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Love Across the Sea #1
Butterfly Palace
When Lilly Donnelly arrives at the Cutlers' famed Butterfly Mansion in 1899, the massive house and unfamiliar duties threaten to overwhelm her. Victorian Austin is lavish, highly political, and intimidating, but with the help of the other servants, Lilly resolves to prove herself to her new employers.
Then, while serving at an elegant dinner party, Lilly recognizes one distinguished guest as Andrew, the love of her life, who abandoned her without a word back home. He seems to have assumed a new identity and refuses to acknowledge her, leaving her confused and reeling.
Before Lilly can absorb this unwelcome news, she's attacked. Could it be the sinister Servant Girl Killer who has been terrorizing Austin? Or is it someone after something more personal--someone from her past?
Does she dare trust Andrew to help or is he part of the danger threatening to draw Lilly into its vortex?
Then, while serving at an elegant dinner party, Lilly recognizes one distinguished guest as Andrew, the love of her life, who abandoned her without a word back home. He seems to have assumed a new identity and refuses to acknowledge her, leaving her confused and reeling.
Before Lilly can absorb this unwelcome news, she's attacked. Could it be the sinister Servant Girl Killer who has been terrorizing Austin? Or is it someone after something more personal--someone from her past?
Does she dare trust Andrew to help or is he part of the danger threatening to draw Lilly into its vortex?
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Colleen Coble
141 books5,500 followersUSAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Indiana. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 2 million books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 378 reviews
October 16, 2018
I wish I had nice things to say about this book. This review is not easy to write.
The cover did not match the story:
* in tone
* in building type
* in yard/lawn type
That was disappointing, because the cover is what grabbed my attention and made me want to read the story. I had to cover it with sticky notes once I realized (early on) that it did not in any way match with the story inside. Poor planning on the publishing house's and cover artist's part.
Too much worldly junk tainted this one beyond saving:
* many sensual, heated, passionate kisses [which occurred at random moments (in the midst of action scenes, serious discussions, etc.)]
* profanity
* affairs
* child out of wedlock
* physical desire between leads (to an extreme, for "Christian" fiction)
There were also inconsistencies and errors throughout, some pretty large (a Secret Service agent did not hear a gunshot from across the street) while others were simply typos. All were distracting to me.
My biggest complaint about this book is that the leading couple were sex-craving tramps who didn't know how to use restraint or self-control. I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to root for such characters as the leads or why that type of junk was even inserted into a so-called "Christian" book in the first place. Seemed like a case of poor judgment by either the author or publisher (or both).
If there weren't already a couple of different series I've been at least halfway enjoying by this author, this book would be enough for me to add her to my do-not-read-ever-again list. I don't like being subjected to such trash.
Despite the faith thread, which seemed out of place with all the junk aforementioned, I do not consider this to be a "Christian" book. It definitely came across as secular and trashy to me.
The cover did not match the story:
* in tone
* in building type
* in yard/lawn type
That was disappointing, because the cover is what grabbed my attention and made me want to read the story. I had to cover it with sticky notes once I realized (early on) that it did not in any way match with the story inside. Poor planning on the publishing house's and cover artist's part.
Too much worldly junk tainted this one beyond saving:
* many sensual, heated, passionate kisses [which occurred at random moments (in the midst of action scenes, serious discussions, etc.)]
* profanity
* affairs
* child out of wedlock
* physical desire between leads (to an extreme, for "Christian" fiction)
There were also inconsistencies and errors throughout, some pretty large (a Secret Service agent did not hear a gunshot from across the street) while others were simply typos. All were distracting to me.
My biggest complaint about this book is that the leading couple were sex-craving tramps who didn't know how to use restraint or self-control. I couldn't figure out how I was supposed to root for such characters as the leads or why that type of junk was even inserted into a so-called "Christian" book in the first place. Seemed like a case of poor judgment by either the author or publisher (or both).
If there weren't already a couple of different series I've been at least halfway enjoying by this author, this book would be enough for me to add her to my do-not-read-ever-again list. I don't like being subjected to such trash.
Despite the faith thread, which seemed out of place with all the junk aforementioned, I do not consider this to be a "Christian" book. It definitely came across as secular and trashy to me.
June 26, 2016
Butterfly Palace. Colleen Coble
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I enjoy historical romances, and the title of this intrigued me. Sadly though it just didn't live up to my expectations. I found the characters very confusing, acting in ways that people of that time and station would not have been allowed. The plots were all linked but seemed very simplistic. There was so much going on in such a small village it was hard to believe in, a serial murderer, currency counterfeiting, political assassination, secret tunnels – although its quite a decent length novel there was so much happening that I felt it was “busy” but without any depth. I need to feel that the story could be real and here it didn't.
There were plot contradictions too – first Drew doesn't know Lily's mother is dead, then a couple of chapters later he says his cousin (Grace – may have been his sister?) wrote to him often, and he knew about the death shortly after it happened. ** edit 26 june 16. another reader has pointed out I may have got this wrong, that he may have got a letter soon after Lily got there. Its too long since I read it and I just can't remember now but if I'm wrong, then apologies. When I've time I will go back and check this** Then the reason for his actions ( and would someone get into place just like that, without years of training etc?) seemed to get pushed aside for a different motive. It was all change from plots and actions, to people's motives and inclinations, and it just didn't gel with me. The butterfly connection which I’d assumed was of great importance from the title, was really almost superfluous.
I can see that Colleen is a much loved author, and there are many favourable reviews for this book – that just shows what I’m always trying to point out, that not all books work for all readers, and reviews are very personal according to a readers own taste in novels. It's priced at £5.87 for 332 pages
Stars: two – just didn't work for me.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I enjoy historical romances, and the title of this intrigued me. Sadly though it just didn't live up to my expectations. I found the characters very confusing, acting in ways that people of that time and station would not have been allowed. The plots were all linked but seemed very simplistic. There was so much going on in such a small village it was hard to believe in, a serial murderer, currency counterfeiting, political assassination, secret tunnels – although its quite a decent length novel there was so much happening that I felt it was “busy” but without any depth. I need to feel that the story could be real and here it didn't.
