beginning. Other Christians in their lives and their own circumstances drive them to Christ and to begin the process of rebuilding that relationship. I'm Christian so I'm not always the best judge but I didn't think it was preachy and it definitely wasn't filled with scripture if that's a concern to you. The only one I can remember being referenced is in Psalm 138.

I was disappointed about a few unresolved threads. There is a light focus on a competitor to Randi's show that is briefly addressed but I feel like more could have been said in that arena. Additionally Blaze's past is hinted at but never looked into; I can only assume that he'll be getting his own book or that lack of resolution will rankle me.

Overall: A perfect palate cleanser for me-giving me something I don't regularly read in a light sweet package. If you tend to like contemporary romances, you'll probably enjoy this one.

Unrivaled

Unrivaled by Siri Mitchell
3.5/5 stars
Bethany House, 2013
391 pages
Adult Inspirational Historical Romance

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this author's She Walks in Beauty and I really enjoyed it so I was pleased to check out another title from her. My interest was further piqued about discovering that it was about candy makers in early twentieth century St. Louis. I don't think I've read many (any?) books set there so it would mean a new setting for me.

Lucy is the daughter of a brilliant confectioner but poor businessman who lost his candy company and has spent the intervening years trying to top his greatest success. Charlie is the son of the man who took over the candy company; long estranged from his father, he has the opportunity to rebuild those family ties. As Lucy frantically tries to save the family's fortune, she pushes against her mother's desire for a good marriage and wrestles with her own feelings for Charlie who she has dubbed the enemy. Meanwhile he wrestles with feelings of inadequacy as the dual narration takes us deep into both of their heads.

Favorite moment was definitely when sweet, nice Winnie Compton had a conversation about God with Charlie that poked at my thoughts about the God who Is versus the God I want. Charlie thinks that there should be more to the process of God forgiving him but Winnie teaches him that that's not how God works. Winnie later has a similar conversation with Lucy. I heard a sermon about that and then this book just magnified those thoughts. Regardless this book didn't feel very heavily Christian to me. Neither main character particularly likes attending church and although there is a pivotal scene of understanding in a church, I think non-Christian readers who like historical fiction would be fine with this book.

Second favorite moment would have to be reading about the actual history of candymakers, which was an intensely competitive field (see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for a taste). The author's note at the end gives a little bit of insight in to this exciting time period.

Do you see what I don't mention? I didn't say anything about liking the main characters or their romance. That's because I didn't really like them. Lucy is incredibly obsessed with candy making and very naive about a couple of plot twists even as I yelled at her about what was occurring. Charlie wavers a lot on principles and what really matters (especially the lip service he pays to his mother and all her hard work while eagerly absorbing himself in his father's shady business practices). I found the writing and plot compelling enough but I really didn't like the characters and that dragged down the whole book.

The Tutor's Daughter

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen
4/5 stars
Bethany House, 2013
409 pages
Adult Historical Christian Romance

Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had read an earlier title by Klassen (The Girl in the Gatehouse) and was primed to enjoy another title from her, having liked her homages to Jane Austen. As an Austenite, I am always happy to read other books with references to the time and even events of Austen's plots. Additionally I liked the title's hint at something involving education while also including romance obviously.

Let's start with a wide view of this book. Emma, the titular tutor's daughter, wishes to help her widowed father regain a connection to the outside world. Thus she writes to the father of former pupils and he is contracted as a private tutor for his two youngest sons, bringing Emma along as an assistant. Before too long, all the sons of the family are at the manor in addition to the lord, lady, lady's ward, and servants. But there are many mysteries within this house...can Emma unravel them all, including which of the charming brothers is worth her heart?

Readers of the book will notice distinct plot plots akin to those of beloved novels Sense and Sensibility as well as Jane Eyre. Sure enough, Klassen references her love in the author's note at the end. Fear not-though on the surface, there are similarities but they play out vastly differently. I especially liked the plot that reminded me of Jane Eyre specifically because of the differences that helped to shake up this otherwise pretty predictable story. Sorry for not being more specific but I'm trying to avoid spoilers.

