Tomorrow's Treasure

East of the Sun #1

by Linda Lee Chaikin

Raised by her aunt and uncle at the rectory in the small English village of Grimston Way, lovely Evy Varley remembers little of her missionary parents and nothing of South Africa, the land where she was orphaned during the Zulu War of 1878. But when Sir Rogan Chantry, the arrogant and handsome son of the local Squire, accuses Evy’s mother of stealing the infamous Kimberly Black Diamond, Evy sets out to prove the rogue wrong and clear her mother’s name.

Secrets abound, however, from the diamond mines of South Africa to the halls of her own beloved rectory. Strangers come to Grimston Way for their own mysterious purposes, a stunned Evy finds that her own aunt and uncle may have concealed disturbing truths about her family, and the dashing Sir Rogan has his own reasons to seek the missing diamond.

Yet despite Rogan’s seemingly rakish ways and the class differences that render a romance between them impossible, Evy finds herself drawn to the man who was once her childhood friend and now holds the keys to her heart. Faced with a dangerous past and an uncertain future, Evy must draw upon her wits and her faith to pursue Tomorrow’s Treasure.

A story of faith, danger and romance, Tomorrow’s Treasure is a masterpiece of historical suspense fiction.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian, Historical, Fiction, Historical Romance

400 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

About the author

Linda Chaikin is a Christian fiction author with a focus on historical fiction. She sometimes publishes using the name L.L. Chaikin.

Linda was the youngest of 10 children and her father died shortly after she was born. She wrote her first full-length novel with pen and paper at the age of 14 - this novel was later rewritten as Wednesday's Child, part of the Day to Remember series.

She met her husband, Steve, in a Bible study, and they were married 6 months later. They both went to Multnomah School for the Bible, now known as Multnomah Bible College and Biblical Seminary in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Taija · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second Read June 2018 - Ummm... well I have definitely grown in my critiquing of books. First read through, automatic 5 stars. Now I’m torn between 3-4. I still stand what I said about Rogan being written too perfect: dreamy, mysterious, perfectly arrogant (you know, the type of arrogance that apparently makes girls swoon *eye roll*), rich, handsome, etc, etc, etc. Except, he has the characteristics of a rapist. Seriously. The amount of times he says “I always get what I want,” while glancing at Evy... Then aggressively kisses her without asking, and never ever apologizes even though she slaps him as hard as she can after letting out a sob.

Oh yeah - that kiss? She thinks about it for days and years later. Also, SPOILER ALERT: they end up married. Cuz that kiss that made her slap him, the kiss he never apologized for????!?! Was soooo hot...

Now - he does change. He grows up, becomes a man. But It bugs me that this is still written in a way that when a man takes what he wants without asking - like a kiss, that’s supposed to be attractive or desirable.

Nope. What’s attractive is a man who respects a woman enough to ASK.



First read through - July 2015 I love how the author took her time building up the characters and the plot. When I first purchased this book I had no idea it was part of a trilogy and now I am looking forward to reading the other books.

I am always cautious when it comes to books written about romance, especially christian ones as they tend to focus on the fact that the greatest gift a woman can receive is a man. Well I did find that Rogan seemed to be the perfect man (even though he is only a teenager), I had to remind myself that this is a grown woman writing a fictional storyline and creating characters that seem almost too perfect.

I still give this book a 5 star rating and would read it again. But for those females who like to escape into fictional romances and then expect that this is what real romance is, be cautious to not to label Rogan as the ideal man.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Update* This book stood the test of yet another reread and has survived round two of the purge of my personal collection.
After several disappointing rereads of Chaikin's other books I was wary of that my absolute favorite series of hers would also disappoint. It did not. I'm not sure why some of Chaikin's books are absolutely brilliant (like this one) while others suffer from the common maladies that plague Christian fiction.
In this particular book, Chaikin's usual confusing web of characters has a measure of clarity that I appreciate. Also, the long span of years contained within the book could have weighed down the narrative. However, Chaikin deftly navigates this time span to create a strong narrative thread.
I cannot wait to reread the other two books in the trilogy. (Actually, I wish that she had written more because Rogan and Evy are one of my all-time favorite fictional couples.)
Out of all Chaikin's books I recommend these the highest.

[Hannah Beth (Hannah's Book Cafe) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was intriguing, but it had a great flaw, the writing style. I could not make myself like it and I slogged through this whole book. 😭 I did not care about any of the characters except for Evy. I felt sorry that she was written as a character in this book instead of a different one. And her romantic interest? Terrible? Such an incredibly cocky guy!

I won't be reading the rest of the series and I will be unhauling this book.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just stumbled upon this trilogy at the library. They're listed under christian lit, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good and engaging they were. Set in the late 1800s in England and South Africa, they reminded me a little of Pride and Prejudice--and that's a extreme compliment! I definitely recommend them!