There were plot contradictions too – first Drew doesn't know Lily's mother is dead, then a couple of chapters later he says his cousin (Grace – may have been his sister?) wrote to him often, and he knew about the death shortly after it happened. ** edit 26 june 16. another reader has pointed out I may have got this wrong, that he may have got a letter soon after Lily got there. Its too long since I read it and I just can't remember now but if I'm wrong, then apologies. When I've time I will go back and check this** Then the reason for his actions ( and would someone get into place just like that, without years of training etc?) seemed to get pushed aside for a different motive. It was all change from plots and actions, to people's motives and inclinations, and it just didn't gel with me. The butterfly connection which I’d assumed was of great importance from the title, was really almost superfluous.
I can see that Colleen is a much loved author, and there are many favourable reviews for this book – that just shows what I’m always trying to point out, that not all books work for all readers, and reviews are very personal according to a readers own taste in novels. It's priced at £5.87 for 332 pages
Stars: two – just didn't work for me.
ARC supplied by Netgalley.
October 3, 2018
Rating 3.5
Colleen Coble is known for her Christian fiction writing. This one is considered inspirational, but I didn't feel that it contained her usual strong Christian thread. I would definitely classify it as more secular, but still found it an enjoyable read but not as well written as her contemporary suspense novels.
I liked the mystery thread, yet it seemed to be rather drawn out. It also bothered me that Lily and Drew were one day at the "I can't forgive you" stage and the next they were sharing passionate kisses. I also felt like some of the women in the plot took a lot of chances considering they knew there was a killer loose just looking for blonde servants girls. The butterfly clues at each killing was definitely an interesting touch.
Hoping that the second book in the series will be a little more cohesive than the first with a stronger spiritual thread.
Colleen Coble is known for her Christian fiction writing. This one is considered inspirational, but I didn't feel that it contained her usual strong Christian thread. I would definitely classify it as more secular, but still found it an enjoyable read but not as well written as her contemporary suspense novels.
I liked the mystery thread, yet it seemed to be rather drawn out. It also bothered me that Lily and Drew were one day at the "I can't forgive you" stage and the next they were sharing passionate kisses. I also felt like some of the women in the plot took a lot of chances considering they knew there was a killer loose just looking for blonde servants girls. The butterfly clues at each killing was definitely an interesting touch.
Hoping that the second book in the series will be a little more cohesive than the first with a stronger spiritual thread.
September 16, 2016
I keep telling myself that life is too short to read bad writing. But since I write a lot of bad writing, myself, it's all a moot point, yo.
I downloaded Butterfly Palace via Overdrive from my public library system. So my local tax dollars have already paid for this. Okay, not dollars. More like bits and pieces of pocket change, lint included. American public libraries are criminally underfunded.
But anyway, I am severely unimpressed by this example of Colleen Coble's writing. The woman has written dozens of books. I think they're mostly romances about Texas. And they're kind of religious romances.
Take our heroine in this book for example. She has a fiancé named Dudley or whatever, and they are very much in love (she has already "given herself" to him—gasp! And in a bed! The book never shows this.) What readers DO see is the result of their dalliance—a house burns down and their fathers both die. Dudley mutters "Don't look at me. I can't even stand myself," and he disappears for four years. Oops, his name isn't Dudley, but who the hell cares. I say it's his name now.
Our heroine is named Lily, and since her family is dead and her fiancé is missing, she has to fend for herself in a life of servitude. She spends some time in the book wondering about "God," and whether certain things were forgiven or whatever. (Good news. Even though God never shows up and states his opinion or demonination, apparently he loves everyone except psychopaths.)
I got so sick of all the lazy writing in this book. We get dozens of instances of characters "curling their fingers into their palms," and "colliding gazes" with each other. This is flat-out bad writing.
But here's the fun part. Sometimes the writing was so bad, I laughed outloud! Author seemed to struggle with verbs. Like, to keep things interesting, she wanted to "show" how the hero Dudley was doing secret spy work. (Oh, Not a spoiler: he comes back and helps Lily with solving a mystery or whatever. He has been involved in secret spy work.) The book describes him as "turning on his heels and melting into a crowd." God, is this man a CARTOON? How is turning on one's heels and MELTING supposed to indicate subtle behavior? Same goes for Lily. One time she "wheels and stalks toward the door." Those two goobers are just going all over the place!
Next Example of Laughter. Two manly characters are discussing conspiracies (shhh, secret spy stuff.) Dudley observes about a clue, "It feels like it's the tip of something larger." THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID! I literally typed this note in my ebook. Another time, I typed OH SHUT UP, after someone else curled their fingers or melted for the millionth time.
Also: ANACHRONISMS! Dudley talks about needing to be "under the radar" 50 years before Radar is invented. Is he a time traveler now? And someone else zips shut a bag. Zippers aren't invented yet, fools! I actually looked this up, because I was angry about how this mess got published.
And oh my god! We have one of our villains asking "How do I know you won't mess up the assassination?" Gee Wally! I sure do hope you're not sore about the whole assassination business.
Thanks for the fun, chumps, but I'm out of here. I can't handle it anymore.
I downloaded Butterfly Palace via Overdrive from my public library system. So my local tax dollars have already paid for this. Okay, not dollars. More like bits and pieces of pocket change, lint included. American public libraries are criminally underfunded.
But anyway, I am severely unimpressed by this example of Colleen Coble's writing. The woman has written dozens of books. I think they're mostly romances about Texas. And they're kind of religious romances.
Take our heroine in this book for example. She has a fiancé named Dudley or whatever, and they are very much in love (she has already "given herself" to him—gasp! And in a bed! The book never shows this.) What readers DO see is the result of their dalliance—a house burns down and their fathers both die. Dudley mutters "Don't look at me. I can't even stand myself," and he disappears for four years. Oops, his name isn't Dudley, but who the hell cares. I say it's his name now.
