Book Review: Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck

Charlotte Beck, a girl on the verge of adulthood, is having trouble meeting social protocol. A seventeen year old American making her social debut in London, Charlotte cannot seem to keep her independent spirit in check. As the only daughter to a wealthy English business man living in Colorado, Charlotte has never wanted for anything, except an education. With an affinity for numbers, Charlotte hopes to attend college for a degree in mathematics and then run her father's business. Her father has other plans.

Marriage.

Charlotte wants to have a career before family. At the time, the proposition was almost unheard of. Enter the male lead: rich boy and astronomer Alex Hambly. An Englishman holding his crumbling family together, Alex needs to marry in order to save his family from financial ruin. Charlotte and Alex drive each other crazy (as the characters always do), but Charlotte's father makes them an offer too tempting to turn down.

If they agree to marry, Charlotte is free to pursue a degree for four years and he will pay off the debts the Hambly family owes. Reluctantly, the two agree, secretly planning to annul the marriage as soon as they can. And as these stories always do, feelings change, the characters try to deny it, but in the end realize that the marriage may not have been so inconvenient after all.

My reasoning for picking this book was simple: I didn't really want to read any of the other choices I was given on my blogging for books program. I knew exactly how this one would turn out from the title of the book, and I was right. By Kathleen Y'Barbo, the book is written decently well. The style is simple and straight to the point, but there was quite a bit of humor. A lot of cliches (A little annoying when you have heard them all. Some people can pull that off, others can't. Y'Barbo is in the latter category).

It is your typical romance story. Girl and boy meet. Drive one another up a wall. Vow never to speak to one another. Thrust together against their will. Arranged marriage. Happily ever after. The end.

Oh, I probably should have said spoiler alert! Oh well. You probably should have figured it by now anyway.

Overall, I'm not going to say it was a bad book, because it wasn't. It was just way too predictable. I have read all of that before. If you have some time to kill, want a romance, and don't really care about the plot, go ahead and pick it up. If I hadn't been given it for free, I probably wouldn't have bought it.

2 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Just a quick side note: the blogging for books program asks readers of the reviews to rate the reviews that they read. If you could rate mine, I would appreciate it. If I get high enough reviews, I could win prizes and whatnot, so I would love it if you did! I believe that if you click here it will go to the reviews I have done in the past. If not, let me know.



I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review and received no monetary compensation. I just do this for my own enjoyment. If you feel you might be interested, visit their website, Blogging for Books.

Book Review: The Daughter's Walk

I am finally back into blogging about books, and my first read of the summer is a historical fiction coming from the wonderful writer Jane Kirkpatrick. Anyone that talks to me for a bit will understand how much of a history buff I am and that is the reason I chose this novel. For the most part, the events of the novel are historically accurate with a few minor characters thrown in here and there to give the plot some more depth.

The book spans a larger period of time, beginning with 19 year old Clara, a young woman on a walk across the United States, from Spokane, Wash., to New York in the last 1890s. The first half of the novel details the 3,500 mile journey of Clara and her mother, Helga. The family needs money, and they walk across the country on a wager, hoping to save their farm. I do have to admit that the walking was a bit tiresome in some parts...I did skim at some points. Other times there was a lot happening, and it was difficult to put down for the night.

The second half of the novel describes Clara's venture into the business world. She exiles herself from her family and lives an independent life, something unheard of during the time.

It is supposed to be a spiritual novel, but I found that there really was little mention of God. If I hadn't known that before hand, I probably wouldn't have noticed much of the references. This is one of the lose ends that really bothered me. There is no spiritual conclusion in Clara's life. God exists, but no major mention of Him later in the novel kind of spoils that plot point.

Overall, a good read. If you have some time, pick it up, especially if you are a history buff. 3 1/2-4 stars from me!



I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review and received no monetary compensation. I just do this for my own enjoyment. If you feel you might be interested, visit their website, Blogging for Books.

Book Review: Lady in Waiting

Jane Lindsay and Jane Grey are two completely different women living in two separate worlds. Time periods even.

Jane Lindsay is struggling through a rough marriage when her husband walks out of their home in Manhattan saying he needs space. Jane trudges through her life, not knowing what she wants or how to be happy. In a box full of antiques from a sale in Wales, Jane happens across a ring inscribed with Latin and her own name, Jane.

Lucy Day is the dressmaker to a young Lady Jane Grey and observes her royal life from the background. In the sixteenth-century, Lady Jane has no power over her life. Shuffled from one house to the next, never settling in a world of uncertainty. Jane is bound by duty to her family, to the King, and to her country. But not to herself. In a time where politics and religion fueled political status, Jane is caught in the crossfire that leaves her wondering if she can choose her fate.

As the two Janes discover their destiny, their shared passion for one ring intertwines their worlds. Both must understand that they have control, but only if they choose to have their own life.

Susan Meissner wrote a splendid work of historical fiction that will appease any Tudor history buff. It is the perfect combination of modern and old. The different points-of-view are seamless and well thought out. On top of that, there is the fact that I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. I read the entire book in just seven hours!

Also, Meissner wrote in some very strong thematic elements. These aspects will make the reader think about their life in a new way as well as inspire the reader to choose for themselves rather than someone else.

I would recommend this to anyone with a passion for history. It doesn't strike me as the kind of book most men would pick up and read, but the genre definitely appeals to women. Meissner presents some strong female characters; although they struggle with problems, they learn to find themselves in the process.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review and received no monetary compensation. I just do this for my own enjoyment. If you feel you might be interested, visit their website, Blogging for Books.

Book Review: Tandem

The novel, Tandem, by Tracey Bateman was nothing like I expected. When I read the synopsis, I was intrigued by the idea of a mystery novel. And, like most murder mysteries, I was hooked from the very first chapter.

Abbey Hills is just a small town in the Ozark country when strange murders begin to take over their peaceful town. Lauryn McBride is trying to get by with money from her family's auctioning company to take care of her father who is declining rapidly due to Alzheimer's. After a wealthy man of the community passes away, Lauryn tries to unravel the secrets of his home as she prepares his rare and valuable antiques for auction.

Amede Dastillion is a woman desperately trying to find her sister when she receives an unexpected package from the deceased man's estate in Abbey Hills. With this as a key to her missing sister, she sets out on a journey that will risk her life. More murders happen as she stays at the only inn in Abbey Hills, and she becomes a prime suspect for the murders.

Amede and Lauryn become wrapped up in the mysterious nature of the murders as Lauryn learns the secrets of some of the dark residents. Both women struggle with the concept of God and sin. Where do you draw the line, and does He even exist? Abbey Hills is no longer safe, but what is Lauryn to do when she has a father to look after?

From the very beginning, Bateman draws in the reader by using a mysterious point of view. The entire novel takes place from the point of view of Lauryn, Amede, and a mysterious woman being tortured by a madman. I have to say, that I did not figure out this who-donnit until the very end. I had my suspicions, some of which turned out to be correct and others that were completely off.

I couldn't put this book down once I started. I was a little disappointed in the ending because it seems like everything just was nicely arranged. Let's just say, I thought it was just too hunky-dory and an unrealistic ending to such a secret being revealed. But, overall, I was pleased with how Bateman portrayed the characters as well as their believability.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a love for mysteries. I was surprised, but I shouldn't have been. I think Bateman gives enough clues to be able to figure it out, if only you pay attention carefully. Good luck figuring it all out and happy reading!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review and received no monetary compensation. I just do this for my own enjoyment. If you feel you might be interested, visit their website, Blogging for Books.