xakyr's review against another edition
2.0
FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE PUBLISHER THROUGH NET GALLEY. I VOLUNTARILY OFFER MY HONEST REVIEW OF THE BOOK, THOUGH IT IS NOT EXPECTED OF ME! RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!
This is not my first time reading this author, but it is only the second book I have ever read by her. The difference between this book and the one I read prior to it is quite significant.
The romance angle in this story is very subtle, not preachy at all, but it didn't feel like a significant part of the story either. That's not something I was expecting to see in a Christian romance! The book was also slow to start, and I didn't feel like it really moved past that meandering pace.
The story itself was somewhat interesting, but I had a hard time connecting to the characters. It felt like everything was just too dramatic, too forced. I did like seeing the fight against the attraction between Lily and Mac, but I felt there wasn't enough actual romance between the two of them.
For me, a rather disappointing entry in the series!
This is not my first time reading this author, but it is only the second book I have ever read by her. The difference between this book and the one I read prior to it is quite significant.
The romance angle in this story is very subtle, not preachy at all, but it didn't feel like a significant part of the story either. That's not something I was expecting to see in a Christian romance! The book was also slow to start, and I didn't feel like it really moved past that meandering pace.
The story itself was somewhat interesting, but I had a hard time connecting to the characters. It felt like everything was just too dramatic, too forced. I did like seeing the fight against the attraction between Lily and Mac, but I felt there wasn't enough actual romance between the two of them.
For me, a rather disappointing entry in the series!
kristi518's review against another edition
3.0
The best part of this book for me was that it didn't follow the usual "guy meets girl, they don't like each other, then they fall in love" formula. Lily and Mac were hesitant of each other but there is definitely an attraction there that made the characters come to life and the story fun to read.
I liked Lily right off the bat and I liked Mac just as much. Mac's friend Blake was a nice addition to the story with his friendship and humor. I really liked that Lily was bold and wasn't afraid to tell Mac what she thought and how she felt. I'm sure this was unusual for the time but she did it in a way that was tactful so it didn't seem unrealistic. I also liked Lily's intelligence and spirit. She was young but mature enough to care for her two younger brothers who were a bit of a handful. Aunt Hilda lent a feeling of home to the story. Mr. Everett seemed sneaky and slimy from the beginning and I was glad to see that Mac was on to him and also Lily wasn't easy to pull one over on.
Mac and Lily had personalities that both matched and balanced each other. I liked their (not quite a) friendship from the beginning. I enjoyed reading about their friendship and perhaps budding love for each other. The author did a great job in creating characters that were dimensional and easy to like. I enjoyed getting to know them and spending time with them in the pages of the book.
I also liked the author's writing style and her use of words to paint descriptions of the setting of the book. Whether in the Shenandoah Valley or Alexandria I felt like I was there right along with the characters. The pace of the book is good as well as the story is constantly progressing and never stalls or becomes boring.
This story is a great addition to the My Heart Belongs series. It fits the series well with a strong female lead character and a man who is the perfect match for her. I think this will be an enjoyable read for fans of historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.
I liked Lily right off the bat and I liked Mac just as much. Mac's friend Blake was a nice addition to the story with his friendship and humor. I really liked that Lily was bold and wasn't afraid to tell Mac what she thought and how she felt. I'm sure this was unusual for the time but she did it in a way that was tactful so it didn't seem unrealistic. I also liked Lily's intelligence and spirit. She was young but mature enough to care for her two younger brothers who were a bit of a handful. Aunt Hilda lent a feeling of home to the story. Mr. Everett seemed sneaky and slimy from the beginning and I was glad to see that Mac was on to him and also Lily wasn't easy to pull one over on.
Mac and Lily had personalities that both matched and balanced each other. I liked their (not quite a) friendship from the beginning. I enjoyed reading about their friendship and perhaps budding love for each other. The author did a great job in creating characters that were dimensional and easy to like. I enjoyed getting to know them and spending time with them in the pages of the book.
I also liked the author's writing style and her use of words to paint descriptions of the setting of the book. Whether in the Shenandoah Valley or Alexandria I felt like I was there right along with the characters. The pace of the book is good as well as the story is constantly progressing and never stalls or becomes boring.
This story is a great addition to the My Heart Belongs series. It fits the series well with a strong female lead character and a man who is the perfect match for her. I think this will be an enjoyable read for fans of historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.
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