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A Certain Crossroad
A SECOND CHANCE...
Judith Halliday arrived in a small new England town to forget her tragic affair with Neil Peyton, an idealistic young doctor. But a mysterious accident - or an attempted murder - brings him to the same town. Hurt by Neil's baffling aloofness, Judith turns to another man only to be trapped in a terrifying crime at sea.
Judith Halliday arrived in a small new England town to forget her tragic affair with Neil Peyton, an idealistic young doctor. But a mysterious accident - or an attempted murder - brings him to the same town. Hurt by Neil's baffling aloofness, Judith turns to another man only to be trapped in a terrifying crime at sea.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1925
47 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Emilie Loring
60 books130 followersAKA Emilie Baker Loring
Emilie Baker was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1864 to George M. Baker and Emily Frances (Boles) Baker. Her father was a playwright and publisher and her mother was a homemaker. Loring married Victor J. Loring, who was a lawyer. She began writing in 1914, published her first novel in 1922 at the age of 56, and continued writing until her death after a long illness in 1951. She was a prolific American romance novelist of the 20th century, known for her "wholesome love" romances and independent, spirited heroines. Beyond romance, her books also explore a selection of topics including, but not limited to marriage, love, American patriotism, freedom, and optimism. She died in Wellesley, Massachusetts on March 13, 1951. At the time of her death, she had sold more than a million copies of her first thirty books.
After her death, her estate was managed by her sons, Selden M. and Robert M. Loring, who, based on a wealth of unfinished material they discovered, published twenty more books under her name until 1972. These books were ghost-written by Elinore Denniston. taken largely from wiki, made some corrections (dates didn't add up) per her biographer
Emilie Loring Wiki Page
Emilie Baker was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1864 to George M. Baker and Emily Frances (Boles) Baker. Her father was a playwright and publisher and her mother was a homemaker. Loring married Victor J. Loring, who was a lawyer. She began writing in 1914, published her first novel in 1922 at the age of 56, and continued writing until her death after a long illness in 1951. She was a prolific American romance novelist of the 20th century, known for her "wholesome love" romances and independent, spirited heroines. Beyond romance, her books also explore a selection of topics including, but not limited to marriage, love, American patriotism, freedom, and optimism. She died in Wellesley, Massachusetts on March 13, 1951. At the time of her death, she had sold more than a million copies of her first thirty books.
After her death, her estate was managed by her sons, Selden M. and Robert M. Loring, who, based on a wealth of unfinished material they discovered, published twenty more books under her name until 1972. These books were ghost-written by Elinore Denniston. taken largely from wiki, made some corrections (dates didn't add up) per her biographer
Emilie Loring Wiki Page
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 6, 2020
4.5
Wonderful!!
The only parts I didn't like were when Neil was too harsh with Judith. Other than that, thrilling plot and beautiful, beautiful ending.😍
Wonderful!!
The only parts I didn't like were when Neil was too harsh with Judith. Other than that, thrilling plot and beautiful, beautiful ending.😍
April 28, 2015
For many years, Emilie Loring wrote sweet (albeit a bit drippy) romances, usually mingled with a bit of a crime thriller woven in to keep things interesting. "A Certain Crossroad," first published in the 1920s, is a slightly less-than-prime example of her writing.
No sooner has heiress Judith Halliday arrived in a small New England town than she is shoved out of a tree. And by coincidence, the doctor who treats her is Neil Peyton, whom she broke up with months ago. The former lovers are still sore, and make great displays of attention to (respectively) a pretty young widow named Diane, and sexy local "loafer" Boris.
Judith's trip gets even nastier when her cousin informs her that her uncle has squandered her fortune, and she's now penniless. Even worse, she's soon enmeshed in Boris' smuggling schemes, along with Diane's two children. Now Neil must find a way to thwart Boris, and save Judith from both the smugglers -- and the police.
"A Certain Crossroad" is a sort of charming, old-style romance where the sexiest thing that happens is a rough kiss, and the heroes devote themselves to upright morals from beginning to end. It sounds rather sappy, but if you can put cynicism on hold, it's a sweet little book with some exciting parts.
As this was one of her early books, there are some flaws: the romantic problems gets old quick, and Loring seems to be straining to make her prose suitably poetic ("crystal tide-pools strung like huge beads on a rope of sand"). For many pages, this is more or less what the book consists of, until the smuggling subplot kicks into gear.
At that point, the seemingly ordinary romance takes a sharp upturn.. Loring's writing is quick and sharp when it's kept simple, and she has a knack for action scenes as well as romantic problems. What's more, there's an unusual twist in the final pages, when we find out exactly what kind of relationship Neil and Judith had.
Though it suffers from some purple prose, "A Certain Crossroad" is a charming, quaint little romance for a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect anything hotter than a few kisses.
No sooner has heiress Judith Halliday arrived in a small New England town than she is shoved out of a tree. And by coincidence, the doctor who treats her is Neil Peyton, whom she broke up with months ago. The former lovers are still sore, and make great displays of attention to (respectively) a pretty young widow named Diane, and sexy local "loafer" Boris.
Judith's trip gets even nastier when her cousin informs her that her uncle has squandered her fortune, and she's now penniless. Even worse, she's soon enmeshed in Boris' smuggling schemes, along with Diane's two children. Now Neil must find a way to thwart Boris, and save Judith from both the smugglers -- and the police.
"A Certain Crossroad" is a sort of charming, old-style romance where the sexiest thing that happens is a rough kiss, and the heroes devote themselves to upright morals from beginning to end. It sounds rather sappy, but if you can put cynicism on hold, it's a sweet little book with some exciting parts.