Our heroine is named Lily, and since her family is dead and her fiancé is missing, she has to fend for herself in a life of servitude. She spends some time in the book wondering about "God," and whether certain things were forgiven or whatever. (Good news. Even though God never shows up and states his opinion or demonination, apparently he loves everyone except psychopaths.)
I got so sick of all the lazy writing in this book. We get dozens of instances of characters "curling their fingers into their palms," and "colliding gazes" with each other. This is flat-out bad writing.
But here's the fun part. Sometimes the writing was so bad, I laughed outloud! Author seemed to struggle with verbs. Like, to keep things interesting, she wanted to "show" how the hero Dudley was doing secret spy work. (Oh, Not a spoiler: he comes back and helps Lily with solving a mystery or whatever. He has been involved in secret spy work.) The book describes him as "turning on his heels and melting into a crowd." God, is this man a CARTOON? How is turning on one's heels and MELTING supposed to indicate subtle behavior? Same goes for Lily. One time she "wheels and stalks toward the door." Those two goobers are just going all over the place!
Next Example of Laughter. Two manly characters are discussing conspiracies (shhh, secret spy stuff.) Dudley observes about a clue, "It feels like it's the tip of something larger." THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID! I literally typed this note in my ebook. Another time, I typed OH SHUT UP, after someone else curled their fingers or melted for the millionth time.
Also: ANACHRONISMS! Dudley talks about needing to be "under the radar" 50 years before Radar is invented. Is he a time traveler now? And someone else zips shut a bag. Zippers aren't invented yet, fools! I actually looked this up, because I was angry about how this mess got published.
And oh my god! We have one of our villains asking "How do I know you won't mess up the assassination?" Gee Wally! I sure do hope you're not sore about the whole assassination business.
Thanks for the fun, chumps, but I'm out of here. I can't handle it anymore.
January 30, 2014
DNFed around 20%
I am not much of a mystery fan and this one is just not for me. Lilly is a typical small-town Mary Sue "It's not my fault everybody likes me / promotes me." Not even a day since her arrival and everybody in that household commented on her adorable looks, her blond long hair and of course she is instantly promoted from kitchen servant to maid servant (hairdresser and dress-councelor) *Eye-roll*
Since I haven't come close to finishing it I can't say if the mystery is good or not. I know who the killer is though (hahaha won't tell!). But the rest of the book reads like a very bad Nora Roberts and even her books are average at best.
I am not much of a mystery fan and this one is just not for me. Lilly is a typical small-town Mary Sue "It's not my fault everybody likes me / promotes me." Not even a day since her arrival and everybody in that household commented on her adorable looks, her blond long hair and of course she is instantly promoted from kitchen servant to maid servant (hairdresser and dress-councelor) *Eye-roll*
Since I haven't come close to finishing it I can't say if the mystery is good or not. I know who the killer is though (hahaha won't tell!). But the rest of the book reads like a very bad Nora Roberts and even her books are average at best.
July 16, 2016
Okay, so..... It took me a couple tries to get into this book. As I told one of my Goodreads friends the first time I tried reading it: "Since Colleen Coble is one of my favorite authors, I've gotten to where I don't even read the book blurbs for her books anymore. So I had absolutely no idea what this book was about when I started reading it. And I didn't realize it was historical fiction... I think I'll enjoy it, but I've put it on hold for now because I'm just not in the mood to read historical books right now."
But then I was looking through the audiobooks that my library has to offer, trying to find books to listen to at work, and I found this one. So I decided to give it another try. And I'm glad that I did, because I really enjoyed it!
This review isn't what it could have been since the book isn't fresh in my mind-- because I read it over a month ago and just haven't had the time to write a review until just now-- but I'll do my best.
Honestly, I give this book 3.5 stars because I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense of the story. I couldn't rate it higher than that because it just wasn't quite that good and I kinda felt like there was too much focus on the former relationship between the hero & heroine. I mean, I did think that was pretty well written, but... perhaps shouldn't have been dwelt on quite so much?
I remember reading one review (I can't recall which it was & I don't have time to go re-read them all to find out) that complained that not enough attention was payed to the town where the story takes place and that was causing some confusion for some readers. Perhaps that's true, but I really couldn't say for sure because I'm relatively familiar with Austin, Texas (having lived in Oklahoma my whole life & having visited TX on innumerable occasions) so I didn't end up with any odd ideas about that area, such as the size of Austin or anything like that. So I guess if you know anything about that area and you're like me, you might not notice anything odd. But perhaps the author should have included more information for those readers who aren't familiar with that area?
As I said before, I did enjoy the mystery and suspense. Even though upon first "meeting" the serial killer, I did almost instantly figure out who it was, the suspense was still there and there were other mystery elements to the story to be figured out. ;)
I liked seeing Lilly and Drew grow and develop throughout the story. And there were other characters who I also really liked a lot. I especially liked the character of Belle. At the beginning, she annoyed me and was kinda driving me crazy, but by the end of the book I liked her quite a bit. She had potential to have a story of her own... I'll admit I was pretty disappointed (mostly sad) for the way things turned out for one particular character, though. :'(
Well... that's all I've got time for. I regret that I also don't have time to share links to my friends' reviews or any favorite quotes on the blog post that's scheduled to publish on July 19th... I really wish I could. :/
But then I was looking through the audiobooks that my library has to offer, trying to find books to listen to at work, and I found this one. So I decided to give it another try. And I'm glad that I did, because I really enjoyed it!
This review isn't what it could have been since the book isn't fresh in my mind-- because I read it over a month ago and just haven't had the time to write a review until just now-- but I'll do my best.
Honestly, I give this book 3.5 stars because I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense of the story. I couldn't rate it higher than that because it just wasn't quite that good and I kinda felt like there was too much focus on the former relationship between the hero & heroine. I mean, I did think that was pretty well written, but... perhaps shouldn't have been dwelt on quite so much?
