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Empire State #1
Een gevaarlijke erfenis
Telegrafiste Lucy Drake is erg bedreven in het decoderen van morsecode, waardoor ze een belangrijke werkneemster is voor het Amerikaanse persbureau de Associated Press. Maar de onverwachte komst van Sir Colin Beckwith bij het rivaliserend Britse persbureau Reuters verandert alles voor haar, Colin is aantrekkelijk en ongelooflijk charmant, maar ook heel slim, realiseert Lucy zich, als hij haar jarenlange geheim ontdekt.
Maar Lucy is niet de enige met een geheim, ook Colin heeft er een. Dat vertelt hij haar als ze hem op de hoogte brengt van de jarenlange juridische strijd om een rechtmatige erfenis, waarin zij en haar familie verwikkeld zijn. En dan besluiten ze, ondanks dat ze elkaars rivalen zijn, een bondgenootschap aan te gaan. Alleen gaat niet alles zoals ze hadden gehoopt, want al snel blijkt het web van verraad waarin ze zich begeven veel gevaarlijker te zijn dan ze ooit hadden kunnen denken
Maar Lucy is niet de enige met een geheim, ook Colin heeft er een. Dat vertelt hij haar als ze hem op de hoogte brengt van de jarenlange juridische strijd om een rechtmatige erfenis, waarin zij en haar familie verwikkeld zijn. En dan besluiten ze, ondanks dat ze elkaars rivalen zijn, een bondgenootschap aan te gaan. Alleen gaat niet alles zoals ze hadden gehoopt, want al snel blijkt het web van verraad waarin ze zich begeven veel gevaarlijker te zijn dan ze ooit hadden kunnen denken
334 pages
First published October 1, 2017
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4089 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 515 reviews
October 18, 2017
I definitely enjoyed this tale of New York, reporters, Morse Code, and danger. It came in the mail today, and I was glad to dive right in. I intended to read a single chapter and get back to the other book I'm reading, but the story grabbed me from the beginning.
Lucy is likable from the start, and it's easy to identify with her longing to find justice and to shake off her uncle's stalkers, who are content to spy on her life and keep her and her brother from realizing their full potential in life. From there the story moves swiftly, as she encounters Sir Colin Beckwith and as he stumbles across her family's nasty history. With Colin's eyes fresh on the family secrets, Lucy and Colin quickly realize that much more is going on in the family than she first imagined. In other words, the Saratoga Drakes aren't scrupulous about crushing more than family, if others get in the way of their plans.
Before long, Colin is mixed into the issue, despite his being an unlikely ally. After all, he's a reporter at heart, and the draw of a good story is hard to resist.
It fell just shy of five stars for me, but makes four (very good) easily. It's Camden's best in years (since Beyond All Dreams, in my opinion)—well-researched, detailed history, and two lead characters with clear chemistry. (Their banter is excellent. Brings to mind classic movies like Desk Set and His Girl Friday...)
Things that helped shy away from an "excellent" rating:
-An "oh my heavens" exclamation
-"Hear, hear" misspelled as "here, here" (pet peeve)
-Woman referred to as "hero"...in 1903, she'd be offended. She's a heroine.
-Content. Lucy entered a situation that requires a forced bathing (not something she was expecting ahead of time). For me, it got a bit too far into her feelings as the two women scrubbed her down. It's only a paragraph, but I'm intensely visual and didn't want to have that image.
It's also MUCH better edited than the last two releases, and the words flow with a lot more authenticity. Definitely worth a read!
Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy. A positive review is not required.
Lucy is likable from the start, and it's easy to identify with her longing to find justice and to shake off her uncle's stalkers, who are content to spy on her life and keep her and her brother from realizing their full potential in life. From there the story moves swiftly, as she encounters Sir Colin Beckwith and as he stumbles across her family's nasty history. With Colin's eyes fresh on the family secrets, Lucy and Colin quickly realize that much more is going on in the family than she first imagined. In other words, the Saratoga Drakes aren't scrupulous about crushing more than family, if others get in the way of their plans.
Before long, Colin is mixed into the issue, despite his being an unlikely ally. After all, he's a reporter at heart, and the draw of a good story is hard to resist.
It fell just shy of five stars for me, but makes four (very good) easily. It's Camden's best in years (since Beyond All Dreams, in my opinion)—well-researched, detailed history, and two lead characters with clear chemistry. (Their banter is excellent. Brings to mind classic movies like Desk Set and His Girl Friday...)
Things that helped shy away from an "excellent" rating:
-An "oh my heavens" exclamation
-"Hear, hear" misspelled as "here, here" (pet peeve)
-Woman referred to as "hero"...in 1903, she'd be offended. She's a heroine.
-Content. Lucy entered a situation that requires a forced bathing (not something she was expecting ahead of time). For me, it got a bit too far into her feelings as the two women scrubbed her down. It's only a paragraph, but I'm intensely visual and didn't want to have that image.
It's also MUCH better edited than the last two releases, and the words flow with a lot more authenticity. Definitely worth a read!
Thanks to the publisher for a free review copy. A positive review is not required.
December 4, 2017
I was not expecting the character of Lucy to be what she was in this book- I think the pearls on the cover threw me off. (While there are pearls in the story, I don't believe she ever wears them). Lucy is one determined woman, holding tightly to her values but willing to get a little down and dirty when battling unscrupulous people. Her strength is admirable, and I loved how the author also portrayed her flaws, exhaustion, and yearnings for a different life. She is complex in that way since she loves her work for the Associated Press and the glimpse it gives her of the world that she will never explore, as long as she is fighting the lawsuit with her uncle.
Colin is quite charming and also has a realistic balance of traits which made him come to life. He brings joy and love into Lucy's life, however temporary, and supports her in the war she is waging even when they struggle through their own rough patches. The insights into the events and politics of the time was fascinating, especially the workings of the telegraph office and the underground plumbing of Manhattan. I would have enjoyed more emotion in the romance between Colin and Lucy, but the plot and historical details made this a standout book.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
Colin is quite charming and also has a realistic balance of traits which made him come to life. He brings joy and love into Lucy's life, however temporary, and supports her in the war she is waging even when they struggle through their own rough patches. The insights into the events and politics of the time was fascinating, especially the workings of the telegraph office and the underground plumbing of Manhattan. I would have enjoyed more emotion in the romance between Colin and Lucy, but the plot and historical details made this a standout book.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
October 3, 2017
Honestly, Elizabeth Camden's books are just all the ingredients I love. I truly think she is writing for me! She has a masters in history, so her research is unparalleled, she has an easy, accessible writing style, characters and dialogue that leap off the page and a keen sense of time and verisimilitude. But, I think what I find most impressive, is the ease in which she excavates snippets of history not usually explored onto which she shines the spotlight of her inimitable narrative style.
I also always identify with her heroines ( something that is hard to do in inspirational fiction ---even for an avid reader in the genre like myself). Her heroines are smart, resourceful career women who balk at limitations and want to make their marks on the world. Often in men's professions during times when women were to be angels of the hearth, her heroines are always just a few steps ahead of the world--- and the game. Fiercely independent, they are not easily won, unless they are able to fit the inevitable romance end of the plot into their working world.
Image result for a dangerous fortune camdenThe overarching plot of this multi-layered story revolves around the Drake fortune and put me immediately in mind of the never-ending Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Dickens' Bleak House. Siblings Nick and Lucy Drake are at the center of the case trying to find justice for their family and their late father. Beyond any monetary gain or inheritance, the resolution of the case will hopefully mean the end of their torment by a wealthy rich relative, Thomas Drake, who lives as lord of the manor in nearby Saratoga while the Drake siblings are hard workers scraping by in their Greenwich Village apartment. Court settlements, a lavish necklace and two brothers who fought over the invention of a brilliant valve during the Civil War times brushes Lucy and Nick's world with a burden to their father's memory as well as the social injustice they see around them. A plumber, Nick wants to use the ease in which he can work this portal to his family's inheritance to equip tenement houses with running water for a fraction of the cost of the high city fees.
Another layer of this surprisingly intricate plot is the journalistic meeting of Reuters Agency, where Lucy continually runs into aristocrat Colin Beckwith, heir to a crumbling 18th Century estate across the Atlantic, while working as a telegraph operator for the Associate Press. The history of morse code, telegraphy and homing pigeons is flourished here in exciting detail and I loved hearing about Colin and Lucy's world, the interception of Pacific telegraphs as well as reading cameos by Roosevelt and Taft.
An illegal wire tapped to her desk allows Lucy to transmit messages from her scheming uncle's lawyer and when she overhears a plot for murder, she runs to her uneasy ally ( and source of her burgeoning attraction), Colin, who uses his title and manners to expose the nefarious Drakes in Saratoga once and for all.
A Dangerous Legacy was so much more than an historical novel: it was a treatise on the class system, a look at how entitlement to fortune and revenge can strip one of happiness and a compelling study of New York on the brink of greatness. Nick's work with valves for fresh water in tenement houses opens up a world underground and the labyrinth of the New York sewer system is painted with the same deft ease in which Camden worked with the Boston subway in From This Moment. Colin Beckwith's experiences as a journalist in the Boer War allow for the study of PTSD and a look into the primitive psychiatric methods such as shock therapy. A threat to Lucy is a gateway to a close interior look into mental asylums and the cruelty waged on patients sometimes only committed for incorrigibility.
