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Gilded Promises #1
Journey's End
Having grown up on the mean streets of nineteenth-century London, Caroline St. James is used to fighting to survive.
So when her beloved mother—abandoned and ignored by her wealthy family—suddenly dies, the scrappy twenty-two-year-old devises a plan to right this terrible wrong. With nothing to lose, she sails to New York to find the man who turned a cold shoulder to her mother’s suffering: Caroline’s grandfather. To settle the family score, Caroline infiltrates her grandfather’s privileged world, hoping to sabotage his business from the inside. But as she sets her plot in motion, she meets Jackson Montgomery, a virtuous man who is struggling to recover from a family scandal of his own. As their friendship grows, and Caroline begins to piece together the motives that led her family to turn its back, she is forced to make a decision: Should she risk everything in the name of justice? Or can she look toward the future and let love and forgiveness guide her instead?
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2016
650 people are currently reading
2812 people want to read
About the author
Renee Ryan
62 books709 followersRenee Ryan grew up in a small Florida beach town. Surfing didn’t work for her, but that didn’t keep her from watching others tackle the waves. To entertain herself during those countless hours of “laying-out”, she read many of the classics. It wasn’t until the summer between her sophomore and junior years at Florida State University that she read her first romance novel. Hooked from page one, she spent hours consuming one book after another while working on the best (and last!) tan of her life.
Two years later, armed with a degree in Economics and Religion, she explored various career opportunities, including stints at a Florida theme park, a modeling agency, and a cosmetic conglomerate. She went on to teach high school Economics, American Government and Latin in between coaching award-winning cheerleading teams. Several years later, with an eclectic cast of characters swimming around in her head, she began seriously pursuing a writing career. What better excuse to avoid housework and ignore clocks?
Two years later, armed with a degree in Economics and Religion, she explored various career opportunities, including stints at a Florida theme park, a modeling agency, and a cosmetic conglomerate. She went on to teach high school Economics, American Government and Latin in between coaching award-winning cheerleading teams. Several years later, with an eclectic cast of characters swimming around in her head, she began seriously pursuing a writing career. What better excuse to avoid housework and ignore clocks?
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June 16, 2023
2 stars, personally....really liked the plot and concept for the story, but there was too much sexual tension for my taste.
About this book:
“Having grown up on the mean streets of nineteenth-century London, Caroline St. James is used to fighting to survive. So when her beloved mother―abandoned and ignored by her wealthy family―suddenly dies, the scrappy twenty-two-year-old devises a plan to right this terrible wrong. With nothing to lose, she sails to New York to find the man who turned a cold shoulder to her mother’s suffering: Caroline’s grandfather. To settle the family score, Caroline infiltrates her grandfather’s privileged world, hoping to sabotage his business from the inside. But as she sets her plot in motion, she meets Jackson Montgomery, a virtuous man who is struggling to recover from a family scandal of his own. As their friendship grows, and Caroline begins to piece together the motives that led her family to turn its back, she is forced to make a decision: Should she risk everything in the name of justice? Or can she look toward the future and let love and forgiveness guide her instead?”
Series: Book #1 in the “Gilded Promises” trilogy.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are remembered & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God & the Prodigal Son (a woman says she hates that story, but she’s missing the important part of it); 'H's are capital when referring to God; Caroline says she’s given up on prayer & thinks God has abandoned her (and calls Him a “vengeful, distant presence that allowed flagrant injustices in the world”; though she does yearning for having the faith others have and towards the end starts changing her thoughts on God); Caroline calls her friend naïve for being in God; Caroline decides that a good time to pray is when she feels attracted to Jackson; Mentions of God, faiths, & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising God, & thanking God; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those in the Bible (David, Samson, & the Prodigal Son); Mentions of Christian & their Christian duties; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; Mentions of sins;
*Note: A couple mentions of evil.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: Two ‘stupid’s; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Lies & Lying (and stretching the truth, done by Caroline); Caroline is determined to seek justice or revenge for her mother (she’s not sure which); Caroline tries to hit Jackson (who has her cornered) & later grabs a woman who grabbed her hair; Mentions of deaths & a murder; Mentions of gangs, crimes, criminals, jail, thieves, stealing, & pickpocketing; Mentions of gambling, gaming tables, & card games (for money, Caroline used to play and fleece others); Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of grieving (for a mother, for a daughter); A few mentions of wars; A few mentions of seeing someone threatened physically (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of drinking & alcohol; A couple mentions of blood; A couple mentions of cigars & smoking; A mention of an abduction; A mention of cheating;
*Note: Caroline feels like she’s been abandoned (by her mother, by her family, and by God) & thinks she’s all alone.
Sexual Content- A (semi-detailed) hand kiss, two almost (semi-detailed) kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, five semi-detailed kisses, and two detailed kisses; Remembering kisses & almost kisses (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Nearness, Embraces, Dancing, Warmth, Shivers, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Lots of Noticing (up to semi-detailed); Jackson is almost engaged to a woman and starts feeling concerned what he doesn’t feel passion for her (after meeting Caroline) & tries to keep his thoughts only on the original woman (as he feels like Caroline is tempting him); Caroline tells Jackson she has other dresses to wear in case he wants to kiss her and if her dress gets wrinkled; A young woman tells Caroline that she wants to be swept away by a man and passion; Two ‘harlot’s; Mentions of a married man running off with his sister-in-law & the man embracing his flesh; Mentions of a young woman running off with a man to get married; Mentions of temptations (Jackson thinks of Caroline as a temptation and rousing the wrong emotions) & passion; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & almost kisses; Mentions of reputations & a couple being alone together in her bedroom (Caroline & Jackson, but nothing happens besides a kiss); A few mentions of a wife becoming bitter and hating all men after her husband’s affair; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of adultery; A couple mentions of prostitutes & a mother having to turn to “other more horrible pursuits” to be able to feed herself and her daughter; A mention of some women might not minding a “little rule-breaking every now and again, especially in the areas of kissing and…whatnot”; A mention of a man’s possible “love child” (illegitimate child); A mention of a maid possibly receiving requests from male guests that were unpleasant; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Caroline wonders what it would be like to be loved unconditionally; Jackson, Caroline, & another man are determined to not have love be a part of their marriages as they’ve each had unsetting events in their pasts; Caroline calls Jackson her “rock” towards the end.
-Caroline St. James, age 22
-Jackson Montgomery, around age 28
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1901
336 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- Two Stars
Despite really being interested in this book, I did have a bit of a hard time getting into it. I’m not sure if it was my tired brain, the writing style, or a mix of both, but I didn’t get stuck into this plot like I was expecting.
Caroline & Jackson were basically instantly attracted to each other (which I’m not typically a fan of), but when identities are revealed, it turns into almost an enemies-to-more trope. This book really highlighted why I’m not a fan of that trope, I kept thinking, “if they would just hurry up and realize how good they are for each other, they would be an unstoppable team.” I want the cute, giggle-worthy romance, not the going back-and-forth about not falling for someone because of whatever their flimsy reasoning is.