As this was one of her early books, there are some flaws: the romantic problems gets old quick, and Loring seems to be straining to make her prose suitably poetic ("crystal tide-pools strung like huge beads on a rope of sand"). For many pages, this is more or less what the book consists of, until the smuggling subplot kicks into gear.
At that point, the seemingly ordinary romance takes a sharp upturn.. Loring's writing is quick and sharp when it's kept simple, and she has a knack for action scenes as well as romantic problems. What's more, there's an unusual twist in the final pages, when we find out exactly what kind of relationship Neil and Judith had.
Though it suffers from some purple prose, "A Certain Crossroad" is a charming, quaint little romance for a rainy afternoon. Just don't expect anything hotter than a few kisses.
May 8, 2021
Utterly disappointed by the previous 1960s romance novel I read which was written by a man, I had higher hopes for one authored by a woman. While the feminine perspective happily left out the rapey vibes of the former, it was still abhorrently boring in its lack of any real action. And yes while some of you may think a bootlegging scandal involving canned blueberries--the dangerous entanglement of which inevitably brought Judith Halliday and Dr. Neil Peyton (eww names) back to each other's arms--is indeed "action", what I mean is I was looking forward to some sexual action but clearly my definition of romance is different than those of the 1960s and this is now the second romance novel I've been duped into reading to completion with no payoff. Fool me twice shame on me.
This book could have been recited with my eyes closed it was so predictable. I don't know why I had higher expectations I mean I basically knew what I was getting myself into and it doesn't matter if the heroine is described as a "headstrong heiress" on the cover, she's always gonna be some pathetic worm on a man's hook. God bless the 1960s I'm so glad we're not in them anymore oh my gosh yuck.
I did find within these pages the 100% without a doubt capital double-you Worst paragraph ever written by anyone ever and it was so shocking to me as it got worse and worse and I just sat there, mouth ajar, guffawing in utter disbelief as it KEPT going, and I had to call someone right away to read it to them, no way that I alone could hold the knowledge of such atrocious diction, oh my god.. I'm still shocked:
"A by-path zigzagged drunkenly to a float on the shore. As though debauched by association the broad flat field through which it reeled its ribald way was a confusion of lobster pots and broken boxes in retrogressive stages of decrepitude. A brown cock with a variegated harem of slatternly hens at his spurs vaingloriously led his foraging party through the debris. The unsightly blotch of cluttered land was set in a cyclorama of unblemished beauty. The fragrant darkness of pines and spruce, the sparkle and ripple of the sea encircled it. Under a dome of Della Robbia blue conical heaps of clouds rested upon a snowy horizontal base."
like what in the actual fuck is that.
This book could have been recited with my eyes closed it was so predictable. I don't know why I had higher expectations I mean I basically knew what I was getting myself into and it doesn't matter if the heroine is described as a "headstrong heiress" on the cover, she's always gonna be some pathetic worm on a man's hook. God bless the 1960s I'm so glad we're not in them anymore oh my gosh yuck.
I did find within these pages the 100% without a doubt capital double-you Worst paragraph ever written by anyone ever and it was so shocking to me as it got worse and worse and I just sat there, mouth ajar, guffawing in utter disbelief as it KEPT going, and I had to call someone right away to read it to them, no way that I alone could hold the knowledge of such atrocious diction, oh my god.. I'm still shocked:
"A by-path zigzagged drunkenly to a float on the shore. As though debauched by association the broad flat field through which it reeled its ribald way was a confusion of lobster pots and broken boxes in retrogressive stages of decrepitude. A brown cock with a variegated harem of slatternly hens at his spurs vaingloriously led his foraging party through the debris. The unsightly blotch of cluttered land was set in a cyclorama of unblemished beauty. The fragrant darkness of pines and spruce, the sparkle and ripple of the sea encircled it. Under a dome of Della Robbia blue conical heaps of clouds rested upon a snowy horizontal base."
like what in the actual fuck is that.
July 16, 2011
I spent hours every summer when I was in junior high and high school reading and re-reading the sweet romance books written by Emilie Loring . It has been fun to revisit this one, which was always one of my favorites. I find that I am still a sucker for "marriage gone wrong" stories with a requisite happy ending. Even though I have left my high school days far behind, this lovely book (despite a somewhat predictable storyline) stands the test of time for me. I just may re-read all fifty-one titles this summer, for old time's sake.
March 24, 2014
What I love as much as anything about Emilie Loring's books is how her writing always highlights the natural beauty of its setting; how her characters always live full lives with a zest and enthusiasm for whatever they are doing; and how they always stand for the best in life. That is what makes her books inspirational to me, and I will never tire of reading them.
December 10, 2011
I love these vintage mystery/romance books esp since they take place in the 20s (my fave time period.) Loring has always been a favorite author of mine since I was really young. I find her writing to be clever and personable.
December 2, 2015
I thought that this book was totally average. A little bit boring sometimes and a little bit interesting others. If you like Emilie Loring books you might as well go ahead and read this one, too.
July 6, 2018
I started reading Emile Loring books when I picked up a paperback from a rack in a hotel lobby (for 50 cents) while on my sister's & my yearly vacation to visit my father. Hooked! I went on to purchase and read every Emilie Loring romance written and available in paperback, not knowing that she had died before I was even born. I loved these books, but read them when I was between about 12 and 18 years old. I was a young reader - do keep that in mind! :-)
February 24, 2023
Written in the 1920s, the style of romance writing is much different from today. There is an abundance of description and the dialogue is definitely 1920s. There is a crime plot entwined in the story and good vs evil situations. I enjoy reading Loring’s books from time to time just to steep myself in that period of American history just after the conclusion of the Great War.
January 18, 2024
I love this womans writing. I read a lot of her books when I was younger. I especially like romance, mystery and her descriptions of countryside etc. This book was written in 1925.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews