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Winds of Change #1
A Hope Undaunted
What happens when the boy she loved to hate becomes the man she hates to love?
The 1920s are drawing to a close, and feisty Katie O'Connor is the epitome of the new woman—smart and sassy with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband—good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and eating out of her hand. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Luke McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face-to-face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?
The 1920s are drawing to a close, and feisty Katie O'Connor is the epitome of the new woman—smart and sassy with goals for her future that include the perfect husband and a challenging career in law. Her boyfriend Jack fits all of her criteria for a husband—good-looking, well-connected, wealthy, and eating out of her hand. But when she is forced to spend the summer of 1929 with Luke McGee, the bane of her childhood existence, Katie comes face-to-face with a choice. Will she follow her well-laid plans to marry Jack? Or will she fall for the man she swore to despise forever?
505 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Julie Lessman
43 books1,274 followersJulie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.
Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series, Julie Lessman was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 18 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list.
Julie’s first contemporary novel, Isle of Hope, was voted on Family Fiction magazine’s “Best of 2015” list, and Surprised by Love appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s list of “Top Ten Novels of 2014.” Her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner.
Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.
Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series, Julie Lessman was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 18 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list.
Julie’s first contemporary novel, Isle of Hope, was voted on Family Fiction magazine’s “Best of 2015” list, and Surprised by Love appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s list of “Top Ten Novels of 2014.” Her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers' Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner.
Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books at www.julielessman.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 386 reviews
February 13, 2012
Warning: if you have work to do, and you are reading this book, you may not get your work done until you turn the last page! This is the best book I have read (in the Christian fiction category) since A Distant Melody by Sarah Sundin. This is not one that I keep on my nightstand to pick up if I need to wind down the day with something. Oh no. This book is one that I literally carried around the house with me, so if I had any spare moments in any given room, I could pick it up. So hard to put it down!
The story line is way more complicated than usual--in a page-turning way, not a confusing way. Katie comes from a big family, and you get to know each one of the characters. I actually care about every person I’m reading about in this book. Each one has a fascinating history, excellent character development, good dialogue, and the plot has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. Really. It’s not as predictable and formulaic as most love stories can be. It’s meaty. You can feel the characters’ pain, but also their hope.
Did I mention I love this book? LOVE it. Can’t wait to read more from Julie Lessman.
The story line is way more complicated than usual--in a page-turning way, not a confusing way. Katie comes from a big family, and you get to know each one of the characters. I actually care about every person I’m reading about in this book. Each one has a fascinating history, excellent character development, good dialogue, and the plot has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. Really. It’s not as predictable and formulaic as most love stories can be. It’s meaty. You can feel the characters’ pain, but also their hope.
Did I mention I love this book? LOVE it. Can’t wait to read more from Julie Lessman.
September 15, 2015
I hope I'm not expected to pick a favourite amongst Julie Lessman's books, right? Because that's impossible, she seems to outdo herself every time.
I just about flipped out and had an attack when I found out a while ago that the Winds of Change series was the continuation of the Daughters of Boston series, and that this book would tell Katie's story. I was so not ready to leave the O'Connors at the end of the other series, and simply couldn't wait to see how Katie's story would turn out. In the previous books, she was a will-strong, spunky child with a sharp tongue and aloof manner, and her interactions with Cluny McGee were infinitely entertaining.
Having duly earned the nickname "The King of Misery", Cluny (who now goes by Luke) comes back to Boston after a long absence in New York, and loses no time reacquiring his title. Although the skinny, scrawny little boy he used to be has matured into a tall, muscled and handsome man, he still has that same boyish glint in his eyes, the same self-confidence, and the same knack to drive Katie up the wall. By an unfortunate twist of fate, they find themselves in the same workplace, and hilarity and complications ensues.
I can honestly say that A Hope Undaunted was a wonderfully engaging novel, and would have been utterly perfect but for a few little things.
The first half of the book flew by in a pleasant swirl of cute romantic scenes, heartwarming moments with family members, fun outings with friends, and a really cool 1920's feel. For once I really felt the time period (something I had found lacking in the previous three books) and enjoyed the slang, the clothing descriptions, and Katie's attitude of a modern woman. The vibe had already been established in A Passion Denied, taking place in 1922, and now with the Great Depression on their heels, I really felt immersed in the close of the Roaring Twenties.
The first half was so detailed-oriented, entrancing, and just plain fun to read about. Even if I thought the spiritual side was a bit lacking, the story was still awesome and I was having such a great time with it. I completely fell for Luke (who the heck wouldn't!) but then I totally fell for Parker...oh gosh, he was wonderful. Arguably, he is the true hero of this book. I seriously want to marry him. I need to find him, I'm sure he's out there somewhere. Anywayyyys...!
A few things started to nick-pick me about half-way through. In what seems to be typical Lessman fashion, a few characters were left hanging, or were forgotten, as well as certain actions, or certain little pieces of plot that had started to unravel in previous chapters. I like my novels to unravel nicely and to see everything fall properly into place. It seems that in A Hope Undaunted there were maybe a bit too many little conflicts and too many little things going on and, as if the author had gotten confused, a few issues seemed pushed aside. We never hear of Jack again, for instance, or much of Katie's co-workers in the last half. One of the main reasons why I love Julie Lessman's books so much is because she includes the main characters' family members and friends, and you get to read scenes about every one of them. Faith, Charity, Lizzie and their wonderful husbands, whom we loved so much in Daughters of Boston, are all in there, laughing, joking, having kids and just being awesome. I love love love to see the family interactions, but it seemed to me that because there was so much going on at first, the last half of the book felt a bit rushed, and considerably weighed down by all the drama and inner struggles.
I like how complicated Lessman's plots are, but at the same time I wish there wasn't so much drama in the end. I thought A Passion Most Pure took the palm for that, but this one has to win. Goodness, it was hard to keep up! I think it's important to have the characters go through a series of cleansing events before they come together, but I never like it when suddenly we skip six months in which we are supposed to believe nothing happened but internal healing, before another crisis happens and the characters "need more time" to "figure things out and pray" even though they've been madly in love with each other for a long, long time. Then another three months has passed by, and - you get the picture. So, the book really spans three years -- two months in the first half, and over two years in the last half. We lose all the details and meticulous writing of the beginning only to be left with the anguish, the pain, the difficulties the characters have to go through.
Don't get me wrong, it's suspenseful and exciting to see how it will all turn out, but it just feels so different from the beginning that I usually feel a little lost. When so much time is skipped in between important scenes, it's sometimes hard to feel for the characters as we ought to, because we're still stuck on their previous sentiments, their previous mode of thought. (I hope I'm still making sense here...)
And last little thing -- I wish there wasn't so much necking and so much passion in the kisses. It's all very well if you're married, but we don't necessarily need to read about it to know that you're living in a blissful state of happily married life, and if you're not married, well in my opinion you should exercise a little more restraint! Generally, although she sometimes goes a little more in detail than necessary, I really like Lessman's take on how man and woman should avoid temptation and wait until they're married to take it to the next level, and on how passion is important in marriage, but she also always include passionate kissing and necking and the Lord-knows-what between the H/h that seem to be portrayed as "ok" before marriage. They are Catholics, are they not? We are very picky about what is allowed before marriage - hands and mouths to yourselves, please! Chaste kissing only! Now, I like me a little bit of passion in a romance novel, but I don't need to hear about the throat-devouring and earlobe nipping, thank you.
Some of us were born with very vivid imaginations, we don't need to much imagery ;)
I strongly recommend reading the Daughters of Boston series before this one, as it will show you how Katie's sisters all got married and all the drama they had to go through, but if you don't this novel is perfectly standalone and will no doubt sweep you away right in the O'Connor's parlor, where Marcy is gently arguing with Patrick over something Gabe did while he's beating Sean at chess, and where Collin is giving a soft peck on Faith's neck as she stands up to go help Charity and Lizzie in the kitchen, who are preparing food for their numerous progeny and hungry husbands. You'll fall in love with them, I warn you!
I just about flipped out and had an attack when I found out a while ago that the Winds of Change series was the continuation of the Daughters of Boston series, and that this book would tell Katie's story. I was so not ready to leave the O'Connors at the end of the other series, and simply couldn't wait to see how Katie's story would turn out. In the previous books, she was a will-strong, spunky child with a sharp tongue and aloof manner, and her interactions with Cluny McGee were infinitely entertaining.
Having duly earned the nickname "The King of Misery", Cluny (who now goes by Luke) comes back to Boston after a long absence in New York, and loses no time reacquiring his title. Although the skinny, scrawny little boy he used to be has matured into a tall, muscled and handsome man, he still has that same boyish glint in his eyes, the same self-confidence, and the same knack to drive Katie up the wall. By an unfortunate twist of fate, they find themselves in the same workplace, and hilarity and complications ensues.
I can honestly say that A Hope Undaunted was a wonderfully engaging novel, and would have been utterly perfect but for a few little things.
The first half of the book flew by in a pleasant swirl of cute romantic scenes, heartwarming moments with family members, fun outings with friends, and a really cool 1920's feel. For once I really felt the time period (something I had found lacking in the previous three books) and enjoyed the slang, the clothing descriptions, and Katie's attitude of a modern woman. The vibe had already been established in A Passion Denied, taking place in 1922, and now with the Great Depression on their heels, I really felt immersed in the close of the Roaring Twenties.
The first half was so detailed-oriented, entrancing, and just plain fun to read about. Even if I thought the spiritual side was a bit lacking, the story was still awesome and I was having such a great time with it. I completely fell for Luke (who the heck wouldn't!) but then I totally fell for Parker...oh gosh, he was wonderful. Arguably, he is the true hero of this book. I seriously want to marry him. I need to find him, I'm sure he's out there somewhere. Anywayyyys...!
A few things started to nick-pick me about half-way through. In what seems to be typical Lessman fashion, a few characters were left hanging, or were forgotten, as well as certain actions, or certain little pieces of plot that had started to unravel in previous chapters. I like my novels to unravel nicely and to see everything fall properly into place. It seems that in A Hope Undaunted there were maybe a bit too many little conflicts and too many little things going on and, as if the author had gotten confused, a few issues seemed pushed aside. We never hear of Jack again, for instance, or much of Katie's co-workers in the last half. One of the main reasons why I love Julie Lessman's books so much is because she includes the main characters' family members and friends, and you get to read scenes about every one of them. Faith, Charity, Lizzie and their wonderful husbands, whom we loved so much in Daughters of Boston, are all in there, laughing, joking, having kids and just being awesome. I love love love to see the family interactions, but it seemed to me that because there was so much going on at first, the last half of the book felt a bit rushed, and considerably weighed down by all the drama and inner struggles.
I like how complicated Lessman's plots are, but at the same time I wish there wasn't so much drama in the end. I thought A Passion Most Pure took the palm for that, but this one has to win. Goodness, it was hard to keep up! I think it's important to have the characters go through a series of cleansing events before they come together, but I never like it when suddenly we skip six months in which we are supposed to believe nothing happened but internal healing, before another crisis happens and the characters "need more time" to "figure things out and pray" even though they've been madly in love with each other for a long, long time. Then another three months has passed by, and - you get the picture. So, the book really spans three years -- two months in the first half, and over two years in the last half. We lose all the details and meticulous writing of the beginning only to be left with the anguish, the pain, the difficulties the characters have to go through.
Don't get me wrong, it's suspenseful and exciting to see how it will all turn out, but it just feels so different from the beginning that I usually feel a little lost. When so much time is skipped in between important scenes, it's sometimes hard to feel for the characters as we ought to, because we're still stuck on their previous sentiments, their previous mode of thought. (I hope I'm still making sense here...)
