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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
4 stars for the writing and story, but do know that this book has some "of the time" cw to be aware of...death of family members, hitting children as punishment, fat shaming are just a few
It also takes place during wwi and the 1918 influenza outbreak.
I did like Teddy and Linnea even when they were being idiots. This is age gap, and that is basically the main conflict and while that isn't usually a trope I love, it was done well here.
It also takes place during wwi and the 1918 influenza outbreak.
I did like Teddy and Linnea even when they were being idiots. This is age gap, and that is basically the main conflict and while that isn't usually a trope I love, it was done well here.
This is a sweet and tender romance. Teddy and Linnea are a likeable hero and heroine, and the sparks that fly between them as they try to deny their growing passion for each other make for an enjoyable read. The supporting characters in their North Dakota community of Norwegian immigrants are endearing as well, which makes several tragedies that occur in the last part of the book hard to read without a box of Kleenex handy. This is my second LaVyrle Spencer book and it definitely won't be my last.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, War
Minor: Cursing
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
wow!! this was a slow burn of slow burns... but SO good! definitely not a quick read. but the character development and the relationship building was amazing!!! This author was ahead of her time writing an age gap romance.
I haven’t cried during a book for awhile but this one got me many times in the last quarter of the book. Tragedy strikes in many ways and like life, you can’t outrun it. But reading about a pandemic after having lived through one was quite real and raw. And sad. I enjoyed this family, and would gladly read more.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
**Most of my reviews contain detailed CW/TW sections, which may include spoilers. I have tried to mark them appropriately, but please use caution.**
Audio (Susan Hanfield)
3.75/5
Summary: Eighteen year old school teacher arrives in very small town and meets the grumpy, somewhat woman-hating father of one of her students - whose she’ll be living with as part of her contract.
Stats: M/F, historical western/Americana, standalone, limited open door.
Notes: This is not a favourite - I don’t mind age gaps, and this one doesn’t feel super groom-y from the MMC’s side, but the FMC is just written as a very young 18, especially in the first half, and I don’t love it. The book also shows its age in a few places (pub. 1986). The conclusion was pretty unsatisfying.
OTT and Spoilery Content Warnings (CW) and Trigger Warnings (TW):
death of parents, death of previous spouse, mention of PPD/“baby blues,” 17 year age gap, repeated SA of the FMC (not by the MC, kissing/groping), severe weather, death of children, death of adult family members, FMC assaults a child (in context of punishment as a schoolteacher), SA of child by a child, violence between children, childbirth, illness (Spanish Flu), on page animal death (by MC to save his life/brother’s life, very fraught), hunting, butchering
Audio (Susan Hanfield)
3.75/5
Summary: Eighteen year old school teacher arrives in very small town and meets the grumpy, somewhat woman-hating father of one of her students - whose she’ll be living with as part of her contract.
Stats: M/F, historical western/Americana, standalone, limited open door.
Notes: This is not a favourite - I don’t mind age gaps, and this one doesn’t feel super groom-y from the MMC’s side, but the FMC is just written as a very young 18, especially in the first half, and I don’t love it. The book also shows its age in a few places (pub. 1986). The conclusion was pretty unsatisfying.
OTT and Spoilery Content Warnings (CW) and Trigger Warnings (TW):
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A lot of the time when I read romance, the authors have a hard time making their characters seem like real people rather than just a fantasy. It will be this man is a jerk but no backstory into what made him be like that. Spencer, she gave her characters those backstories. Linnea is still young and naive, she does not know much, if anything, about love. Theodore, he has been in love and has had his heart broken. He is reserved and scared to go down that path again even if he does not admit it. Linnea and Theodore are three dimensional characters.
This was a well researched book. It might just be the first romance book that I have read where the atmosphere or setting is actually important. This was a great portrayal of what day to day American life was like in the days of the First World War.
The writing was great if you love drawn out and long descriptions. When I first started the book, 'I was like wow this is some great descriptive writing.' Those sentiments are what later made me dislike this book more and more. It went on forever!! Nearly five hundred pages, the chapters were all long and it took me double the amount of time to read than it usually does for a book. The pacing was a major issue.
In romance, listing the tropes seems to be the way to tell a plot. Here we have; age gap, enemies to lovers, and small town romance. I am fine with all of those but enemies to lovers is probably my all time favorite romance trope. The author did a great job with all of those tropes as I really did enjoy the romance between Linnea and Theodore.
A lot of the time when I read romance, the authors have a hard time making their characters seem like real people rather than just a fantasy. Linnea and Theodore are three dimensional characters.This was a well researched book. This was a great portrayal of what day to day American life was like in the days of the First World War. The writing was great if you love drawn out and long descriptions.The pacing was a major issue.Here we have; age gap, enemies to lovers, and small town romance. The author did a great job with all of those tropes as I really did enjoy the romance between Linnea and Theodore. This is a good book and I would still recommend it if you are in for a long slow burn journey!
This was a well researched book. It might just be the first romance book that I have read where the atmosphere or setting is actually important. This was a great portrayal of what day to day American life was like in the days of the First World War.
The writing was great if you love drawn out and long descriptions. When I first started the book, 'I was like wow this is some great descriptive writing.' Those sentiments are what later made me dislike this book more and more. It went on forever!! Nearly five hundred pages, the chapters were all long and it took me double the amount of time to read than it usually does for a book. The pacing was a major issue.
In romance, listing the tropes seems to be the way to tell a plot. Here we have; age gap, enemies to lovers, and small town romance. I am fine with all of those but enemies to lovers is probably my all time favorite romance trope. The author did a great job with all of those tropes as I really did enjoy the romance between Linnea and Theodore.
A lot of the time when I read romance, the authors have a hard time making their characters seem like real people rather than just a fantasy. Linnea and Theodore are three dimensional characters.This was a well researched book. This was a great portrayal of what day to day American life was like in the days of the First World War. The writing was great if you love drawn out and long descriptions.The pacing was a major issue.Here we have; age gap, enemies to lovers, and small town romance. The author did a great job with all of those tropes as I really did enjoy the romance between Linnea and Theodore. This is a good book and I would still recommend it if you are in for a long slow burn journey!
slow-paced