Welcome back for part 2 of the American Tapestries blog tour! This time I have a review of Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson.
When pampered Jacqueline Abington secretly elopes with the family gardener, she asks another woman to take her place on the much anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Tessa Bowen hails from a poor corner of London but has been granted the opportunity of a lifetime—a ticket to sail to America aboard a famed vessel. But there’s a catch: she must assume Jacqueline’s identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in luxurious quarters, dresses in elegant gowns, and dines with prestigious people. Then a wealthy American man takes an interest in her, and Tessa struggles to keep up the ruse as she begins falling for him. When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and two women’s lives are forever changed.
About the Author:
Award-winning author Janice Thompson, who also writes under the name Janice Hanna, has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children’s books and more.
She formerly served as vice president of the Christian Authors Network and was named the 2008 Mentor of the Year by the American Christian Fiction Writers.
Thompson lives in Spring, Texas, near her four grown daughters and young grandchildren. She leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds.
Readers can keep up with Janice Thompson by visiting
janiceathompson.com, becoming a fan on Facebook or following her Twitter.
Review:
Jacquie Abingdon is in an uncomfortable position. Her father wants her to marry his potential business partner. Jacquie on the other had wants to marry the gardner Peter. When Jacquie's mother offers her a ticket to America to escape what amounts to an arranged marriage, Jacquei formulates her own plan. She and Peter decide to help Peter's sister escape a harsh home life. So Peter's sister Tessa will take Jacquie's place on the ship while Peter and Jacquie make plans for a new life. Tessa is both excited and nervous by this prospect, but overall considers herself very lucky to be in the amazing accommodations of an amazing ship like the Titanic. However, both Tessa and Jacquie will have to deal with unexpected complications stemming from their decisions to try and start new lives.
I felt drawn into this book from the start. It took almost no time to get into the meat of the story, although it did take a bit to actually get to the Titanic voyage. I liked the aspect of Tessa taking over Jacquie's life. Jacquie seemed like a pretty sincere (if a bit naive) person, so you wanted her to do well. I really felt for poor Tessa. What an awful life she had, and yet she still seemed to love parts of it. I also found it interesting that in a Christian book, there was a plot point that showed how bad religion could be when taken to extremes, such as Tessa's father did to her. The abuse Tessa had to withstand due to her father's (drunk) delusions was awful. I did find it endearing that she found so much comfort in the pet pig. I guess we all look for comfort wherever we can get it sometimes. I also managed to feel bad for Jacquie. She clearly wanted a life of her own choosing, and not one she was being forced into.
I appreciate the historical aspects of the book. You certainly got a good feeling for what it was like on the Titanic, although I wish there had been more explanation of which characters were real people on board the Titanic. I recognized a few of the bigger names, but I wondered if some of the people were based on real people. That might have helped me get into the story even more. When reading a book like this, you know where things are headed for the most part. Clearly the Titanic is going to sink. The joy in books like these tend to be the smaller details and human faces given to the victims. I really sped through this book, and I would recommend it to people who love history in general and the Titanic specifically.
Book provided for review.
Celebrate with Janice by entering to win a Kindle Fire!
One fortunate winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire
- Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
- Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 17th. Winner will be announced at the
American Tapestries Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/18. Connect with authors Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson for an evening of book chat, trivia and fun! There will also be gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!
So grab your copy of Queen of the Waves and Where the Trail Ends and join Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson on the evening of the October 18th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books – don’t let that stop you from coming!)
Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!
Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour. Thanks for stopping by!