I remember reading one review (I can't recall which it was & I don't have time to go re-read them all to find out) that complained that not enough attention was payed to the town where the story takes place and that was causing some confusion for some readers. Perhaps that's true, but I really couldn't say for sure because I'm relatively familiar with Austin, Texas (having lived in Oklahoma my whole life & having visited TX on innumerable occasions) so I didn't end up with any odd ideas about that area, such as the size of Austin or anything like that. So I guess if you know anything about that area and you're like me, you might not notice anything odd. But perhaps the author should have included more information for those readers who aren't familiar with that area?
As I said before, I did enjoy the mystery and suspense. Even though upon first "meeting" the serial killer, I did almost instantly figure out who it was, the suspense was still there and there were other mystery elements to the story to be figured out. ;)
I liked seeing Lilly and Drew grow and develop throughout the story. And there were other characters who I also really liked a lot. I especially liked the character of Belle. At the beginning, she annoyed me and was kinda driving me crazy, but by the end of the book I liked her quite a bit. She had potential to have a story of her own... I'll admit I was pretty disappointed (mostly sad) for the way things turned out for one particular character, though. :'(
Well... that's all I've got time for. I regret that I also don't have time to share links to my friends' reviews or any favorite quotes on the blog post that's scheduled to publish on July 19th... I really wish I could. :/
May 16, 2016
3.5
I have mixed feelings about the book. For secular fiction, I'd have praised the moral points, of how a hero and heroine attempt to leave behind their former sinful relations with each other; for Christian fiction, I really didn't like scenes where the hero goes from reading his Bible one minute and trying very hard not to lust for the heroine the next. This would have worked a lot better for me if it had been Fiction rather than Christian fiction. Really, there's no reason it shouldn't be, other than who it's published by. The religion is no more than is to be expected from the culture of the day.
The plot was worthy of a much more epic book. There's tons of intricacy to what goes on, but the city itself is rather shadowy. Other than a few references to "big city", "unaccustomed noise", etc, there wasn't much attention paid to the scene of town. So much so that other reviewers, unfamiliar with the history of Texas and Austin, have come to the rather humorous idea that the story takes place in a "small village". I think Coble took for granted that most of her readers might have had a high-school-level Texas history course. News: they didn't.
The characters themselves got most of the attention. This definitely is in the category of romantic suspense. I liked how characters related to each other and grew throughout the story. However, I'd have marked it higher under other circumstances. The plot idea had the potential to be a new favorite. You can't drive a story with character and action alone, especially a historical story, and expect readers to feel anything more than a mansion in a city of unformed mist.
I did guess the serial killer when I "met" him! ;)
I have mixed feelings about the book. For secular fiction, I'd have praised the moral points, of how a hero and heroine attempt to leave behind their former sinful relations with each other; for Christian fiction, I really didn't like scenes where the hero goes from reading his Bible one minute and trying very hard not to lust for the heroine the next. This would have worked a lot better for me if it had been Fiction rather than Christian fiction. Really, there's no reason it shouldn't be, other than who it's published by. The religion is no more than is to be expected from the culture of the day.
The plot was worthy of a much more epic book. There's tons of intricacy to what goes on, but the city itself is rather shadowy. Other than a few references to "big city", "unaccustomed noise", etc, there wasn't much attention paid to the scene of town. So much so that other reviewers, unfamiliar with the history of Texas and Austin, have come to the rather humorous idea that the story takes place in a "small village". I think Coble took for granted that most of her readers might have had a high-school-level Texas history course. News: they didn't.
The characters themselves got most of the attention. This definitely is in the category of romantic suspense. I liked how characters related to each other and grew throughout the story. However, I'd have marked it higher under other circumstances. The plot idea had the potential to be a new favorite. You can't drive a story with character and action alone, especially a historical story, and expect readers to feel anything more than a mansion in a city of unformed mist.
I did guess the serial killer when I "met" him! ;)
April 9, 2014
The setting for this book is the very interesting Butterfly Palace, an old palace brought over from Europe and reconstructed in Austin, Texas. It's full if secret passage ways, mystery ... and dead butterflies. The wealthy master of the house, Mr. Everett Marshall, collects rate butterfly specimens. Thus the name of the book.
That being said, unfortunately the book is not worthy of it's rather exotic setting. The writing is stilted and the story down right unbelievable. If you're in the secret service you sure don't go around telling people. If you were a brand new lady's maid you best keep your opinions to yourself - and not go running off in the middle of the day - or you would be fired for sure. There is just too much in this story that doesn't add up. I really didn't like the fact that Drew and Lily had such an intimate past but it never seems like a very big deal. That was almost excused by the fact that they had been engaged. It was all very cheesy and so disappointing from an author I had come to respect.
This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson. My opinion is my own.
That being said, unfortunately the book is not worthy of it's rather exotic setting. The writing is stilted and the story down right unbelievable. If you're in the secret service you sure don't go around telling people. If you were a brand new lady's maid you best keep your opinions to yourself - and not go running off in the middle of the day - or you would be fired for sure. There is just too much in this story that doesn't add up. I really didn't like the fact that Drew and Lily had such an intimate past but it never seems like a very big deal. That was almost excused by the fact that they had been engaged. It was all very cheesy and so disappointing from an author I had come to respect.
This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson. My opinion is my own.
November 30, 2017
This book reads like bad fanfiction. Repeated sentences, phrases, stock characters, bad plot lines, etc etc.
I have so many problems with this book I don't even want to spend time writing about it.
There aren't any likeable characters. There's like a million different things going on at once that are "supposed" to tie up together in the end, but it's so loose and unrealistic that it's just bad.
I think this may be the worst book I've ever read. It was poorly developed and boring.
I would never recommend this book to anyone. 1/5 stars.
I have so many problems with this book I don't even want to spend time writing about it.
