Love’s Fortune
Author: Laura Frantz
Publication date: September 16, 2014
Series: The Ballantyne Legacy #3
Pages: 400
Genre: Historical, Romance , Christian
Synopsis:
Sheltered since birth at her Kentucky home, Rowena Ballantyne has heard only whispered rumors of her grandfather Silas’s vast fortune and grand manor in Pennsylvania. When her father receives a rare letter summoning him to New Hope, Rowena makes the journey with him and quickly finds herself in a whole new world–filled with family members she’s never met, dances she’s never learned, and a new side to the father she thought she knew. As she struggles to fit in during their extended stay, she finds a friend in James Sackett, the most valued steamship pilot of the Ballantynes’ shipping line. Even with his help, Rowena feels she may never be comfortable in high society. Will she go her own way . . . to her peril?With her signature attention to historical detail, Laura Frantz brings 1850s Pennsylvania alive with a tender story of loss, love, and loyalty. Fans will cheer for this final installment of the Ballatyne saga.
My Opinion
After finishing the last and final book in the Ballantyne saga, it saddens me that it’s the end, that I won’t get to continue on with this great Scots/Irish/American family. I absolutely loved the journey that Laura took us on – all the characters ups and downs, pit falls, an even their anguish (I detest anguish as it makes me nervous for the H/H outcome).
I loved Wren and James (so cute how he asked her to call him Jamie since he doesn’t grant everyone that privilege, just those whom he holds dear to him). He was an orphan of a prostitute (there is speculation of whom his father is but I won’t mention it for spoilers) whom always dreamed of having a home, a family, a purpose to being. When he first met Wren, it was love at first sight for him, but he didn’t act on it immediately because he felt he was below her. I loved how it was him who secretly sent Wren the rose posies and chocolates – so sweet! I don’t know about anyone else, but I love it when the heroine decides to leave and the hero goes galloping after her – either to rescue her or to profess his undieing love for her, which our hero, James, does.
Speaking of anguish, throughout a big part of it had me nervous because you didn’t know how things was going to sway for one of the Ballantyne major characters. I kept thinking ‘oh Laura you cant do this to me, I want happy results here!’ This was such a fantastic saga that I was honored to read an I felt like the characters were lifelike – so real that I feel in love with just about everyone (except for Elspleth, Henry, and Bennett – they are pain in the rear characters).
Since Laura is one of my favorite Christian authors, an as expected, I enjoyed this book as always. She has a way with her writing that makes you get lost in her stories. Her characters are memorable, unlikely that you will ever forget them or the trials they go through. If you haven’t read any of Laura’s books or this series, I commend you to do so as you are sorely missing out on something amazing.
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Final Thoughts
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Love’s Awakening
Author: Laura Frantz
Publication date: September 2013
Series: The Ballantyne Legacy #2
Pages: 416
Genre: Historical, Romance , Christian
Synopsis:
In the spring of 1822, Ellie Ballantyne leaves finishing school and returns to the family home in Pittsburg only to find that her parents are away on a long journey and her siblings don’t seem to want her to stay. Determined to stand her ground and find her place in the world, Ellie fills her time by opening a day school for young ladies.But when one of her students turns out to be an incorrigible young member of the Turlock family, Ellie knows she must walk a fine line. Slaveholders and whiskey magnates, the Turlocks are envious of the powerful Ballantynes and suspicious of their abolitionist leanings. As Ellie becomes increasingly entangled with the rival clan–particularly the handsome Jack Turlock–she finds herself falling in love with an impossible future. Will she betray her family and side with the enemy?
Masterful storyteller Laura Frantz continues to unfold the stirring saga of the Ballantyne family in this majestic tale of love and loyalty. This is the Ballantyne Legacy.
My Opinion
After finishing the first book in this series – Love’s Reckoning, I plunged ahead into Love’s Awakening which I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Thank heavens there isn’t any major anguish in it like the first book had – I don’t handle anguish well as it makes me nervous. I will say that I liked and felt the first book was better than Love’s Awakening – perhaps that is due to Eden and Silas, why yes I will blame them since they were such memorable characters. But I’m not saying this one was bad or not as good, because it was good, I loved it just as well, it was just that Eden and Silas held a special place in my heart is all.
I enjoyed Jack and Ellie very much plus Chloe (she was a great secondary character, a shame things didn’t turn out better for her) and the entire Ballantyne family. Both Eden and Silas turned out to be great parents to their children, especially Silas, he was such a kind and patient father with them.
I thought it was cute and sweet how Jack had been smitten with Ellie since he was a young boy even though their family has been enemies for years. I was extremely happy that Jack and Ellie finally put their family feuding behind them and let their love for each other blossom into their own happy ending.
Since Laura is one of my favorite Christian authors, an as expected, I enjoyed this book as always. She has a way with her writing that makes you get lost in her stories. Her characters are memorable, unlikely that you will ever forget them or the trials they go through. If you haven’t read any of Laura’s books or this series, I commend you to do so as you are sorely missing out on something amazing.
Favorite Quotes
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Final Thoughts
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