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meezcarrie's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
Amanda Barratt’s debut novel is a sweet romance as well as being a powerful story of trusting God – and, what happens when we take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on Him.
I can totally relate to Adele Linley & her need to fix what’s wrong and be in the one in charge. In fact, I think most woman can appreciate that aspect of Adele’s character, though perhaps (hopefully) not to the extremes that she takes it. She is sincere and her heart is good; it’s just the execution of her plans that gets her (and others) into trouble. Part of this stems from her belief that God is uncaring and disengaged and, when viewed from that foggy lens, no wonder she thinks it’s all up to her. Misguided though she may be, Adele is a genuinely likable heroine with some tough lessons to learn.
And then there’s Drew, who is swoony and heroic…. and also has some tough lessons to learn. His sacrificial love for his sister brought tears to my eyes more than once, and his faith in Jesus warmed my heart as it rubbed off on Adele. Did he make all the right choices? Nope. And I love that. Because those of us who love Jesus still aren’t perfect, and we so often forget that we don’t have to do this life on our own. While Adele reflects the mindset of people we might encounter in the everyday, Drew is a realistic reflection of our own hearts and actions.
Now, I have to give both Adele and Drew some credit here: They don’t sit idly by and wait for someone else to solve their problems. They jump in with both feet and do what needs doing, no matter the cost to themselves. And while this is certainly admirable, they both miss out at first on the blessing of letting God take over – of letting His far-and-above dreams for us play out in His timing. As the consequences for their actions play out on the page, the love story that God – and the author – weaves in their life is tender and uplifting.
Bottom Line: My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York by Amanda Barratt is touching and romantic, and it depicts an intriguing time in the history of the Falls. Additionally, the juxtaposition of poverty and wealth – both materially and emotionally – is a very compelling contrast, one that Barratt writes beautifully. Adele and Drew are layered and intriguing, separately as well as together, and their story is one that will hit you in all the feels. Death-defying acts, sacrificial love, gentle romance and well-researched history… This is a great debut, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
Amanda Barratt’s debut novel is a sweet romance as well as being a powerful story of trusting God – and, what happens when we take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on Him.
I can totally relate to Adele Linley & her need to fix what’s wrong and be in the one in charge. In fact, I think most woman can appreciate that aspect of Adele’s character, though perhaps (hopefully) not to the extremes that she takes it. She is sincere and her heart is good; it’s just the execution of her plans that gets her (and others) into trouble. Part of this stems from her belief that God is uncaring and disengaged and, when viewed from that foggy lens, no wonder she thinks it’s all up to her. Misguided though she may be, Adele is a genuinely likable heroine with some tough lessons to learn.
And then there’s Drew, who is swoony and heroic…. and also has some tough lessons to learn. His sacrificial love for his sister brought tears to my eyes more than once, and his faith in Jesus warmed my heart as it rubbed off on Adele. Did he make all the right choices? Nope. And I love that. Because those of us who love Jesus still aren’t perfect, and we so often forget that we don’t have to do this life on our own. While Adele reflects the mindset of people we might encounter in the everyday, Drew is a realistic reflection of our own hearts and actions.
Now, I have to give both Adele and Drew some credit here: They don’t sit idly by and wait for someone else to solve their problems. They jump in with both feet and do what needs doing, no matter the cost to themselves. And while this is certainly admirable, they both miss out at first on the blessing of letting God take over – of letting His far-and-above dreams for us play out in His timing. As the consequences for their actions play out on the page, the love story that God – and the author – weaves in their life is tender and uplifting.
Bottom Line: My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York by Amanda Barratt is touching and romantic, and it depicts an intriguing time in the history of the Falls. Additionally, the juxtaposition of poverty and wealth – both materially and emotionally – is a very compelling contrast, one that Barratt writes beautifully. Adele and Drew are layered and intriguing, separately as well as together, and their story is one that will hit you in all the feels. Death-defying acts, sacrificial love, gentle romance and well-researched history… This is a great debut, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
xakyr's review against another edition
2.0
This book review is part of my ongoing effort to review all the books in this series and basically keep up with them as they are released, unlike the Love Finds You series that I came into very late in the release schedule. Unfortunately, I was not that impressed by this book.
Adele was a major problem for me. She was so deceptive, manipulative, and often hypocritical. I have to wonder why she never sat down with her mother and had a frank conversation with her about the family financial situation. I understand that in those times it just wasn't done, but then too, a genteel lady never directly dealt with finances as Adele did. That reluctance made little sense to me in light of Adele's actions. I liked Drew a good bit, and he was the one that actually saved the book for me. His unwavering belief in God, especially in his time period and profession, was a bit refreshing to me.