And last little thing -- I wish there wasn't so much necking and so much passion in the kisses. It's all very well if you're married, but we don't necessarily need to read about it to know that you're living in a blissful state of happily married life, and if you're not married, well in my opinion you should exercise a little more restraint! Generally, although she sometimes goes a little more in detail than necessary, I really like Lessman's take on how man and woman should avoid temptation and wait until they're married to take it to the next level, and on how passion is important in marriage, but she also always include passionate kissing and necking and the Lord-knows-what between the H/h that seem to be portrayed as "ok" before marriage. They are Catholics, are they not? We are very picky about what is allowed before marriage - hands and mouths to yourselves, please! Chaste kissing only! Now, I like me a little bit of passion in a romance novel, but I don't need to hear about the throat-devouring and earlobe nipping, thank you.
Some of us were born with very vivid imaginations, we don't need to much imagery ;)
I strongly recommend reading the Daughters of Boston series before this one, as it will show you how Katie's sisters all got married and all the drama they had to go through, but if you don't this novel is perfectly standalone and will no doubt sweep you away right in the O'Connor's parlor, where Marcy is gently arguing with Patrick over something Gabe did while he's beating Sean at chess, and where Collin is giving a soft peck on Faith's neck as she stands up to go help Charity and Lizzie in the kitchen, who are preparing food for their numerous progeny and hungry husbands. You'll fall in love with them, I warn you!
September 27, 2010
Where there are sisters there's bound to be trouble especially when those sisters go by the last name of O'Connor. Once again Julie Lessman delivers the dramatic, emotional rollercoaster of an edgy inspirational story that is definitely her trademark. You thought A Passion Most Pure had some great twists and turns well in the words of the 70s band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, "Baby you ain't seen nothin' yet!" Like I said where there is an O'Connor there's bound to be something interesting going down.
If you've ever read a series and wondered, "What happens next?" I'm glad to say that it looks like that will NOT be the case with this family. We met Faith, Charity, and Lizzie in the Daughters of Boston series and we get to meet the rest of the family along with some new characters in Winds of Change. From the little we knew of Katie and Cluny from the previous series I was hoping we would get to know them better in the future and that is certainly the case with this book! Katie is a beautiful girl who is no nonsense especially when it comes to love and Luke is her childhood nemesis who may or may not still be a slight pain in the behind for Katie. ;-)
A Hope Undaunted gives everything that the Passion books have and then some! This book continues with themes of a passion for family, friends, and God that can be found throughout Julie's writing. I think it's great that that message is in all of her books and it still never gets old! I can safely say that she and her books are high quality!
I received my review copy from Donna @ Revell books.
If you've ever read a series and wondered, "What happens next?" I'm glad to say that it looks like that will NOT be the case with this family. We met Faith, Charity, and Lizzie in the Daughters of Boston series and we get to meet the rest of the family along with some new characters in Winds of Change. From the little we knew of Katie and Cluny from the previous series I was hoping we would get to know them better in the future and that is certainly the case with this book! Katie is a beautiful girl who is no nonsense especially when it comes to love and Luke is her childhood nemesis who may or may not still be a slight pain in the behind for Katie. ;-)
A Hope Undaunted gives everything that the Passion books have and then some! This book continues with themes of a passion for family, friends, and God that can be found throughout Julie's writing. I think it's great that that message is in all of her books and it still never gets old! I can safely say that she and her books are high quality!
I received my review copy from Donna @ Revell books.
Read
June 14, 2023New Review, 2023:
I'm going to try to remember to come back to this with a full review, but basically, 2017 me was a nut. This is not inappropriate. Also, I did not remember ANYTHING about this.
Original Review, 2017:
It was a great book except for the sexual content which was too much for my comfort level at the time of reading.
A long time ago I said I was going to write a full review of this book, but it's simply been too long for me to remember all the ins and outs. Here is the content I remember, though, because I know some of y'all will be interested:
Much kissing and petting leading up to sex.
Characters thinking about sex, wanting to have sex, wanting to kiss, etc.
Several detailed kisses.
Mentions of couples sleeping together. We always seemed aware of it when they did (even if no graphic details were given).
A woman is very suspicious of her husband and thinks he is having an affair; I believe he ended up having been attracted to another woman, although nothing came of it.
Children are conceived out of wedlock.
A woman is raped and a child is conceived by it. It's hinted that this has happened before. We don't see the actual scene, thankfully, but we get the woman being tossed to the floor (essentially) and her reflection that it's useless to fight.
Girl is wild and crazy, disrespectful of her parents and generally just not the kind of character who I'm likely to admire. Which isn't really content, but …? I don't know.
Characters have lived in immoral relationships (not being married and living to each other, etc.) and such. Not necessarily dealt with (that I remember).
I do remember adoring the drama, the family, the background, the era … everything else about this book. If you don't mind content in a book, then read it, by all means! However, if you do, I'd definitely advise you to steer clear.
~Kellyn Roth
I'm going to try to remember to come back to this with a full review, but basically, 2017 me was a nut. This is not inappropriate. Also, I did not remember ANYTHING about this.
Original Review, 2017:
It was a great book except for the sexual content which was too much for my comfort level at the time of reading.
A long time ago I said I was going to write a full review of this book, but it's simply been too long for me to remember all the ins and outs. Here is the content I remember, though, because I know some of y'all will be interested:
Much kissing and petting leading up to sex.
Characters thinking about sex, wanting to have sex, wanting to kiss, etc.
Several detailed kisses.
Mentions of couples sleeping together. We always seemed aware of it when they did (even if no graphic details were given).
A woman is very suspicious of her husband and thinks he is having an affair; I believe he ended up having been attracted to another woman, although nothing came of it.
Children are conceived out of wedlock.
A woman is raped and a child is conceived by it. It's hinted that this has happened before. We don't see the actual scene, thankfully, but we get the woman being tossed to the floor (essentially) and her reflection that it's useless to fight.
Girl is wild and crazy, disrespectful of her parents and generally just not the kind of character who I'm likely to admire. Which isn't really content, but …? I don't know.
Characters have lived in immoral relationships (not being married and living to each other, etc.) and such. Not necessarily dealt with (that I remember).
I do remember adoring the drama, the family, the background, the era … everything else about this book. If you don't mind content in a book, then read it, by all means! However, if you do, I'd definitely advise you to steer clear.
~Kellyn Roth
March 28, 2010
A Hope Undaunted is everything I knew it would be. Ms. Lessman's exquisite talent for expressing the deep passions, joys, and torments of the soul will not only endear you to her characters but will keep you up late at night reading until the end. This book has it all. The warmth and love of family sitting around the hearth as well as the trying economic and licentious times of the roaring twenties all brought together in a story that will stir your heart and bring you deep spiritual lessons about God's will for your life. Another winner for Julie Lessman!
January 29, 2013
I was really excited to read this book, thinking it looked like a nice easy historical romance. Unfortunately, it really left me with a bad taste in my mouth. What struck me the most about this book, and what I didn't expect to find, is that it was incredible sexist and offensive. The main character is a strong willed young woman eager to attend law school and contribute to the womens' rights movement. While that sounds promising, it is clearly communicated throughout the book that Katie is just a "headstrong" young women who needs to be disciplined by male authority figures. When Katie tells her mother that in the last decade women have "broken free of from Victorian dictates to forge their own morality" her mother drops this gem:"You mean their own promiscuity." So apparently giving women rights over their own bodies turns them into "sluts"....? Her mother continues along this strain saying "You and I have all the freedom we need, young lady- your father provides us with a comfortable life, and we would do well to remember that." Well, good think you have a nice controlling father Katie, or you might just end up a street hooker!
All of the female characters prescribe to this female = submissive to husband role. Her older sister tells her that they have a duty to respect the authority god places over them, this being their fathers of husbands, who are the "head of the household", and if they disagree with their husbands they need to work out this "problem" with God. As for the male characters, they are all domineering jerks. Her father is ultra controlling, which is somehow portrayed in some parts of the book as endearing. The love interest, Luke, seems to like violently revenge kissing women after they have slapped him in the face for kissing them in the first place. He also constantly refers to Katie as a "little brat" which not only sounds like he is infantilizing her but also leads into my next major complaint: poor, often repetitive, writing. It really made me want to scratch my eyes out every time Luke calls Katie a little brat (37 times in case you were wondering) or she calls him a little beggar. The dialogue was awkward and there were so many characters introduced at once, I couldn't really distinguish one from the other. Also, I can't imagine why she set this in the 1920's, as there was hardly anything "historical" about the novel. When the stock market crashes, they have fewer big family dinners... and then a year later everything is fine. Overall, a lazy, condescendingly Christian book and not my piece of cake.
All of the female characters prescribe to this female = submissive to husband role. Her older sister tells her that they have a duty to respect the authority god places over them, this being their fathers of husbands, who are the "head of the household", and if they disagree with their husbands they need to work out this "problem" with God. As for the male characters, they are all domineering jerks. Her father is ultra controlling, which is somehow portrayed in some parts of the book as endearing. The love interest, Luke, seems to like violently revenge kissing women after they have slapped him in the face for kissing them in the first place. He also constantly refers to Katie as a "little brat" which not only sounds like he is infantilizing her but also leads into my next major complaint: poor, often repetitive, writing. It really made me want to scratch my eyes out every time Luke calls Katie a little brat (37 times in case you were wondering) or she calls him a little beggar. The dialogue was awkward and there were so many characters introduced at once, I couldn't really distinguish one from the other. Also, I can't imagine why she set this in the 1920's, as there was hardly anything "historical" about the novel. When the stock market crashes, they have fewer big family dinners... and then a year later everything is fine. Overall, a lazy, condescendingly Christian book and not my piece of cake.
January 3, 2011
Wonderful book! Definitely a keeper!
February 1, 2021
A Hope Undaunted was an emotional roller coaster that kept me guessing! I love a book that makes me feel such strong emotions that I have tears streaming down my face as I'm reading. This book did that for me. In fact, I think all of Julie's books have had places in them where I've felt genuine grief for the characters, and they aren't even real people! The characters in A Hope Undaunted were so multi-dimensional that they felt real, so I hurt when they hurt. Kind of like the O'Connor family is special, these books remind me of Karen Kingsbury's Baxter family. As a reader and "fan," you want their stories to go on forever and ever. You can't get enough. I loved how I worried about these fictional people and their situations. My heart pounded right along with theirs because the author pulled no punches with them. I love it when I learn some of those hard-earned lessons with the characters, and when I think about a story long after I finish it. Here is what made this story special to me...
Katie Rose needed to learn a lot of things that only God could teach her. I loved how the author set up each situation in such a way that Katie had to learn to love the Lord first. Sometimes getting your heart broken again and again can knock the stubbornness right out of a woman. And the brokenness and beauty that is left when the fallout is cleaned up is often breathtakingly sweet. I loved how the author showed that humility and patience is beautiful, and how women really do want strong men in their lives, not pushovers. My pastor is a great example of that, and people respect him because he doesn't bend with every wind that blows through the church.
I adore stories that include sacrificial love themes as well as tough love. This story has both. Real love, the kind that comes from God, seeks another person's good over their own will. Nothing gets the waterworks going for me quicker than sacrificial love in a story. That's why the story of Christ's redemption is so powerful and emotional. It is a rare and beautiful thing when people find this kind of love that "seeks not its own way" with each other.
My husband exemplifies this kind of love in my life. He's like my Patrick, my Collin, my Brady, my Mitch. God has been deeply involved in my life as well as my husband's, and God has shaved off the rough edges to bring us to that deep kind of love that we share as husband and wife to this day. It's an O'Connor kind of love, filled with deep emotion, passion, loyalty, friendship, and trust. This story illustrates to all women who are single that the right man (the one God has in mind for you) is worth waiting for. It also speaks to the hearts of married women, that love is give and take, and that there is a time to disagree...but it should never be in front of the children. ;) And passionate kisses? Don't get me started. I absolutely love that Julie's books are full of them!