I guess there's also a bit of Pride and Prejudice as the tutor's daughter Emma had a very negative first impression of Henry that caused her to hold a grudge but this reunion allows him the opportunity to demonstrate maturity. I found Emma a little bit too perfect, lacking the rough edges that allow you to feel like you could be the character or like you know someone like her. I guess maybe she's a little rigid in her opinions but she doesn't have that indefinable spark for me.

One last element to mention is the Christian elements. I personally didn't find them to be very present at all but that is how it is classified and someone who is not Christian may find it to be too much. Emma does not have much faith but through some circumstances in the book, as well as her love interest, she does develop more faith.

Overall: Leisurely paced historical chaste-romance novel-definitely great for fans of Klassen's other work!

She Walks in Beauty

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell
Bethany House, 2010
392 pages
Christian Historical Romance
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I flew through this book as it was arranged just the way I like books with relatively short chapters and lots of section breaks.  That means I can read a section real quick while waiting for something or encourage myself to finish it faster as I say "I'll just read one more section...and then one more...etc."

Clara is a year away from her debut into New York society and grateful as she yearns more for books and academia than balls and a husband.  Her aunt however moves up the year of her debut in order to garner a marriage with Franklin De Vries, heir to a fortune and to a family that once wronged Clara's.  Soon Clara is the belle of the season but she finds herself far more interested in Franklin's younger brother Harry and troubled by her growing knowledge of the dirty world of New York politics.  When tragedy strikes, Clara must decide who she really is.

Clara seems like a pretty typical heroine.  Although too tall and without a fashionable figure, she's a devoted reader and pretty loyal friend and daughter.  Watching her struggle and then triumph navigating the tricky mires of society was amusing and exciting.  Although her aunt was often very harsh, I really loved her.  Toward the end, she explains that she was trying to help Clara survive in a world that is very harsh to women and I could appreciate her motivation. What about Clara's parents? Her mother died a long time ago, bequeathing to Clara a book of Byron (hence the title from a Byron poem) but her doctor father remains dispensing his miracle tonic and preparing for Clara to win the heir to the De Vries fortune and thus restore the family honor.

Of course there's a love story.  Franklin is a bore who loves to talk of himself and his horses while Harry is the friendly, sweet, well-intentioned man who naturally captures Clara's attention.  He is also the one who introduces the main Christian theme that God loves His creation which proves so challenging to Clara's faith.  I was expecting much more Christian language but it was very minor overall.  I imagine non-Christian historical fiction fans could read it and just skip the few passages where a relationship to God is discussed.

There were many little tidbits sprinkled throughout the story such as Jacob Riis's How the Other Half Lives; the painfulness of a corset; men's trips to the Bowery; newspapermen and celebrity; scandal!; the minutiae of society; and medical quackery that were fascinating but not given enough attention in my opinion.  Some receive more than others but despite Clara's sympathy for the poor exposed by Riis, there is never any mention of her attempting anything to help and little chance of that given the ending.  Obviously not all of them could be treated but I would have preferred a tighter focus on a few.

Overall: The Christian content was lacking but the historical details and the character Clara kept me engaged.

Cover: The cover is what attracted me to this book-I think everything about it is very pretty.

The Girl in the Gatehouse

The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

Bethany House, 2010

391 pages

Historical Christian Romance

4/5 stars

Source: Library

I tried to read The Apothecary's Daughter last year and was disappointed, leading me to label it a DNF.  But I thought this would be different when I opened the book to a quote from Mansfield Park and saw character names bringing to mind that book.  Anything that closely influenced by Austen will probably please me and this mostly did so.

Mariah has been kicked out by her father for her indiscretion and she goes to live in the gatehouse of her aunt's estate, contenting herself with novel writing and spinsterhood.  After her aunt's death, young Captain Bryant lets the house.  He is set on marrying a girl who previously spurned him as beneath her but also develops a friendship with Mariah.  Obviously a romance blossoms but I felt that their story was the weakest overall.  Mariah's feelings over her disgrace, despite being historically accurate, grated on me.  And Bryant acted like a jerk to her; luckily he has a friend who tells him so.