There aren't any likeable characters. There's like a million different things going on at once that are "supposed" to tie up together in the end, but it's so loose and unrealistic that it's just bad.
I think this may be the worst book I've ever read. It was poorly developed and boring.
I would never recommend this book to anyone. 1/5 stars.
January 26, 2020
Wow! This book totally took me by surprise. I started this book without much hope for it,but it totally surprised me! I enjoyed the mystery and suspense. I think Belle was my favorite. 3.5 stars
July 14, 2017
Having read Coble's historical novels before, I have had my eye on this more recent release for a while now. I was not disappointed in this novel, which is very tense even from the opening pages. A fire, a murderer, people living under assumed identities, and a slightly creepy house all combine to give a gothic feel to this novel.
As with many historicals, this novel served to de-romanticize some of my notions about the time period. Although the glamor of the wealthy is pleasant, it is shown to be a thin veneer. Underneath the shine, women have very little say in their own futures, and those who are in service have even less.
One of the more interesting aspects of the history has to do with law enforcement and several different branches get at least some treatment in these pages. I found the details about police, Pinkerton, and Secret Service agents helped set the story and its resolution up nicely.
The Christian perspective of this novel is delivered by flawed characters who have made sinful choices in the past but who are living life in a more Godly manner now. They still struggle with their flesh but choose a better path with strength gained along the journey. Respecting women through boundaries is shown to be a positive thing and helping others in need when it does not benefit the giver is demonstrated often through the main characters.
Because some of the circumstances in this book are a bit more mature and several of the scenes disturbing, I recommend this novel for adults. Those who enjoy suspense will likely have no problem with the violence level, but those sensitive to acts against women may especially find several portions disturbing.
I borrowed this book from the library and have no motivation behind this review other than to share my thoughts with other readers.
As with many historicals, this novel served to de-romanticize some of my notions about the time period. Although the glamor of the wealthy is pleasant, it is shown to be a thin veneer. Underneath the shine, women have very little say in their own futures, and those who are in service have even less.
One of the more interesting aspects of the history has to do with law enforcement and several different branches get at least some treatment in these pages. I found the details about police, Pinkerton, and Secret Service agents helped set the story and its resolution up nicely.
The Christian perspective of this novel is delivered by flawed characters who have made sinful choices in the past but who are living life in a more Godly manner now. They still struggle with their flesh but choose a better path with strength gained along the journey. Respecting women through boundaries is shown to be a positive thing and helping others in need when it does not benefit the giver is demonstrated often through the main characters.
Because some of the circumstances in this book are a bit more mature and several of the scenes disturbing, I recommend this novel for adults. Those who enjoy suspense will likely have no problem with the violence level, but those sensitive to acts against women may especially find several portions disturbing.
I borrowed this book from the library and have no motivation behind this review other than to share my thoughts with other readers.
February 1, 2015
The title of this book sounded intriguing and caused me to purchase the book; however, I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Although I finished the book, I struggled to keep reading until the mystery was solved. I know Colleen Coble is a great author with many fans, but this one was not one of my favorites.
What I liked: The beginning started with a bit of intrigue and mystery. The character Lily, has gone from living in wealth to working as a servant. When she meets her ex-fiance who is introduced by another name, the mystery begins. From that point on, the book includes mystery, suspense, and secrets. The suspense sections were written well, and kept you turning pages. The book was good at portraying the snobby feelings and actions of the “upper-crust” toward the servants ... those who made their employer's lives pleasant.
What I didn’t like: The story seemed to drag on too long, and I found myself skimming the boring or repetitive sections. The attraction that Lily and Drew felt for each other seemed to be merely physical. I missed the true loving, emotional connection between these two main characters.
I could not get into this book as well as I would have liked. The beginning was interesting and keep me reading, anticipating more of the same. However, after 118 pages, I began to lose interest and eventually forced myself to finish the book in order to see how it ended. Over all, I give this book three stars, mainly because of personal preference.
What I liked: The beginning started with a bit of intrigue and mystery. The character Lily, has gone from living in wealth to working as a servant. When she meets her ex-fiance who is introduced by another name, the mystery begins. From that point on, the book includes mystery, suspense, and secrets. The suspense sections were written well, and kept you turning pages. The book was good at portraying the snobby feelings and actions of the “upper-crust” toward the servants ... those who made their employer's lives pleasant.
What I didn’t like: The story seemed to drag on too long, and I found myself skimming the boring or repetitive sections. The attraction that Lily and Drew felt for each other seemed to be merely physical. I missed the true loving, emotional connection between these two main characters.
I could not get into this book as well as I would have liked. The beginning was interesting and keep me reading, anticipating more of the same. However, after 118 pages, I began to lose interest and eventually forced myself to finish the book in order to see how it ended. Over all, I give this book three stars, mainly because of personal preference.
February 3, 2014
This was a light enjoyable read if you set aside a desire for character development and plausability. Having previously considered Colleen Coble one of my favorite authors, I find myself increasingly disenchanted with the quality of the writing seen and the focus has been increasingly on quantity of publications.
September 8, 2018
Butterfly Palace is my first novel from author Colleen Coble. From what I understand, Coble writes secular fiction as well as historical Christian fiction, which is very evident in this novel as it strays away from a religious tone. The Butterfly Palace has a interesting mystery plot, but struggled to hold my interest all the way through. The plot of the Butterfly Palace is worthy of more details and character development. With those aspects included, this could have been a 5 star read. At roughly half way through the book I was ready to get to the climax and to the revealing of the servant girl killer true identity. The revealing also did not provide the reader with the shock of surprise as I guessed the murderer’s true identity (I’m not usually right!). Also, several of the deaths included in the story are quite descriptive, ad could have toned down a bit for my taste.
The relationship of our two main characters Lilly & Drew seemed to be purely physical as most references of their fondness to one another concerned their outward appearances. I didn’t have the urgency to root for their romance in the least bit.
I’ll be picking up another novel by Cobel in the future, as I have a few in my TBR pile.
The relationship of our two main characters Lilly & Drew seemed to be purely physical as most references of their fondness to one another concerned their outward appearances. I didn’t have the urgency to root for their romance in the least bit.
I’ll be picking up another novel by Cobel in the future, as I have a few in my TBR pile.
December 27, 2014
Romantic suspense author Colleen Coble has done it again! Filled with lots of mystery and suspense along with a light dose of romance, this Downton Abbey-like novel is sure to delight and impress, keeping you up late into the night!
This is the third novel I've read by Colleen Coble, and for sure my favorite of the three. (The first two were Tidewater Inn and Rosemary Cottage). I was completely blown away with this novel, since the other books I'd read by her weren't as good as this novel, in my opinion, and I absolutely loved every singe page of this novel! I remember just finishing the first chapter and thinking to myself that I already knew that without a doubt I'd have this book on my favorites list. In fact, I loved it so much, I'm putting it on my top three favorite reads of 2014!
If you enjoy historical fiction set in the 1900's, placed in an elaborate Texas mansion, complete with the inside look at the everyday life of the servants who keep the house functioning (this book reminded me a lot of the beloved T.V. series Downton Abbey); mixed with a health dose of mystery and edge-of-your-seat suspense, then you absolutely must read this novel!
I just loved this setting! I mean being a proud Texan, I was already excited how the book is set in Austin Texas, and to find that it was set in a huge mansion that reminded me a lot of Downton Abbey, then I knew I'd enjoy it. This novel was everything I was hoping for based on reading the synopsis, and then some! The suspense in this novel really surprised me. I knew Colleen mainly wrote suspense novels, but this one was a masterpiece! I loved how she combined the time period and setting with the mystery, and found it to be a very interesting suspense, filled with lots of historical details. Another thing I noticed was how well thought out the plot was. There were constant twists and turns in the story that left me on the edge of my seat and re-evaluation who I assumed was behind the dangerous undercover work. It was obvious with how smoothly the story flowed that the author thought out the plot very well, and it definitely showed!
While I do highly recommend this book to historical suspense fans, I will say that due to some mature content, I would only recommend this book to mature readers. Mature content included a scene where a couples' kissing lead went too far and resulted in an alluded love scene whilst in a barn alone. While not many details were given of the event, the idea that they were involved in an inappropriate love scene was obviously alluded to, though not obviously stated. I felt like the romance scenes were a little overly mushy, and ended up skipping most of the kissing scenes as there was a bit more passion than I cared to read. There were also several scenes involving a murderer, and while again not many details were given, there were a few details on how the victim's necks were slit, as well as a scene were a body was found. While the author did handle these scenes without giving overly gory details, younger readers will still want to take caution when reading.
D I S C L A I M E R :: I received a free copy of Butterfly Palace from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not paid to write this review, and all thoughts expressed in my review are completely unbiased and honest.
This is the third novel I've read by Colleen Coble, and for sure my favorite of the three. (The first two were Tidewater Inn and Rosemary Cottage). I was completely blown away with this novel, since the other books I'd read by her weren't as good as this novel, in my opinion, and I absolutely loved every singe page of this novel! I remember just finishing the first chapter and thinking to myself that I already knew that without a doubt I'd have this book on my favorites list. In fact, I loved it so much, I'm putting it on my top three favorite reads of 2014!
If you enjoy historical fiction set in the 1900's, placed in an elaborate Texas mansion, complete with the inside look at the everyday life of the servants who keep the house functioning (this book reminded me a lot of the beloved T.V. series Downton Abbey); mixed with a health dose of mystery and edge-of-your-seat suspense, then you absolutely must read this novel!
I just loved this setting! I mean being a proud Texan, I was already excited how the book is set in Austin Texas, and to find that it was set in a huge mansion that reminded me a lot of Downton Abbey, then I knew I'd enjoy it. This novel was everything I was hoping for based on reading the synopsis, and then some! The suspense in this novel really surprised me. I knew Colleen mainly wrote suspense novels, but this one was a masterpiece! I loved how she combined the time period and setting with the mystery, and found it to be a very interesting suspense, filled with lots of historical details. Another thing I noticed was how well thought out the plot was. There were constant twists and turns in the story that left me on the edge of my seat and re-evaluation who I assumed was behind the dangerous undercover work. It was obvious with how smoothly the story flowed that the author thought out the plot very well, and it definitely showed!
While I do highly recommend this book to historical suspense fans, I will say that due to some mature content, I would only recommend this book to mature readers. Mature content included a scene where a couples' kissing lead went too far and resulted in an alluded love scene whilst in a barn alone. While not many details were given of the event, the idea that they were involved in an inappropriate love scene was obviously alluded to, though not obviously stated. I felt like the romance scenes were a little overly mushy, and ended up skipping most of the kissing scenes as there was a bit more passion than I cared to read. There were also several scenes involving a murderer, and while again not many details were given, there were a few details on how the victim's necks were slit, as well as a scene were a body was found. While the author did handle these scenes without giving overly gory details, younger readers will still want to take caution when reading.
D I S C L A I M E R :: I received a free copy of Butterfly Palace from the publisher for the purpose of this review. I was not paid to write this review, and all thoughts expressed in my review are completely unbiased and honest.
February 9, 2017
I'm not very familiar with Inspirational Fiction, I've read several from one of my favorite local author's who has written several Christian Western Romances (how is that for cross-genre?). But other than her few books, I'm fairly unfamiliar with the genre. I enjoyed this book because it had the Christian aspect, the romance aspect, and a lot of mystery to it as well. The religious aspect to this novel was fairly minimal, but I would also say it was important to the storyline. It was very subtle, but I actually wish there was more because that was what I was expecting in a "Christian Fiction" novel. There were a lot of discussions about why these terrible events keep happening to good people and I loved that the moral was that it makes us all stronger. I particularly liked a scene where Lily talks about how much stronger she has become because of her trials, that she wasn't the same person she was when her Drew were engaged, but she also says that she wouldn't want to go through any more of these struggles! LOL
There were a few storylines that I found a little far-fetched, like Drew being a part of the Secret Service. But once I got passed that piece of information, I really enjoyed this book. I liked trying to figure out who was after Mr. Marshall, who started the fire that killed Lily and Drew's Dads, and who was killing the women. It may have been a little too much with too few pages? While I still enjoyed the book, the mysteries were very surface level, and I wanted more information as to what was happening. I was very intrigued by the man killing women, and I wanted more of that storyline, and maybe less about the fire. But overall, the storylines all came together at the end, but it may have been a little haphazardly done.