That trope also added in more sexual tension and this story definitely had more than I prefer to read, which lowered the ratings for BFCG’s target ages.
It was…interesting in a way because Jackson (when reading in Caroline’s POV) came across as almost a brute or aggressive masculine in a (I hate to say it) predator (as in cat and mouse) way. I honestly didn’t find him romantic in that point of view. But then in his point of view, he’s aware of something he had said coming across the wrong way and just honestly feels sometimes like a different person? It was odd. So their romance wasn’t that romantic to me because of those reasons and how he kept getting into her personal space.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
About this book:
“Having grown up on the mean streets of nineteenth-century London, Caroline St. James is used to fighting to survive. So when her beloved mother―abandoned and ignored by her wealthy family―suddenly dies, the scrappy twenty-two-year-old devises a plan to right this terrible wrong. With nothing to lose, she sails to New York to find the man who turned a cold shoulder to her mother’s suffering: Caroline’s grandfather. To settle the family score, Caroline infiltrates her grandfather’s privileged world, hoping to sabotage his business from the inside. But as she sets her plot in motion, she meets Jackson Montgomery, a virtuous man who is struggling to recover from a family scandal of his own. As their friendship grows, and Caroline begins to piece together the motives that led her family to turn its back, she is forced to make a decision: Should she risk everything in the name of justice? Or can she look toward the future and let love and forgiveness guide her instead?”
Series: Book #1 in the “Gilded Promises” trilogy.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are remembered & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God; Talks about God & the Prodigal Son (a woman says she hates that story, but she’s missing the important part of it); 'H's are capital when referring to God; Caroline says she’s given up on prayer & thinks God has abandoned her (and calls Him a “vengeful, distant presence that allowed flagrant injustices in the world”; though she does yearning for having the faith others have and towards the end starts changing her thoughts on God); Caroline calls her friend naïve for being in God; Caroline decides that a good time to pray is when she feels attracted to Jackson; Mentions of God, faiths, & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers, praying, praising God, & thanking God; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of those in the Bible (David, Samson, & the Prodigal Son); Mentions of Christian & their Christian duties; Mentions of blessings & being Blessed; Mentions of sins;
*Note: A couple mentions of evil.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: Two ‘stupid’s; A couple mentions of curses (said, not written); Lies & Lying (and stretching the truth, done by Caroline); Caroline is determined to seek justice or revenge for her mother (she’s not sure which); Caroline tries to hit Jackson (who has her cornered) & later grabs a woman who grabbed her hair; Mentions of deaths & a murder; Mentions of gangs, crimes, criminals, jail, thieves, stealing, & pickpocketing; Mentions of gambling, gaming tables, & card games (for money, Caroline used to play and fleece others); Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of grieving (for a mother, for a daughter); A few mentions of wars; A few mentions of seeing someone threatened physically (up to semi-detailed); A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of drinking & alcohol; A couple mentions of blood; A couple mentions of cigars & smoking; A mention of an abduction; A mention of cheating;
*Note: Caroline feels like she’s been abandoned (by her mother, by her family, and by God) & thinks she’s all alone.
Sexual Content- A (semi-detailed) hand kiss, two almost (semi-detailed) kisses, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, five semi-detailed kisses, and two detailed kisses; Remembering kisses & almost kisses (up to semi-detailed); Wanting to kiss (up to semi-detailed); Touches, Nearness, Embraces, Dancing, Warmth, Shivers, & Smelling (up to semi-detailed); Blushes; Lots of Noticing (up to semi-detailed); Jackson is almost engaged to a woman and starts feeling concerned what he doesn’t feel passion for her (after meeting Caroline) & tries to keep his thoughts only on the original woman (as he feels like Caroline is tempting him); Caroline tells Jackson she has other dresses to wear in case he wants to kiss her and if her dress gets wrinkled; A young woman tells Caroline that she wants to be swept away by a man and passion; Two ‘harlot’s; Mentions of a married man running off with his sister-in-law & the man embracing his flesh; Mentions of a young woman running off with a man to get married; Mentions of temptations (Jackson thinks of Caroline as a temptation and rousing the wrong emotions) & passion; Mentions of kisses, kissing, & almost kisses; Mentions of reputations & a couple being alone together in her bedroom (Caroline & Jackson, but nothing happens besides a kiss); A few mentions of a wife becoming bitter and hating all men after her husband’s affair; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of adultery; A couple mentions of prostitutes & a mother having to turn to “other more horrible pursuits” to be able to feed herself and her daughter; A mention of some women might not minding a “little rule-breaking every now and again, especially in the areas of kissing and…whatnot”; A mention of a man’s possible “love child” (illegitimate child); A mention of a maid possibly receiving requests from male guests that were unpleasant; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Caroline wonders what it would be like to be loved unconditionally; Jackson, Caroline, & another man are determined to not have love be a part of their marriages as they’ve each had unsetting events in their pasts; Caroline calls Jackson her “rock” towards the end.
-Caroline St. James, age 22
-Jackson Montgomery, around age 28
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1901
336 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- One Star
My personal Rating- Two Stars
Despite really being interested in this book, I did have a bit of a hard time getting into it. I’m not sure if it was my tired brain, the writing style, or a mix of both, but I didn’t get stuck into this plot like I was expecting.
Caroline & Jackson were basically instantly attracted to each other (which I’m not typically a fan of), but when identities are revealed, it turns into almost an enemies-to-more trope. This book really highlighted why I’m not a fan of that trope, I kept thinking, “if they would just hurry up and realize how good they are for each other, they would be an unstoppable team.” I want the cute, giggle-worthy romance, not the going back-and-forth about not falling for someone because of whatever their flimsy reasoning is.
That trope also added in more sexual tension and this story definitely had more than I prefer to read, which lowered the ratings for BFCG’s target ages.
It was…interesting in a way because Jackson (when reading in Caroline’s POV) came across as almost a brute or aggressive masculine in a (I hate to say it) predator (as in cat and mouse) way. I honestly didn’t find him romantic in that point of view. But then in his point of view, he’s aware of something he had said coming across the wrong way and just honestly feels sometimes like a different person? It was odd. So their romance wasn’t that romantic to me because of those reasons and how he kept getting into her personal space.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
June 10, 2016
Ugh.
I went into this book with a (mostly) open mind. I tend to be a little wary of inspirational romances since they are often hit-you-over-the-head preachy, but I love well-done historical fiction and sweet, clean romances, so I figured I’d give this one a try.
Nope. The more I think about this book, the more I don’t like it. And I’ve thought a lot about it over the past three days I’ve spent picking it up and putting it down and picking it up again with a groan. And here’s what I’ve been thinking about—
Setting: If it hadn’t been for the occasional mentions of motorcars and carriages and the initial landing at Ellis Island, I would have had no idea when this took place. It’s supposed to be a Gilded Age romance. I’ve got the romance part (I’ve been beaten over the head about it, really), but the Gilded Age bit? Nah. This book could have taken place yesterday, for all I know. The setting does nothing to advance the plot or the book, really, besides giving us a few occasions for showing how progressive our hero and heroine are (and the rest of the heroine’s moral family) compared to society.