Besides the main romance, there were many subplots-too many in my opinion.  Mariah's former governess and now companion, Dixon, ends up in a love triangle.  Mariah's aunt's stepson intrigues in multiple ways.  A mysterious man lives in the poorhouse across the way; his past is deeply tied to the estate and the sea.  And then there are several little stories in the poorhouse itself.  I enjoyed these subplots and I was able to keep them straight in my mind but I just felt that there were too many.

The writing is fine, without the sharp edge of Austen, but still good.  Historical details were sprinkled in especially about the writing process and how Mariah had to keep it secret because novel writing was scandalous.  The bit that jarred was when the rake who ruined Mariah confessed to such and talked about the double standard.  Would that have really happened? I think not.

The religious aspect was pretty low-key but basically revolves around Mariah needing to forgive herself and Bryant needing to stop striving for his father's good opinion and finding contentment in his Father's grace.  There weren't many Scripture references but there were more than a few discussions about forgiveness and the afterlife.

Overall: A story that owes a great debt to Austen and is a fast, enjoyable read.

Cover: I love the gatehouse, the actual gatehouse that inspired Klassen she shares, and the green and purple.

Read for Christian Fiction Book Club. Hosted by Joy at Edgy Inspirational Romance.

2.  Mariah's situation (sent away after an indiscretion to live in relative isolation) was loosely based on the fate of one of Jane Austen's characters in Mansfield Park (although Maria Bertram was a married woman who had an affair). Did you think Mariah Aubrey's father treated her unfairly? How have attitudes toward "virtue and vice" changed since the early 1800s?

I think her father was a bit unfair.  I understand his decision to send away his daughter because she had disgraced the family but I think her siblings could still have been allowed to interact with Mariah, especially Henry who as a male was held to different standards.  He also could have given her sufficient money by allowing her mother to designate an allowance.  In general attitudes are more permissive (at least in America, a non-virgin woman can still marry anyone) but the double standard persists: women are more likely to be labeled sluts while guys are cheered.  There does seem to be some lessening of that but not enough in my opinion.

6. Did you find yourself growing fond of any character that you did not care for at the outset? Which character was your favorite? Why?

At first I didn't like Dixon because she made me think of the character in North and South, who I don't like.  But this Dixon is quite different and her romance ended up being one of my favorite aspects.  As to a favorite character, I guess I liked Martin the most.  I wanted to like Mariah and Matthew but they had a couple of really annoying aspects to their story so Martin's general goodness shined through the best for me.

Just Jane

Just Jane by Nancy Moser

Bethany House Publishers, 2007

352 pages

Historical fiction; Inspirational

Source: Library

Summary: An imagining of Jane Austen's life following her from her early writings to her death.

Likes: I LOVED Cassandra and the relationships Jane had with other females in her life. Cassandra is an awesome sister and a friend to future generations as portrayed here because she encouraged Jane to write, write, write throughout their lives. Unfortunately Cassandra also burned what were probably some very enlightening letters written by Jane but book>letters so I can forgive her for that.

I like the connections between her life and her fiction (I always like seeing that when I read about an author).

Dislikes: Repetition of the phrase "Just Jane," it was cute at first but then it kept repeating and I felt like the author was hammering it into my head.

While inspirational and having some references to God, there are not as many as I would have liked, thus you could probably share this with a non-Christian friend who is interested in Austen. However, recommend at your own discretion because it's not written at all like Austen and in the Bath sections, Austen seems whiny and is very unsympathetic.

Lastly I was confused about the relationships-it seems like British people during the Regency all had the same names especially within families ("Remember, like, a few years ago, every other boy was named Jason, and the girls were all named Brittany?" -Hercules).

Overall: 3/5. I know this is the second in a series looking at the lives of famous women (the first being Mozart's Sister and the third being Washington's Lady) so if you liked Moser's style in those books, you'll probably like it this one. I was unimpressed and am unlikely to seek out more of her work.

Cover: I like the colors and it's a fine cover but it's not spectacular.