Bottom line is I love all of Julie Lessman's stories so picking a favorite is incredibly hard. This story ranks near the top for sure. It's making my best fiction list for 2010...no question about that.
Katie Rose needed to learn a lot of things that only God could teach her. I loved how the author set up each situation in such a way that Katie had to learn to love the Lord first. Sometimes getting your heart broken again and again can knock the stubbornness right out of a woman. And the brokenness and beauty that is left when the fallout is cleaned up is often breathtakingly sweet. I loved how the author showed that humility and patience is beautiful, and how women really do want strong men in their lives, not pushovers. My pastor is a great example of that, and people respect him because he doesn't bend with every wind that blows through the church.
I adore stories that include sacrificial love themes as well as tough love. This story has both. Real love, the kind that comes from God, seeks another person's good over their own will. Nothing gets the waterworks going for me quicker than sacrificial love in a story. That's why the story of Christ's redemption is so powerful and emotional. It is a rare and beautiful thing when people find this kind of love that "seeks not its own way" with each other.
My husband exemplifies this kind of love in my life. He's like my Patrick, my Collin, my Brady, my Mitch. God has been deeply involved in my life as well as my husband's, and God has shaved off the rough edges to bring us to that deep kind of love that we share as husband and wife to this day. It's an O'Connor kind of love, filled with deep emotion, passion, loyalty, friendship, and trust. This story illustrates to all women who are single that the right man (the one God has in mind for you) is worth waiting for. It also speaks to the hearts of married women, that love is give and take, and that there is a time to disagree...but it should never be in front of the children. ;) And passionate kisses? Don't get me started. I absolutely love that Julie's books are full of them!
Bottom line is I love all of Julie Lessman's stories so picking a favorite is incredibly hard. This story ranks near the top for sure. It's making my best fiction list for 2010...no question about that.
Want to read
March 21, 2017Far too much sexual content. Sad. (My, I'm starting to sound like Donald Trump)
July 9, 2022
Aaaaagain. I sobbed so hard into my pillow.
And that means...
I absolutely loved this book.
The O'Conners are one of my all-time favorite fictional families. The good-natured banter, the freedom to confide in each other, the family dinners, the rivalries over chess, and even the tense fights - it all feels so believable and I simply love each scene featuring them.
My dear darling poor amazing beloved PARKER. Guys. I love him. He needs a book for himself (if there already is one, I MUST READ IT.) Sooo sacrificial, so a lot of things. The love triangle tore me into a thousand pieces - I didn't want anyone to be hurt, but, UGH.
Katie was an amazing, spirited heroine who I also wanted to smack a few times. In spite of her strong-willed independence and desire to fight for women's rights - and her initial aversion to the thought of having more than one kid, she wasn't annoying. (Praise Jesus!) Not as I'd perhaps feared she might be. Her backstory and fully developed personality made her feel so real and lovable. Yes, she was a snotty brat to her parents at times, but... again, her backstory and FULLY developed personality made her emotions understandable, even forgivable. Especially because of the character arc (she doesn't stay bratty forever). And if we're talking about bratty, I love Charity to death. And we all know what she was like before she was saved.
AND LUKE. I love him even more than P-P...Par... groans. Fine, I'll say it: I loved him even more than Parker! (Some of you might be like "duh" but seriously, Parker was... he was something else.) Oh, Luke. Soda jerk, King of Misery, Cluny McGee, whatever you want to call him, I'm in love. At the moment, I don't have anything else to say. I guess I'm still kinda speechless.
I rejoiced when... well, I won't say that since it's a spoiler, but whenever Jack left the scene, I rejoiced.
Julie Lessman's prose is one of my favorites EVER. Bursting with perfect, strong verb choices, just the right amount of description and action beats (some might call it too wordy, but me? I savor every single word. Honest.), it is as passionate as the romantic and spiritual content itself.
That said, I wouldn't recommend this book for everyone. And that's okay if you don't want to read it because the romantic content makes you uncomfortable! It does gets heavy. Intense. Edgy. Heartbreaki- *pulls myself away from going on a tangent* *clears throat* Where was I? Oh, yes. It's edgy. Kisses are described in raw, lavish detail. But it's clean. If the definition of clean is that there is no explicit sexual/violent/language content... I'm afraid (friendly slight sarcasm alert), for all those who'd call this dirty, that A Hope Undaunted technically is indeed clean. Again, if that's the definition we're using.
Not only does it not have explicit or gratuitous content, but it HAS strong spiritual content. A powerful theme of full and complete surrender to God. That still gives me chills. And speaking of themes, I absolutely love how the characters learn to pray. About. Everything. That's a common theme in all her books - characters (usually siblings, close friends, parents with the child, or mentors) come together and pray about the things that are tearing them apart inside. They learn to surrender their plans, hopes, fears, and dreams to God. Yes, the O'Connors are Catholic. But (I must say, to my delight), I don't remember coming across anything that actually "smacked" of Catholicism, per se. They don't pray to Mary, or any saints, from what I remember. That makes the spiritual themes in this very... erm, for lack of a better word, inclusive for all Christians.
Oh, and Steven! I almost forgot about the whole... ahem, scare with Patrick. Oh wow. I can't imagine being poor, misguided Steven at that time. Ugh! That was another part that made me cry, along with when Parker put aside his desires for that of his friend. And when Luke... never mind. Also, not to rant any longer, but that last scene with the whole family on Mother's Day was pure gold. The humorous banter and serious conversations with the women in the kitchen, and the hilarious interactions with the guys with the kids outside... I felt like I was right here with them, loving every minute of it.
So yes, I loved this book. And I need a sequel about Parker. (I mean that.)
And that means...
I absolutely loved this book.
The O'Conners are one of my all-time favorite fictional families. The good-natured banter, the freedom to confide in each other, the family dinners, the rivalries over chess, and even the tense fights - it all feels so believable and I simply love each scene featuring them.
My dear darling poor amazing beloved PARKER. Guys. I love him. He needs a book for himself (if there already is one, I MUST READ IT.) Sooo sacrificial, so a lot of things. The love triangle tore me into a thousand pieces - I didn't want anyone to be hurt, but, UGH.
Katie was an amazing, spirited heroine who I also wanted to smack a few times. In spite of her strong-willed independence and desire to fight for women's rights - and her initial aversion to the thought of having more than one kid, she wasn't annoying. (Praise Jesus!) Not as I'd perhaps feared she might be. Her backstory and fully developed personality made her feel so real and lovable. Yes, she was a snotty brat to her parents at times, but... again, her backstory and FULLY developed personality made her emotions understandable, even forgivable. Especially because of the character arc (she doesn't stay bratty forever). And if we're talking about bratty, I love Charity to death. And we all know what she was like before she was saved.
AND LUKE. I love him even more than P-P...Par... groans. Fine, I'll say it: I loved him even more than Parker! (Some of you might be like "duh" but seriously, Parker was... he was something else.) Oh, Luke. Soda jerk, King of Misery, Cluny McGee, whatever you want to call him, I'm in love. At the moment, I don't have anything else to say. I guess I'm still kinda speechless.
I rejoiced when... well, I won't say that since it's a spoiler, but whenever Jack left the scene, I rejoiced.
Julie Lessman's prose is one of my favorites EVER. Bursting with perfect, strong verb choices, just the right amount of description and action beats (some might call it too wordy, but me? I savor every single word. Honest.), it is as passionate as the romantic and spiritual content itself.
That said, I wouldn't recommend this book for everyone. And that's okay if you don't want to read it because the romantic content makes you uncomfortable! It does gets heavy. Intense. Edgy. Heartbreaki- *pulls myself away from going on a tangent* *clears throat* Where was I? Oh, yes. It's edgy. Kisses are described in raw, lavish detail. But it's clean. If the definition of clean is that there is no explicit sexual/violent/language content... I'm afraid (friendly slight sarcasm alert), for all those who'd call this dirty, that A Hope Undaunted technically is indeed clean. Again, if that's the definition we're using.
Not only does it not have explicit or gratuitous content, but it HAS strong spiritual content. A powerful theme of full and complete surrender to God. That still gives me chills. And speaking of themes, I absolutely love how the characters learn to pray. About. Everything. That's a common theme in all her books - characters (usually siblings, close friends, parents with the child, or mentors) come together and pray about the things that are tearing them apart inside. They learn to surrender their plans, hopes, fears, and dreams to God. Yes, the O'Connors are Catholic. But (I must say, to my delight), I don't remember coming across anything that actually "smacked" of Catholicism, per se. They don't pray to Mary, or any saints, from what I remember. That makes the spiritual themes in this very... erm, for lack of a better word, inclusive for all Christians.
Oh, and Steven! I almost forgot about the whole... ahem, scare with Patrick. Oh wow. I can't imagine being poor, misguided Steven at that time. Ugh! That was another part that made me cry, along with when Parker put aside his desires for that of his friend. And when Luke... never mind. Also, not to rant any longer, but that last scene with the whole family on Mother's Day was pure gold. The humorous banter and serious conversations with the women in the kitchen, and the hilarious interactions with the guys with the kids outside... I felt like I was right here with them, loving every minute of it.
So yes, I loved this book. And I need a sequel about Parker. (I mean that.)
November 30, 2011
Whether I like or dislike her individual books, I must say Julie Lessman is undoubtably the very best Christian writer I have read, in pure writing talent, character development, riveting story lines, as well as the ability to seamlessly meld frequent and strong Christian teachings into the dialogue without succumbing to blatant sermonizing.
In this installment of the ongoing stories within the O'Conner family, youngest daughter, Katie comes of age with a vengeance. Strong-willed, spoiled and determined to wrench life into her oyster, Katie meets her match when she is re-introduced to Luke "Cluny" McGee, the bane of her childhood existence.
There were some glitches in this story that disturbed me from a Christian point of view. Namely the secondary storyline concerning Faith and Collin and his ongoing relationship with a woman he was intimately involved with in his earlier life. Initially the message was strong against playing with that kind of fire but as the story progressed the messages became mixed and very definite Christian counsel was ignored with no repercussions. That sends confusing messages and muddies some very dangerous waters for readers trying to determine what values are being taught. Also, I felt the story lines where multiple characters choose to marry people when they are in love with someone else is disingenuous, and while understanding the reasons for portraying those characters as selfless, it overlooks the very real fact that it shortchanges and cheats the innocent out of a chance to be truly loved by someone who will cherish them first. Luke's character seems most prone to being self-sacrificial in a way that is actually very hurtful.
Still, the story was absolutely riveting, one that kept me up multiple nights reading until the wee hours. Like I said, even with it's flaws, few can do it better!
In this installment of the ongoing stories within the O'Conner family, youngest daughter, Katie comes of age with a vengeance. Strong-willed, spoiled and determined to wrench life into her oyster, Katie meets her match when she is re-introduced to Luke "Cluny" McGee, the bane of her childhood existence.
There were some glitches in this story that disturbed me from a Christian point of view. Namely the secondary storyline concerning Faith and Collin and his ongoing relationship with a woman he was intimately involved with in his earlier life. Initially the message was strong against playing with that kind of fire but as the story progressed the messages became mixed and very definite Christian counsel was ignored with no repercussions. That sends confusing messages and muddies some very dangerous waters for readers trying to determine what values are being taught. Also, I felt the story lines where multiple characters choose to marry people when they are in love with someone else is disingenuous, and while understanding the reasons for portraying those characters as selfless, it overlooks the very real fact that it shortchanges and cheats the innocent out of a chance to be truly loved by someone who will cherish them first. Luke's character seems most prone to being self-sacrificial in a way that is actually very hurtful.