To summarize the many interweaving plots as Colin and Lucy navigate the intricacies of the Drake fortune is difficult because Camden excels at being so (albeit accessibly) complex. I had trouble putting this book down during a research trip to Boston over the weekend ( books are companions when one is traveling and dining alone) and found myself blown away ( as per usual )with the seeming ease with which she creates conflicting worlds. There is a hunting weekend at a grand estate in upstate New York as well as parties and soirees that hang on Colin's coattails as a reminder of his past and the inheritance that binds him as tightly as the Drake fortune does Lucy and her brother. Manhattan becomes a character a colourful and nuanced as Washington in Beyond all Dreams and Boston in From This Moment as Camden uses her natural skill to paint a canvas brought brilliantly to life.
There is romance, yes, but also a hefty dose of suspense and an intricate mystery I was not anticipating. This is the best type of savoury read: relatable and fascinating characters, a peek through the curtain of the past, a dashing hero, a resourceful heroine, a race against time. Twists and turns and second guesses, dubious villains and beautiful heiresses. In short, a deliciously robust read.
Elizabeth Camden is an inspirational writer; but the religious themes in her book are just that---themes. She writes with a strict and genuine value system and her realistically fallible characters work between the lines of right and wrong often finding their consciences at odds with the world around them. She is never preachy and the faith elements are presented as sociocultural concept. I would recommend her highly to readers from or without a faith background.
with thanks to Bethany House for the review copy
I also always identify with her heroines ( something that is hard to do in inspirational fiction ---even for an avid reader in the genre like myself). Her heroines are smart, resourceful career women who balk at limitations and want to make their marks on the world. Often in men's professions during times when women were to be angels of the hearth, her heroines are always just a few steps ahead of the world--- and the game. Fiercely independent, they are not easily won, unless they are able to fit the inevitable romance end of the plot into their working world.
Image result for a dangerous fortune camdenThe overarching plot of this multi-layered story revolves around the Drake fortune and put me immediately in mind of the never-ending Jarndyce and Jarndyce case in Dickens' Bleak House. Siblings Nick and Lucy Drake are at the center of the case trying to find justice for their family and their late father. Beyond any monetary gain or inheritance, the resolution of the case will hopefully mean the end of their torment by a wealthy rich relative, Thomas Drake, who lives as lord of the manor in nearby Saratoga while the Drake siblings are hard workers scraping by in their Greenwich Village apartment. Court settlements, a lavish necklace and two brothers who fought over the invention of a brilliant valve during the Civil War times brushes Lucy and Nick's world with a burden to their father's memory as well as the social injustice they see around them. A plumber, Nick wants to use the ease in which he can work this portal to his family's inheritance to equip tenement houses with running water for a fraction of the cost of the high city fees.
Another layer of this surprisingly intricate plot is the journalistic meeting of Reuters Agency, where Lucy continually runs into aristocrat Colin Beckwith, heir to a crumbling 18th Century estate across the Atlantic, while working as a telegraph operator for the Associate Press. The history of morse code, telegraphy and homing pigeons is flourished here in exciting detail and I loved hearing about Colin and Lucy's world, the interception of Pacific telegraphs as well as reading cameos by Roosevelt and Taft.
An illegal wire tapped to her desk allows Lucy to transmit messages from her scheming uncle's lawyer and when she overhears a plot for murder, she runs to her uneasy ally ( and source of her burgeoning attraction), Colin, who uses his title and manners to expose the nefarious Drakes in Saratoga once and for all.
A Dangerous Legacy was so much more than an historical novel: it was a treatise on the class system, a look at how entitlement to fortune and revenge can strip one of happiness and a compelling study of New York on the brink of greatness. Nick's work with valves for fresh water in tenement houses opens up a world underground and the labyrinth of the New York sewer system is painted with the same deft ease in which Camden worked with the Boston subway in From This Moment. Colin Beckwith's experiences as a journalist in the Boer War allow for the study of PTSD and a look into the primitive psychiatric methods such as shock therapy. A threat to Lucy is a gateway to a close interior look into mental asylums and the cruelty waged on patients sometimes only committed for incorrigibility.
To summarize the many interweaving plots as Colin and Lucy navigate the intricacies of the Drake fortune is difficult because Camden excels at being so (albeit accessibly) complex. I had trouble putting this book down during a research trip to Boston over the weekend ( books are companions when one is traveling and dining alone) and found myself blown away ( as per usual )with the seeming ease with which she creates conflicting worlds. There is a hunting weekend at a grand estate in upstate New York as well as parties and soirees that hang on Colin's coattails as a reminder of his past and the inheritance that binds him as tightly as the Drake fortune does Lucy and her brother. Manhattan becomes a character a colourful and nuanced as Washington in Beyond all Dreams and Boston in From This Moment as Camden uses her natural skill to paint a canvas brought brilliantly to life.
There is romance, yes, but also a hefty dose of suspense and an intricate mystery I was not anticipating. This is the best type of savoury read: relatable and fascinating characters, a peek through the curtain of the past, a dashing hero, a resourceful heroine, a race against time. Twists and turns and second guesses, dubious villains and beautiful heiresses. In short, a deliciously robust read.
Elizabeth Camden is an inspirational writer; but the religious themes in her book are just that---themes. She writes with a strict and genuine value system and her realistically fallible characters work between the lines of right and wrong often finding their consciences at odds with the world around them. She is never preachy and the faith elements are presented as sociocultural concept. I would recommend her highly to readers from or without a faith background.
with thanks to Bethany House for the review copy
July 24, 2018
I would give this book 10 stars if I could. Equal parts fascinating, intruiging, and entertaining. Plenty of rich history for my taste. There were so many twists and turns, I was kept guessing until the last chapter, which resolved everything perfectly. The characters were fully-developed and completely loveable (except the ones you love to hate). I will read everything Camden writes forever.
January 15, 2021
Reseña completa: https://masromance.blogspot.com/2021/...
Estoy entre 3-4, pero aunque le he encontrado detalles que no me han gustado, creo que es una lectura recomendable.
La 4 se la lleva por esa parte final que me ha atrapado.
Una novela interesante que me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba.
Una ambientación muy detallada, viajas al principio del siglo xx en pleno New York, me ha gustado saber del día a día de los trabajadores de aquella época.
No tengo muy claro que sea 100% romántica y está catalogado como narrativa. El hilo conductor no es el romance entre dos personajes. Sino una pequeña investigación, o dos.
Me he llevado más de una sorpresa, sobre todo al final, del que solo puedo decir que mi parte lectora hubiera preferido que cierto detalle no aconteciera, pero que siendo rigurosos, es totalmente lógico.
Al principio me ha costado cogerle el ritmo, muchos personajes y, como la sinopsis no es muy concisa, no sabes ante qué tipo de historia te vas a enfrentar. La autora se toma su tiempo preparando el terreno.
He disfrutado de la lectura, me ha parecido un estilo muy correcto, con el tipo de detalles históricos que me gusta encontrar, detalles curiosos. Unos personajes convincentes, aunque con Colin me he quedado con ganas de saber más.
La relación entre ellos es muy coherente, me ha gustado mucho ese humor, y si me apuráis, me ha recordado mucho al estilo de una autora concreta, que no diré porque las comparaciones son odiosas.
El misterio no es gran cosa y es más el ir asistiendo a cómo ellos van tirando del hilo que de suspense en sí.
Aún así, al final no he podido parar de leer hasta terminarlo. Me podían las ansias por saber qué final nos deparaba la autora.
Es una novela que va a más. Mi primer contacto con esta autora y no creo que sea el último
Lectura recomendable
Estoy entre 3-4, pero aunque le he encontrado detalles que no me han gustado, creo que es una lectura recomendable.
La 4 se la lleva por esa parte final que me ha atrapado.
Una novela interesante que me ha gustado más de lo que esperaba.
Una ambientación muy detallada, viajas al principio del siglo xx en pleno New York, me ha gustado saber del día a día de los trabajadores de aquella época.
No tengo muy claro que sea 100% romántica y está catalogado como narrativa. El hilo conductor no es el romance entre dos personajes. Sino una pequeña investigación, o dos.
Me he llevado más de una sorpresa, sobre todo al final, del que solo puedo decir que mi parte lectora hubiera preferido que cierto detalle no aconteciera, pero que siendo rigurosos, es totalmente lógico.
Al principio me ha costado cogerle el ritmo, muchos personajes y, como la sinopsis no es muy concisa, no sabes ante qué tipo de historia te vas a enfrentar. La autora se toma su tiempo preparando el terreno.
He disfrutado de la lectura, me ha parecido un estilo muy correcto, con el tipo de detalles históricos que me gusta encontrar, detalles curiosos. Unos personajes convincentes, aunque con Colin me he quedado con ganas de saber más.
La relación entre ellos es muy coherente, me ha gustado mucho ese humor, y si me apuráis, me ha recordado mucho al estilo de una autora concreta, que no diré porque las comparaciones son odiosas.
El misterio no es gran cosa y es más el ir asistiendo a cómo ellos van tirando del hilo que de suspense en sí.
Aún así, al final no he podido parar de leer hasta terminarlo. Me podían las ansias por saber qué final nos deparaba la autora.
Es una novela que va a más. Mi primer contacto con esta autora y no creo que sea el último
Lectura recomendable
Want to read
March 3, 2017Elizabeth Camden has a second book releasing in 2017? Um, YES! YES, YES, YES! *wants book now* *right now*
October 3, 2022
About this book:
“Lucy Drake's mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.
Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin's connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they're wading into will take them.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Empire State” series. Will be connected to the author’s next book, releasing in early 2018.
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are refenced in the Discussion Questions; A few Prayers & Thanking God; Church going & going to church to pray; Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, & services; A few mentions of those in the Bible; A few mentions of blessings over food; A few mentions of clergymen; A couple mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of sins; A couple mentions of godsends; A mention of a miracle;
*Note: A few mentions of ghosts & haunting a person; A mention of a devilish smile; A mention of demons.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘blasted’s, two ‘heck’s, five ‘idiot’s, five forms of ‘shut up’, eight forms of ‘stupid’; A few mentions of curses & almost cursing; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Panic attacks (up to semi-detailed); Being smacked & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Being held at gunpoint & threatened (up to semi-detailed); Fighting & Hitting Someone (up to semi-detailed); Some social drinking (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of wars, fighting, gunshots/bullets, explosions, dead bodies, men dying, nearly dying, & flashbacks of it all (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a man shooting another’s pet birds (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of assassins, bombs, & murder; Mentions of planned “accidents” that can result in someone’s death; Mentions of jails, prisons, arrests, & illegal actions; Mentions of thefts & thieves/criminals; Mentions of kidnappings; Mentions of torture & screams; Mentions of fighting, punching/slapping, & injuries; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, social drinking, drinking, & drunks; Mentions of smoking, cigarettes, & tobacco; Mentions of bullies; Mentions of hunting & taxidermy (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of animal and human waste & the smell; A few mentions of burglars & burglaries; A few mentions of dead cat bodies & threats; A few mentions of gambling; A couple mentions of an attempted bombing; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of raising sheep & cattle for slaughtering.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, not-detailed kisses, and three border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, & Warmth (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; Mentions of a kiss; Mentions of flirting & girls flocking to Lucy’s brother; Mentions of reputations; A few mentions of forward offers & blushes; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of crushes; A couple mentions of prostitutes; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of a famous statue of a naked couple kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a teenager who had two miscarriages (she became pregnant in one through her (already married) boss because she thought it was necessary to keep her job); A couple mentions of a mother nursing; A few mentions of getting into bed with someone (meaning a business deal, but once referred to as in another way); A couple mentions of being neutered & castration; A mention of kissing someone’s rear end; A mention of a swift kick to a man’s groin.
-Lucy Drake, age 28
-Colin Beckwith
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1903 {Epilogue set in 1904}
341 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
After being disappointed by the author’s previous release this year, I was wondering how this one would be.
Turns out, I rather enjoyed this book.
I would have preferred more faith content, but it was much cleaner and was void of certain comments that her other books normally have. A positive in that regard.
Like all Elizabeth Camden books, this novel also was brimming with historical facts, current inventions of the time period, and letting the readers know what was happening in the world. “A Dangerous Legacy” had banter between our main couple, though, that was refreshing, and I truly enjoyed. I honestly felt like the romance was much lighter compared to the other books the author has written.
While reading this new novel, I was hoping we would see Lucy’s brother’s own story, so I am curious about reading it when it releases next year.
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.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House) for this honest review.
“Lucy Drake's mastery of Morse code has made her a valuable asset to the American news agencies as a telegrapher. But the sudden arrival of Sir Colin Beckwith at rival British news agency Reuters puts her hard-earned livelihood at risk. Newly arrived from London, Colin is talented, handsome, and insufferably charming.
Despite their rivalry, Lucy realizes Colin's connections could be just what her family needs to turn the tide of their long legal battle over the fortune they were swindled out of forty years ago. When she negotiates an unlikely alliance with him, neither of them realizes how far the web of treachery they're wading into will take them.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Empire State” series. Will be connected to the author’s next book, releasing in early 2018.
Spiritual Content- A few Scriptures are refenced in the Discussion Questions; A few Prayers & Thanking God; Church going & going to church to pray; Mentions of God & His will; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, & services; A few mentions of those in the Bible; A few mentions of blessings over food; A few mentions of clergymen; A couple mentions of blessings; A couple mentions of sins; A couple mentions of godsends; A mention of a miracle;
*Note: A few mentions of ghosts & haunting a person; A mention of a devilish smile; A mention of demons.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: two ‘blasted’s, two ‘heck’s, five ‘idiot’s, five forms of ‘shut up’, eight forms of ‘stupid’; A few mentions of curses & almost cursing; Sarcasm & Eye rolling; Panic attacks (up to semi-detailed); Being smacked & Pain (up to semi-detailed); Being held at gunpoint & threatened (up to semi-detailed); Fighting & Hitting Someone (up to semi-detailed); Some social drinking (barely-above-not-detailed); Many mentions of wars, fighting, gunshots/bullets, explosions, dead bodies, men dying, nearly dying, & flashbacks of it all (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a man shooting another’s pet birds (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of assassins, bombs, & murder; Mentions of planned “accidents” that can result in someone’s death; Mentions of jails, prisons, arrests, & illegal actions; Mentions of thefts & thieves/criminals; Mentions of kidnappings; Mentions of torture & screams; Mentions of fighting, punching/slapping, & injuries; Mentions of threats & blackmail; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of gossip & rumors; Mentions of alcohol, social drinking, drinking, & drunks; Mentions of smoking, cigarettes, & tobacco; Mentions of bullies; Mentions of hunting & taxidermy (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of animal and human waste & the smell; A few mentions of burglars & burglaries; A few mentions of dead cat bodies & threats; A few mentions of gambling; A couple mentions of an attempted bombing; A couple mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of raising sheep & cattle for slaughtering.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, not-detailed kisses, and three border-line barely-above-not-detailed // semi-detailed kiss; Touches, Embraces, & Warmth (up to semi-detailed); Noticing; Mentions of a kiss; Mentions of flirting & girls flocking to Lucy’s brother; Mentions of reputations; A few mentions of forward offers & blushes; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of crushes; A couple mentions of prostitutes; Love, falling in love, & the emotions;
*Note: Mentions of a famous statue of a naked couple kissing (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a teenager who had two miscarriages (she became pregnant in one through her (already married) boss because she thought it was necessary to keep her job); A couple mentions of a mother nursing; A few mentions of getting into bed with someone (meaning a business deal, but once referred to as in another way); A couple mentions of being neutered & castration; A mention of kissing someone’s rear end; A mention of a swift kick to a man’s groin.
-Lucy Drake, age 28
-Colin Beckwith
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1903 {Epilogue set in 1904}
341 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
After being disappointed by the author’s previous release this year, I was wondering how this one would be.
Turns out, I rather enjoyed this book.
I would have preferred more faith content, but it was much cleaner and was void of certain comments that her other books normally have. A positive in that regard.
Like all Elizabeth Camden books, this novel also was brimming with historical facts, current inventions of the time period, and letting the readers know what was happening in the world. “A Dangerous Legacy” had banter between our main couple, though, that was refreshing, and I truly enjoyed. I honestly felt like the romance was much lighter compared to the other books the author has written.
While reading this new novel, I was hoping we would see Lucy’s brother’s own story, so I am curious about reading it when it releases next year.
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.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Bethany House) for this honest review.
January 12, 2018
What an adventure this was! From apartments to mansions, from the sewers to an asylum, and more! There were, secrets, intrigue, suspicions, spying, encrypted messages, a psycho doctor..... *deep breath* ...and of course, there was romance too. ;)
This isn't a very fast-paced book at first. I kinda wish it was, but it's not. While I was very much enjoying the story, it was still pretty easy to put down and set aside for a while... which is exactly what I ended up doing for a couple of weeks about halfway through the book. But-- it's also the type of book that during those two weeks, I was still really looking forward to picking it back up and finishing it. And the last half of the book was finished within two afternoons. So obviously, the last half went much faster than the first.
I found many aspects of this story fascinating. The telegraph, the Morse Code, the pluming, the PTSD, the Panama Canal, etc. Elizabeth Camden's writing makes it easy for me to visualize the things she writes about. I enjoyed the way these things were woven into the story; it was all so very interesting and made my history-loving self quite happy!
I grew to love the characters (well... some of them, anyway) and enjoyed seeing them grow and develop throughout the book. It has me really looking forward to reading Nick's story! (Wish I didn't have to wait until June. :( ) Lucy and Nick were great and, like I said, I grew to love them... but I think Colin was my favorite character. I wish we'd been able to get to know his family, but maybe we'll get to learn more about them later? Colin just felt the most real to me and that made it easier to connect with him. Though, toward the end, I began to connect more with Lucy too.
One last thing before I sign off... I just have to say that I loved the dialogue. Dialogue is usually a pretty big thing for me. If a book is really well written, but the dialogue is terrible or seems really stiff or fake? It's likely that I won't finish the book. On the other hand, I'm likely to give a book an extra star if it has genuine, fun, engaging dialogue that I truly enjoy. This book is one of the latter. I don't know what it was specifically, but I remember thinking several times that the dialogue was great and I was really enjoying it.
A big thumbs-up and 5 stars from me! I definitely recommend this book! :)
I received a free copy of this book through the Bethany House Blogger Review Program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
This isn't a very fast-paced book at first. I kinda wish it was, but it's not. While I was very much enjoying the story, it was still pretty easy to put down and set aside for a while... which is exactly what I ended up doing for a couple of weeks about halfway through the book. But-- it's also the type of book that during those two weeks, I was still really looking forward to picking it back up and finishing it. And the last half of the book was finished within two afternoons. So obviously, the last half went much faster than the first.
