Tag: split timeline

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Christmas Table by Donna VanLiere

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: The Christmas Table by Donna VanLiere

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will release on October 6, 2020.]

Summary

In 1972, Joan, a young wife and mother, teaches herself to cook from her mother’s recipes. When cancer strikes, she continues to cook, when she feels up to it, using the recipes to connect with her children. Family time is precious as they fight for her survival. Through the year, her husband finds some respite working on a table for their kitchen.

In 2012, Lauren and Travis discover they’re going to have a baby. As their friends help the newlyweds prepare their home for a new arrival, Lauren gets a refurbished kitchen table. The table has a secret drawer. Inside, she discovers a stack of recipe cards which include family stories. As she experiments with the recipes, Lauren is determined to do all she can to return those cards to that family.

Review

This is book 10 in the Christmas Hope series by Donna VanLiere. I think the books can be read alone (I started with book 8, The Christmas Town) without too much trouble, but to get everything out of the relationships, readers might try the books in order.

I liked the dual timeline/split timeline in this. The 1972 story keeps you wondering all the way through about how things will turn out for this family. For me, it was stressful. There’s a strong prayer/faith component to this timeline in the book which I enjoyed. For some, the cancer/chemo pieces could be difficult to read.

I preferred the 2012 timeline. I have loved Lauren’s story since The Christmas Town, so I was happy to spend more time with her in this book. The ending, where all was connected and revealed, was terrific and satisfying.

I liked the idea of using recipe cards as a storytelling mechanism. But in reality, it got old to me at times to read the cooking details. I felt like it slowed the story down. Cooking is not something I enjoy, but those pieces might be perfect and enjoyable for other readers who do. The book includes several recipes for readers who want to try some of the items on their own.

Fans of Grandon and the Christmas Hope series will want to pick this one up. Readers who enjoy stories of faith, warm Christmas tales, and dual/split  timeline stories should check this out, too. (CW: Cancer/Chemo. One reference in the ARC to a newborn sleeping on her stomach. Due to SIDS risk, babies should be put to sleep on their backs.)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

BONUS REVIEW: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

BONUS REVIEW: The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Dutton in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

1913
The Lyons live in the Fifth Avenue branch of the New York Public Library. Jack is the superintendent for the library, and he and Laura live in an apartment in the building with their two kids. After work each night, Jack works on his novel, and Laura manages the kids and their routines. But Laura longs for more. She’s been accepted into a journalism program at Columbia University – one that accepts women. Laura wants to write, too. If she could get a reporting job, she could help with the family’s finances so Jack would have more time to finish his book.

1993
Sadie is working on a special collection at the New York Public Library. As part of the exhibit she’s preparing, her boss wants more examples of Laura Lyons’ work or personal effects. Her feminist essays have had a resurgence of popularity lately. Sadie hasn’t told him that Laura was her grandmother. She would have – she found some great examples of her early writing that would be fun additions to the exhibit. But she also found references to some missing books from the time Laura’s family lived in the library. Until Sadie can find out what happened then, she wants to keep her connection to the Lyons to herself. Books have started to go missing from the collection Sadie is curating, and the connection to the 80 year old mystery could make a difficult situation even worse.

Review

This was an interesting split timeline story connected by family relationships and the thefts at the NYPL. Beyond that, Sadie’s story is also about family, her work, and her identity following her divorce. Laura’s story is even more involved, focusing on the role of women in the early 1900s. She goes back to school to pursue a career in a field dominated by men. She longs for meaning and a challenge outside her home, but she also feels guilt for not being available to her children all the time. She connects with women in her community who are pushing for equality, suffrage, access to contraception and health care, etc. The myriad of issues in 1913 made that section of the story more intricate, but my personal preference was for the “contemporary” story with Sadie and her family and work.

The mystery of the book thefts is well done – in both timelines – and I loved the ways they were connected. I didn’t click with the characters very much in this book, but I was captivated by this mystery. The author does a great job putting together a mystery with an historic story that also explores the lives of grandmother and granddaughter. Readers who enjoy split timeline stories should check this one out. (Some Christian examples of this type of storytelling can be seen in Rachel Hauck’s work – The Writing Desk and The Love Letter are two examples.)

(Language, sex, LGBTQ+: Bisexual and F/F relationships. TW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

REVIEW: The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Chloe Daschle is tired of playing characters who die. But death scenes have sort of become her bread and butter – all anyone wants her to do, it seems. But not this time. Chloe has read an amazing new script, and she is determined to be the lead. Bound by Love takes place during the American Revolution. It’s based on a letter from the screen writer, Jesse Gates’, ancestor. In the letter, Hamilton asks an old flame if their love might have a second chance after both of their beloved spouses have passed away. Chloe, a big believer in True Love, longs to play the role of Esther in this fictionalized version of the love story represented by the letter.

Hamilton and Esther were very real people in 1781. While Esther was part of British society, she and her father lived in South Carolina where her father managed the land and assets of a wealthy British businessman. Hamilton lived on a nearby farm with the aunt and uncle who raised him after he lost his family. While the two young people are in love, circumstances put them on opposites sides of the growing hostilities in the colonies.

Hundreds of years apart, the stories of Hamilton and Esther and Jesse and Chloe are tied together in ways they can’t begin to fathom.

Review

This is a lovely story of family, forgiveness and faith. This formula of connecting stories in different time periods has been used to great success by this author before, and it works again this time.

The historic pieces from the Revolutionary War are solid. The events of that time period really work against the characters of Hamilton and Esther. The reader gets to see how things develop in the community and threaten to pull the young people apart.

I enjoyed the contemporary story more than the historical one for this book (whereas I enjoyed the historical part more in The Writing Desk.) This isn’t an especially deep or tortured love story, but each character has baggage to overcome. I really enjoyed Chloe and Jesse, and I was cheering for them from the start.

The faith pieces were okay. There are some slightly “mystical” moments that felt out of place to me with the rest of the story. But I loved the conversion stories that explored faith and surrender and unconditional love for some of the characters.

I found a book by this author on my TBR shelves and another on my e-reader. Both are now on my summer reading wish list. I really enjoy Ms. Hauck’s work and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

REVIEW: The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Tenley’s first book was a best-seller. An award winner. But she can’t get one word written for a follow up. With a famous father and great-great-grandfather who were authors, shouldn’t this be easier? Is she destined to be a one hit wonder?

In 1902, Birdie longs to throw off the expectations of her station. She wants to have her stories published and marry the man she loves. But the publisher she approached turned her down, and she never got her manuscript back. Her parents have arranged a marriage for her that will solidify her status in society for the rest of her life. But what about what she wants?

When Tenley heads to Florida to care for her estranged mother while she goes through chemo, she’s supposed to be writing her next book. Instead she takes steps that will draw her story and Birdie’s together across more than 100 years.

Review

This was terrific! First and foremost it’s a story of writers, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I adored Birdie. She showed great strength and determination as she made every effort to fight the destiny laid out for her. Her story was my favorite.

I empathized with Tenley. She’s lost. She doesn’t really know who she is. But she does the right thing in going to take care of her mom. And while they still had prickly moments, I loved watching them try to sort things out.

This is also a set of love stories (Jonas and his family are fantastic!! There are several laugh-out-loud moments of banter between Tenley and Jonas). And it is also a story of God who sings over both of these women, encouraging them to not be dismayed. This was absolutely lovely!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