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one all that much.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I can't believe I've had this book sitting on my shelf for 5+ years and haven't read it! I seriously deprived myself of such a good book!!! Engrossing is the best word I can use to describe it. It just sucked me into its whirlpool of intrigue, mystery and secrets and didn't let me go. I know very little about the history of South Africa, especially around the time of the Boer War, so I enjoyed learning some new things. I loved Evy, her sense of justice, how she stands up for herself and others is so admirable. I would kill to know what was going on in Rogan's head, he's so mysterious, but alas the book only gives us Evy's perspective. Their interactions are so few and far between yet the tension between them is electrifying and addictive. I started to panic when I saw how few pages were left in the book compared to how much was unresolved in the story, until I realized that this story is divided over three books. Argh! Now I have to track down the other two otherwise I'll never know what happens to Evy, Rogan and the Black Diamond!!!

[Lilly W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomorrows Treasure

Evy Varley grows up thinking her parents are missionaries and were killed in a Zulu War. Come to find out her real mom is rich and has a part to the Chantry diamonds as much as Rogan Chantry her true love. Evy is Rogan's sister's play mate and her and her 'Aunt' get to live in the Chantry manssion and while they are their Rogan tries to figure out what the great mystery is which is about Evy's parents and at the same time Rogan flits with Evy when he isn't supposed to be. Do Evy and Rogan get together in this book or the next? And what is up with Sir Julien? Find out soon.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis made the book sound a lot different than what it ended up being.

[Lydia Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really intriguing! It was not at all what I expected (I went into it blind and am thankful for that because I probably wouldn't have read it if I had read the back cover first) - it was probably better.

The one thing that takes this book down to three stars (because I really wanted to give it four) was that there were a whole bunch of names in the book. Names all over the place that made it really confusing to read and made me always wondering what exactly was happening and if all these people we were hearing about were actually important to the story. I'm still not sure if they were all important because it was hard to follow. Other than that? YES! This book was a winner.

[Alba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. The only reason I gave it a 4 rating instead of a 5 rating is because I found some of the scripture quoting a bit cheesy. I enjoy Christian fiction, but sometimes it can be a bit much and silly. The story itself was a good mix of emotions and drama to keep you wanting to read the next chapter to see what happens next.

What makes a good book for me is if the writer can get me to fall in love with the characters and it took getting to the 2nd half of the book to be attached. However, it did happen. I felt myself rooting for certain characters and getting emotionally involved.

Though it is a story of loss and heartache, there is always hope in goodness winning in the end.

[Janell Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong female lead (Evy) who is also a strong religious role model, and a mystery deeply imbedded throughout the story makes this book a real page-turner! Except for the first few chapters in which the story of her infancy is told, the entire story is told from Evy's perspective. And told exceptionally well. Her perceptions of those around her are not always correct and we see her grow in her understanding of the people and events she encounters.

A good bed-time read once past the first four chapters, which includes a massacre in South Africa. The story is set in the late 1800's beginning in South Africa and moving to England for the majority of the tale, with South Africa and diamond mines a central theme throughout.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I've been intentionally reading books off my own bookshelves to "empty" them a bit. This is book 1 of East of the Sun series. It was a well-written book.

Evy is raised by her aunt in a small English village. In the village lives the local Squire and his family. Rogan and Evy have known eachother most of their lives but come from different classes. But of course, love crosses those boundaries and before Rogan leaves for South Africa to work for the family diamond business, he asks Evy to wait for him.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did mostly enjoy this book, after I got past what I’d been expecting the story to be. The blurb on the back cover of the book did a terrible job of actually giving any info about the story. Most of what was teased in the blurb didn’t become relevant until the last quarter or so of the book.

Also, did anyone else have a bit of a tough time following the changes in time and character age? That progression seemed a little scattered to me.

And finally, the relationship between Evy and Rogan was...frustrating. Like, more frustrating than it needed to be, really. -_-

[Judy Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I've started the next in the trilogy. I especially liked that the storyline was atypical. And, yes, there's the typical romance line. But, it's sweet in a not happening yet sort of way. I like Evy! She stays true to her faith! And, Rogan, the mysterious Rogan! Too good to be true? Yeah. And, yet, not perfect either! Some don't seem to like his ethics/driven ways. As in that last kiss. I have nothing against it. Everyone's different! Great story! Onward and forward!

[Ashley Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Linda Chaikin's novels and this is no exception. Set among the backdrop of South Africa/Dutch/British Empirical conflicts, this historical fiction will both teach and encourage you in your faith. The characterizarion is developed particularly well as you follow the protagonist from infancy to young adult.

[Lora Offer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out so strong, but after Part 1 the story was very drawn out. My guess is that if the author would have condensed all three of the trilogy's novels into one, with a great deal of editing, the story would have been a great one. I don't think I will continue with the other two books in the trilogy, although I am still left without an answers to the 'whodunit'.

[Elsie Gauthier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love love.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow in the middle, and TYPOS, SO MANY. But good character development and it’s great being inside Evy’s head.

[Tina Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable historical fiction, with solid main characters.

[Deborah Camuglia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had a Jane Austen feel with a mix of murder, mystery, and intrigue.

[Minnesinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting locale and subject: South Africa in the last 2 decades of the 1800s. Much happened then that changed the region and continent forever. Dutch immigrants had arrived in the region centuries earlier, settling on farms and calling themselves "Voortrekkers". When diamonds were discovered in the latter half of the 1800s, the English suddenly wanted to claim South Africa as a colony.
The author describes the massacre of the English missionaries in South Africa by the fierce Zulu warriors, and it's certainly true historically that the Zulu did murder whites. Chaikin does not mention the English massacre of the Afrikaaners,* but then that did not actually happen until later, so perhaps she mentions it in Book 2. (?)
I didn't realize until the end of the book that this was only Book 1 of a trilogy, and was disappointed that Evy and R. did not marry--but it's strongly hinted at in the future. Nevertheless, those who expect romance as the central focus will be disappointed, because the development of that is positively glacial. People then were not as impatient as we are now, though; we have forgotten that until two decades ago, written correspondence was not instantaneous. And 100+ years ago, it could take months for letters to reach their intended audience.
Like any good story, it's about people, about individuals and their stories. About love (or the lack thereof), greed, temptation, family mysteries, scandals and betrayals, and the mercenary measures some will take to achieve wealth and success. We are shown characters with weak "moral fibre" and those with integrity, longterm goals, perseverance, and the willingness to work hard.
An enjoyable story, but one that would have been far more satisfying had the author resisted greed herself and not dragged out the story for future book sales.

(PS: Does anyone else find it odd that the sequel to "Tomorrow..." is entitled "Yesterday..."?!?)
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(*I never would have known about the Boer War had I not seen the gorgeous film, "Breaker Morant" in the 1980s. (I believe it was made in 1980.) It is an absolute must-see if you can find it.)

[Oluwatomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have serious mixed emotions about this book. It’s so good, but yet so bad. (In a good way though) I didn’t really enjoy the middle, as I thought it was a bit too slow but reading on after it I realized it was slow for a reason. The characters were extremely well developed in my opinion, especially Rogan as he was extremely irritating as a teenager yet seeing him grow out of that phase was an immense help. Evy was a graceful character as well! Though, I think she took herself too seriously and things as well, and she could’ve taken off that pressure off herself. (As irritating that had been for her, it was extremely relatable as I do the same as well.) I deeply enjoyed the historical aspect of this book as well, learning about the darker parts of South Africa and how England and the Dutch meddled with their affairs in that country, and how things escalated creating a bigger conflict. I also enjoyed the plot twist, and how it would end up affecting Evy though I think she handled it in a healthy manner, even if she was really slow. I also wished was more vocal about her honest concerns because she had it, but she just wouldn’t say it ah. I enjoyed the emphasis on the Christian faith as well!! I loved hearing about preachers like Charles Spurgeon which had been so cool, and watching how Evy grew in her faith as well was amazing. Evy’s and Rohan’s romance was really interesting as well, though I wish more was covered and their future especially with how everything was expected to turn out socially and politically for Rogan, but we’ll see in the next book. 🙃

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book the best out of the series. This was the book that was the most character driven, and it does a lot to set up the main romance between Evy and Rogan but it does it in a natural, slow burn, years-long way. I appreciated that she was so resistant to him because he is a smug jerk and I think she reacted to him how I would in these situations, and he clearly had it coming and needed to be taken down a couple of pegs. I can't remember if I completely bought the romance by the end or if I just knew it was coming and so I expected it, but there was a decent amount of intrigue surrounding the various characters that it was a fun book to read.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is the first of a trilogy set in the late 1800's. The story includes a wealthy family, a missing rare diamond and a little romance. I found this book by just grabbing something off the shelf at the library because my boys were being too noisy and I couldn't find what I was looking for but I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this author and will read more of her books.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book like a guilty pleasure. It was so action-packed that I didn't realize it was a romance until I had almost read to the end.

Best quote: "I think you will agree that life's plans are not always tied up in neat little packages. Occasionally we find ourselves at unexpected crossroads with more than one opportunity from which to choose. Time itself is often the best indicator of which decision to make, for it can tell so many things that are now hazy"(389).

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

For a romantic series, Linda Lee Chaikin did well in making an interesting story line. Evy was a little too "perfect," as was Rogan, which is a lazy excuse for writing round characters, but otherwise it was a decently written series. I particularly liked the setting and the time frame. Chaikin did her homework and really researched both England and Africa for her story and it shows.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting enough to read to the end. Some parts were too wordy and slow for my taste. I appreciate the fact that the story was moral and included scriptures to illustrate the main characters faith. I also enjoyed learning more about the history of South Africa through a fictional story. I will read the next book in the series.

[Mary-Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific Book. Involves the reader right off. Definite surprise on where the plot went. It is Christian fiction, but not in a preachy sort of way. Some of the character's are Christians but you know by their actions and their faith. Can't wait to read book 2 of the series!

[Sparky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for Christmas, and when I started reading it thought it OK but not terrific. But it got better as I read it, and I definitely want to read the sequels.

[Corie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was slow going at the beginning, but by the end I couldn't put it down. Really enjoyed the series.