Businessmen own sweatshops where sick girls have to work horrible hours in terrible conditions? Oh, wait. Hero and heroine’s grandfather don’t. They have open windows and let their workers take breaks.
Wealthy women and men are supposed to ignore their servants? Well, golly gee. Caroline doesn’t. She grew up poor, but her mother (who grew up wealthy) taught her not to pretend she was above anyone else. Of course.
Why don’t we just fit them all for halos?
Plot: You know that fascinating little blurb that talks about infiltration? About choosing justice vs. forgiveness? Yeah, all that is resolved 30% of the way through the book. “Infiltration” consists of two (briefly described) meetings with her family before she reveals who she is, and she forgives her grandfather, a man she’s apparently hated for most of her life, at 42%.
If you’re a math whiz like Caroline, you may be wondering, “Wait. There’s still 58% of the book left? Where’s the rest of the plot?”
Good question. The author attempts to squeeze a tiny bit of mileage out of having Caroline and Jackson wonder who actually sent Caroline’s mom’s letters back to her, but that’s a bland mystery at best and a terribly contrived plot device at worst. Because the only purpose seems to be to have some excuse to throw Caroline and Jackson together so they can hold back gasps, stare into each other’s eyes and read things that no person’s eyes have ever communicated ever, and think about how much they’re not right for each other (when everyone else in the freaking book knows they are). After they decide they need to figure this out, this brilliant mystery is only mentioned in passing until about 80%.
Have I mentioned this book makes me want to gag?
Characters: Caroline is beautiful, good, kind, moral, and beautiful. Jackson is handsome, honorable, respectable, and handsome. Everyone else is kind and good. Except for the evil people, who have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
They are all dull as bricks.
There was a brief moment, at the beginning, when I thought Caroline could be interesting. After all, she grew up on the “mean streets of London.” Surely that could give the author a lot to work with.
Nope. With the exception of needing to forgive her grandfather, Caroline is practically perfect in every way. And since she forgives her grandfather before the halfway point, fixing her one apparent flaw in less time than it takes for you to read this review, what we have for the rest of the book is just another Mary Sue strutting around the pages, being angsty and frustrating and obtuse. And I thought she would have been more scrappy, more spunky. From the information we get when we’re in her head, it seems like she’s always one gasp or thudding heart away from passing out or succumbing to Jackson’s masculine charms.
And Jackson. Blech. He vacillates constantly between worrying about being respectable and honorable and succumbing to his primal instincts around Caroline (his words, not mine). I think he was supposed to be a man torn between two opposing sides of his character—what he wants to be and what he is—but he seemed sort of, I don’t know, wishy washy to me. Like I never knew which Jackson I was going to get and I wasn’t sure that I liked either of them.
In typical fashion with beautiful, bland characters, they form an instant connection based solely on seeing each other once. Across a dirty street. “Caroline felt a strange connection, different from any she’d felt before, one that went deeper than mere physical attraction.” (Yes, those words are actually used.) And then at the end of the book: “It’s true, you know. I have loved you from the first moment our eyes met.”
Instaconnection. Instalove. No, thank you.
As for the other characters . . . not much to say. None of them have personalities that can be described beyond one or two words. Everyone is one-dimensional and flat. They all love Jackson and Caroline. Because they are Jackson and Caroline and wonderful and good and moral and make me vomit. (Except the bad guys hate Jackson and Caroline. Because they are bad guys and we hate them.)
Writing: I will say this for the author: she writes technically well. I didn’t see egregious spelling/punctuation/grammar errors that make you wonder if a competent copyeditor ever saw this.
However.
Issues. Oh, the issues:
(1) Showing, not telling. For example: there is a brief, highly uninteresting exchange between Jackson and one of his old school chums (a clear set up for a second book, BTW). Chum is not telling Jackson something; this has been made clear to the reader about 500 times over the course of their exchange. Then the author gives us this: “The man was withholding vital pieces of information. Jackson knew all the signs: the guarded, wandering expression, the lack of concrete answers.”
Or this one: “‘Jackson,’ Caroline hissed. ‘Please, go. Now, before it is too late.’
“He tightened his hold on her waist, the silent gesture communicating his intentions. ‘Together, Caroline. We are in this together.’”
I could have gathered his intentions based on the mere fact that his hold tightened around her waist. You don’t tighten a hold if you’re planning on leaving. You tighten a hold to stay. It’s like the author thought all of her readers were a bunch of idiots and had to bash us over the head with the obvious. I’ve come to the same conclusion based on what you’ve shown me. You don’t have to tell me.
(2) Repetition. So much repetition. About the mean streets of London/Whitechapel, about Caroline’s longing for home/permanence/family, about Jackson trying to bring back respectability to his family name, about how beautiful Caroline is, about how handsome Jackson is (sorry, he’s not just handsome; he’s devastating), about how good and moral Caroline is (in spite, we’re told, of her upbringing), about how Jackson seems so respectable and only Caroline can see the danger lurking beneath the surface, about how the two of them have phenomenal/impressive control over themselves, blah blah blah blah ad nauseum. Oh, and the use of masculine to describe everything about Jackson so many times I wanted to scream. He is a man. He is masculine. We get it. Move on.
(3) Phrases that make no sense because they’re trying too hard. Such as the following gems:
- “As if understanding her hurt on a level even Caroline didn’t comprehend, Mr. Montgomery gave her a bold, manly smile and then touched her arm.” (Show me a manly smile. Do it. Because I have no idea what that looks like.)
- “In a single glance a thousand words passed between him and Caroline, unspoken phrases that Jackson completely understood but refused to decipher.” (He understands them but refuses to decipher . . . wait, what?)
- “The room was so grand and sophisticated and dripping with sparkling light.” (Dripping with light? Really?)
- “tight, flat grimace”
- “Her grandfather shuddered but wound his wrist in the air, indicating that she carry on.”
- “His eyes swam with a mixture of shock and disillusionment.”
- “When she didn’t do as he requested, he placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt his frustration in his touch, and his guilt.” (How, exactly, does one feel guilt through touch?)
- “A pang of guarded tenderness spread through her lungs.”
There are so many other issues with this book. So many other things that didn’t make sense, so many inconsistencies, so many times I wanted to throw my Kindle against the wall. But I’ve spent too much time reading this book, too much time thinking about it, and waay too much time writing this review. It’s time to move on to bigger and better things—like figuring out my “manly” smile.
Wish me luck.
I went into this book with a (mostly) open mind. I tend to be a little wary of inspirational romances since they are often hit-you-over-the-head preachy, but I love well-done historical fiction and sweet, clean romances, so I figured I’d give this one a try.