I found many aspects of this story fascinating. The telegraph, the Morse Code, the pluming, the PTSD, the Panama Canal, etc. Elizabeth Camden's writing makes it easy for me to visualize the things she writes about. I enjoyed the way these things were woven into the story; it was all so very interesting and made my history-loving self quite happy!
I grew to love the characters (well... some of them, anyway) and enjoyed seeing them grow and develop throughout the book. It has me really looking forward to reading Nick's story! (Wish I didn't have to wait until June. :( ) Lucy and Nick were great and, like I said, I grew to love them... but I think Colin was my favorite character. I wish we'd been able to get to know his family, but maybe we'll get to learn more about them later? Colin just felt the most real to me and that made it easier to connect with him. Though, toward the end, I began to connect more with Lucy too.
One last thing before I sign off... I just have to say that I loved the dialogue. Dialogue is usually a pretty big thing for me. If a book is really well written, but the dialogue is terrible or seems really stiff or fake? It's likely that I won't finish the book. On the other hand, I'm likely to give a book an extra star if it has genuine, fun, engaging dialogue that I truly enjoy. This book is one of the latter. I don't know what it was specifically, but I remember thinking several times that the dialogue was great and I was really enjoying it.
A big thumbs-up and 5 stars from me! I definitely recommend this book! :)
I received a free copy of this book through the Bethany House Blogger Review Program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 18, 2018
Enjoyable!
I loved the history woven into this novel...AP and Reuters, transpacific transmissions and water valves. So interesting!
While I didn't love main characters Colin and Lucy, they definitely had admirable traits and I especially liked the names they had for each other: "London" and "Yankee". The inclusion of carrier pigeons was a nice touch.
I look forward to Nick's story in book two.
I loved the history woven into this novel...AP and Reuters, transpacific transmissions and water valves. So interesting!
While I didn't love main characters Colin and Lucy, they definitely had admirable traits and I especially liked the names they had for each other: "London" and "Yankee". The inclusion of carrier pigeons was a nice touch.
I look forward to Nick's story in book two.
March 14, 2020
Lucy Drake works for Associated Press in New York, helping to distribute updates to newspapers all over America by Morse code.
Her brother Nick is a plumber working to supply tenants of New York's multi storey apartment buildings with running water. He does this in secret as Lucy and Nick have a longstanding lawsuit against their uncle concerning the plumbing invention their father did right before he went off to war. Their father’s invention makes Nick’s work in the apartment buildings technically possible but is considered illegal by the siblings’ uncle. He is fighting to squeeze as much money out of the invention as possible and keep it all to himself, trying not to leave any of it to Lucy and Nick.
Colin Beckwith of British agency Reuters is Lucy’s friend. She confides in him about her legal struggles and he agrees to help her. That is the start of a dangerous drama to keep Lucy and Nick safe from their uncle.
I felt this story was well researched as it deals with technical inventions of the 1900’s. I also enjoyed the descriptions of how the news business operated and developed with the new cable under the Pacific Ocean, which made Associated Press an independent news provider to the whole continent. I found it very interesting to read about mental health care of the time which was so expertly incorporated in this story and which really added to the drama.
A Dangerous Legacy is I highly recommend for fans of Elizabeth Camden’s other work and for readers of historical fiction in general.
My rating 4,5/5 stars
(All opinions in this review are my own)
Her brother Nick is a plumber working to supply tenants of New York's multi storey apartment buildings with running water. He does this in secret as Lucy and Nick have a longstanding lawsuit against their uncle concerning the plumbing invention their father did right before he went off to war. Their father’s invention makes Nick’s work in the apartment buildings technically possible but is considered illegal by the siblings’ uncle. He is fighting to squeeze as much money out of the invention as possible and keep it all to himself, trying not to leave any of it to Lucy and Nick.
Colin Beckwith of British agency Reuters is Lucy’s friend. She confides in him about her legal struggles and he agrees to help her. That is the start of a dangerous drama to keep Lucy and Nick safe from their uncle.
I felt this story was well researched as it deals with technical inventions of the 1900’s. I also enjoyed the descriptions of how the news business operated and developed with the new cable under the Pacific Ocean, which made Associated Press an independent news provider to the whole continent. I found it very interesting to read about mental health care of the time which was so expertly incorporated in this story and which really added to the drama.
A Dangerous Legacy is I highly recommend for fans of Elizabeth Camden’s other work and for readers of historical fiction in general.
My rating 4,5/5 stars
(All opinions in this review are my own)
September 26, 2020
Wow! This book took me totally by surprise the whole time!
I usually get a little bored with mysteries because I have them totally figured out about halfway through. Not with this one! I thought I had at least figured out how one of the issues would resolve itself, but even that was wrong!
Besides the great mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed both of the main characters, Lucy and Colin. Lucy is strong and valiant, but still feminine. She is not so independent that she doesn't dream of falling in love and having children. She simply has come to terms with the fact that that is not in her foreseeable future. Thus, she works a job she loves and fights for what is right.
While I loved Colin, I couldn't help be disappointed that he let his past and his title dictate who he is, when he clearly desires to make his own name in the world. That aside, I loved how old-fashioned he was and how he clung to his heritage even while living in America.
The romance was both sweet and pure, and the mystery was gripping and suspenseful, but not dark or scary. I felt the resolution was both complete and satisfying, yet it left me eager to get started on the second book! As always, when I finished the book I felt I had learned a lot about a part of history that, quite frankly, I would never have sought to learn about on my own. Elizabeth Camden definitely earned 5 stars with this one!
I usually get a little bored with mysteries because I have them totally figured out about halfway through. Not with this one! I thought I had at least figured out how one of the issues would resolve itself, but even that was wrong!
Besides the great mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed both of the main characters, Lucy and Colin. Lucy is strong and valiant, but still feminine. She is not so independent that she doesn't dream of falling in love and having children. She simply has come to terms with the fact that that is not in her foreseeable future. Thus, she works a job she loves and fights for what is right.
While I loved Colin, I couldn't help be disappointed that he let his past and his title dictate who he is, when he clearly desires to make his own name in the world. That aside, I loved how old-fashioned he was and how he clung to his heritage even while living in America.
The romance was both sweet and pure, and the mystery was gripping and suspenseful, but not dark or scary. I felt the resolution was both complete and satisfying, yet it left me eager to get started on the second book! As always, when I finished the book I felt I had learned a lot about a part of history that, quite frankly, I would never have sought to learn about on my own. Elizabeth Camden definitely earned 5 stars with this one!
January 1, 2019
So much happened in this book and I loved reading it all! The story opens up the world of telegraphy at the beginning of the 20th century and follows Lucy and Colin, two people passionate about their work and with troubles of their own. A heartless uncle, a crumbling English manor, homing pigeons and a trek in the sewers of New York are just a few of the things that make their way into this book.
The banter between Colin and Lucy was fun to read and the sparks between them shot through the pages (I did, however, want to knock some sense into Colin a few times when he was thinking like an aristocrat and not an American-ha, you’ll see what that means when you read the book). I only wished that the end scenes were longer, because I liked this couple so much! Hopefully they are a big part of the next book!
The banter between Colin and Lucy was fun to read and the sparks between them shot through the pages (I did, however, want to knock some sense into Colin a few times when he was thinking like an aristocrat and not an American-ha, you’ll see what that means when you read the book). I only wished that the end scenes were longer, because I liked this couple so much! Hopefully they are a big part of the next book!
December 6, 2017
Truth: the last few books I've read of Elizabeth Camden's have been slightly disappointing. Nothing has lived up to Against the Tide, which I adore.
I am so happy to say this is my second favorite Camden book, coming second only to Against the Tide.
I loved it. It was exciting and there was danger involved, but not too much. And the characters were delightful.
So glad I read this one!
I am so happy to say this is my second favorite Camden book, coming second only to Against the Tide.
I loved it. It was exciting and there was danger involved, but not too much. And the characters were delightful.
So glad I read this one!
March 31, 2020
Something I did that I don't recommend? Reading a series in reverse order. Sadly, that's the way I was able to borrow them through Overdrive. But, all's well. Each book within the Empire State series is easily a stand alone, however with recurring characters reading them in order would be beneficial.
A Dangerous Legacy, like each book in this series, is not what I would specifically call Christian Fiction. Ms. Camden (at least in this series) seems to have veered away from her faith inspired storytelling. Oh but they're clean, so that's a plus.
I believe this was my favorite book of the series. Some pretty intense dramatic scenes, yet lighthearted banter throughout made for a delightful way to pass the time during the given social distancing. Meh, for anytime, really. It's just that this is what the world is going through at the moment.
I recall Lucy and Colin from Nick's story in book two. I was able to get the backstory of their origins in this book. I wanted to dislike Colin all the way through. Trying to find an American heiress in order to keep and repair his decrepit estate in England, disregarding his intense feelings for Lucy made my blood... well, maybe not boil, but definitely heat up. I felt he was a fool to set aside his feelings for Lucy while courting someone he didn't love. But, as much as I disliked what was going on, it certainly made for interesting reading.