The butterflies throughout the book were really creepy, I could just imagine this vault with thousands of butterflies covering every inch. Then there was the scene where the (live) butterflies were migrating because the of the humidity/weather, and then Lily was swarmed by them. Terrifying. But I kind of loved it in a weird way, it was definitely one of these weird character quirks that Mr. Marshall had. I slightly did not get the closure I was hoping for with this one, there really wasn't an explanation for the killer's motive, and that's just to name one (I don't want to spoil anything). So that was a little disappointing, but I would definitely read another of Coble's novels. There's a lot of great characters, and there really wasn't anyone I disliked. This had a solid ensemble.
There were a few storylines that I found a little far-fetched, like Drew being a part of the Secret Service. But once I got passed that piece of information, I really enjoyed this book. I liked trying to figure out who was after Mr. Marshall, who started the fire that killed Lily and Drew's Dads, and who was killing the women. It may have been a little too much with too few pages? While I still enjoyed the book, the mysteries were very surface level, and I wanted more information as to what was happening. I was very intrigued by the man killing women, and I wanted more of that storyline, and maybe less about the fire. But overall, the storylines all came together at the end, but it may have been a little haphazardly done.
The butterflies throughout the book were really creepy, I could just imagine this vault with thousands of butterflies covering every inch. Then there was the scene where the (live) butterflies were migrating because the of the humidity/weather, and then Lily was swarmed by them. Terrifying. But I kind of loved it in a weird way, it was definitely one of these weird character quirks that Mr. Marshall had. I slightly did not get the closure I was hoping for with this one, there really wasn't an explanation for the killer's motive, and that's just to name one (I don't want to spoil anything). So that was a little disappointing, but I would definitely read another of Coble's novels. There's a lot of great characters, and there really wasn't anyone I disliked. This had a solid ensemble.
February 2, 2014
One thing I love about being a blogger is getting to check out all the latest books from my favourite authors without having to put out cash :) I received the copy of Colleen Coble's Butterfly Palace from BookSneeze.com
Butterfly Palace is a book full of intrigue, romance, and murder mystery. The book description says:
Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily’s senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house.
Austin, Texas—1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily’s new life will be, if nothing else, distracting.
But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith’s son . . . sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and irate.
But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings?
Sometimes along the way life can get really interesting and really complicated. I think we have all experienced a little bit of Lily's feelings of constant struggle with no time to just rest and be at piece.
Lily is a girl who has fallen on some very rough times, and when she thinks things are about to pick up and get better for her, she realizes she is wrong. First she runs into her former love, who ran off on her without a word, but then there is a servant girl killer on the loose, and she just got hired on as a new servant girl.
Lily finds herself being blamed for every good or bad thing that goes on around her. She starts to question why God is letting all these happen to her. I think its something we can all relate to.
One of the reasons I like Colleen Coble's books is that even when you think you have it all figured out as to what will happen, there is a twist you weren't ready for. Butterfly Palace is a great book with tons of mystery and intrigue. Whenever I thought I had it figured out I was lead down a different path.
I recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of Colleen Coble's. I found this book to be a pretty quick read. It took me 1 day.
Butterfly Palace is a book full of intrigue, romance, and murder mystery. The book description says:
Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily’s senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house.
Austin, Texas—1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily’s new life will be, if nothing else, distracting.
But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith’s son . . . sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and irate.
But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings?
Sometimes along the way life can get really interesting and really complicated. I think we have all experienced a little bit of Lily's feelings of constant struggle with no time to just rest and be at piece.
Lily is a girl who has fallen on some very rough times, and when she thinks things are about to pick up and get better for her, she realizes she is wrong. First she runs into her former love, who ran off on her without a word, but then there is a servant girl killer on the loose, and she just got hired on as a new servant girl.
Lily finds herself being blamed for every good or bad thing that goes on around her. She starts to question why God is letting all these happen to her. I think its something we can all relate to.
One of the reasons I like Colleen Coble's books is that even when you think you have it all figured out as to what will happen, there is a twist you weren't ready for. Butterfly Palace is a great book with tons of mystery and intrigue. Whenever I thought I had it figured out I was lead down a different path.
I recommend this book, especially if you are a fan of Colleen Coble's. I found this book to be a pretty quick read. It took me 1 day.
October 8, 2018
I read this for a group buddy read after seeing it available at my library. I didn't realize this book would be part mystery/part romance, but I liked it. I did have trouble keeping some of the many characters straight. That could be my fault though for reading instead of sleeping. Lily made me mad sometimes because she was sharing secrets I don't think were hers to share. Also, I had my doubts that Jane would've been able to read. Maybe I'm thinking the wrong time era. I also felt like the whole story wasn't very faith based though until the end which is why I only gave 3 stars. Overall, I really enjoyed the historical aspects of political life back then and would love to see another book about Lily and Drew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2015
Butterfly Place is a great mystery read. It is a bit creepy but that adds to book’s tension. Colleen Coble writes well and kept me wondering throughout and wanting to read more. I didn’t want to put the book down. In addition to being a mystery, Butterfly Palace is an historical fiction set in Austin, Texas in 1904. One definitely gets a sense of how the haves and have nots lived during this period. Well to do families lived in large houses and hired working members of working families as personal maids, seamstresses, stable staff and drivers and as house staff for cooking, cleaning, serving etc. Effectively those with wealth had their every need taken care of by someone else.
