Yvonne Lehman

Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
Book provided by publisher for review.

Lydia Beaumont had it all: wealth, status, the company of a handsome and successful gentleman, the not-so-secret-love of an up-and-coming and kind young man, and a suite on the greatest of all ships' maiden voyage. With both gentlemen. And a secret that would change her life forever. This secret prompts Lydia and John Ancell - the young visionary behind Ancell (Toy) Trains - to plan a quick show more wedding aboard the Titanic. It's a perfect plan: a wealthy railroad heiress, wearing a brand new wedding dress from a renowned fashion designer, on the maiden voyage of the Ship of Dreams. And it is a perfect, beautiful wedding - the night of April 14th. But things take a shocking turn in the night hours following the reception, and history of a very different kind is made. Lydia escapes, as does her new friend Catherine, and Craven Dowd - the manager of her father's business, and her 'second suitor.' John stays on the Titanic.

What follows is a story that is poignant and very human. As they struggle to orient themselves in their new reality, Lydia and her friends must come to terms with who they are and what life means. And love - the thread that connects all the mismatched pieces of life is love. Always love. Even in the face of such wrenching tragedy, life goes on. Lydia marries Craven and finds herself in a fulfilling and, eventually, happy life. Catherine and her maid Bess travel north, to Nova Scotia, finding a place to call home, hearts to love, and the peace that passes all understanding. The survivors keep living, and have children who have children. And all the stories, from the ship and beyond, slowly come circling back together in a way that creates a beautiful story - and also reflects the intricate weave of life. When all the secrets are revealed at last, and lives are rattled on their foundations, the Love present in those foundations is strong enough to let life continue.

I don't want to give out too many details, while some of the secrets are revealed right away, others are a little more layered. Maybe less secrets and more tiny details that click into place. Hearts that Survive is an excellent exercise in creating a story that involves many separate stories gathered in one neat arc. With so many separate stories, there are a lot of perspective/point of view changes -- though most of them occur at chapter breaks, and it's normally easy to pick up and bounce between to the two main stories of Lydia and Catherine. show less

I’m a strange and ambiguous creature sometimes. On the one hand, I tend to snap up any kind of Medieval Christian Fiction- but conversely I tend to set very high standards for it, and sadly, this collection did not always meet them. It must be stated, here at the beginning that in spite of what the subtitle says two of the stories (I could say three, if I was being pedantic) are not actually set in the Middle- Ages.

The first is set in the seventeenth century (1600s), which I suppose if show more forgivable, but the third, for some inexplicable reason is basically a short Regency- set in the early 1800s. Why it was included in the collection is anyone’s guess, but as another reviewer has stated, the fact that the characters live in a castle for the majority of the story does not really excuse the obviously non-Medieval setting- and the story itself- was just- average.
As regencies go, it’s no patch on Julie Klassen or Sarah Ladd. Kind of corny really, and a bit implausible. Perhaps if it were longer and there was more space for development it would be better, but some elements would need improvement.

The three stories that actually were set in the Medieval period (the thirteenth and fourteenth century respectively), which were the second, fourth and fifth in the collection, were fair at least. I have read the two Tracie Peterson ones ‘A Kingdom Divided’ and its sequel ‘Alas My Love’ in another collection a few years back, and yes, I did like them then- although they were whimsical and cheesy in parts. I think took a bit of a shine to the villain in the first story, and was glad to see his redemption in the sequel, even if there were a few questionable details. Seriously ‘Devon’ was not a first name in the thirteenth century. It was a title, but many seem to confuse the two.

The second story in the collection ‘A Legend of Mercy’ (coming before the Tracie Peterson ones- sorry about the confused order of review), was set in Ireland in the 1300s, and was okay- but not much more than okay. Yes, there was action, intrigue, fight scenes, and romance-albeit rather predictable romance. Perhaps there could have been more emphasis on the political background and the dynamics of the two families and ‘worlds’ that the male protagonist was caught between. Also, I would question, what on earth was ‘Anglo’ meant to mean in the story? I have never seen the word used as an Adjective on its own. Shouldn’t the correct term for the nobles who controlled the area known as the Pale of Settlement have been Anglo-Norman, or even Anglo-Irish? I’ve never heard of them referred to as ‘Anglo’ before anywhere.

The sixth and final story, ‘Child of Promise’ was one I found very frustrating. Yes, there was a solid Christian message, and yes it clearly presented the gospel (even though this was done in a very ‘preachy’ way), yes the characters were relatable and easy for the audience to connect with.

Yet it was hard to ignore the historical inaccuracies and occasional silliness that the whole story seemed to be riddled with. Some might accuse me of being pedantic, but at some points the whole thing just seemed like a roll call of myths about the Middle- Ages and Early Modern period.
Saying that people in the Elizabethan age seldom bathed because they thought it bad for the health was one thing (perhaps there was some basis for that), but making out that the vast majority of them had basically no concept of hygiene whatsoever is something else. It could almost be considered slightly amusing that the male protagonist, Harry, for all his supposedly ‘enlightened’ ideas about hygiene and cleanliness- then proceeded to do things like wiping his mouth on tablecloths - which was considered very bad etiquette.

Elsewhere, implying that most people of the period were superstitious twits who would attribute practically anything they did not understand to magic and sorcery is simply condescending- and a person being called a ‘witch’ for quoting from the Bible? Seriously?

Other details fared no better. Who drinks brandy from a jug- and I’m fairly sure that clerics after the Reformation were allowed to marry. Even the reference to the possibility of ‘Meala, the protagonist being sold as a ‘slave’ to the evil Bishop seemed incredible. I thought that trading Christian slaves had been banned like 400 years before- unless domestic servants of the Elizabethan Age were being counted as ‘slaves’- which they were not. Then there was the idea that seducing one of the Queen’s ladies in waiting was a treasonable offence for which the person in question would be executed if caught.
Really? I’ve never heard of that- and I’m fairly certain the Earl of Oxford did such a thing at one point, and he was not executed for it. Nor was marrying without parent’s consent a capital offense either, like the characters seemed to think at one point.

I even had some issue with the implication that anyone who did not hold to the early Puritan convictions of the characters was not saved. Okay, I get that they were saying that simple allegiance to the state church was not real faith- but some of the early Reformers preached that Salvation was to be obtained through faith in Christ alone. So I really think that not all early Anglicans were corrupt or false Christians.

Overall, this collection was a little disappointing. I think that maybe other stories could have been found that were genuinely Medieval- and anyone expecting new material should be warned that all the stories have previously been published elsewhere. The main reason for the higher rating was that some of the stories were ones I liked before, and others had their merits, in spite of the drawbacks. It was fairly light reading (even if the length seems daunting, none of the individual stories is more than 160 pages in length), and would be good for lovers of Romance. Those seeking something other than romance would be best advised to look elsewhere.

I received a PDF version of this title free from the publisher via Netgalley for the purposes of review. I was not required to write a positive one and all opinions expressed are my own. show less

Synopsis: On April 15, 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope in love and faith. Her new friendship with Caroline Chadwick is bonded even more as they plan Lydia’s wedding on board the “grandest ship ever built.” Then both women suffer tragic losses when the “unsinkable” Titanic goes down. Can each survive the scars the disaster left on their lives?
Decades later, Alan Morris feels like a failure until he discovers he is the descendant of an show more acclaimed, successful, heroic novelist who went down with the Titanic. Will he find his identity with the past, or will he listen to Joanna Bettencourt, Caroline’s granddaughter, who says inner peace and success come only with a personal relationship with the Lord?
Will those who survived and their descendants be able to find a love more powerful than their pain?

Have I told you all lately that I really love an old fashioned "saga"? NO? Well I do! Especially when the saga is as well done as Yvonne Lehman's Hearts that Survive. The story starts with the first and last wedding on the ill-fated Titanic. The story spans the lived of Lydia and Caroline along with their friends and family over the years. It ends a lifetime later, as we learn that love never ends and friendships survive.

Hearts that Survive is a fast paced, well written and plotted story. The characters were believable and you were given the information that you wanted so you would care about these people. While I wouldn't categorize this as a "Christian" story, Christian beliefs are there and you read about the love that binds from a Christian view point. It's refreshing to read about love, family and friendship among people who live their faith in their daily lives and loves.

Yvonne Lehman describes the sinking of the Titanic beautifully and respectfully. She skillfully weaves the threads of the mass confusion and panic of the people struggling to accept that the ship is going to sink and they could die. The reader feels the horrors. Then just as deftly, Lehman moves the story along, following the survivors as they make their way in their new world.

Hearts that Survive is the third book based on the Titanic that I've had the pleasure to read, and I think, all in all, it's my favorite. Crisp, clearly told and full of people who are a pleasure to read about.

5 out of 5 stars! show less

Three people in separate dilemmas are heading toward three different kinds of Christmases when a car crash brings them all oddly together in Crashing Into Love by author Yvonne Lehman.

I just have to say, as charmed as I am, in a general way, by this book's cover, I don't get it. I mean, I've seen that this book was originally titled Crashing Into Christmas, but as the title's been changed to something that doesn't center on the holiday, I imagine the book's cover is following suit. And there show more are a couple of minor mentions of makeup in the story, so...perhaps the idea of the makeup image is to catch more readers' attention outside of the holiday season. But, still, the story is so wonderfully, thoroughly Christmas themed, and knowing I'm not the only person who reads Christmas books year round, I don't think the cover really does this holiday story justice.

Anyhow. Enough about that.

This short, sweet, and poignant intertwining of three storylines brings tough issues to light. Not a harsh, glaring light but an empathetic, and even warm, one. There are some pretty outstanding points about finding the truth of a family legacy, about what can happen when you don't focus on your fears, about choosing to change your perspective of others, about choosing to hope.

I wasn't sure about all of the transitions, if some were quick and clever or merely too abrupt, and, concerning a character I didn't get to know up close at all, I wasn't certain whether I was supposed to accept that a key, public declaration of his was sincere or not.

Even so, many other readers should enjoy a tale of faith and love like this at Christmastime--or if they're like me, at any time. show less