Lucy Drake, on the other hand, was one terrific character. A whiz at Morse code and an asset as a telegrapher to the news agency she worked for, Lucy and her brother Nick have continued a 40 year lawsuit against relatives who took advantage of her father and grandfather, and who have profited grandly, leaving Lucy and her brother Nick squeaking by working hard all their lives. Lucy's secret connection through her position leads her into some harrowing predicaments, taking Colin along for the ride.
Good book I've no problem recommending.
A Dangerous Legacy, like each book in this series, is not what I would specifically call Christian Fiction. Ms. Camden (at least in this series) seems to have veered away from her faith inspired storytelling. Oh but they're clean, so that's a plus.
I believe this was my favorite book of the series. Some pretty intense dramatic scenes, yet lighthearted banter throughout made for a delightful way to pass the time during the given social distancing. Meh, for anytime, really. It's just that this is what the world is going through at the moment.
I recall Lucy and Colin from Nick's story in book two. I was able to get the backstory of their origins in this book. I wanted to dislike Colin all the way through. Trying to find an American heiress in order to keep and repair his decrepit estate in England, disregarding his intense feelings for Lucy made my blood... well, maybe not boil, but definitely heat up. I felt he was a fool to set aside his feelings for Lucy while courting someone he didn't love. But, as much as I disliked what was going on, it certainly made for interesting reading.
Lucy Drake, on the other hand, was one terrific character. A whiz at Morse code and an asset as a telegrapher to the news agency she worked for, Lucy and her brother Nick have continued a 40 year lawsuit against relatives who took advantage of her father and grandfather, and who have profited grandly, leaving Lucy and her brother Nick squeaking by working hard all their lives. Lucy's secret connection through her position leads her into some harrowing predicaments, taking Colin along for the ride.
Good book I've no problem recommending.
September 13, 2018
Elizabeth Camden's historical fiction always captures my attention. This story is filled with suspense, danger, romance, and history. Focusing on the beginning of the competition between England's Reuters News Agency and the United States own Associated Press News Agency, the two agencies are constantly competing for getting the news out the fastest. Lucy Drake is the only woman telegrapher for AP and Sir Colin Beckwith is the manager of the Reuter's office in New York.
I loved the twists and turns as Lucy and her brother tried to settle the 40 year old lawsuit with their uncle, and I felt for Colin trying so hard to find the money to restore Whitefriars. Lucy was a strong, independent, young woman who appeared very bright. Colin too showed great intelligence. But I really had a problem with the way Lucy, Nick and Colin all straddled the fence of legalities and moral conduct in trying to reach the goal that they had in mind. I never truly felt that they repented of their edgy conduct even at the end of the book. They made choices that they knew might land them in legal difficulties or even jail, yet that didn't deter them. This is why I gave this book a 4 rather than a 5.
I would still recommend this debut book in Camden's new Empire State series.
I loved the twists and turns as Lucy and her brother tried to settle the 40 year old lawsuit with their uncle, and I felt for Colin trying so hard to find the money to restore Whitefriars. Lucy was a strong, independent, young woman who appeared very bright. Colin too showed great intelligence. But I really had a problem with the way Lucy, Nick and Colin all straddled the fence of legalities and moral conduct in trying to reach the goal that they had in mind. I never truly felt that they repented of their edgy conduct even at the end of the book. They made choices that they knew might land them in legal difficulties or even jail, yet that didn't deter them. This is why I gave this book a 4 rather than a 5.
I would still recommend this debut book in Camden's new Empire State series.
did-not-finish
May 18, 2019I got distracted. There's not a thing wrong with the book. :P However, I'm going to have to pick it up at a later time. I don't know why, but for some reason, there were months on end when I couldn't pick up a book and make myself finish it ... but I will finish this one later. For now, it just goes back on my "to-be-read" shelf.
.........
I just DNFed this book a second time. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! Every time I start this book, I read the first chapter and get distracted.
Maybe I need to read the second chapter. Just force myself. I love the set up for this story! But I'm just ... ugh. It looks so good!
.........
I just DNFed this book a second time. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME! Every time I start this book, I read the first chapter and get distracted.
Maybe I need to read the second chapter. Just force myself. I love the set up for this story! But I'm just ... ugh. It looks so good!
February 16, 2019
Reminds me of Dickens’ Bleak House.
November 14, 2017
There were several times while reading this book, that I had to put it down.... NOT due to poor writing or storytelling, but because I was getting nervous for these characters. I was actually worried that this story would not have a happily-ever-after ending!
I have read almost all of Elizabeth Camden's books and she is most definitely a "go-to" author for me. Her stories are always solid and she takes her own personal passions throughout history and gets her readers to care about them as well. Her book plots are unique and unlike the typical historical romances out there. This book was the author's first real attempt with a suspense element. I could feel myself getting anxious for Lucy and Colin and the true evil that could, at any moment, overtake them. Their flirting was swoon-worthy and done in the most interesting way. Loved this! Plus, any author that can include a sewer, credibly into the plot of this book and also her next (with waterborne diseases), is a true artist and "mostly" a genius!
What are we willing to let go of to become free? A question that deserves some attention and thought.
I received this book from the publisher/book publicist but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
I have read almost all of Elizabeth Camden's books and she is most definitely a "go-to" author for me. Her stories are always solid and she takes her own personal passions throughout history and gets her readers to care about them as well. Her book plots are unique and unlike the typical historical romances out there. This book was the author's first real attempt with a suspense element. I could feel myself getting anxious for Lucy and Colin and the true evil that could, at any moment, overtake them. Their flirting was swoon-worthy and done in the most interesting way. Loved this! Plus, any author that can include a sewer, credibly into the plot of this book and also her next (with waterborne diseases), is a true artist and "mostly" a genius!
What are we willing to let go of to become free? A question that deserves some attention and thought.
I received this book from the publisher/book publicist but was not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
December 28, 2017
Easily one of the best of this genre that I've read in 2017. I'm not going to go into an incredible amount of detail here, since it's been over a month since I read it, but I felt like I should give this book at least a sliver of what it deserves.
The history. SO rich. So seamlessly inviting. It's not EVERY day that you get to travel the sewer systems of New York.
The characters. Beautifully flawed, yet redeemed. I actually was a bit wary of the FMC and her brother at first, because they were a little sketchy in places. But they saw their mistakes and repented, and in a non-cliche way.
SUSPENSE, BABY. This book had it in droves. I don't think I've ever wanted to just BITE MY NAILS off the way I wanted to while Lucy was in that one place. And all the times Colin was in the veritable LION'S DEN. But my nails did somewhat survive, thankfully.
In short, this book was JUST SO GOOD. I didn't do it justice in any way, shape, form, or fashion, but I also didn't want to give any spoilers. If you like Camden at all, DEFINITELY read this one!
The history. SO rich. So seamlessly inviting. It's not EVERY day that you get to travel the sewer systems of New York.
The characters. Beautifully flawed, yet redeemed. I actually was a bit wary of the FMC and her brother at first, because they were a little sketchy in places. But they saw their mistakes and repented, and in a non-cliche way.
SUSPENSE, BABY. This book had it in droves. I don't think I've ever wanted to just BITE MY NAILS off the way I wanted to while Lucy was in that one place. And all the times Colin was in the veritable LION'S DEN. But my nails did somewhat survive, thankfully.
In short, this book was JUST SO GOOD. I didn't do it justice in any way, shape, form, or fashion, but I also didn't want to give any spoilers. If you like Camden at all, DEFINITELY read this one!
November 4, 2017
One thing that you can always know you'll get when you pick up an Elizabeth Camden novel is history. I'm not talking about a time period, necessarily, but a lifestyle. You will learn so much about the era she chooses to write in. You will learn how they lived, worked and loved.
This time she takes us to the Turn of the Century. In a time of booming industry, factories, wires, and even plumbing, she intertwines a beautiful story. Of course, there is much more than that to it! You can count on love and intrigue. You'll find deep characters that are easy to love (and some to hate!).
Be sure to pick up a copy of this new series! Thanks so much for this awesome book in exchange for my review. As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!
This time she takes us to the Turn of the Century. In a time of booming industry, factories, wires, and even plumbing, she intertwines a beautiful story. Of course, there is much more than that to it! You can count on love and intrigue. You'll find deep characters that are easy to love (and some to hate!).
Be sure to pick up a copy of this new series! Thanks so much for this awesome book in exchange for my review. As always, this is my honest opinion. Here's to many more!!
September 9, 2018
An enjoyable historical romance.
June 7, 2018
Note: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but was not asked for a review of any kind in exchange. I'm am only writing this review because I like sharing my bookish thoughts and opinions. :-)
I have not read any books by Elizabeth Camden before and probably would not have for a while had I not won this book, so she was a completely new author to me and I did not know what to expect going in. Overall, it wasn't bad at all. I really enjoyed the historical elements like talk of the laying of the Pacific cable and the first message to be sent via using it, and the stuff about the Associated Press' and Reuters' partnership in spite of being rival news agencies, all of which was apparently true stuff from history. I also very much enjoyed the mystery elements and wondering how things would get worked out.