Nope. The more I think about this book, the more I don’t like it. And I’ve thought a lot about it over the past three days I’ve spent picking it up and putting it down and picking it up again with a groan. And here’s what I’ve been thinking about—
Setting: If it hadn’t been for the occasional mentions of motorcars and carriages and the initial landing at Ellis Island, I would have had no idea when this took place. It’s supposed to be a Gilded Age romance. I’ve got the romance part (I’ve been beaten over the head about it, really), but the Gilded Age bit? Nah. This book could have taken place yesterday, for all I know. The setting does nothing to advance the plot or the book, really, besides giving us a few occasions for showing how progressive our hero and heroine are (and the rest of the heroine’s moral family) compared to society.
Businessmen own sweatshops where sick girls have to work horrible hours in terrible conditions? Oh, wait. Hero and heroine’s grandfather don’t. They have open windows and let their workers take breaks.
Wealthy women and men are supposed to ignore their servants? Well, golly gee. Caroline doesn’t. She grew up poor, but her mother (who grew up wealthy) taught her not to pretend she was above anyone else. Of course.
Why don’t we just fit them all for halos?
Plot: You know that fascinating little blurb that talks about infiltration? About choosing justice vs. forgiveness? Yeah, all that is resolved 30% of the way through the book. “Infiltration” consists of two (briefly described) meetings with her family before she reveals who she is, and she forgives her grandfather, a man she’s apparently hated for most of her life, at 42%.
If you’re a math whiz like Caroline, you may be wondering, “Wait. There’s still 58% of the book left? Where’s the rest of the plot?”
Good question. The author attempts to squeeze a tiny bit of mileage out of having Caroline and Jackson wonder who actually sent Caroline’s mom’s letters back to her, but that’s a bland mystery at best and a terribly contrived plot device at worst. Because the only purpose seems to be to have some excuse to throw Caroline and Jackson together so they can hold back gasps, stare into each other’s eyes and read things that no person’s eyes have ever communicated ever, and think about how much they’re not right for each other (when everyone else in the freaking book knows they are). After they decide they need to figure this out, this brilliant mystery is only mentioned in passing until about 80%.
Have I mentioned this book makes me want to gag?
Characters: Caroline is beautiful, good, kind, moral, and beautiful. Jackson is handsome, honorable, respectable, and handsome. Everyone else is kind and good. Except for the evil people, who have no redeeming qualities whatsoever.
They are all dull as bricks.
There was a brief moment, at the beginning, when I thought Caroline could be interesting. After all, she grew up on the “mean streets of London.” Surely that could give the author a lot to work with.
Nope. With the exception of needing to forgive her grandfather, Caroline is practically perfect in every way. And since she forgives her grandfather before the halfway point, fixing her one apparent flaw in less time than it takes for you to read this review, what we have for the rest of the book is just another Mary Sue strutting around the pages, being angsty and frustrating and obtuse. And I thought she would have been more scrappy, more spunky. From the information we get when we’re in her head, it seems like she’s always one gasp or thudding heart away from passing out or succumbing to Jackson’s masculine charms.
And Jackson. Blech. He vacillates constantly between worrying about being respectable and honorable and succumbing to his primal instincts around Caroline (his words, not mine). I think he was supposed to be a man torn between two opposing sides of his character—what he wants to be and what he is—but he seemed sort of, I don’t know, wishy washy to me. Like I never knew which Jackson I was going to get and I wasn’t sure that I liked either of them.
In typical fashion with beautiful, bland characters, they form an instant connection based solely on seeing each other once. Across a dirty street. “Caroline felt a strange connection, different from any she’d felt before, one that went deeper than mere physical attraction.” (Yes, those words are actually used.) And then at the end of the book: “It’s true, you know. I have loved you from the first moment our eyes met.”
Instaconnection. Instalove. No, thank you.
As for the other characters . . . not much to say. None of them have personalities that can be described beyond one or two words. Everyone is one-dimensional and flat. They all love Jackson and Caroline. Because they are Jackson and Caroline and wonderful and good and moral and make me vomit. (Except the bad guys hate Jackson and Caroline. Because they are bad guys and we hate them.)
Writing: I will say this for the author: she writes technically well. I didn’t see egregious spelling/punctuation/grammar errors that make you wonder if a competent copyeditor ever saw this.
However.
Issues. Oh, the issues:
(1) Showing, not telling. For example: there is a brief, highly uninteresting exchange between Jackson and one of his old school chums (a clear set up for a second book, BTW). Chum is not telling Jackson something; this has been made clear to the reader about 500 times over the course of their exchange. Then the author gives us this: “The man was withholding vital pieces of information. Jackson knew all the signs: the guarded, wandering expression, the lack of concrete answers.”
Or this one: “‘Jackson,’ Caroline hissed. ‘Please, go. Now, before it is too late.’
“He tightened his hold on her waist, the silent gesture communicating his intentions. ‘Together, Caroline. We are in this together.’”
I could have gathered his intentions based on the mere fact that his hold tightened around her waist. You don’t tighten a hold if you’re planning on leaving. You tighten a hold to stay. It’s like the author thought all of her readers were a bunch of idiots and had to bash us over the head with the obvious. I’ve come to the same conclusion based on what you’ve shown me. You don’t have to tell me.
(2) Repetition. So much repetition. About the mean streets of London/Whitechapel, about Caroline’s longing for home/permanence/family, about Jackson trying to bring back respectability to his family name, about how beautiful Caroline is, about how handsome Jackson is (sorry, he’s not just handsome; he’s devastating), about how good and moral Caroline is (in spite, we’re told, of her upbringing), about how Jackson seems so respectable and only Caroline can see the danger lurking beneath the surface, about how the two of them have phenomenal/impressive control over themselves, blah blah blah blah ad nauseum. Oh, and the use of masculine to describe everything about Jackson so many times I wanted to scream. He is a man. He is masculine. We get it. Move on.
(3) Phrases that make no sense because they’re trying too hard. Such as the following gems:
- “As if understanding her hurt on a level even Caroline didn’t comprehend, Mr. Montgomery gave her a bold, manly smile and then touched her arm.” (Show me a manly smile. Do it. Because I have no idea what that looks like.)
- “In a single glance a thousand words passed between him and Caroline, unspoken phrases that Jackson completely understood but refused to decipher.” (He understands them but refuses to decipher . . . wait, what?)
- “The room was so grand and sophisticated and dripping with sparkling light.” (Dripping with light? Really?)
- “tight, flat grimace”
- “Her grandfather shuddered but wound his wrist in the air, indicating that she carry on.”
- “His eyes swam with a mixture of shock and disillusionment.”
- “When she didn’t do as he requested, he placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt his frustration in his touch, and his guilt.” (How, exactly, does one feel guilt through touch?)
- “A pang of guarded tenderness spread through her lungs.”
There are so many other issues with this book. So many other things that didn’t make sense, so many inconsistencies, so many times I wanted to throw my Kindle against the wall. But I’ve spent too much time reading this book, too much time thinking about it, and waay too much time writing this review. It’s time to move on to bigger and better things—like figuring out my “manly” smile.
Wish me luck.
June 2, 2016
So the beginning of the month happened again and the new Kindle First choices appeared and I chose this one based on the description of it taking place in the early 20th century (1901 if I remember correctly) and I was in the mood for a light romance.
Yes, it's formulaic with predictable characters as are all good fairy-tale romances in this genre, but I did like the characters, particularly Caroline who grew up in the worst of London's east side before her arrival at Ellis Island and revenge in her heart against the wicked grandfather who had long ago abandoned her and her recently-deceased mother to their impoverished fate.
This book didn't really promise to be anything other than what it was and it happily delivered. A very refreshing interlude for me before diving back into more serious topics.
Not that the characters had everything easy, but you know beyond a doubt that everything is naturally going to all work out by the end of it. Exactly what I wanted and expected when starting this book.
I would have liked the author to include more of details of the time period. I didn't always feel like I was truly immersed in early turn-of-the-century 20th century life. It didn't take away from the story, but it would have been nice to have more.
There seemed to be at least one or two other romances brewing between other characters that the author is probably saving for another book because leaving those out seemed like missed opportunities to give more characters more depth.
The book also falls into the "Christian fiction" category, so some of the references back to quotes from the bible and God seemed a bit forced and unrealistic in places, like the author was trying too hard to add in the Christian focus in order to fit into that category. While I would expect there to be more of such focus in a book taking place within that time period, it seemed like a more modern agenda rather than it blending in more smoothly with the characterization as in Alcott's Little Women.
Overall though, it was light and fun and I really enjoyed the story and the way events transpired to their happily predictable conclusions.
Yes, it's formulaic with predictable characters as are all good fairy-tale romances in this genre, but I did like the characters, particularly Caroline who grew up in the worst of London's east side before her arrival at Ellis Island and revenge in her heart against the wicked grandfather who had long ago abandoned her and her recently-deceased mother to their impoverished fate.
This book didn't really promise to be anything other than what it was and it happily delivered. A very refreshing interlude for me before diving back into more serious topics.
Not that the characters had everything easy, but you know beyond a doubt that everything is naturally going to all work out by the end of it. Exactly what I wanted and expected when starting this book.
I would have liked the author to include more of details of the time period. I didn't always feel like I was truly immersed in early turn-of-the-century 20th century life. It didn't take away from the story, but it would have been nice to have more.
There seemed to be at least one or two other romances brewing between other characters that the author is probably saving for another book because leaving those out seemed like missed opportunities to give more characters more depth.
The book also falls into the "Christian fiction" category, so some of the references back to quotes from the bible and God seemed a bit forced and unrealistic in places, like the author was trying too hard to add in the Christian focus in order to fit into that category. While I would expect there to be more of such focus in a book taking place within that time period, it seemed like a more modern agenda rather than it blending in more smoothly with the characterization as in Alcott's Little Women.
Overall though, it was light and fun and I really enjoyed the story and the way events transpired to their happily predictable conclusions.
March 28, 2016
MY THOUGHTS...
True reading pleasure for the most part. One thing this book has that is deeply annoying is the rehashing of territory already covered. There is a difference between discussion for solutions, and discussion to remind of what's gone before. That is okay for a serial in a monthly magazine, but not okay in a novel length book that one might read in an evening or Saturday afternoon.
Introspection of characters is good and necessary for story flow, but rehashing the same thing over and over is an insult to readers' intelligence as if we can't remember what we've read two chapters ago. It is a wordy way to pack a story to an acceptable page length. If an author must do that, it would be better to add a character than to have character's never grow past their initial mindset. You keep reading, hoping something will happen to make the character grow up... and it does... but the character stays in the rut. That is not good writing.
However, the characters in this book are very well developed and quite interesting. Each character has a charming uniqueness that does move the story along (although a bit slowly). I do recommend this book, but buyer beware: It has a soap opera feel to it.
About the book...
Having grown up on the mean streets of nineteenth-century London, Caroline St. James is used to fighting to survive.
So when her beloved mother—abandoned and ignored by her wealthy family—suddenly dies, the scrappy twenty-two-year-old devises a plan to right this terrible wrong. With nothing to lose, she sails to New York to find the man who turned a cold shoulder to her mother’s suffering: Caroline’s grandfather.
To settle the family score, Caroline infiltrates her grandfather’s privileged world, hoping to sabotage his business from the inside. But as she sets her plot in motion, she meets Jackson Montgomery, a virtuous man who is struggling to recover from a family scandal of his own. As their friendship grows, and Caroline begins to piece together the motives that led her family to turn its back, she is forced to make a decision: Should she risk everything in the name of justice? Or can she look toward the future and let love and forgiveness guide her instead?
True reading pleasure for the most part. One thing this book has that is deeply annoying is the rehashing of territory already covered. There is a difference between discussion for solutions, and discussion to remind of what's gone before. That is okay for a serial in a monthly magazine, but not okay in a novel length book that one might read in an evening or Saturday afternoon.
Introspection of characters is good and necessary for story flow, but rehashing the same thing over and over is an insult to readers' intelligence as if we can't remember what we've read two chapters ago. It is a wordy way to pack a story to an acceptable page length. If an author must do that, it would be better to add a character than to have character's never grow past their initial mindset. You keep reading, hoping something will happen to make the character grow up... and it does... but the character stays in the rut. That is not good writing.
However, the characters in this book are very well developed and quite interesting. Each character has a charming uniqueness that does move the story along (although a bit slowly). I do recommend this book, but buyer beware: It has a soap opera feel to it.
About the book...
Having grown up on the mean streets of nineteenth-century London, Caroline St. James is used to fighting to survive.
So when her beloved mother—abandoned and ignored by her wealthy family—suddenly dies, the scrappy twenty-two-year-old devises a plan to right this terrible wrong. With nothing to lose, she sails to New York to find the man who turned a cold shoulder to her mother’s suffering: Caroline’s grandfather.
To settle the family score, Caroline infiltrates her grandfather’s privileged world, hoping to sabotage his business from the inside. But as she sets her plot in motion, she meets Jackson Montgomery, a virtuous man who is struggling to recover from a family scandal of his own. As their friendship grows, and Caroline begins to piece together the motives that led her family to turn its back, she is forced to make a decision: Should she risk everything in the name of justice? Or can she look toward the future and let love and forgiveness guide her instead?
February 6, 2017
This was really good for an audiobook that I only decided to listen to because it's so cheap. The romance was a wee bit cheesy but this was more than just a romance. It was kind of a mystery too. The story had just the right amount of depth to it... it was deep enough to be engaging but not so deep that it became convoluted. The characters were fleshed out enough to be relatable and realistic. The narrator did a superb job.
July 8, 2016
Injustice and revenge are how this book begins. Caroline travels from England to New York to make the grandfather that would not forgive pay for the impoverished life she and her mother lead.
Caroline feels abandoned. Her mother abandoned her as a child when she let despair rule her life. Her grandfather abandoned them when he refused to help his daughter. God abandoned her when her mother's faith wasn't enough and he didn't answer prayers.
To me this was a book about turning your heart to God and forgiveness. There was so much misinformation on both sides. I liked the learning an growing that the characters experienced as the past was revealed.
I enjoyed the character of Jackson Montgomery. He was a breath of fresh air. He also had a learning curve that made him a better person and a truly admirable man.