Still, the story was absolutely riveting, one that kept me up multiple nights reading until the wee hours. Like I said, even with it's flaws, few can do it better!
August 11, 2016
Absolutely loved this book
Loved the characters. Loved the story loved everything about this!
Katie Rose has grown up privileged. Luke McGee has grown up on the streets. As children Katie loved to tease Luke about his social status as a poor child.
Years go by and they meet again. Luke now a very handsome lawyer. There is an attraction instantly and you think these two are going to end up together, as they openly admit being in love with each other, but instead the author puts barrier after barrier between them. Those parts I didn't like much but as the book neared the last few pages I completely lost hope that they would end up together. Do you they, through e dry thing they endure do they end up together? Don't know, you will have to read the book to find out.
Loved the characters. Loved the story loved everything about this!
Katie Rose has grown up privileged. Luke McGee has grown up on the streets. As children Katie loved to tease Luke about his social status as a poor child.
Years go by and they meet again. Luke now a very handsome lawyer. There is an attraction instantly and you think these two are going to end up together, as they openly admit being in love with each other, but instead the author puts barrier after barrier between them. Those parts I didn't like much but as the book neared the last few pages I completely lost hope that they would end up together. Do you they, through e dry thing they endure do they end up together? Don't know, you will have to read the book to find out.
May 19, 2012
Rating clarification: 1/5th of a star.
This book is THE WORST. I mean, unless you like creepy dominating men, in which case (and if you're CHRISTIAN), this is the book for you.
It's 500+ pages of the O'Connor family and childhood nemesis teaching Katie O'Connor to put her dreams to the backburner and get married to a man who knows how to put her in her place.
Don't believe me? Here are some gems:
"Because other than Patrick [Katie's dad], you're one of the few who stood up to her, challenged her."
"Drove her crazy?"
Brady grinned. "Yeah, that too. And trust me, Katie could use a little challenge right about now. I'm afraid the older Marcy [Katie's mom, sometimes spelled Marcie] gets, the more she coddles her." (49)
Katie's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I know, and I don't embrace everything espoused today, really I don't. Alcohol and cigarettes and lewd behavior only cheapen the woman's cause, in my opinion, not to mention that it gives men what they want without any commitment." She blew her bangs from her face. "But a little more freedom would be nice, don't you think?"
Marcy chuckled. "You and I have all the freedom we need, young lady-your father provides us with a comfortable life, and we would do well to remember that." (50)
Don't worry, the misogyny doesn't just apply to young Katie. They apply to her friend Betty. Betty is raped (off screen, of course. Nothing more than kissing happens in this 'romance novel') by her ex-boyfriend and becomes pregnant. Even she believes that she was probably her doing: "Besides, he didn't rape me, McGee. All it took was one slap for old time's sake, and I laid down without a fight." I'm fairly certain that this IS STILL RAPE. Don't worry, Betty dies giving birth to the innocent, God-sent treasure.
Katie gives up law school, her relationship with Jack, and the desire to only have two children (she compromises on the last page to four kids - Luke, her final fiancee (she gets three throughout the book) wanted eight kids. He already has taken in Betty's daughter, so this seems like a selfish move. But he's such a douche I don't think Katie notices).
I'd warn you about spoilers, but honestly, this book is so predictable. I wasn't even paying attention and I knew what was going to happen. I also didn't pay much mind to the sisters - there were so many of them that I ended up not caring about their story lines at all. Lessman must have a bunch of other books with their stories. I will not be reading them.
It's a pity that Lessman doesn't have the firm grasp of historical accuracy that she has on her faith. Oh yes, the stock market crashes in October, but honestly, that was so heavy handed, and oh, dramatic irony! Dear father has a stress-related heart thing that night! I don't really care. She uses a lot of terms and phrases that have been bandied about since this current recession, highlighting how few primary sources Lessman consulted before writing this drivel. And it's amazing how quickly the economy recovers in this little happy, God-loving world. Here's a fun fact: the "Great Depression" lasted more than a year. The United States reeled from the market crash until we entered WW2. And if you were a farmer, it started a lot earlier than 1929. TRUE FACTS. You're welcome.
In short, this book is a mess. I don't recommend it to anyone, unless you are lucky enough to get the copy I read, full of my penciled notes.
This book is THE WORST. I mean, unless you like creepy dominating men, in which case (and if you're CHRISTIAN), this is the book for you.
It's 500+ pages of the O'Connor family and childhood nemesis teaching Katie O'Connor to put her dreams to the backburner and get married to a man who knows how to put her in her place.
Don't believe me? Here are some gems:
"Because other than Patrick [Katie's dad], you're one of the few who stood up to her, challenged her."
"Drove her crazy?"
Brady grinned. "Yeah, that too. And trust me, Katie could use a little challenge right about now. I'm afraid the older Marcy [Katie's mom, sometimes spelled Marcie] gets, the more she coddles her." (49)
Katie's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I know, and I don't embrace everything espoused today, really I don't. Alcohol and cigarettes and lewd behavior only cheapen the woman's cause, in my opinion, not to mention that it gives men what they want without any commitment." She blew her bangs from her face. "But a little more freedom would be nice, don't you think?"
Marcy chuckled. "You and I have all the freedom we need, young lady-your father provides us with a comfortable life, and we would do well to remember that." (50)
Don't worry, the misogyny doesn't just apply to young Katie. They apply to her friend Betty. Betty is raped (off screen, of course. Nothing more than kissing happens in this 'romance novel') by her ex-boyfriend and becomes pregnant. Even she believes that she was probably her doing: "Besides, he didn't rape me, McGee. All it took was one slap for old time's sake, and I laid down without a fight." I'm fairly certain that this IS STILL RAPE. Don't worry, Betty dies giving birth to the innocent, God-sent treasure.
Katie gives up law school, her relationship with Jack, and the desire to only have two children (she compromises on the last page to four kids - Luke, her final fiancee (she gets three throughout the book) wanted eight kids. He already has taken in Betty's daughter, so this seems like a selfish move. But he's such a douche I don't think Katie notices).
I'd warn you about spoilers, but honestly, this book is so predictable. I wasn't even paying attention and I knew what was going to happen. I also didn't pay much mind to the sisters - there were so many of them that I ended up not caring about their story lines at all. Lessman must have a bunch of other books with their stories. I will not be reading them.
It's a pity that Lessman doesn't have the firm grasp of historical accuracy that she has on her faith. Oh yes, the stock market crashes in October, but honestly, that was so heavy handed, and oh, dramatic irony! Dear father has a stress-related heart thing that night! I don't really care. She uses a lot of terms and phrases that have been bandied about since this current recession, highlighting how few primary sources Lessman consulted before writing this drivel. And it's amazing how quickly the economy recovers in this little happy, God-loving world. Here's a fun fact: the "Great Depression" lasted more than a year. The United States reeled from the market crash until we entered WW2. And if you were a farmer, it started a lot earlier than 1929. TRUE FACTS. You're welcome.
In short, this book is a mess. I don't recommend it to anyone, unless you are lucky enough to get the copy I read, full of my penciled notes.
August 8, 2013
Overall, I almost thought this was a great book--but I had two problems with it. The more minor problem is that the love quadrangle plot was just too much like the love triangle plot in A Passion Most Pure; I really would have liked a little more originality. The major problem was that I really hated the subplot about Faith wimping into a doormat as Collin lies, sneaks, and commits emotional adultery on her and the children. You can say it turns out that he had a good excuse, but he didn't find that excuse until AFTER being a total sleazebag to his family. Aargh. In real life I doubt it would be a Betty who ends up in the abusive relationship, it would probably be an emotionally-crippled spineless jellyfish like Faith--oh, right, she did end up in an abusive marriage, emotionally abusive rather than physically abusive. She showed a little spine at first and then deteriorated into a limp dishrag and didn't even have the moxie to take a stand for her children's well-being. It was only a small subplot, but Faith's idiocy in dealing with her husband's infidelity left me with a very unpleasant aftertaste from this book. In real life, I doubt if things would have suddenly made a magical reversal--I just don't buy that God rewards spousal neglect and infidelity, and there are more kinds of infidelity than the physical kind. On the plus side, I am glad that Patrick finally found a tiny bit of his spine to confront Marcie on her vicious passive-aggressive games to turn the children and grandchildren against Patrick so she can feel that they love her more than him--she was starting to get on my nerves--but at least the problem was finally effectively addressed. I know a "sweet" woman just like Marcie--her children all turned out badly and are paying a terrible price. I think I am still really, really angry with Ms. Lessman and Faith for ruining this otherwise great book for me with Faith's spineless enabling of Collin's infidelity. These couples may be big on loooove, but they are mighty short on respect.
February 18, 2013
I mean... the relationships were very interesting, the characters themselves not always so much. The plot had a few nice turns, well, the turns themselves weren't always "nice", but perhaps you know what I mean?
I had two main issues, one was that for a Christian novel, she sure does toe the line. I've never met a group of characters that were all so... actively intimate, and while she never shared any details, I kept feeling like a peeping tom looking in someone's bedroom window. I mean, intimacy should be intimate, for a reason. Thankfully, as I said, she always "cuts scene" just before any action starts, but when every single scene ends that way it begins to just feel like she couldn't think of any other way to have a husband and wife end a conversation.
The other thing was, as mentioned this is a Christian novel, and at times her portrayal of the characters and their relationship to God was a little... well, not what I am used to, I suppose. A little unsettling at times.
ALSO
I had two main issues, one was that for a Christian novel, she sure does toe the line. I've never met a group of characters that were all so... actively intimate, and while she never shared any details, I kept feeling like a peeping tom looking in someone's bedroom window. I mean, intimacy should be intimate, for a reason. Thankfully, as I said, she always "cuts scene" just before any action starts, but when every single scene ends that way it begins to just feel like she couldn't think of any other way to have a husband and wife end a conversation.
The other thing was, as mentioned this is a Christian novel, and at times her portrayal of the characters and their relationship to God was a little... well, not what I am used to, I suppose. A little unsettling at times.
ALSO
February 28, 2022
julie lessman seriously has a way with capturing your heart, ripping it out, shredding it to a million tiny pieces and then sewing it all back together again before the book is over. the thing im not crazy about is the fact the all of her characters have to get engaged to 10 different people to realize who they actually love. and when they do realize it the other one has to get engaged to 10 different people before they come back. its frustrating. if its gods will than its gods will and you will deal with his wrath when you override it😂also, katie needed a goo spanking. if my kids ever acted like that under my roof i wouldnt hesitate to throw them out. rebellion is a sin. compared to witchcraft in the Bible actually. but anyway, it was good:) aaaand julie lessman always gets me in my feels so i cried again during this one.
Read
March 29, 2017I won't be finishing this book and I am so sad about it! I love this author's writing and I love her spunky female leads, however when a Christian fiction book is less clean than the secular mainstream books I read, Houston we have a problem. The men are domineering and border on forced seduction, I didn't care for all the kissing and I definitely didn't care for the hero, who is a professed christian, kiss and manipulate a random female and then come over to the heroine wiping his mouth and joking about it. So distasteful. I expect much more from a book when it is Christian fiction. Very disappointing. I won't be reading anymore by her :(
December 19, 2020
*Warnings*
#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You'll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which will mean some spoilers, so watch out. #3--additional warning reserved only for this review--there is a serious amount of bias in this review, as well as lack of explanation and ranting. Why? you ask, considering I'm known to be a full-blown, entirely too annoying ranter who can't keep her opinions to her own blasted self? Because I did it again, folks. I read this book, died and went to heaven, then came back to read some pretty bad reviews. So, if you want my take on Julie Lessman's "Passion with a Purpose," then I suggest you follow this link--https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog... --to get the low-down on how I feel, or just read the rest of my reviews on Julie Lessman's books. Mine for Unfailing Love gets pretty deep. So...I'm going to contain myself and tell you why I loved this book--not why you should. (Yes. I'm serious here. I'm feeling extremely nice today. 😊 You're welcome.)