Unfortunately, seeing how this is a romance, the main thing I didn't like that much was the romance itself. I mean, it wasn't the worst ever. Neither hero nor heroine were bad people (they were flawed, but not like, abusive or borderline stalkers or anything like that.) Mainly, it was just that I had trouble getting really behind the romance until most of the way through the book. It felt a little insta-love-ey to me because, even though their attraction actually began before the story began, it was still pretty much that Colin was smitten with Lucy from the very first moment he saw her. I also felt that the way the author showed their attraction, especially near the beginning of the book, was sometimes way too much "telling" instead of actually "showing." I'm not 100% against sometimes telling things rather than showing, but I just felt like, in this instance, it wasn't done that well. I mean, at one point, it actually said that something Colin did (I think it may have been his smile) caused "waves of attraction" to wash over Lucy. "Waves of attraction"? Am I being too critical or does that sound a bit cheesy to anyone else? How about, "his smile gave her butterflies" or "made her knees weak" or something along those lines? I wouldn't have considered either of those physical reactions inappropriate and it would have, in my opinion, been far better than "waves of attraction," which makes my silly brain envision visible waves of magnetism flowing off Colin and pulling Lucy closer to him. XD
Also, while I personally am okay with chaste kisses between a committed couple before marriage, there was one part of the story where, knowing they couldn't be together and would now have to stop seeing each other at all, Lucy and Colin "stole" one last afternoon in the public park together where they pretended they were "together" and kissed quite a lot. I can see why some people would find that sweet and romantic, but I personally feel that was an unwise move on their part. For one thing, I think physical intimacy, even kissing, should be valued more than it is in our current culture and not given away too easily, or for the wrong reasons, or given away when you know you are not or cannot be committed to the recipient. So, yeah, I wasn't really super enthused by that part.
That said, I want to repeat that I didn't dislike Lucy and Colin as people, though both were flawed, and I did feel that they ultimately worked well together once everything in the way of their romance was satisfactorily worked out. Colin may not have been my personal "type" but there were times that he was very sweet, like when he used Morse code to share the nightly newspaper with Lucy to help her not feel abandoned when she was in a tough situation. I also very much appreciated the book's ultimate message that we shouldn't let unhealthy legacies of the past hold us captive in the right now. For example, Lucy's family legacy of fighting a never-ending legal battle was keeping her from pursuing her dreams of marriage and a family. Though it was good that Lucy and Nick wanted the water valve their grandfather invented sold at a price that would allow it to make everyone's lives better, the never-ending legal battle was causing both her and her brother bitterness and keeping them from pursuing normal lives, so in the end, it was better to let go of that negativity. Same goes for Colin and his issue.
The only problem I had with this^ was the extortion Lucy and Nick ultimately committed in order to get their uncle to sell the valve at a reasonable price, which I feel was using the old "the ends justify the means" argument, which is ultimately untrue. Just because you're ultimately wanting a good thing to happen does not mean it's okay to do an illegal thing to make it happen. Given something that happened later in the story I also feel the extortion was ultimately unnecessary and the problem could have been solved with further patience on the siblings' part.
I also had an issue or two with the accuracy of the portrayal of the court system in some instances. First of all, there was an instance where a witness was brought to the stand by a lawyer and the author did not indicate at all that the witness was sworn in before being questioned. According to my research, this is a practice that goes back to roman times, so why should they have not done it here? I also question if, later in the same court scene, the judge would have actually allowed Lucy to make an outburst as she did, or if her lawyer would have been chastised for not keeping his client under control. Then, much later in the book, a woman slapped an officer of the law when he tried to arrest her son, and nothing was done about it. Maybe it wasn't a thing back then, I don't know how to find out, but it's hard for me to believe she wouldn't have been arrested and charged in some way for assault. I also felt Thomas Drake surely must have done something worthy of jail time as well, whether Lucy was the one to charge him or not, and again, had he and his wife both gone to jail, we could have avoided the extortion scene.
Finally, I felt that, for a Christian Fiction book, there wasn't a lot of Christian-specific content. God was mentioned a time or two and credited for the talents He give people, of which we are intended to make use, but that was kinda it. This didn't bother me until Lucy was in the and acknowledged that God was with her so she wasn't alone, but then it was never once mentioned that she prayed or turned to Him for strength during that time, which was disappointing to me, and in my opinion, a missed opportunity for a stronger faith thread.
All of this means this book was a 3 star read for me. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it, and while I will read the other Elizabeth Camden book I was gifted by my aunt and am mildly curious about the book about Nick that comes after this one, I am not exactly going to go out of my way to get the rest of this author's books unless one really strikes my fancy or is recommended to me by a friend whose opinion I trust.
Content advisory
Sexual: Several kisses either not described or only vaguely described.
Lucy, while she and Colin are having a disagreement, is unhappy about Colin "getting in bed with" (in a business deal kind of way) her snake of an uncle. She then also makes a thoughtless comment that he is also "getting in bed with" the heiresses he is wanting to marry for their money. (He is not, and is hurt by this comment.)
A not very nice person makes a comment related to castration.
Mention of a famous statue featuring two naked people kissing. No body parts described.
Lucy a teenager who has miscarried twice. One of the pregnancies was caused by the girl's married boss who made her believe she had to be with him to keep her job.
Violence : Colin has PTSD that makes him remember a time when he was a reporter stuck behind the lines of a war zone. There is little description, but he remembers dead bodies, gunshots, the smell of gunpowder, the screams of the dying, etc.
People get threatened and held at gunpoint. Someone gets punched multiple times, someone gets kicked in the groin, someone's pet birds are shot and a wound on the breast of one bird is briefly but not graphically described.
There is the threat that someone might be shot "by accident" to shut him up about something he discovered, and the plotting for a potential bombing and assassination. There is a threat of being forcibly put in an insane asylum and the threat of cruel treatment in an insane asylum, including possibly being shocked with electricity, being forced into an ice bath, and being forcibly subjected to one's worst fears for the sake of "desensitization". (Related to this, it is said one patient at the asylum was deathly afraid of spiders and her "treatments" caused people to be able to hear her screams from the third floor.) Someone was threatened in the past via dead cats being left on his and his mother's doorsteps.
Drug/Alcohol Mentions of smoking and social drinking. One bad character is thought to be drunk because of the way he is behaving.
Swearing No actual swears written out. "Blasted" and "heck" are used a couple of times and mentions of curses and almost cursing.
I have not read any books by Elizabeth Camden before and probably would not have for a while had I not won this book, so she was a completely new author to me and I did not know what to expect going in. Overall, it wasn't bad at all. I really enjoyed the historical elements like talk of the laying of the Pacific cable and the first message to be sent via using it, and the stuff about the Associated Press' and Reuters' partnership in spite of being rival news agencies, all of which was apparently true stuff from history. I also very much enjoyed the mystery elements and wondering how things would get worked out.
Unfortunately, seeing how this is a romance, the main thing I didn't like that much was the romance itself. I mean, it wasn't the worst ever. Neither hero nor heroine were bad people (they were flawed, but not like, abusive or borderline stalkers or anything like that.) Mainly, it was just that I had trouble getting really behind the romance until most of the way through the book. It felt a little insta-love-ey to me because, even though their attraction actually began before the story began, it was still pretty much that Colin was smitten with Lucy from the very first moment he saw her. I also felt that the way the author showed their attraction, especially near the beginning of the book, was sometimes way too much "telling" instead of actually "showing." I'm not 100% against sometimes telling things rather than showing, but I just felt like, in this instance, it wasn't done that well. I mean, at one point, it actually said that something Colin did (I think it may have been his smile) caused "waves of attraction" to wash over Lucy. "Waves of attraction"? Am I being too critical or does that sound a bit cheesy to anyone else? How about, "his smile gave her butterflies" or "made her knees weak" or something along those lines? I wouldn't have considered either of those physical reactions inappropriate and it would have, in my opinion, been far better than "waves of attraction," which makes my silly brain envision visible waves of magnetism flowing off Colin and pulling Lucy closer to him. XD
Also, while I personally am okay with chaste kisses between a committed couple before marriage, there was one part of the story where, knowing they couldn't be together and would now have to stop seeing each other at all, Lucy and Colin "stole" one last afternoon in the public park together where they pretended they were "together" and kissed quite a lot. I can see why some people would find that sweet and romantic, but I personally feel that was an unwise move on their part. For one thing, I think physical intimacy, even kissing, should be valued more than it is in our current culture and not given away too easily, or for the wrong reasons, or given away when you know you are not or cannot be committed to the recipient. So, yeah, I wasn't really super enthused by that part.
That said, I want to repeat that I didn't dislike Lucy and Colin as people, though both were flawed, and I did feel that they ultimately worked well together once everything in the way of their romance was satisfactorily worked out. Colin may not have been my personal "type" but there were times that he was very sweet, like when he used Morse code to share the nightly newspaper with Lucy to help her not feel abandoned when she was in a tough situation. I also very much appreciated the book's ultimate message that we shouldn't let unhealthy legacies of the past hold us captive in the right now. For example, Lucy's family legacy of fighting a never-ending legal battle was keeping her from pursuing her dreams of marriage and a family. Though it was good that Lucy and Nick wanted the water valve their grandfather invented sold at a price that would allow it to make everyone's lives better, the never-ending legal battle was causing both her and her brother bitterness and keeping them from pursuing normal lives, so in the end, it was better to let go of that negativity. Same goes for Colin and his issue.
The only problem I had with this^ was the extortion Lucy and Nick ultimately committed in order to get their uncle to sell the valve at a reasonable price, which I feel was using the old "the ends justify the means" argument, which is ultimately untrue. Just because you're ultimately wanting a good thing to happen does not mean it's okay to do an illegal thing to make it happen. Given something that happened later in the story I also feel the extortion was ultimately unnecessary and the problem could have been solved with further patience on the siblings' part.
I also had an issue or two with the accuracy of the portrayal of the court system in some instances. First of all, there was an instance where a witness was brought to the stand by a lawyer and the author did not indicate at all that the witness was sworn in before being questioned. According to my research, this is a practice that goes back to roman times, so why should they have not done it here? I also question if, later in the same court scene, the judge would have actually allowed Lucy to make an outburst as she did, or if her lawyer would have been chastised for not keeping his client under control. Then, much later in the book, a woman slapped an officer of the law when he tried to arrest her son, and nothing was done about it. Maybe it wasn't a thing back then, I don't know how to find out, but it's hard for me to believe she wouldn't have been arrested and charged in some way for assault. I also felt Thomas Drake surely must have done something worthy of jail time as well, whether Lucy was the one to charge him or not, and again, had he and his wife both gone to jail, we could have avoided the extortion scene.
Finally, I felt that, for a Christian Fiction book, there wasn't a lot of Christian-specific content. God was mentioned a time or two and credited for the talents He give people, of which we are intended to make use, but that was kinda it. This didn't bother me until Lucy was in the and acknowledged that God was with her so she wasn't alone, but then it was never once mentioned that she prayed or turned to Him for strength during that time, which was disappointing to me, and in my opinion, a missed opportunity for a stronger faith thread.
All of this means this book was a 3 star read for me. I didn't hate it, but didn't love it, and while I will read the other Elizabeth Camden book I was gifted by my aunt and am mildly curious about the book about Nick that comes after this one, I am not exactly going to go out of my way to get the rest of this author's books unless one really strikes my fancy or is recommended to me by a friend whose opinion I trust.
Content advisory
Sexual: Several kisses either not described or only vaguely described.
Lucy, while she and Colin are having a disagreement, is unhappy about Colin "getting in bed with" (in a business deal kind of way) her snake of an uncle. She then also makes a thoughtless comment that he is also "getting in bed with" the heiresses he is wanting to marry for their money. (He is not, and is hurt by this comment.)
A not very nice person makes a comment related to castration.
Mention of a famous statue featuring two naked people kissing. No body parts described.
Lucy a teenager who has miscarried twice. One of the pregnancies was caused by the girl's married boss who made her believe she had to be with him to keep her job.
Violence : Colin has PTSD that makes him remember a time when he was a reporter stuck behind the lines of a war zone. There is little description, but he remembers dead bodies, gunshots, the smell of gunpowder, the screams of the dying, etc.
People get threatened and held at gunpoint. Someone gets punched multiple times, someone gets kicked in the groin, someone's pet birds are shot and a wound on the breast of one bird is briefly but not graphically described.
There is the threat that someone might be shot "by accident" to shut him up about something he discovered, and the plotting for a potential bombing and assassination. There is a threat of being forcibly put in an insane asylum and the threat of cruel treatment in an insane asylum, including possibly being shocked with electricity, being forced into an ice bath, and being forcibly subjected to one's worst fears for the sake of "desensitization". (Related to this, it is said one patient at the asylum was deathly afraid of spiders and her "treatments" caused people to be able to hear her screams from the third floor.) Someone was threatened in the past via dead cats being left on his and his mother's doorsteps.
Drug/Alcohol Mentions of smoking and social drinking. One bad character is thought to be drunk because of the way he is behaving.
Swearing No actual swears written out. "Blasted" and "heck" are used a couple of times and mentions of curses and almost cursing.
October 17, 2017
Reviewed at my blog: Babbling Books
I don’t like sounding harsh and I always think you can find something about a book that’s noteworthy or that is interesting. This book was very good from a historical perspective and that alone is what earned it the two stars. I enjoyed the historical elements and the time period placement as well as the attention to historic details. The talk about morse code, carrier pigeons and the high society nuances were all interesting. Aside from that the book fell apart for me.
I really liked the setup for the characters in the beginning, Lucy was funny, confident and a woman who could take care of herself. She and her brother were an excellent team all on their own and I really liked their close relationship. Colin was a bit snarky and rough around the edges but a charmer and I was excited to learn more about how he would overcome his past with the war. I could see some good redemptive arcs being put into place early for all the characters. But as the book got further and further along I got more and more disappointed. I felt the author degraded Lucy’s character by having her act morally superior while doing things that were morally corrupt. Nick ended up becoming an angry character for most of the book and by the end was almost wrangled into a deal for a life he wasn’t cut out for and didn’t seem to want. And Colin began to come across as a jerk as he would mess with Lucy’s affections while pursuing his own ends. I know none of this is likely what the author intended, but it’s how everything came across. There just wasn’t enough backstory or development to make me love or invest in these characters.
As for the romance, while I loved Lucy and Colin’s chemistry as a couple and their banter together, by the end I was left scratching my head as to why they would end up together. Without going into spoilers too much, it really bothered me that by the end it was insinuated that Colin really loved Lucy all along, but the impression the writing had given was completely otherwise. A man who professes his love for a woman, while practically yelling at her for being selfish at not wanting to pursue money, all so he could get out of debt and they could marry is not a good guy, he’s a scoundrel. And just because that plot was conveniently resolved in the end does not change that character flaw.
I was just disappointed with how the author ended up handling the characters. She set them up really well but honestly didn’t resolve anything. Everything still felt wide open. The ending felt too rushed and hurried and the characters incomplete. While they appeared to learn things on the surface, the real lessons aren’t learned at all and none of the characters grew or became anything truly different.
Overall I’m glad I got a chance to read this book, and the historical elements were wonderful. Maybe with the sequel more will be explored, but I don’t think it’s a series I’m likely to continue reading, but you never know.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher (Bethany House) in exchange for an honest review*
“Theirs was a case of David versus Goliath, and in battles like that, the honorable people were supposed to persevere until they finally won.”I think I’ve said this before but it can’t be stated enough, books with unrealized potential are the ones that frustrate me the most. The books that start out on a path where you can really see great plots, well developed characters and awesome stories but as they go fizzle out into just so-so stories, those are the saddest ones.
I don’t like sounding harsh and I always think you can find something about a book that’s noteworthy or that is interesting. This book was very good from a historical perspective and that alone is what earned it the two stars. I enjoyed the historical elements and the time period placement as well as the attention to historic details. The talk about morse code, carrier pigeons and the high society nuances were all interesting. Aside from that the book fell apart for me.
I really liked the setup for the characters in the beginning, Lucy was funny, confident and a woman who could take care of herself. She and her brother were an excellent team all on their own and I really liked their close relationship. Colin was a bit snarky and rough around the edges but a charmer and I was excited to learn more about how he would overcome his past with the war. I could see some good redemptive arcs being put into place early for all the characters. But as the book got further and further along I got more and more disappointed. I felt the author degraded Lucy’s character by having her act morally superior while doing things that were morally corrupt. Nick ended up becoming an angry character for most of the book and by the end was almost wrangled into a deal for a life he wasn’t cut out for and didn’t seem to want. And Colin began to come across as a jerk as he would mess with Lucy’s affections while pursuing his own ends. I know none of this is likely what the author intended, but it’s how everything came across. There just wasn’t enough backstory or development to make me love or invest in these characters.
As for the romance, while I loved Lucy and Colin’s chemistry as a couple and their banter together, by the end I was left scratching my head as to why they would end up together. Without going into spoilers too much, it really bothered me that by the end it was insinuated that Colin really loved Lucy all along, but the impression the writing had given was completely otherwise. A man who professes his love for a woman, while practically yelling at her for being selfish at not wanting to pursue money, all so he could get out of debt and they could marry is not a good guy, he’s a scoundrel. And just because that plot was conveniently resolved in the end does not change that character flaw.
I was just disappointed with how the author ended up handling the characters. She set them up really well but honestly didn’t resolve anything. Everything still felt wide open. The ending felt too rushed and hurried and the characters incomplete. While they appeared to learn things on the surface, the real lessons aren’t learned at all and none of the characters grew or became anything truly different.
Overall I’m glad I got a chance to read this book, and the historical elements were wonderful. Maybe with the sequel more will be explored, but I don’t think it’s a series I’m likely to continue reading, but you never know.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher (Bethany House) in exchange for an honest review*
December 16, 2017
There is something so decadent about an edge-of-you-seat suspense paired with historical romance! And this one is riveting. Deeply intricate story threads woven into a complex pattern of loss and greed and vengeance. A villian who has "...no soul and that let him fight with the single-minded zeal of a jackal." (p 12) and a heroine determined to stand up for what is right and just though it alters the course of her life in devastating ways. A family legacy of sorts that has ensnared both Lucy and her brother. The layered depths in the suspense is exceptionally well done. Enthralling historical details -- telegraphy, Morse code, the early days of international news reporting and homing pigeons! Diverse and captivating and all of it plays an important role in this romantic suspense.
Lucy is a grounded working girl -- independent by necessity but also by choice. She loves her job as a telegrapher and is fiercely loyal to the Associated Press. Which makes for some spectacular fireworks when rival company Reuters imports British aristocracy to manage their New York office. Enter Sir Colin Beckwith and let the toe-curling begin. As well as the laughter thanks to the wicked banter this adversarial hero and heroine engage in on a daily basis.
If you look 'pager-turner'up in the dictionary you should find A Dangerous Legacy as the definition. I inhaled this book. Actually woke up at four in the morning and rejoiced because that meant I got to spend two blissful hours reading before I had to get ready for the day! Definitely one for the long-time keeper shelf!
Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.
Lucy is a grounded working girl -- independent by necessity but also by choice. She loves her job as a telegrapher and is fiercely loyal to the Associated Press. Which makes for some spectacular fireworks when rival company Reuters imports British aristocracy to manage their New York office. Enter Sir Colin Beckwith and let the toe-curling begin. As well as the laughter thanks to the wicked banter this adversarial hero and heroine engage in on a daily basis.
If you look 'pager-turner'up in the dictionary you should find A Dangerous Legacy as the definition. I inhaled this book. Actually woke up at four in the morning and rejoiced because that meant I got to spend two blissful hours reading before I had to get ready for the day! Definitely one for the long-time keeper shelf!
Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.
September 16, 2018
A spy, a bold telegraph operator, Messenger pigeons and morse code. It eventually kept me very entertained!
It started a little slow for me but I really enjoyed the second half.
I really liked Lucy I thought she was very bold and brave. Her courage really shines through this story. However I didn’t like Colin much even at the end!
I like that the author lead the story to a very dangerous edge :)
This was my first by Elizabeth Camden and I look forward to reading more in the fire.
I also listened to the accompanied audio performed by Morgan Hallett I give her 4.5 stars for her very enjoyable performance.
Recommended for Christian historical fiction fans!
It started a little slow for me but I really enjoyed the second half.
I really liked Lucy I thought she was very bold and brave. Her courage really shines through this story. However I didn’t like Colin much even at the end!
I like that the author lead the story to a very dangerous edge :)
This was my first by Elizabeth Camden and I look forward to reading more in the fire.
I also listened to the accompanied audio performed by Morgan Hallett I give her 4.5 stars for her very enjoyable performance.
Recommended for Christian historical fiction fans!
February 13, 2018
I want to give this book 5+++++ stars! Who knew Morse code could be so intriguing and romantic! ;)
May 10, 2024
Loved learning about Reuters and the AP. As a history buff, her books never fail! I really liked the main characters. I wouldn't have picked this up had I known there was an asylum in it. I try to avoid that subject. But it wasn't too traumatic for me, and I skipped the page with the worst of it.
October 9, 2017
A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden is a unique historical novel that takes place during the early twentieth century. One thing I really enjoy about Camden's novels is her ability to bring the technology we use every day to the forefront of my imagination in a fictionalized story. I'm always drawn into the trouble the characters find themselves in while learning something about the great inventions that have made life easier for modern day life.
Camden does a great job at writing the story. She is clear and concise in her descriptions and her writing. I have no problem picturing the scene and the setting. Camden does a really job at bringing New York City to life. She also does a great job at bringing the elaborate mansions to life when Camden travels out of New York to spy on Uncle Thomas.
I really enjoyed the plot in this story. I enjoyed seeing how the telegraphers worked and how the plumbing began in the early twentieth century. One of my favorite things for a historical writer to do is to tell me a little bit about history without overwhelming me. Sarah Sun din and Camden are my favorite two writers who do this. I enjoy the twists and turns that Camden has created in the mystery to keep Lucy and Nick on their toes as they struggle against their uncle and seek justice.
I really enjoyed spending time with Lucy, who is a smart woman who doesn't mind working for a living. Never once does she go out of her way to try to blackmail her uncle for her own selfish reasons. She wants him to allow the plumbing valve to be distributed for the masses at a reasonable cost. I admire her ability to negotiate and keep a level head throughout the novel. As for Camden, he wasn't one of my favorite hero's. He is a nice guy who appears to be just wanting a rich American heiress to keep his English home afloat, but by the end of the novel, he changes, and I respect him for that.
The romance doesn't dictate the story, but it does take up a good majority of the plot. Not too much. Not too little. Camden keeps it at an even keel. Just the way fans of historical romances like it.
I really LOVE the cover for this novel. The publishing company did a great job. The skyline of New York City in the background with the soft blush colors really captured my attention.
Overall, A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden is a refreshing tale on the importance of the telegraph machine and plumbing for American history. The characters were wonderful to spend time with, and the plot was a great way to spend a couple of days. I anxiously await what historical invention Camden will be crafting a story around next.
I received a complimentary copy of A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
Camden does a great job at writing the story. She is clear and concise in her descriptions and her writing. I have no problem picturing the scene and the setting. Camden does a really job at bringing New York City to life. She also does a great job at bringing the elaborate mansions to life when Camden travels out of New York to spy on Uncle Thomas.
I really enjoyed the plot in this story. I enjoyed seeing how the telegraphers worked and how the plumbing began in the early twentieth century. One of my favorite things for a historical writer to do is to tell me a little bit about history without overwhelming me. Sarah Sun din and Camden are my favorite two writers who do this. I enjoy the twists and turns that Camden has created in the mystery to keep Lucy and Nick on their toes as they struggle against their uncle and seek justice.
I really enjoyed spending time with Lucy, who is a smart woman who doesn't mind working for a living. Never once does she go out of her way to try to blackmail her uncle for her own selfish reasons. She wants him to allow the plumbing valve to be distributed for the masses at a reasonable cost. I admire her ability to negotiate and keep a level head throughout the novel. As for Camden, he wasn't one of my favorite hero's. He is a nice guy who appears to be just wanting a rich American heiress to keep his English home afloat, but by the end of the novel, he changes, and I respect him for that.
The romance doesn't dictate the story, but it does take up a good majority of the plot. Not too much. Not too little. Camden keeps it at an even keel. Just the way fans of historical romances like it.
I really LOVE the cover for this novel. The publishing company did a great job. The skyline of New York City in the background with the soft blush colors really captured my attention.
Overall, A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden is a refreshing tale on the importance of the telegraph machine and plumbing for American history. The characters were wonderful to spend time with, and the plot was a great way to spend a couple of days. I anxiously await what historical invention Camden will be crafting a story around next.
I received a complimentary copy of A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
June 19, 2018
As always with an Elizabeth Camden book, I enjoyed the historical content. The background information re: the AP, Reuters, and Panama canal was super interesting. I loved the Morse code and the carrier pigeons. However, I didn't like either MC that much. They were both flawed individuals, which I do appreciate, since to be human is to be flawed. I'm glad that the author wrote them both as having their individual transformations. I don't like it when circumstances just turn out to be what the character wants; it's much more mature to have a person change his or her perspective, thus changing their approach to whatever the conflict is in the story. But for me, the transformations took place so late in the book. Plus if you're like me and don't really enjoy a plot where the H has to marry for money, the h has none, and he spends time with the h all the while pursuing unnamed heiresses, this story will bother you. I do like that both of the MCs were very aboveboard about everything; neither of them kept their circumstances a secret and that I can respect. However, the angst that was generated by the H needing to marry a woman of wealth lasted way too long.
I generally enjoy a slightly more spiritual message in my inspirational fiction. I could see this appealing to a broader audience since the spiritual content is very light, but I would have been even more encouraged by a stronger message. As the story was told, however, the belief that unforgiveness is a burden and that God wants us to live free of bitterness was a nice reminder indeed.
I generally enjoy a slightly more spiritual message in my inspirational fiction. I could see this appealing to a broader audience since the spiritual content is very light, but I would have been even more encouraged by a stronger message. As the story was told, however, the belief that unforgiveness is a burden and that God wants us to live free of bitterness was a nice reminder indeed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2018
A DANGEROUS LEGACY is the first book of Ms. Camden's newest series. I am seriously behind in reading her books so I have several in my to-be-read as-soon-as-possible pile beside me. I was glad this is the first book of the series so I didn't have to figure out what order to read them in.
I liked Colin, a British hero, with an accent and a sense of humor. What's not to like? Plus, he used homing pigeons which was a unique twist. Lucy is somewhat prickly, but understandable since she is being stalked, her job is at risk, her uncle is suing her and her brother, and more. There are several suspense threads going in this story.
I learned something new about morse-code operators. I didn't know (but probably should've) that they were used to dictate news stories as they came across the lines. I also didn't know that the two rival news agencies were in the same building in NYC.
The romance does take third place in this story and there is no faith message to speak of. The suspense is second in storyline, but the main focus is the history. At times it almost felt like an information dump as if the author put in everything she researched regarding a subject (which I'm sure she didn't, it just felt that way.)
This was not my favorite Elizabeth Camden book, but don't take my word for it. There are plenty of five star reviews. If you love historical novels with a touch of romance and a suspense, you will likely love A DANGEROUS LEGACY.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
I liked Colin, a British hero, with an accent and a sense of humor. What's not to like? Plus, he used homing pigeons which was a unique twist. Lucy is somewhat prickly, but understandable since she is being stalked, her job is at risk, her uncle is suing her and her brother, and more. There are several suspense threads going in this story.
I learned something new about morse-code operators. I didn't know (but probably should've) that they were used to dictate news stories as they came across the lines. I also didn't know that the two rival news agencies were in the same building in NYC.
The romance does take third place in this story and there is no faith message to speak of. The suspense is second in storyline, but the main focus is the history. At times it almost felt like an information dump as if the author put in everything she researched regarding a subject (which I'm sure she didn't, it just felt that way.)
This was not my favorite Elizabeth Camden book, but don't take my word for it. There are plenty of five star reviews. If you love historical novels with a touch of romance and a suspense, you will likely love A DANGEROUS LEGACY.
I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.
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