There are many good lessons in this book. The romance is clean with kissing. I downloaded a copy through the kindle-first program on Amazon Prime.
Caroline feels abandoned. Her mother abandoned her as a child when she let despair rule her life. Her grandfather abandoned them when he refused to help his daughter. God abandoned her when her mother's faith wasn't enough and he didn't answer prayers.
To me this was a book about turning your heart to God and forgiveness. There was so much misinformation on both sides. I liked the learning an growing that the characters experienced as the past was revealed.
I enjoyed the character of Jackson Montgomery. He was a breath of fresh air. He also had a learning curve that made him a better person and a truly admirable man.
There are many good lessons in this book. The romance is clean with kissing. I downloaded a copy through the kindle-first program on Amazon Prime.
June 20, 2016
I almost hated it. The characters were okay, but it felt like we were reading the same words over and over. The ending really angered me, too. I felt like I invested a lot of time to a weak story only to have all the good things about it snatched away in the end. It was a disappointment.
February 10, 2017
Caroline St. James from London is a survivor, after her mother died unexpectedly, Caroline is out to seek revenge on the wealthy family in NYC that abandoned her mother in her time of need. Caroline makes her way to NYC; finding a friend named Mary on the ship. Caroline is planning on finding her mother's family and even the score.
Jackson Montgomery; works for Richard St. James; Caroline's grandfather. Jackson first meets Caroline in the tenements; he oversees for Mr. St. James. Jackson is struggling with family problems of his own; and is doing his best to right the wrongs that were done in his family.
Follow Caroline and Jackson on the journey of friendship. Will this friendship lead to love or disappointment. You will meet the St. James family which includes Elizabeth, a cousin Caroline didn't know she had. The family is expecting Jackson and Elizabeth to marry, follow to see what becomes of that love story, or is it love, or friendship?
What will Jackson do when he finds out the truth behind the actions of Caroline? How does the family handle the newest member of the family? And is the score settled to Caroline's satisfaction? And what secret is being held by a family member that Caroline and the rest of the family find out?
I enjoyed this book every much. I felt the feelings the Caroline and Mary had as they came off the ship at Ellis Island. You learned how the immigrants were treated at Ellis Island. I was drawn into this book wondering; and guessing who did what and why; and figured out some of it; but was surprised at who knew what; and why things were done. This book is about the love of a daughter for her mother and righting a wrong that had been done. It is about the love of a family that thought they would never know what happened to the daughter, sister that was left behind in London many years before.
Jackson Montgomery; works for Richard St. James; Caroline's grandfather. Jackson first meets Caroline in the tenements; he oversees for Mr. St. James. Jackson is struggling with family problems of his own; and is doing his best to right the wrongs that were done in his family.
Follow Caroline and Jackson on the journey of friendship. Will this friendship lead to love or disappointment. You will meet the St. James family which includes Elizabeth, a cousin Caroline didn't know she had. The family is expecting Jackson and Elizabeth to marry, follow to see what becomes of that love story, or is it love, or friendship?
What will Jackson do when he finds out the truth behind the actions of Caroline? How does the family handle the newest member of the family? And is the score settled to Caroline's satisfaction? And what secret is being held by a family member that Caroline and the rest of the family find out?
I enjoyed this book every much. I felt the feelings the Caroline and Mary had as they came off the ship at Ellis Island. You learned how the immigrants were treated at Ellis Island. I was drawn into this book wondering; and guessing who did what and why; and figured out some of it; but was surprised at who knew what; and why things were done. This book is about the love of a daughter for her mother and righting a wrong that had been done. It is about the love of a family that thought they would never know what happened to the daughter, sister that was left behind in London many years before.
September 5, 2016
I don't usually read books that are purely romance, but this was the only one that really interested me out of the recent Kindle First books, so I decided to give it a shot. And I think it proves that these kinds of books just aren't for me.
Granted, it wasn't terrible. I was able to finish it without feeling like I was forcing myself to do so, since it was a pretty light, easy read. But it didn't impress me too much beyond that. Some of it got pretty repetitive after awhile (the amount of times we were reminded of how masculine and dangerous Jackson is or how beautiful and perfectly moral Caroline is was tiresome, to say the least). I was somewhat interested when .
I was also pretty disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Mary or learn more about Sally. Especially Sally, since we kept getting vague hints about her past throughout her scenes with Caroline, but we never got any actual elaboration beyond that.
I gave this 2.5 stars at first, but after thinking about it a little more, it's more 2 stars for me.
Granted, it wasn't terrible. I was able to finish it without feeling like I was forcing myself to do so, since it was a pretty light, easy read. But it didn't impress me too much beyond that. Some of it got pretty repetitive after awhile (the amount of times we were reminded of how masculine and dangerous Jackson is or how beautiful and perfectly moral Caroline is was tiresome, to say the least). I was somewhat interested when .
I was also pretty disappointed that we didn't get to see more of Mary or learn more about Sally. Especially Sally, since we kept getting vague hints about her past throughout her scenes with Caroline, but we never got any actual elaboration beyond that.
I gave this 2.5 stars at first, but after thinking about it a little more, it's more 2 stars for me.
November 17, 2016
Added 6/25/16. (Published July 1st 2016 by Waterfall Press)
This Kindle edition was offered free from Amazon in June 2016. I accepted the free offer. It's a "Kindle First" book. This means that ""Each month, Prime members can download and keep one free book from our "Kindle First" selection of six pre-released picks.")
8/2/16 - So far, I'm enjoying this book. Fingers crossed that I will keep enjoying it.
11/16/16 - I'm almost finished reading the book on my Fire Tablet. I found it pleasant enough but it was slow-going and painfully sophomoric. I kept reading simply because I wanted to see where the plot was going.
See the following GR review by GR member, Emma, to learn all the negative things about this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Emma analyzes the book from the point of view of the different literary categories (Setting, Plot, Characters, Writing) and gives examples from the book. I agree with all of them.
11/16/16 - I finished this kindle book today in the waiting room at a doctor's office. Pretty good ending with a few moments of suspense but corny nevertheless. The best I can say about this book is that it's a sweet story about a sweet romance. It's part of the Christian fiction genre and includes occasional quotes from the Bible.
This Kindle edition was offered free from Amazon in June 2016. I accepted the free offer. It's a "Kindle First" book. This means that ""Each month, Prime members can download and keep one free book from our "Kindle First" selection of six pre-released picks.")
8/2/16 - So far, I'm enjoying this book. Fingers crossed that I will keep enjoying it.
11/16/16 - I'm almost finished reading the book on my Fire Tablet. I found it pleasant enough but it was slow-going and painfully sophomoric. I kept reading simply because I wanted to see where the plot was going.
See the following GR review by GR member, Emma, to learn all the negative things about this book:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Emma analyzes the book from the point of view of the different literary categories (Setting, Plot, Characters, Writing) and gives examples from the book. I agree with all of them.
