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energyrae's review against another edition
4.0
Even though they come from different backgrounds, Lily and Robert are in love. Against his father Joseph’s wishes, Roberty marries Lily, and with their son James, their love is stronger than ever. But Joseph will stop at nothing to put Robert on the path to the future he envisions. The fallout could be disastrous.
While a huge fan of Historical Fiction, I don’t read a lot of historical romance, so The Dark Horizon was a change of pace for me. The book had a bit of a slow start with a ton of conversation, which at times felt like filler. When I got past the first third, I was drawn into the story and the drama that Joseph created. I liked the back and forth between Lily and Robert as their lives progressed in different directions.
I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and that it summed up a bit too neatly, too quickly. I would have liked to see some of the filler used at the front, put into a resolution that wasn’t so swift. Otherwise, I enjoyed this read. There were strong characters, with plenty of drama. The descriptions are richly vivid and suit the novel’s period in time well. Overall, nicely done.
While a huge fan of Historical Fiction, I don’t read a lot of historical romance, so The Dark Horizon was a change of pace for me. The book had a bit of a slow start with a ton of conversation, which at times felt like filler. When I got past the first third, I was drawn into the story and the drama that Joseph created. I liked the back and forth between Lily and Robert as their lives progressed in different directions.
I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and that it summed up a bit too neatly, too quickly. I would have liked to see some of the filler used at the front, put into a resolution that wasn’t so swift. Otherwise, I enjoyed this read. There were strong characters, with plenty of drama. The descriptions are richly vivid and suit the novel’s period in time well. Overall, nicely done.
halkid2's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first historical novel in a series by Liz Harris about the wealthy British Linford family. I picked it up because I was given early access to the second novel in the series and preferred to read the series in order. This is a plot-driven, page-turner, quick read, with little subtlety and minimal character development. In the category of a good beach read.
At the end of The Great, War, rich-boy Robert Linford falls for poor-girl Lily Brown. Deeply in love, they marry and have a son. But Robert’s father disapproves of the marriage and feels he must intervene, for the sake of his son’s ultimate happiness.
Lots of other Linford relatives come in and out of the plot — no doubt some will figure in Harris' subsequent novels. There is not all that much that is historical about this novel. A few references to The Great War and the changes it brought to popular housing. The author includes time in 1920s New York City, where Jews are trying to establish better lives after being victimized by Russian pogroms. Also a very quick reference to the Wall Street collapse and Depression that followed. Otherwise, the book feels more like a family soap opera/love story that could occur in any time period. Since I don’t want to include spoilers for those who plan to read THE DARK HORIZON, let me just say that the end felt a bit unrealistic to me. But judge for yourself.
At the end of The Great, War, rich-boy Robert Linford falls for poor-girl Lily Brown. Deeply in love, they marry and have a son. But Robert’s father disapproves of the marriage and feels he must intervene, for the sake of his son’s ultimate happiness.
Lots of other Linford relatives come in and out of the plot — no doubt some will figure in Harris' subsequent novels. There is not all that much that is historical about this novel. A few references to The Great War and the changes it brought to popular housing. The author includes time in 1920s New York City, where Jews are trying to establish better lives after being victimized by Russian pogroms. Also a very quick reference to the Wall Street collapse and Depression that followed. Otherwise, the book feels more like a family soap opera/love story that could occur in any time period. Since I don’t want to include spoilers for those who plan to read THE DARK HORIZON, let me just say that the end felt a bit unrealistic to me. But judge for yourself.
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