The Butterfly Palace mystery involves a serial killer, a counterfeit ring and political chicanery. It is also a story about coming of age, making new friends and romance gone amuck – all intertwined to make for a very interesting and enjoyable read. I think having so much to read about - interesting bits of history, love, jealousy, tension, fear, killings, privilege, poverty, cruelty, selfishness and passion; is what makes Butterfly Palace so successful.
Coble’s writing style is a major contributing factor. She is a masterful story teller and writes at a great pace that carried me along throughout. Her plot development is excellent and she does also a good job of character development. There are quite a number of characters in the book; all with unique and well-described attributes – described so well that you can’t help but become engrossed in their lives and really come to like some and quite dislike others.
Coble is popular and well followed by Christian fiction fans. To simply categorize Butterfly Palace in this genre would do the book a disservice. Yes, there is a subtle message that comes through in the story – a message about being unable to control everything in one’s life and thereby encouraging the characters (and the readers) to let go and trust. It’s a great message for believers and non-believers alike. First and foremost, I would say this is a terrific mystery and in Butterfly Palace Colleen Coble demonstrates that she is a masterful story teller worth reading.
The Butterfly Palace mystery involves a serial killer, a counterfeit ring and political chicanery. It is also a story about coming of age, making new friends and romance gone amuck – all intertwined to make for a very interesting and enjoyable read. I think having so much to read about - interesting bits of history, love, jealousy, tension, fear, killings, privilege, poverty, cruelty, selfishness and passion; is what makes Butterfly Palace so successful.
Coble’s writing style is a major contributing factor. She is a masterful story teller and writes at a great pace that carried me along throughout. Her plot development is excellent and she does also a good job of character development. There are quite a number of characters in the book; all with unique and well-described attributes – described so well that you can’t help but become engrossed in their lives and really come to like some and quite dislike others.
Coble is popular and well followed by Christian fiction fans. To simply categorize Butterfly Palace in this genre would do the book a disservice. Yes, there is a subtle message that comes through in the story – a message about being unable to control everything in one’s life and thereby encouraging the characters (and the readers) to let go and trust. It’s a great message for believers and non-believers alike. First and foremost, I would say this is a terrific mystery and in Butterfly Palace Colleen Coble demonstrates that she is a masterful story teller worth reading.
January 29, 2014
I admit that I wanted to read this book because I live in an old house in Austin and have always been fascinated with the serial murders that took place here back in the late 1800s. Butterfly Palace is an Austin mansion that Lily comes to work at after losing her family in the small town of Larson. This is her first foray into the big city and who should she meet right away but her old boyfriend who jilted her in Larson after the death of their fathers. Lily is very talented with hair and clothes so she becomes the ladies maid to the spoiled niece, Belle, who is having suitors foisted on her to marry. Belle has set her cap for Lilly's old boyfriend and sparks fly a bit. Of course there is a much more at stake - someone is trying to harm Belle's uncle and the servant girl murders have begun again. This historical christian fiction is a great choice for those looking for a good love story, a bit of mystery and a tiny bit of suspense just to keep it interesting.
August 6, 2014
Lily and Andy were in love and planning their future together. Until the fateful night that a suspicious fire killed both of their fathers. Andy left to join the Secret Service to pursue justice for their deaths. He took on a new identity as Drew Hawkes. Upon the death of her mother, Lily accepts a job as a kitchen maid in a palatial manor known as the Butterfly Palace. Imagine her surprise to find Drew as a guest of the Marshall's, owners of Butterfly Palace. Her feelings for Andy (Drew) are still strong, but she felt betrayed when he left. When Lily learns of a serial killer who's murdering pretty young women, she questions her safety. Lily turns to Drew for protection and joins him in seeking the killer and uncovering a counterfeit ring. Full of intrigue, suspense and romance with a plot that speaks of morality, kindness and faith.
January 23, 2014
I had no trouble putting this book down. I like my suspense/mysteries to be deep. I found this a shallow read. I kept wanting to be sucked into the plot but it kept jumping around and flinging me away. It's hard to describe the difficulty I had with it. I had the "bad guys" figured out halfway through the book.
This is not a "Christian" fiction book as there is really nothing that speaks to Christianity except a few allusions to praying. Nothing speaks of the heart. It seems like the new requirements for Christian fiction is the obligatory 4 pages of sex as in secular books. I'm not quite sure why this trend is, but this author got hers in.
This is not a "Christian" fiction book as there is really nothing that speaks to Christianity except a few allusions to praying. Nothing speaks of the heart. It seems like the new requirements for Christian fiction is the obligatory 4 pages of sex as in secular books. I'm not quite sure why this trend is, but this author got hers in.
October 14, 2014
I really cannot get enough of this author. Colleen Coble knows how to write a great story that captivates the reader from beginning to end. I was trapped from the first chapter of the book to the very end. Most of the time, I can kind of figure out what's going to happen or who the villain is in a mystery/suspense story. However, there were so many twists and turns to this story, I didn't figure anything out until the characters did! I loved that about it! Check out my full review here.
February 13, 2014
The intrigue of a mysterious mansion and historical fiction couldn't make up for poor writing. Had to force myself to finish it. I really didn't care how it ended.
July 19, 2019
Lots of twist and turns in these pages. Sured to keep you glued.
January 30, 2024
Not my favorite of Coble's but pretty good. I like the suspense but I felt like Lily is made to look kind of dumb and weak, although that may just have been the author trying to keep things appropriate for the time period. The romance angle is kind of nice and the killer is hidden quite well for much of the book.
October 12, 2018
A
This book kept me guessing right up to the end. A well written murder with good characters and an interesting setting .
This book kept me guessing right up to the end. A well written murder with good characters and an interesting setting .
April 5, 2021
It was a good read.
August 12, 2024
A good mystery, with a little romance and lots of twists.
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