Long third warning aside...
I've read 17 books of Julie Lessman's--Isle of Hope, Daughters of Boston and the O'Connors' prequel, Silver Lining Ranch, Christmas novellas, etc. (That means roughly 8 more to go, right?) With Isle of Hope, I fell in love with this amazing author and her unique way of writing, her passion for God and romance, and her take on how our relationship with God--and everything that comes out of it--should be. I realized that my own--but also shared--opinion of her being too passionate and simply too much in the Irish Catholic womanizer department--ICWs--was unfounded. But, you see, I'm a reader who likes a lot of passion and an author who makes her grandmother blush. (No lie. I'm serious. She blushed.) I'm a follower of Christ who adores authors who aren't ashamed of the Gospel--"wives, submit to your husbands," "love never fails," "husbands, love your wives," Song of Solomon, "forgive as you have been forgiven," "go unto the world and preach the good news to all"--and will preach your ears (technically, eyeballs) off. Lastly, I'm a teenage girl who does not read Twilight or watch After or listen to Taylor Swift. (I read Francine Rivers, watch When Calls the Heart, I Love Lucy, and The Waltons and listen to Lifehouse and Relient K.) Meaning, no, I don't derive pleasure or some sort of sick satisfaction from pop culture and social norms and liberal ideals--ideals meaning a belief in lack of morality and scruples.
(I'm getting kind of rant-y, I'm noticing.)
Anyway...my point is this: I love Julie Lessman. Her books are just right for me, because they cater to everything I like to read--deep, fun characters; suspenseful plots; heightened levels of passion that aren't too much for a kid like me; and an even higher level of spirituality that gives me chills when Faith begins to pray or that ICW has a come-to-Jesus moment or that despicable character gets witnessed to by the heroine. Or...when Brady literally pounds some sense into Luke McGee.
That said, it was only natural that, by this point, I love A Hope Undaunted. I love the O'Connors to bits and pieces. I fell in love with Cluny--yes, that smart-mouthed 14-year-old that wouldn't even come to my waist either--in A Passion Denied. I cracked up every time Katie so much as looked at somebody. And I love getting to glimpse Marcy, Charity, Faith, and Lizzie's lives x-amount of years down the road.
So...A Hope Undaunted got a five star rating and was placed into my pure-awesome shelf, where I put all the books that were, well, pure awesome.
Except Katie O'Connor and Luke McGee were ten times five stars.
Now, that bias I mentioned in that warning? Well...I was married to Luke McGee in a past life.
Yep.
I mean, assuming I believed in reincarnation, which I obviously don't, but humor me here.
I love this book because I knew Luke McGee--at least, I knew the caliber of man he was. He was by far the best hero of Lessman's (Sorry, Mitch. I still love you. Just less.) And, yes, the Queen of Assumptions easily predicted every move he made because, sure, I was married to him in my dreams...once upon a time...I wish. (Please, God...please give me a Luke McGee about five years from now... 🥺🥺💘💔❤) Anyway...I won't give you any spoilers... But Cluny McGee, the "King of Misery," has become one of the best men ever. Tell me there are men like that in real life!
I love this book because it made me laugh. So...I know I just said that Silver Lining Ranch was hands-down hilarious, and it was, but AHD cracked me up on every. single. page. Whether it was Katie or Gabe or Parker and Luke or Patrick's stubbornness or Charity's comments, I laughed throughout the entire book. Surprisingly, there were no "blighted idiots" this time. Good thing?
I love this book because it has some of the best secondary characters ever. And, no, for once I do not mean Charity. I mean Parker Riley, who was pretty bloomin' great himself--meaning, yes, I fell in love with him too--and Betty Galetti, who both proved that you can fall in love with four people and three couples at the same time. (I didn't think it was possible, but Julie Lessman's just good like that.) And Gabe. Oh, Gabe! I've already been introduced to her multiple times, but I hadn't expected what I got. That girl, I swanny, is high-lair-ee-us! (That was hilarious with an accent. Can you tell?)
I love this book because those feelings of home were amplified. With a pleasant mix of the O'Connors' cozy--with 25+ people for dinner, you know it's cozy--house, their family dynamics, and the expansion of the McGuires, the Brady Bunch, and the Dennehys...and a taste of the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, the honk of horns, smell of forbidden alcohol, Life Savers, the sound of Gladys chomping her gum, Bobbie Sue's Southern accent, and the interaction between Betty, Parker, Luke, Katie, and Bobbie Sue at the BCAS...AHD had an aura that I'll never be able to shake. And I don't even like the 20s!
I love this book because it was some of Lessman's best writing, plotting, scheming, Irish loving, and character developing.
Long story short, I apologize. I haven't been able to write a decent review since I read Roseanna M. White's On Wings of Devotion at the beginning of January. Then again, I wouldn't say my reviews of Sara Ella's Reflection Chronicles last spring were any better, so maybe I'm not the most concise, normal, detailed reviewer that will tell you what you need to know about the book. You know, like a quick, spoiler-free summary, then a couple lines about how much I did or didn't enjoy the book and why. But...I get kind of crazy. I am kind of crazy. And my obsession with books is, you guessed it, crazy. However, I try to contain myself in my reviews on Amazon. So...you know, if you're looking for something a tad bit calmer...
Long story short, I'm not sorry. For doing another "long story short" and leading you into thinking that this review was over. For falling in love with Julie Lessman and now deeming this book, A Hope Undaunted, my favorite. (That'll change as time goes on. She just gets better.) For loving Luke McGee and Katie O'Connor and Gabriella Dawn Smith and Betty Galetti and Parker Riley and Kit-Kat and Patrick and Marcy and the McGuires, the Dennehys, the Bradys, the remaining O'Connor siblings (even Steven...I think.) and the random passersby on the streets of Boston.
Long story short, this was my favorite of Julie Lessman's and I highly recommend it.
BookWorm
#1 This is a long review, so pull up a chair and grab a bowl of popcorn. You'll be here awhile. #2 When I read a review, I want substantial information. So I will not skimp on the details. Which will mean some spoilers, so watch out. #3--additional warning reserved only for this review--there is a serious amount of bias in this review, as well as lack of explanation and ranting. Why? you ask, considering I'm known to be a full-blown, entirely too annoying ranter who can't keep her opinions to her own blasted self? Because I did it again, folks. I read this book, died and went to heaven, then came back to read some pretty bad reviews. So, if you want my take on Julie Lessman's "Passion with a Purpose," then I suggest you follow this link--https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog... --to get the low-down on how I feel, or just read the rest of my reviews on Julie Lessman's books. Mine for Unfailing Love gets pretty deep. So...I'm going to contain myself and tell you why I loved this book--not why you should. (Yes. I'm serious here. I'm feeling extremely nice today. 😊 You're welcome.)
Long third warning aside...
I've read 17 books of Julie Lessman's--Isle of Hope, Daughters of Boston and the O'Connors' prequel, Silver Lining Ranch, Christmas novellas, etc. (That means roughly 8 more to go, right?) With Isle of Hope, I fell in love with this amazing author and her unique way of writing, her passion for God and romance, and her take on how our relationship with God--and everything that comes out of it--should be. I realized that my own--but also shared--opinion of her being too passionate and simply too much in the Irish Catholic womanizer department--ICWs--was unfounded. But, you see, I'm a reader who likes a lot of passion and an author who makes her grandmother blush. (No lie. I'm serious. She blushed.) I'm a follower of Christ who adores authors who aren't ashamed of the Gospel--"wives, submit to your husbands," "love never fails," "husbands, love your wives," Song of Solomon, "forgive as you have been forgiven," "go unto the world and preach the good news to all"--and will preach your ears (technically, eyeballs) off. Lastly, I'm a teenage girl who does not read Twilight or watch After or listen to Taylor Swift. (I read Francine Rivers, watch When Calls the Heart, I Love Lucy, and The Waltons and listen to Lifehouse and Relient K.) Meaning, no, I don't derive pleasure or some sort of sick satisfaction from pop culture and social norms and liberal ideals--ideals meaning a belief in lack of morality and scruples.
(I'm getting kind of rant-y, I'm noticing.)
Anyway...my point is this: I love Julie Lessman. Her books are just right for me, because they cater to everything I like to read--deep, fun characters; suspenseful plots; heightened levels of passion that aren't too much for a kid like me; and an even higher level of spirituality that gives me chills when Faith begins to pray or that ICW has a come-to-Jesus moment or that despicable character gets witnessed to by the heroine. Or...when Brady literally pounds some sense into Luke McGee.
That said, it was only natural that, by this point, I love A Hope Undaunted. I love the O'Connors to bits and pieces. I fell in love with Cluny--yes, that smart-mouthed 14-year-old that wouldn't even come to my waist either--in A Passion Denied. I cracked up every time Katie so much as looked at somebody. And I love getting to glimpse Marcy, Charity, Faith, and Lizzie's lives x-amount of years down the road.
So...A Hope Undaunted got a five star rating and was placed into my pure-awesome shelf, where I put all the books that were, well, pure awesome.
Except Katie O'Connor and Luke McGee were ten times five stars.
Now, that bias I mentioned in that warning? Well...I was married to Luke McGee in a past life.
Yep.
I mean, assuming I believed in reincarnation, which I obviously don't, but humor me here.
I love this book because I knew Luke McGee--at least, I knew the caliber of man he was. He was by far the best hero of Lessman's (Sorry, Mitch. I still love you. Just less.) And, yes, the Queen of Assumptions easily predicted every move he made because, sure, I was married to him in my dreams...once upon a time...I wish. (Please, God...please give me a Luke McGee about five years from now... 🥺🥺💘💔❤) Anyway...I won't give you any spoilers... But Cluny McGee, the "King of Misery," has become one of the best men ever. Tell me there are men like that in real life!
I love this book because it made me laugh. So...I know I just said that Silver Lining Ranch was hands-down hilarious, and it was, but AHD cracked me up on every. single. page. Whether it was Katie or Gabe or Parker and Luke or Patrick's stubbornness or Charity's comments, I laughed throughout the entire book. Surprisingly, there were no "blighted idiots" this time. Good thing?
I love this book because it has some of the best secondary characters ever. And, no, for once I do not mean Charity. I mean Parker Riley, who was pretty bloomin' great himself--meaning, yes, I fell in love with him too--and Betty Galetti, who both proved that you can fall in love with four people and three couples at the same time. (I didn't think it was possible, but Julie Lessman's just good like that.) And Gabe. Oh, Gabe! I've already been introduced to her multiple times, but I hadn't expected what I got. That girl, I swanny, is high-lair-ee-us! (That was hilarious with an accent. Can you tell?)
I love this book because those feelings of home were amplified. With a pleasant mix of the O'Connors' cozy--with 25+ people for dinner, you know it's cozy--house, their family dynamics, and the expansion of the McGuires, the Brady Bunch, and the Dennehys...and a taste of the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, the honk of horns, smell of forbidden alcohol, Life Savers, the sound of Gladys chomping her gum, Bobbie Sue's Southern accent, and the interaction between Betty, Parker, Luke, Katie, and Bobbie Sue at the BCAS...AHD had an aura that I'll never be able to shake. And I don't even like the 20s!
I love this book because it was some of Lessman's best writing, plotting, scheming, Irish loving, and character developing.