11/16/16 - I finished this kindle book today in the waiting room at a doctor's office. Pretty good ending with a few moments of suspense but corny nevertheless. The best I can say about this book is that it's a sweet story about a sweet romance. It's part of the Christian fiction genre and includes occasional quotes from the Bible.
January 24, 2018
2.25 stars.
This story had a good message and decent characterization, but the plot was a little thin. The premise was interesting and I’m glad that the big SECRET wasn’t dragged out for too long, but after the reveal, thing started to to fizzle out.
The self loathing was also a bit much. I like characters who are able to see themselves with clarity but being repetitively down on themselves isn’t really fun to read. And boy were the Debbie Downisms plentiful.
All in all, this was a decent read. The H was a really good guy, if not a little obtuse at times. I read the third book of the series first and was curious about the rest of the series. I will probably read the second book at some point.
This story had a good message and decent characterization, but the plot was a little thin. The premise was interesting and I’m glad that the big SECRET wasn’t dragged out for too long, but after the reveal, thing started to to fizzle out.
The self loathing was also a bit much. I like characters who are able to see themselves with clarity but being repetitively down on themselves isn’t really fun to read. And boy were the Debbie Downisms plentiful.
All in all, this was a decent read. The H was a really good guy, if not a little obtuse at times. I read the third book of the series first and was curious about the rest of the series. I will probably read the second book at some point.
August 5, 2016
I really enjoyed this new author to me. I hope there is another Gilded Promises book. Journey's End presents characters with flawed lives and personalities who face opportunities to forgive or seek revenge, love or hate, live in the past or seek the future.
April 25, 2018
Believe 6 Impossible Things Before Breakfast
If the heroine had a pet unicorn this book wouldn't be less unrealistic or unbelievable. This book should be read before breakfast because there are many more than 6 impossible things to believe in this book. Here are a few of them.
1-A beautiful girl grows up in Whitechurch land of poverty, prostitutes and thugs, with no father or brothers to protect her but is never molested in anyway.
2-She is somehow able to win enormous sums of money from somewhere and store it in her hovel with no one finding out or stealing it from her.
3-She is able to transport the enormous pile of cash all the way to America again without being robbed or molested.
4-She has enough money to buy an entire upper class wardrobe and move into the Waldorf-Astoria.
5-They actually sell her an upper class wardrobe and let her move into the Waldorf-Astoria as a shabbily dressed woman unaccompanied and without even a maid.
6-Raised by an American woman surrounded by lower class Londoners she yet learns perfect upper class British accent.
7-(Spoiler) The aunt is somehow able to intercept over 30 letters without anyone else in the house including any staff seeing them. And she is able to Frank them and return them again without help or exposure. Upper class women don't frank their own letters nor interact with the mail carrier.
8-She walks from the Waldorf-Astoria to the lower East side dressed in all her Upper class finery without getting blisters or being robbed or molested.
And so much more.
Not only is this book poorly researched, unrealistic and unbelievable but it is also overly dramatic and preachy.
If the heroine had a pet unicorn this book wouldn't be less unrealistic or unbelievable. This book should be read before breakfast because there are many more than 6 impossible things to believe in this book. Here are a few of them.
1-A beautiful girl grows up in Whitechurch land of poverty, prostitutes and thugs, with no father or brothers to protect her but is never molested in anyway.
2-She is somehow able to win enormous sums of money from somewhere and store it in her hovel with no one finding out or stealing it from her.
3-She is able to transport the enormous pile of cash all the way to America again without being robbed or molested.
4-She has enough money to buy an entire upper class wardrobe and move into the Waldorf-Astoria.
5-They actually sell her an upper class wardrobe and let her move into the Waldorf-Astoria as a shabbily dressed woman unaccompanied and without even a maid.
6-Raised by an American woman surrounded by lower class Londoners she yet learns perfect upper class British accent.
7-(Spoiler) The aunt is somehow able to intercept over 30 letters without anyone else in the house including any staff seeing them. And she is able to Frank them and return them again without help or exposure. Upper class women don't frank their own letters nor interact with the mail carrier.
8-She walks from the Waldorf-Astoria to the lower East side dressed in all her Upper class finery without getting blisters or being robbed or molested.
And so much more.
Not only is this book poorly researched, unrealistic and unbelievable but it is also overly dramatic and preachy.
June 13, 2016
This was my first Renee Ryan book and while I enjoyed it immensely I was also disappointed in a few aspects.
While predictable, which is exactly what I wanted in a Christian romance, the Christian aspect of bible verses seemed forced. Almost as an after thought. I would read for pages and pages and no bible verses were mentioned or a true Godly thought and then BAM something would appear.
I was very disappointed how the character of Mary seemed to be pushed aside very quickly. For someone who was so important in the beginning of the book she was persona non grata by the end. Why? Is her character going to be featured in another book later on or was this to show how people come in our lives for a moment and then are gone when we have moved on or grown in a different direction? So many unanswered questions for me regarding Mary.
I did appreciate the cleanliness of the romance and language used. There were many opportunities that the author could have used unnecessary foul language to get something across but chose not to. That made me appreciate the book more.
I gave it a 3 star rating because of the lack of Christian faith and the many unanswered questions I had after finishing.
While predictable, which is exactly what I wanted in a Christian romance, the Christian aspect of bible verses seemed forced. Almost as an after thought. I would read for pages and pages and no bible verses were mentioned or a true Godly thought and then BAM something would appear.
I was very disappointed how the character of Mary seemed to be pushed aside very quickly. For someone who was so important in the beginning of the book she was persona non grata by the end. Why? Is her character going to be featured in another book later on or was this to show how people come in our lives for a moment and then are gone when we have moved on or grown in a different direction? So many unanswered questions for me regarding Mary.
I did appreciate the cleanliness of the romance and language used. There were many opportunities that the author could have used unnecessary foul language to get something across but chose not to. That made me appreciate the book more.
I gave it a 3 star rating because of the lack of Christian faith and the many unanswered questions I had after finishing.
October 16, 2018
This story moved fast, but had moments of slow thoughts. Renee Ryan does a fabulous job at jumping into the character's head. But the problem I had with the plot, it was too easy. What I mean is that everything Caroline wanted to happen happened with a snap of her fingers. She came to seek revenge, but her new family accepted her without any hesitation and moved her directly into the fold. I think I would have been a little suspicious of her, but they weren't. The romance moved a little too quickly for the time period. I don't think Jackson and Caroline would have been doing what they were doing behind closed doors in the Gilded age. It would have been frowned upon a lot more. Overall, Journey's End by Renee Ryan moves pretty quickly, even though I found the plot a little too easy for Caroline and the romance unbelieveable.
June 8, 2017
see my full review at: www.joyofreadingweb.wordpress.com (date of posting 6/12/17)
With plucky, intriguing characters and a hint of mystery, this story is a great light read for the young adult reader.
I appreciated the faith thread woven through the story and the focus on forgiveness. The character that seemed to have the most growth was Jackson as he learned what true forgiveness looked like.
(I purchased a copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.)
With plucky, intriguing characters and a hint of mystery, this story is a great light read for the young adult reader.