The book really dragged, so it took me a while to get into it and actually want to read it. Based on that, I'm unsure if I would read another book by the author.
Adele was a major problem for me. She was so deceptive, manipulative, and often hypocritical. I have to wonder why she never sat down with her mother and had a frank conversation with her about the family financial situation. I understand that in those times it just wasn't done, but then too, a genteel lady never directly dealt with finances as Adele did. That reluctance made little sense to me in light of Adele's actions. I liked Drew a good bit, and he was the one that actually saved the book for me. His unwavering belief in God, especially in his time period and profession, was a bit refreshing to me.
The book really dragged, so it took me a while to get into it and actually want to read it. Based on that, I'm unsure if I would read another book by the author.
audiobooks_sweettea's review against another edition
5.0
Un-put-downable! Yes, yes, I did go there. How could I not? This book is just that! Very hard to put down! I loved Ms. Barratt's captivating writing style and her historically rich plot line. I was up long into the night reading this novel and didn't want it to end. I could feel myself following the characters' journeys, seeing Niagra Falls come to life before me.
Getting to know Adele and Drew was refreshing. I loved their characters each equally. Drew's character really reminded me of a tender hearted guy that I could fall hard for. The love he had for his sister was evident and really made for a swoonworthy man. Adele, bless her, I loved how I could "hear" her English accent when she spoke to Drew. I loved that, since my mom's best friend is from England and I love to listen to her talk. Seeing Adele and Drew together.....well, I rooted for them until the end!
The journey that Adele takes isn't an easy one. It's a long, bumpy ride for sure. But, Ms. Barratt throws in the perfect amount of twists, and a whole lot of love and understanding from God and creates a wonderful, soul stealing story.
This is definitely a book I would recommend to all with a 4 star, two thumbs up, hats off praise! Ms. Barratt did a phenomenal job with her addition to the MY HEART BELONGS series, and I can't wait to add more of her books to my shelves. She's truly talented and definitely knows what to give readers who are looking for a "up all night, page turning, heart capturing" novel. Bravo, Ms. Barratt, bravo!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Getting to know Adele and Drew was refreshing. I loved their characters each equally. Drew's character really reminded me of a tender hearted guy that I could fall hard for. The love he had for his sister was evident and really made for a swoonworthy man. Adele, bless her, I loved how I could "hear" her English accent when she spoke to Drew. I loved that, since my mom's best friend is from England and I love to listen to her talk. Seeing Adele and Drew together.....well, I rooted for them until the end!
The journey that Adele takes isn't an easy one. It's a long, bumpy ride for sure. But, Ms. Barratt throws in the perfect amount of twists, and a whole lot of love and understanding from God and creates a wonderful, soul stealing story.
This is definitely a book I would recommend to all with a 4 star, two thumbs up, hats off praise! Ms. Barratt did a phenomenal job with her addition to the MY HEART BELONGS series, and I can't wait to add more of her books to my shelves. She's truly talented and definitely knows what to give readers who are looking for a "up all night, page turning, heart capturing" novel. Bravo, Ms. Barratt, bravo!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
bellesmoma2021's review against another edition
5.0
My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele’s Journey (2018) by Amanda Barratt is a fantastic, highly-engaging installment in the My Heart Belongs series published by Barbour Books. Reading the previous stories in this series is not necessary as this book is very much a stand-alone story. This novel comes in all forms including eBook, and is 256 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very precocious and busy five-year old, this story took me five days to read. If you are noting the longer period of time it took me to read this book, fear not! It took me a while to read because it was finals week this week at school and I needed to grade like crazy. Please do not let my longer reading time deter you from this book. This book is AH-MAY-ZING!!! I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give this novel 5+++ STARS. This story is a Christian Historical Romance.
I had a tremendously arduous week this week with finals and needy students, so I had very limited reading time which was really disappointing because this book is so good I did not want to ever put it down. It’s easily one of those stories where you say to yourself, “One more chapter, I can do one more chapter!”
The main characters are Adele and Drew. Life for Adele and Drew is very difficult. Adele has struggled for the past four years to keep her family estate in England going after the reckless death of her father. Instead of having any help from her brother, a man more interested in spending money he doesn’t have on cards and alcohol, she is left to figure out how to manage her mother, home, and family finances alone. Almost destitute, Adele decides to leave England for America. She tells everyone it’s to visit estranged family, but in actuality, Adele has a plan — to catch a wealthy American husband. Once in New York, during a visit to the majestic Niagara Falls, Adele meets Drew Dawson. Drew and his sister, Hope, have been orphans as long as he can remember. Growing up in an orphanage, Drew single-handedly raised and protected Hope. Due to an accident that has left her unable to walk, Hope is an invalid and totally reliant on Drew. Drew’s goal in life is to work as hard as he legally can to make enough money so Hope can find a good doctor who will help her walk again. Well-paying jobs are hard to come by, so Drew utilizes his talents as a funambulist to help secure larger sums of money in order to grow his “Hope Savings.”
