Blue Horizons

by Faith Baldwin

Baldwin, Faith

Genres: Fiction

278 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

Faith Baldwin attended private academies and finishing schools, and in 1914-16 she lived in Dresden, Germany. She married Hugh H. Cuthrell in 1920, and the next year she published her first novel, Mavis of Green Hill. Although she often claimed she did not care for authorship, her steady stream of books belies that claim; over the next 56 years she published more than 85 books, more than 60 of them novels with such titles as Those Difficult Years (1925), The Office Wife (1930), Babs and Mary Lou (1931), District Nurse (1932), Manhattan Nights (1937), and He Married a Doctor (1944). Her last completed novel, Adam's Eden, appeared in 1977.

Typically, a Faith Baldwin book presents a highly simplified version of life among the wealthy. No matter what the difficulties, honour and goodness triumph, and hero and heroine are united. Evil, depravity, poverty, and sex found no place in her work, which she explicitly intended for the housewife and the working girl. The popularity of her writing was enormous. In 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression, she published five novels in magazine serial form and three earlier serials in volume form and saw four of her works made into motion pictures, for an income that year in excess of $315,000. She also wrote innumerable stories, articles, and newspaper columns, no less ephemeral than the novels.

Reviews

[Ceejay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel from 1939 is a great read for folks who enjoy the old black and white melodramas that Hollywood produced in the thirties and forties. In fact,Hollywood turned some of Faith Baldwin's novels into movies. This book has it all. A once well off woman who is now broke and supporting her Mother. A still rich family with step brothers who are as different as day and night. A young woman who plays tennis, bridge, and flies her own plane. A lovable alcoholic father. A lovable air headed Mother. A fight amongst several women for the good step brother. All this and more taking place in Miami during the depression,and right before WWII. This is a fun read for those who miss one of the golden eras of Hollywood.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, written in 1945, was like reading the script of an old black and white movie. The uncomplicated storyline and Florida beach scenery were perfect for an old Grace Kelly and Cary Grant flick. A young woman, hard-working and penniless after her father's death, supports her mother by going to work as a social secretary for a wealthy matron. She immediately finds herself caught up in the family drama. A sweet story about how goodness is its own reward coupled with the age old idea that true love conquers all. Must be the little girl in me that loves the happily ever after stories!

[Estella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Faith Baldwin, and of old-time romances in general, maybe because they're reminiscent of a "kinder, gentler" era. This book was written in 1941, and although it's not my favorite Baldwin title (check out "Make Believe" and "The Moon's Our Home"--you'll be glad you did), I find it charming and delightful every time I re-read it. I wouldn't want to read a steady diet of such books, but in an increasingly complicated world, sometimes an uncomplicated, happily-ever-after story is just the ticket.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lighthearted book with a cute plot. It was predictable and cheesy.

[Nefeli Konsta · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cute romance book. As the story started getting interesting, every problem that came up was just solved so quickly. The start of the book was a little bit slow and then suddenly everything was happening all at once.
It reminds me of a cute romance vintage movie.
It wasn't bad, but nothing special. I probably won't recommend it to anyone, but if you have anything else to read and it's the only book available ( I don't know how this may happen but..) you will have a somewhat nice time reading it.

[Rach · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an easy read. The plot was predictable and the mystery wasn’t hard to figure out.