I appreciated the faith thread woven through the story and the focus on forgiveness. The character that seemed to have the most growth was Jackson as he learned what true forgiveness looked like.
(I purchased a copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.)
December 6, 2016
This book is cheesy, very predictable, but what else would you expect from a book self-described as a faith-based romance? It was a fun quick read, and maybe my mind has been saturated by Hallmark Movies, but who can't appreciate a bit of cheese now and again? This isn't great literature, but it is good for what it is.
June 5, 2016
Great light read, I couldn't put down the book.
The story is captivating: revenge, cunning and brooding characters, family drama. The writing is fast paced and engrossing. All in all a great rainy day read.
The story is captivating: revenge, cunning and brooding characters, family drama. The writing is fast paced and engrossing. All in all a great rainy day read.
Read
November 14, 2024This was a surprisingly good read. I guess I had preconceived notions about Christian fiction and I expected it to be somehow not as good, but I really enjoyed this story and I will be reading on in this series
May 1, 2018
I actually liked this one better than the third one, which surprised me because I started with book 3 because that was the one that really caught my attention.
I really liked the historical tour of New York city this book gives, especially the first scene in Ellis Island. I had one of my ancestors who immigrated through Ellis Island (something I didn't know about until recently) so it was fascinating to get a fictional glimpse of it in this book.
The family tension in this book was well done, and I thought the dialogue a lot snappier in this one than book 3. Book 3 the romance is based on a lot of awkward staring. The romance in this book is based on the two characters appreciating each other's wit in their verbal sparring matches.
The reader does a good job, though struggles with the male characters' voices.
I really liked the historical tour of New York city this book gives, especially the first scene in Ellis Island. I had one of my ancestors who immigrated through Ellis Island (something I didn't know about until recently) so it was fascinating to get a fictional glimpse of it in this book.
The family tension in this book was well done, and I thought the dialogue a lot snappier in this one than book 3. Book 3 the romance is based on a lot of awkward staring. The romance in this book is based on the two characters appreciating each other's wit in their verbal sparring matches.
The reader does a good job, though struggles with the male characters' voices.
January 16, 2018
I loved this Christian fiction romantic read set in the Gilded Age. In 1901, Caroline St. James sets sail for America to avenge her mother's death with the wealthy and entitled family that turned their back on her and her destitute mother living in London. Caroline set out to ruin her grandfather, Richard St. James, who she believed had ignored her mother's pleas for help. She came to find out that it wasn't her grandfather that betrayed them, but an aunt who had returned her mother's letters unanswered. Upon her arrival in America, Caroline meets Jackson Montgomery, a kind and virtuous man, who she is instantly attracted to. He is not only a business partner of her grandfather, but he comes to be her ally as well. This was a delightful, well written story. Loved it.
July 17, 2018
Caroline came from lower East London to America to find revenge!
She wondered why her wealthy grandfather never responded to any of the letters sent from her mother. They arrived back unopened for 20 years. Their lives could have been so different.
Caroline saved for 6 months and put together a plan to confront and ruin this man that was supposed to have loved her mother so much.
She could read and had a great aptitude for numbers, and could read people very well. She read all the society papers and knew the part she must play.
The story takes place in New York in the 1900's. Out of her element in high society Caroline discovered a whole other world, her plan dissolves miserably.
I would recommend this book.
She wondered why her wealthy grandfather never responded to any of the letters sent from her mother. They arrived back unopened for 20 years. Their lives could have been so different.
Caroline saved for 6 months and put together a plan to confront and ruin this man that was supposed to have loved her mother so much.
She could read and had a great aptitude for numbers, and could read people very well. She read all the society papers and knew the part she must play.
The story takes place in New York in the 1900's. Out of her element in high society Caroline discovered a whole other world, her plan dissolves miserably.
I would recommend this book.
August 26, 2017
What I liked: The story line is intriguing and captivating. Drama and passion are wrapped in descriptive terms that draw the reader into the story wanting to learn what comes next but without offending moral sensitivities. I wish this was book #1 about "Caroline" and "Jackson." Please, Renee Ryan, share more about this couple and their fascinating extended family.
What I did not like: Author's writing style uses excessively descriptive details that overload the scene being described. She could do a better job at matching descriptives to her intended scene tone.
What I did not like: Author's writing style uses excessively descriptive details that overload the scene being described. She could do a better job at matching descriptives to her intended scene tone.
May 27, 2017
Set in 1901 New York, “Journey’s end” is the story of Caroline St. James, a young woman who grew up poor and hungry on the streets of London. After her mother died, Caroline gambled to get the money to come to America where she planned to confront her wealthy grandfather to find out why he allowed her mother to die in poverty. Read the rest of the review on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
June 1, 2017
Fabulous read! What I liked the most--the romantic tension between the hero and heroine, the depth of the characters, and a mystery that kept me guessing. Caroline and Jackson are well matched. They spar and kiss, fight and fall in love, battle their own doubts and face their individual foibles. The story is full twists that kept me turning the pages into the wee hours of the night. Highly recommended :)
March 5, 2018
Sweet Historical Romance
I enjoyed listening to this book. Karen Peakes did a great job of having a different voice for every character. (If you own the kindle version you can buy the audible version for $1.99.)I also enjoyed the whole story. The characters were well written. The story kept me on my toes. I wasn't sure what the outcome would be when she met her family. I was not disappointed. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series A Touch of Scarlet.
I enjoyed listening to this book. Karen Peakes did a great job of having a different voice for every character. (If you own the kindle version you can buy the audible version for $1.99.)I also enjoyed the whole story. The characters were well written. The story kept me on my toes. I wasn't sure what the outcome would be when she met her family. I was not disappointed. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series A Touch of Scarlet.
November 17, 2017
I am glad that I decided to try this series by an author new to me, although I understand that Renee Ryan is an award winner. This book was a fairly easy read, but it was a good story. I enjoyed the growth in the characters as they were challenged and encouraged by the good character they saw in one another. Looking forward to the rest of this series.
July 2, 2016
Good
I enjoyed the story but it was very formulaic. I had the entire plot figured out by the second chapter. If your in the mood for something light with a predictable ending I'd say go for it. Just the right fit for my mood. Entertaining.
I enjoyed the story but it was very formulaic. I had the entire plot figured out by the second chapter. If your in the mood for something light with a predictable ending I'd say go for it. Just the right fit for my mood. Entertaining.
June 17, 2017
Very enjoyable
The storyline was very good. It contained something for everyone; trials, life, death, romance, vengeance, forgiveness, faith, survival, love, and family. I couldn't put it down. A wonderful read.
The storyline was very good. It contained something for everyone; trials, life, death, romance, vengeance, forgiveness, faith, survival, love, and family. I couldn't put it down. A wonderful read.
October 11, 2017
Journey'sEnd
I enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Caroline. She is a strong woman who is willing to fight for those she loves and compassionate enough to change her mind. This is a worthwhile read.
I enjoyed the characters in this book, especially Caroline. She is a strong woman who is willing to fight for those she loves and compassionate enough to change her mind. This is a worthwhile read.
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