Two things stood out in this book for me. First, the tension. Oh my good gracious does this book have tension. Part of the reason why I had a difficult time putting this book down is because as every page passed, I could not figure out how Adele and Drew would get to their happily ever after. To call this book a page-turner would be an understatement! Tension because of circumstances. Tension because of mistakes the characters make. Tension between Drew and Adele. Tension between Adele and her American family. Tension between Drew and Franklin (the villain!). Tension between Adele and her brother. There are so many layers of tension going on in this story that at one point (around the 94%-read mark), I looked at my husband and declared, “I have no idea how this book is going to end!!!” It was FANTASTIC!!!
The second aspect to this book that really struck me was the intense and powerful message to place our trust in God. Drew is strong in his faith, even when the going gets really rough. But Adele has very little faith in God. The men in her life who were supposed to love and protect her let her down badly. Naturally, she has transferred her distrust of men to God. Adele wants to fix everything on her own. She cannot trust that anyone will come to her aid. So she constantly comes up with plans, but her plans never work out. I can relate to Adele so much. I, too, have had a very difficult time with trust. I, too, want to fix everything. But, my plans are rarely successful if I don’t include God. I appreciate Adele’s spiritual struggles because it made her all the more real a character. She endeared herself to me, and when she came to a full understanding of God and His love for her, I almost burst into happy, happy tears!
I truly loved this story, and I am a little sad that my time with Drew and Adele has come to an end. I am so blessed to have read this wonderfully engaging story, and I cannot recommend it enough. When it is released on January 1, I highly suggest purchasing this book. You will not be disappointed with this read!
I had a tremendously arduous week this week with finals and needy students, so I had very limited reading time which was really disappointing because this book is so good I did not want to ever put it down. It’s easily one of those stories where you say to yourself, “One more chapter, I can do one more chapter!”
The main characters are Adele and Drew. Life for Adele and Drew is very difficult. Adele has struggled for the past four years to keep her family estate in England going after the reckless death of her father. Instead of having any help from her brother, a man more interested in spending money he doesn’t have on cards and alcohol, she is left to figure out how to manage her mother, home, and family finances alone. Almost destitute, Adele decides to leave England for America. She tells everyone it’s to visit estranged family, but in actuality, Adele has a plan — to catch a wealthy American husband. Once in New York, during a visit to the majestic Niagara Falls, Adele meets Drew Dawson. Drew and his sister, Hope, have been orphans as long as he can remember. Growing up in an orphanage, Drew single-handedly raised and protected Hope. Due to an accident that has left her unable to walk, Hope is an invalid and totally reliant on Drew. Drew’s goal in life is to work as hard as he legally can to make enough money so Hope can find a good doctor who will help her walk again. Well-paying jobs are hard to come by, so Drew utilizes his talents as a funambulist to help secure larger sums of money in order to grow his “Hope Savings.”
Two things stood out in this book for me. First, the tension. Oh my good gracious does this book have tension. Part of the reason why I had a difficult time putting this book down is because as every page passed, I could not figure out how Adele and Drew would get to their happily ever after. To call this book a page-turner would be an understatement! Tension because of circumstances. Tension because of mistakes the characters make. Tension between Drew and Adele. Tension between Adele and her American family. Tension between Drew and Franklin (the villain!). Tension between Adele and her brother. There are so many layers of tension going on in this story that at one point (around the 94%-read mark), I looked at my husband and declared, “I have no idea how this book is going to end!!!” It was FANTASTIC!!!
The second aspect to this book that really struck me was the intense and powerful message to place our trust in God. Drew is strong in his faith, even when the going gets really rough. But Adele has very little faith in God. The men in her life who were supposed to love and protect her let her down badly. Naturally, she has transferred her distrust of men to God. Adele wants to fix everything on her own. She cannot trust that anyone will come to her aid. So she constantly comes up with plans, but her plans never work out. I can relate to Adele so much. I, too, have had a very difficult time with trust. I, too, want to fix everything. But, my plans are rarely successful if I don’t include God. I appreciate Adele’s spiritual struggles because it made her all the more real a character. She endeared herself to me, and when she came to a full understanding of God and His love for her, I almost burst into happy, happy tears!
I truly loved this story, and I am a little sad that my time with Drew and Adele has come to an end. I am so blessed to have read this wonderfully engaging story, and I cannot recommend it enough. When it is released on January 1, I highly suggest purchasing this book. You will not be disappointed with this read!
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