Long story short, I apologize. I haven't been able to write a decent review since I read Roseanna M. White's On Wings of Devotion at the beginning of January. Then again, I wouldn't say my reviews of Sara Ella's Reflection Chronicles last spring were any better, so maybe I'm not the most concise, normal, detailed reviewer that will tell you what you need to know about the book. You know, like a quick, spoiler-free summary, then a couple lines about how much I did or didn't enjoy the book and why. But...I get kind of crazy. I am kind of crazy. And my obsession with books is, you guessed it, crazy. However, I try to contain myself in my reviews on Amazon. So...you know, if you're looking for something a tad bit calmer...
Long story short, I'm not sorry. For doing another "long story short" and leading you into thinking that this review was over. For falling in love with Julie Lessman and now deeming this book, A Hope Undaunted, my favorite. (That'll change as time goes on. She just gets better.) For loving Luke McGee and Katie O'Connor and Gabriella Dawn Smith and Betty Galetti and Parker Riley and Kit-Kat and Patrick and Marcy and the McGuires, the Dennehys, the Bradys, the remaining O'Connor siblings (even Steven...I think.) and the random passersby on the streets of Boston.
Long story short, this was my favorite of Julie Lessman's and I highly recommend it.
BookWorm
January 21, 2018
*This review is from my blog and originally published in 2010*
Okay. Let me start this review with SHAME ON ME! Why? Because, sweet saints, I haven’t ever read a Julie Lessman novel until this one and I most definitely should have been reading her books already! She is absolutely FANTABULOUS! The power that Julie has over her readers when they open the first page is mind-blowingly INCREDIBLE!
In A Hope Undaunted, Julie combines tenderness and passion with wit and God’s love, to create a romance story set in the 1920’s that will carry you away and leave you utterly breathless. Katie O’Connor was such an amazing young woman….thinking she had her life all planned out for herself. That is until she encounters a very handsome “soda jerk” by the name of Luke. Luke “Cluny” McGee, the boy she hated as a child, has been chiseled into a stunningly remarkable character. (Julie, can you send him my way, please?!) So, that leaves Katie with a choice….to follow HER hopes and choices, or God’s hopes and choices for her life. A beautifully created plot line!
For years, I’ve collected The Queen of Christian Fiction, Karen Kingsbury’s books, including true crime novels she wrote prior to her Christian work, and the ones that are under her pen name, but after reading this breathtaking, passionate story of a hope undaunted and a love that’s pure, Julie Lessman has earned a spot on my favorite authors list at the very top, pushing Karen Kingsbury down one. It takes an absolutely fantastic author to do that because I’ve held Karen Kingsbury at the top of my list for years! I’m still in awe and savoring this unforgettable story and it’s characters!
So, what you waiting for?! Don’t be a ninny like myself , who waited TOO long to read her work. GO GET A COPY OF A HOPE UNDAUNTED RIGHT NOW! You will instantly fall in love with the people in this book as they crawl in and take over your heart. Worthy of 1,005 stars, this 5 star book is a MUST read for everyone! Thank you, Julie, for creating a story full of passion, history and a breathtaking plot….it’s what I was needing and looking for! Now, I anxiously await the release of book 2, A Heart Revealed, in the Winds of Change series!
Okay. Let me start this review with SHAME ON ME! Why? Because, sweet saints, I haven’t ever read a Julie Lessman novel until this one and I most definitely should have been reading her books already! She is absolutely FANTABULOUS! The power that Julie has over her readers when they open the first page is mind-blowingly INCREDIBLE!
In A Hope Undaunted, Julie combines tenderness and passion with wit and God’s love, to create a romance story set in the 1920’s that will carry you away and leave you utterly breathless. Katie O’Connor was such an amazing young woman….thinking she had her life all planned out for herself. That is until she encounters a very handsome “soda jerk” by the name of Luke. Luke “Cluny” McGee, the boy she hated as a child, has been chiseled into a stunningly remarkable character. (Julie, can you send him my way, please?!) So, that leaves Katie with a choice….to follow HER hopes and choices, or God’s hopes and choices for her life. A beautifully created plot line!
For years, I’ve collected The Queen of Christian Fiction, Karen Kingsbury’s books, including true crime novels she wrote prior to her Christian work, and the ones that are under her pen name, but after reading this breathtaking, passionate story of a hope undaunted and a love that’s pure, Julie Lessman has earned a spot on my favorite authors list at the very top, pushing Karen Kingsbury down one. It takes an absolutely fantastic author to do that because I’ve held Karen Kingsbury at the top of my list for years! I’m still in awe and savoring this unforgettable story and it’s characters!
So, what you waiting for?! Don’t be a ninny like myself , who waited TOO long to read her work. GO GET A COPY OF A HOPE UNDAUNTED RIGHT NOW! You will instantly fall in love with the people in this book as they crawl in and take over your heart. Worthy of 1,005 stars, this 5 star book is a MUST read for everyone! Thank you, Julie, for creating a story full of passion, history and a breathtaking plot….it’s what I was needing and looking for! Now, I anxiously await the release of book 2, A Heart Revealed, in the Winds of Change series!
November 24, 2011
I downloaded this book for free at one point from Sony's ebook store, so this is the first I've read from this author. It was difficult for me to choose between 3 and 4 stars because overall I enjoyed this book. At times, I had trouble putting it down.
Katie is determined to get her own way and thinks she has it all figured out. She's set her sights on Jack, a man who dotes on her and gives her everything she could ever want. Her plans include law school and fighting for women's rights after growing up under the oppressive rules of her father. She's willful and headstrong and constantly butting heads with her father (who I just saw as trying to be a good parent -- he didn't expect anything too extreme). This book took place in the latter part of the 1920s, so even though Katie is eighteen, she still has a curfew and her father expects her to behave with decency, but finally he's had enough. For the summer before Katie is set to begin law school, he puts her under house confinement. No more seeing Jack, and she has to work for a non-profit organization five days a week, helping orphaned children. Unfortunately for Katie, Cluny McGee, her childhood nemesis, also works there, although he's grown into a handsome man who goes by Luke now. (A personal pet peeve of mine: so many romance novels have heroes named Luke. It's starting to drive me crazy.)
The slow change between hatred and love is entertaining, but the author felt the need to throw Katie's whole family in there. As a reader who's never enjoyed any other books based on these characters, I was a bit overwhelmed at first, trying to keep all the names straight. It was a struggle to remember who was married to who and how everyone was related to one another. This book also went off on tangents that didn't add to the overall story. Instead of focusing on the main characters, Katie and Luke, we also got subplots mostly concerning Katie's sister, Faith, as well as Katie's parents. This slowed the whole pace of the book down and made it a lot longer than it really needed to be.
The characters could also get annoying from time to time. Everyone seemed to have the same hairstyle (adding to character confusion), Katie often refused to listen to reason, insisting that her ideas were always right, plus the way she constantly lifts her chin in the air makes her seem conceited and selfish, which are unlikable traits. Luke is stubborn to a fault, which just made me want to whack him upside the head at times.
Another huge complaint I had was with the character's chosen favorite phrases, which honestly generally didn't make much sense. Examples: the way a character slacked a hip, butted the door, hiked a brow, or hiked her chin. There are more, but these are the ones off the top of my head.
Finally, I found this book a bit on the preachy side. I don't generally have a hard time reading Christian romance books, but this one was way over the top as everyone around Katie is a firm believer, and it almost seemed like everyone wanted to convert her, sometimes beating her over the head with the word of God.
Katie is determined to get her own way and thinks she has it all figured out. She's set her sights on Jack, a man who dotes on her and gives her everything she could ever want. Her plans include law school and fighting for women's rights after growing up under the oppressive rules of her father. She's willful and headstrong and constantly butting heads with her father (who I just saw as trying to be a good parent -- he didn't expect anything too extreme). This book took place in the latter part of the 1920s, so even though Katie is eighteen, she still has a curfew and her father expects her to behave with decency, but finally he's had enough. For the summer before Katie is set to begin law school, he puts her under house confinement. No more seeing Jack, and she has to work for a non-profit organization five days a week, helping orphaned children. Unfortunately for Katie, Cluny McGee, her childhood nemesis, also works there, although he's grown into a handsome man who goes by Luke now. (A personal pet peeve of mine: so many romance novels have heroes named Luke. It's starting to drive me crazy.)
The slow change between hatred and love is entertaining, but the author felt the need to throw Katie's whole family in there. As a reader who's never enjoyed any other books based on these characters, I was a bit overwhelmed at first, trying to keep all the names straight. It was a struggle to remember who was married to who and how everyone was related to one another. This book also went off on tangents that didn't add to the overall story. Instead of focusing on the main characters, Katie and Luke, we also got subplots mostly concerning Katie's sister, Faith, as well as Katie's parents. This slowed the whole pace of the book down and made it a lot longer than it really needed to be.
The characters could also get annoying from time to time. Everyone seemed to have the same hairstyle (adding to character confusion), Katie often refused to listen to reason, insisting that her ideas were always right, plus the way she constantly lifts her chin in the air makes her seem conceited and selfish, which are unlikable traits. Luke is stubborn to a fault, which just made me want to whack him upside the head at times.
Another huge complaint I had was with the character's chosen favorite phrases, which honestly generally didn't make much sense. Examples: the way a character slacked a hip, butted the door, hiked a brow, or hiked her chin. There are more, but these are the ones off the top of my head.
Finally, I found this book a bit on the preachy side. I don't generally have a hard time reading Christian romance books, but this one was way over the top as everyone around Katie is a firm believer, and it almost seemed like everyone wanted to convert her, sometimes beating her over the head with the word of God.
March 23, 2011
I have been anticipating A Hope Undaunted for well over a year now, and before I even cracked the spine, I knew I would be in for a rollercoaster ride of passion and drama. In that respect, A Hope Undaunted did not disappoint one bit. But I have to confess that while Julie Lessman is on my favorite authors list right under Francine Rivers, I just did not love this book. I know I'm probably one of the few in that category, but I have to be honest. I liked it, but I didn't love it...there really is a difference.
Having gotten to know young Katie O'Connor in the Daughters of Boston series, I knew her personality wouldn't have changed much from childhood to an older teenager. She was a spoiled brat in the first series, and she was a spoiled brat through about the first half of this book. I couldn't seem to get past her selfish nature that popped up all over the place. And the other half of the time, she couldn't seem to make up her mind which I chalked up to immaturity and wanting to be free from her father's strict rules. Another thing that bothered me in regards to Katie was that she was eighteen years old, and in between two guys with lots of emotions flying all over the place. In spite of her father's summer plans to keep her away from bad boy Jack, she still managed to get into, what I thought were, compromising situations with Luke at the Boston Children's Aid Society. Now, her parents really liked Luke over Jack, as did I, but I think if they knew what was happening between Katie and Luke in the workplace, that whole situation would've been nipped in the bud quicker than a blink. All that aside, how Katie responded to all of her emotions was completely normal for someone her age. She wanted so badly to exercise her freedom that she sometimes made unwise decisions regarding her feelings, not to mention that both Luke and Jack were on the receiving end of her emotional decisions.
Julie is known for writing edgy, romantic, Christian fiction, and every bit of that was present in this book. But compared to her 3 previous novels, the edginess was actually toned down in this book. There was more focus on the relationships between the characters, especially Faith and Collin and Marcy and Patrick. Even though I wasn't a fan of Katie as a whole, the romance, and especially the kissing scenes, between her and Luke were explosive! I don't think Julie will ever lose her touch in that department! Between the edginess and the romance, you'd think there'd barely be enough space for anything else, but the Christian elements in this book were simply perfect. And if you're not careful, Julie may just step on your toes a bit with more Biblical truths than your Sunday morning preacher.
