Love's Fortune by Laura Frantz ~ An Historical Romance Review



The Ballantyne Legacy, Book 3
Historical Romance

Back Of The Book:

With two very different horizons stretched out
before her, one young woman stands on the
cusp of an unknown future.

Sheltered since birth at her Kentucky home, Rowena "Wren" Ballantyne has heard only whispered rumors of her grandfather Silas's vast fortune and grand manor in Pennsylvania. When her father receives a rare letter summoning him to New Hope, Wren makes the journey with him and quickly finds herself in a whole new world--family members she's never met, dances she's never learned, and a new side to the father she thought she knew.

As she struggles to fit in during their extended stay, she finds a friend in James Sackett, the most valued steamship pilot of the Ballantynes' shipping line. Even with his help, Wren feels she may never be comfortable in high society. Will she go her own way . . . to her peril?

With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, Laura Frantz brings 1850s Pennsylvania alive with a tender story of loss, love, and loyalty.



My Thoughts:

I must first confess that Love's Fortune is the first book I have read in this series. But after reading it I wish that I had started at the beginning and savored the other two preceding books. If this volume is any indication of the quality of the series in its entirety then it is a delight for the historical romance reader.

Laura Frantz has a delightful way of drawing the reader into the story so well that you can smell the fresh air of Kentucky and choke on the congestion in Pittsburgh. I particularly enjoy reading about this time in American history and I was fascinated with all of the little details that were woven into the story. It is so interesting to contrast the social norms of the day compared to how we live now. Can you even imagine dining with all those courses not to mention the utensils that go along with each individual food item? Don't even get me started on the fashions. I'd love all the intricate details of the dresses, but could definitely do without the torturous corsets.

The juxtaposition of the simple beginnings for both Wren and James and then their climb to the heights of society made for a very intriguing plot. The differing personalities of the family members added to the complex nature of the story. It was interesting how diverse family members could be, particularly siblings, considering that they were raised in the same environment. What I enjoyed most was the selfless nature of the love that was developing between Wren and James. To be willing to give up everything so someone else could be better off is a trait that is hard to find.

As I said before this is the only book in the series that I have read but I didn't have trouble at all following the story line. Ms. Frantz did a great job of walking that fine line of giving enough detail to understand what has happened in the past yet not too much in order to bore someone that has read the previous books. If you enjoy an historical fiction story with a heavy dose of romance then I would recommend this one for you. 



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1 comment:

  1. Heartfelt thanks for the beautiful review! Your way with words really shines ~ as does your heart for books!

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