Even though A Hope Undaunted was my least favorite book featuring the O'Connor clan, I will never grow tired of getting my O'Connor fix just like Karen Kingsbury fans have to get their Baxter family fix. I hope the wait won't be long between A Hope Undaunted and her next book, A Heart Revealed, which will tell the story of Sean and Emma. I have loved Emma's quiet nature from the moment she was first introduced in the Daughters of Boston series. There's no doubt in my mind that their story will be a good one. :o)
4 Stars
Having gotten to know young Katie O'Connor in the Daughters of Boston series, I knew her personality wouldn't have changed much from childhood to an older teenager. She was a spoiled brat in the first series, and she was a spoiled brat through about the first half of this book. I couldn't seem to get past her selfish nature that popped up all over the place. And the other half of the time, she couldn't seem to make up her mind which I chalked up to immaturity and wanting to be free from her father's strict rules. Another thing that bothered me in regards to Katie was that she was eighteen years old, and in between two guys with lots of emotions flying all over the place. In spite of her father's summer plans to keep her away from bad boy Jack, she still managed to get into, what I thought were, compromising situations with Luke at the Boston Children's Aid Society. Now, her parents really liked Luke over Jack, as did I, but I think if they knew what was happening between Katie and Luke in the workplace, that whole situation would've been nipped in the bud quicker than a blink. All that aside, how Katie responded to all of her emotions was completely normal for someone her age. She wanted so badly to exercise her freedom that she sometimes made unwise decisions regarding her feelings, not to mention that both Luke and Jack were on the receiving end of her emotional decisions.
Julie is known for writing edgy, romantic, Christian fiction, and every bit of that was present in this book. But compared to her 3 previous novels, the edginess was actually toned down in this book. There was more focus on the relationships between the characters, especially Faith and Collin and Marcy and Patrick. Even though I wasn't a fan of Katie as a whole, the romance, and especially the kissing scenes, between her and Luke were explosive! I don't think Julie will ever lose her touch in that department! Between the edginess and the romance, you'd think there'd barely be enough space for anything else, but the Christian elements in this book were simply perfect. And if you're not careful, Julie may just step on your toes a bit with more Biblical truths than your Sunday morning preacher.
Even though A Hope Undaunted was my least favorite book featuring the O'Connor clan, I will never grow tired of getting my O'Connor fix just like Karen Kingsbury fans have to get their Baxter family fix. I hope the wait won't be long between A Hope Undaunted and her next book, A Heart Revealed, which will tell the story of Sean and Emma. I have loved Emma's quiet nature from the moment she was first introduced in the Daughters of Boston series. There's no doubt in my mind that their story will be a good one. :o)
4 Stars
September 13, 2010
What keeps a reader immersed in a story? More than just great characters that dance to life, but a passion that drives the story forward. A passion for God and the family that is held together in His love. A HOPE UNDAUNTED is just a story.
I admit I didn’t like the heroine Katie, much at the start, she had such a long way to go before becoming likeable. I dangled by a thread while reading, bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball as three men battled for Katie’s affection. At one point in the novel I didn’t know which way it was all going to go and was breathless.
There were moments of angst and laughter as I traversed with the characters. The O’Connors have become my family. I know and love them better, the more time I spend with them. I rejoiced and nearly cried, my heart wrenching for Katie at the crux of her relationships. But in the end my heart sang with the affection I feel for these characters.
But when I closed the last page and put the book my shelf, I was saddened. To leave them behind, these characters I have grown to cherish and adore is heart wrenching. Which I must say is the best part of a truly wonderful novel. Don’t let this one pass you by! A treasure!
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.
I admit I didn’t like the heroine Katie, much at the start, she had such a long way to go before becoming likeable. I dangled by a thread while reading, bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball as three men battled for Katie’s affection. At one point in the novel I didn’t know which way it was all going to go and was breathless.
There were moments of angst and laughter as I traversed with the characters. The O’Connors have become my family. I know and love them better, the more time I spend with them. I rejoiced and nearly cried, my heart wrenching for Katie at the crux of her relationships. But in the end my heart sang with the affection I feel for these characters.
But when I closed the last page and put the book my shelf, I was saddened. To leave them behind, these characters I have grown to cherish and adore is heart wrenching. Which I must say is the best part of a truly wonderful novel. Don’t let this one pass you by! A treasure!
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review.
September 22, 2010
From the first sentence to the last page, A Hope Undaunted will capture your emotions and enthrall you with a thoroughly excellent read.
Katie is the most stubborn of all the O’Connor kids and she definitely gets herself into a lot of trouble through that trait. But, just as stubborn is Luke McGee a.k.a. “Cluny” the brat who used to torment her as a child. These two butt heads throughout the whole book with sparks flying and witty writing that keeps those pages turning.
I thought Julie did a great job of fleshing out the characters and I was rooting for them the whole way. In her usual style, Julie kept the storylines of her past characters alive but not so much that it detracts from Katie and Luke’s. I was so into the story that I laughed, cried, and stressed out whenever something was going wrong. I cannot wait to read the stories of the two O’Connor boys! I know they will both be fantastic if Julie’s previous books are any indication.
Katie is the most stubborn of all the O’Connor kids and she definitely gets herself into a lot of trouble through that trait. But, just as stubborn is Luke McGee a.k.a. “Cluny” the brat who used to torment her as a child. These two butt heads throughout the whole book with sparks flying and witty writing that keeps those pages turning.
I thought Julie did a great job of fleshing out the characters and I was rooting for them the whole way. In her usual style, Julie kept the storylines of her past characters alive but not so much that it detracts from Katie and Luke’s. I was so into the story that I laughed, cried, and stressed out whenever something was going wrong. I cannot wait to read the stories of the two O’Connor boys! I know they will both be fantastic if Julie’s previous books are any indication.
September 4, 2010
I am a huge fan of Julie Lessman's work and I've been dying for another book for her. A Hope Undaunted was fantastic. I love Cluny. My favorite hero so far, and I really LOVE Lessman's other heroes. Katie O'Connor is such a strong, feisty little heroine, the perfect slice of trouble to bedevil poor Cluny.
I recommend this to anyone, get it and read it without delay!
I recommend this to anyone, get it and read it without delay!
September 20, 2010
One of my favorite books of the year!
July 10, 2021
I really varied between 3 and 4 stars on this one because... Objectively, it was well written. But on a personal enjoyment level... Well, I didn't throw it across the room when I was done. But I did set it on the coffee table with a thump and then, after staring at it for a few minutes, shoved it off with gusto.
**Potential SPOILERS follow as I vent**
First, what was up with EVERY SINGLE DOMINEERING MALE. The only ones who weren't domineering were considered weak!!! And I'm sorry, but if my husband treated me or yelled at me the way the husbands in that book did, a nuzzle on my neck and sweet kisses would NOT make me immediately forgive him. And why does every single man in the book have a sordid past, after which he magically changed after he apparently met the right woman, which he treats like dirt when she's not being submissive?
Second, there were SO MANY CHARACTERS, my head got dizzy trying to keep them all straight! I know you want to make large series with the same family for consistency, but can you like... make half of them go on vacation or something?
Third, all this girl does is make sarcastic comments... Now, I love a good sarcastic comeback, but is her self-proclaimed sass enough to make three men fall utterly and completely wrapped around her finger in love with her? And the love story drove me crazy.
**actual spoilers following**
Oh, I really want to marry this guy who's at my beck and call... Wait a second, now I want to marry this other guy, my true love, who's about to leave and who is literally the only person in the book who DOESN'T support my dream of law school and equality. What's that? You are marrying this other woman whose totally in love with you but you don't love her, but you are marrying her anyway because some guy raped her and you feel like it's your fault because you once slept with her years before? Okay, fine. I guess I'll marry your best friend instead, who also happens to be totally in love with me. Never mind the fact I always think of you, he's good and safe and gives me everything I want. Oh, your guilt-wife just conveniently died right before my wedding and then your best friend conveniently overheard us talking about how we love each other but I'm going to keep pretending I love him so we can still get married? I'm completely shocked that he left, telling us to get married, and now I'm devastated that the man I sort of loved jilted me. What? You still don't want to get married now that all the other people are completely out of the picture? Okay, I'll just sit around and wait for awhile until you decide to marry me. Yay! Happy ending!
Oh, and just in case you were worried, there is a paragraph of prayer every five pages or so to make sure you understand everyone trusts God with the self-imposed drama.
**Potential SPOILERS follow as I vent**
First, what was up with EVERY SINGLE DOMINEERING MALE. The only ones who weren't domineering were considered weak!!! And I'm sorry, but if my husband treated me or yelled at me the way the husbands in that book did, a nuzzle on my neck and sweet kisses would NOT make me immediately forgive him. And why does every single man in the book have a sordid past, after which he magically changed after he apparently met the right woman, which he treats like dirt when she's not being submissive?
Second, there were SO MANY CHARACTERS, my head got dizzy trying to keep them all straight! I know you want to make large series with the same family for consistency, but can you like... make half of them go on vacation or something?
Third, all this girl does is make sarcastic comments... Now, I love a good sarcastic comeback, but is her self-proclaimed sass enough to make three men fall utterly and completely wrapped around her finger in love with her? And the love story drove me crazy.
**actual spoilers following**
Oh, I really want to marry this guy who's at my beck and call... Wait a second, now I want to marry this other guy, my true love, who's about to leave and who is literally the only person in the book who DOESN'T support my dream of law school and equality. What's that? You are marrying this other woman whose totally in love with you but you don't love her, but you are marrying her anyway because some guy raped her and you feel like it's your fault because you once slept with her years before? Okay, fine. I guess I'll marry your best friend instead, who also happens to be totally in love with me. Never mind the fact I always think of you, he's good and safe and gives me everything I want. Oh, your guilt-wife just conveniently died right before my wedding and then your best friend conveniently overheard us talking about how we love each other but I'm going to keep pretending I love him so we can still get married? I'm completely shocked that he left, telling us to get married, and now I'm devastated that the man I sort of loved jilted me. What? You still don't want to get married now that all the other people are completely out of the picture? Okay, I'll just sit around and wait for awhile until you decide to marry me. Yay! Happy ending!
Oh, and just in case you were worried, there is a paragraph of prayer every five pages or so to make sure you understand everyone trusts God with the self-imposed drama.
April 2, 2022
Who doesn't love visiting the O'Connors in Boston. I loved seeing Gabe as a child. And meeting Cluny McGee as an adult was a pleasure. Thank you for another wonderful book with lots of nuggets of wisdom.
September 19, 2018
Love the O'Connors
Lessman continues engraving the large O'Connor family into the hearts of her readers. They're practically family. Looking forward to the next book.
Lessman continues engraving the large O'Connor family into the hearts of her readers. They're practically family. Looking forward to the next book.
September 18, 2010
The opening line sets the tone of the book "Now this is how love should be - nice and neat." Katie has her life all planned out - from who she is going to marry, where she will go to school and even how many children she will have with her future husband. These are not dreams or a wish list. These are hard and fast plans that she sticks to even when it seems ridiculously clear that she should change her plans. But nooooo, not stubborn Katie Rose.
Katie has grown into a young woman working her way toward a career as a lawyer. She is living in the "roaring 20's" and has strong beliefs about women's rights and activism. The financial struggles and stress in the book are eerily similar to what has happened with our current economy. She definitely reflects the "modern woman" attitude.
Hotness factor: 5 star (Did you think Julie was going to get less than 5 stars? Really now?) The character who has changed the most is Cluny Mcgee. My, oh my, Cluny has grown up into a very nice looking man...six foot three, tanned, blonde hair and muscles to spare. I feel bad for Collin. I was so in love with him from before but now he's been relegated to the back burner. (Especially with what he pulls in this book!) It seems Cluny is a chick magnet for every woman on the planet except one - Katie. The heat and chemistry is there from the beginning. I might even venture to say that it was even a little hotter than her other books.
(He) ...blocked her, hand to her arm with a wicked grin on his face. He prodded her to the wall with a lift of his brown. "One measly compliment, Katie Rose, and if Life Savers were money, you'd be a wealthy woman." It was meant no more than a tease, a game from their past to get her mind off the present, but all at once his heart started pounding and his mouth went dry....He was a friend that wanted to be a lover, and for the first time in weeks, the desire was so strong, he had to physically pull away. He took a step back. God help me, what I wouldn't give...She stared at him then with a lump in her throat, and her eyes met his piercing gaze with a soggy one of her own. "I'm already a wealthy woman,: she whispered, her voice so low he had to strain to hear it. "Cluny McGee is the best friend I've ever had."
Overall Rating: 5 stars Everything was churning along nicely until around page 420, when I said out loud, "You're killing me here, Julie!" Then by page 436, I was having a full blown conversation with her "Oh no, no, no! You're not going to go down this road, are you? Yep, she's going to do this." Good thing everyone in the house was asleep as I talked out loud...
At around page 458, I wanted to cry. I just couldn't take it anymore. Cluny was just so stubborn and couldn't give in to his heart and let go of his past. Page 462, *gasp* and jaw drop, as well as, relief. Oh, thank goodness!
Christianity: 5 stars Chapter 22, had me in its clutches. Seeing John 15:13 in action made me rethink my own view of the verse and its implications. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" is lived out in black and white and is a beautiful example of Godly and brotherly love. Faith in Christ is never an afterthought in Julie's books. In "A Hope Undaunted," you see how all of the characters are in different places in their walk with Christ. Some struggling, some completely reliant and others just learning to trust but all realistic and encouraging.
One thing that surprised me about the book was the orphanage/foster care theme. It really appealed to me because I used to work in children's emergency shelters (one of them being a runaway home) and had a foster child for three years. When he came to live with us, he was 10 and looked like he was 7 or 8. He came to our home with a black trash bag that had all his possessions in the world tucked inside. Our foster son reminded me a lot of Cluny Mcgee - scared, hurt, alone, full of anger and mistrust. I can commiserate with the struggles in the book of the foster children, foster parents and the organization trying to help.
All the other characters are richly developed including Faith/Collin, Charity/Mitch, Lizzie/Brady and Marcy/Patrick. We learn much more about Sean and Steven in this book and I can't wait to fall in love with both of them in the next two books.
Now this is how a hot Christian romance should be - NOT so nice and neat but one that you will fall in love with again and again!
Katie has grown into a young woman working her way toward a career as a lawyer. She is living in the "roaring 20's" and has strong beliefs about women's rights and activism. The financial struggles and stress in the book are eerily similar to what has happened with our current economy. She definitely reflects the "modern woman" attitude.
Hotness factor: 5 star (Did you think Julie was going to get less than 5 stars? Really now?) The character who has changed the most is Cluny Mcgee. My, oh my, Cluny has grown up into a very nice looking man...six foot three, tanned, blonde hair and muscles to spare. I feel bad for Collin. I was so in love with him from before but now he's been relegated to the back burner. (Especially with what he pulls in this book!) It seems Cluny is a chick magnet for every woman on the planet except one - Katie. The heat and chemistry is there from the beginning. I might even venture to say that it was even a little hotter than her other books.
(He) ...blocked her, hand to her arm with a wicked grin on his face. He prodded her to the wall with a lift of his brown. "One measly compliment, Katie Rose, and if Life Savers were money, you'd be a wealthy woman." It was meant no more than a tease, a game from their past to get her mind off the present, but all at once his heart started pounding and his mouth went dry....He was a friend that wanted to be a lover, and for the first time in weeks, the desire was so strong, he had to physically pull away. He took a step back. God help me, what I wouldn't give...She stared at him then with a lump in her throat, and her eyes met his piercing gaze with a soggy one of her own. "I'm already a wealthy woman,: she whispered, her voice so low he had to strain to hear it. "Cluny McGee is the best friend I've ever had."
Overall Rating: 5 stars Everything was churning along nicely until around page 420, when I said out loud, "You're killing me here, Julie!" Then by page 436, I was having a full blown conversation with her "Oh no, no, no! You're not going to go down this road, are you? Yep, she's going to do this." Good thing everyone in the house was asleep as I talked out loud...
At around page 458, I wanted to cry. I just couldn't take it anymore. Cluny was just so stubborn and couldn't give in to his heart and let go of his past. Page 462, *gasp* and jaw drop, as well as, relief. Oh, thank goodness!
Christianity: 5 stars Chapter 22, had me in its clutches. Seeing John 15:13 in action made me rethink my own view of the verse and its implications. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" is lived out in black and white and is a beautiful example of Godly and brotherly love. Faith in Christ is never an afterthought in Julie's books. In "A Hope Undaunted," you see how all of the characters are in different places in their walk with Christ. Some struggling, some completely reliant and others just learning to trust but all realistic and encouraging.
One thing that surprised me about the book was the orphanage/foster care theme. It really appealed to me because I used to work in children's emergency shelters (one of them being a runaway home) and had a foster child for three years. When he came to live with us, he was 10 and looked like he was 7 or 8. He came to our home with a black trash bag that had all his possessions in the world tucked inside. Our foster son reminded me a lot of Cluny Mcgee - scared, hurt, alone, full of anger and mistrust. I can commiserate with the struggles in the book of the foster children, foster parents and the organization trying to help.
All the other characters are richly developed including Faith/Collin, Charity/Mitch, Lizzie/Brady and Marcy/Patrick. We learn much more about Sean and Steven in this book and I can't wait to fall in love with both of them in the next two books.
Now this is how a hot Christian romance should be - NOT so nice and neat but one that you will fall in love with again and again!
February 2, 2014
Sometimes a work of fiction appears to be on the surface a simple enough story, whether it be adventure, suspense, mystery, romance, or what have you. Sometimes, however, one is greatly mistaken if they assume such a simple focus on the part of the author. Some authors like to be ambitious, and attempt a more sweeping story. Whether the author succeeds at this task is up to the reader to decide.
This is the view that I take as I think about *A Hope Undaunted*, Book One of the *Winds of Change* series of novels by Julie Lessman. Less of a straight-forward series, and more a series of interconnected stories, the series focuses on the trials and travails of the O'Connor family, a clan of strong, stubborn but pious, Irish Catholics in Boston on the cusp of the Great Depression.
To choose the “Roaring 20's” as a backdrop is not all that new an idea. Other authors have written similar stories, except for one difference, which is that Lessman pulls no punches in how she presents the history of the period. Fear, increasing poverty, recovering from one war, and (I assume given the serious tone of the series to date) soon to be nearing another one. The uncertainty and doubt as the country and world face immense trials, and prepare to face a world that is radically changing around them, is perhaps an even stronger theme than the novel's central love story.
The main protagonist of the first book, Katie Rose O'Connor, is the audience's focal point into this time of trial and fear. I found myself able to recognize myself in her fears for the future, given our own economic woes (not that they are the same thing, but it does help one to realize it is nothing new to have such fears, or problems, if on a smaller scale). For the same reason, I could empathize with the war veteran son's sense of unease and wandering spirit. It's hard to connect with those who have a different view of life than you do, caused by such wildly different experiences.
I have not said much about the love story yet, because it is a veritable roller-coaster ride. No easy endings are to be had. A happy ending, yes, but decidedly *not* an easy one. I, for one, question the ending, as I would have preferred what *could* have been, to what was. For that matter, and this is the main drawback of the story, the author took great pains to stress a Biblical theme in regards to the romantic subplot, but then literally drubbed the impact of said Biblical lesson, by ensuring that the supposed “ideal” ending occurred for Katie. Despite this, the romantic storyline was moderately enjoyable in it's culmination, and the other plots were deeply satisfying to read (thus more than making up for the deficits in the romance plot.
But in a very key way, I have a hard time focusing on the love story aspect, because, as I said at the beginning of this review, the story was so much more than this. It is a family saga, and a look at how folks survived a very harrowing time in our nation's history due to their faith in God. I think that that is the best, and whether Lessman intended it to be so or not, the most important element and even lesson, of the book.
We are going through so much in this country. A down economy, plummeting international prestige, a moral crisis with unrestrained sexuality running rampant in our culture, a military increasingly blamed for our problems and not given the honor they deserve, children growing up in homes without a mother and a father. Our country needs guidance, and to return to the principles that we were founded upon. Those principles are the precepts of God's Word, and we can come back. As with the Civil War and it's aftermath, the “Roaring 20's” shared many of these same problems with today (well, barring the geopolitical aspects, but that is a risk of loss therein given our suffering these problems once more).
Can we recover? With God's help we will do so. This book is “inspirational” in a way that so few are. It inspires one to look at how much we can attain individually, and as a nation, under God. It also shows us that with faith in God, life is not a time of ease, but it *is* a time of (if God wills, physical and earthly, but *always* spiritual) triumph, as we are truly “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37b).
Recommended.
This is the view that I take as I think about *A Hope Undaunted*, Book One of the *Winds of Change* series of novels by Julie Lessman. Less of a straight-forward series, and more a series of interconnected stories, the series focuses on the trials and travails of the O'Connor family, a clan of strong, stubborn but pious, Irish Catholics in Boston on the cusp of the Great Depression.
To choose the “Roaring 20's” as a backdrop is not all that new an idea. Other authors have written similar stories, except for one difference, which is that Lessman pulls no punches in how she presents the history of the period. Fear, increasing poverty, recovering from one war, and (I assume given the serious tone of the series to date) soon to be nearing another one. The uncertainty and doubt as the country and world face immense trials, and prepare to face a world that is radically changing around them, is perhaps an even stronger theme than the novel's central love story.
The main protagonist of the first book, Katie Rose O'Connor, is the audience's focal point into this time of trial and fear. I found myself able to recognize myself in her fears for the future, given our own economic woes (not that they are the same thing, but it does help one to realize it is nothing new to have such fears, or problems, if on a smaller scale). For the same reason, I could empathize with the war veteran son's sense of unease and wandering spirit. It's hard to connect with those who have a different view of life than you do, caused by such wildly different experiences.
I have not said much about the love story yet, because it is a veritable roller-coaster ride. No easy endings are to be had. A happy ending, yes, but decidedly *not* an easy one. I, for one, question the ending, as I would have preferred what *could* have been, to what was. For that matter, and this is the main drawback of the story, the author took great pains to stress a Biblical theme in regards to the romantic subplot, but then literally drubbed the impact of said Biblical lesson, by ensuring that the supposed “ideal” ending occurred for Katie. Despite this, the romantic storyline was moderately enjoyable in it's culmination, and the other plots were deeply satisfying to read (thus more than making up for the deficits in the romance plot.
But in a very key way, I have a hard time focusing on the love story aspect, because, as I said at the beginning of this review, the story was so much more than this. It is a family saga, and a look at how folks survived a very harrowing time in our nation's history due to their faith in God. I think that that is the best, and whether Lessman intended it to be so or not, the most important element and even lesson, of the book.
We are going through so much in this country. A down economy, plummeting international prestige, a moral crisis with unrestrained sexuality running rampant in our culture, a military increasingly blamed for our problems and not given the honor they deserve, children growing up in homes without a mother and a father. Our country needs guidance, and to return to the principles that we were founded upon. Those principles are the precepts of God's Word, and we can come back. As with the Civil War and it's aftermath, the “Roaring 20's” shared many of these same problems with today (well, barring the geopolitical aspects, but that is a risk of loss therein given our suffering these problems once more).
Can we recover? With God's help we will do so. This book is “inspirational” in a way that so few are. It inspires one to look at how much we can attain individually, and as a nation, under God. It also shows us that with faith in God, life is not a time of ease, but it *is* a time of (if God wills, physical and earthly, but *always* spiritual) triumph, as we are truly “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37b).
Recommended.
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