A favorite trilogy of mine! After reading them, I see others comment on the Christian aspect and frankly, I didn't think about that at all when I read them. They are just historical clean romance and I enjoyed the stories in all 3 books. ( )

Absolute loved the book for the first 400 pages, then it just ended. Nothing was tied up and left me feeling "what the hell." Every trilogy I've ever read can be read as individual books with subsequent books continuing with the characters lives. This book just ended, forcing me to read the next two books. Every watched a TV series and the episode ends making you anxious for the next episode. This is not a trilogy, but one book in 3 parts. ( )

I enjoyed Glamorous Illusions very much. The main character, Cora, is a strong girl who is flawed enough to be both believable and relatable. While her faith is tested and shaken, it is the thing that pulls her through her many trials and I found the Christian message especially heartwarming. My one and only complaint? I did not find the ending to be as complete as I would have liked and I am left feeling that I have to read the second installment in hopes of obtaining a complete story. I am, however, looking forward to the second book, but am not a fan of authors forcing it on their readers. ( )

I really enjoyed this book, not only because it beautifully shows Belle Epoque at its end, but because Lisa Tawn Bergren's writing is pretty vivid in itself. I remember her River of Time trilogy, and I have to admire her for massive amount of historical research of different eras she must have done for each of her books.

Cora is a strong-willed and lovely young woman who wants to be a teacher. Her family is poor, her dad just had a stroke and the drought in the region is so severe that the family is facing losing their farm altogether.

However, a visit from a copper mines king Wallace Kensington reveals that she is closely related to him, and he is willing to help her mom and dad to get medical help and send Cora on a Grand Tour around Europe with his 3 children, so she can receive marvellous education, expand her horizons and decide what to do with her life later on.

Cora doesn't want to leave her family but both sides beg her to take this opportunity and find out what she really wants in life. Wallace also hopes that she will influence his 3 spoiled kids and make them appreciate what they have more.

The Tour itself is planned and executed by two guides - Stuart and his nephew, William. William is quite taken by Cora, and despite mutual attraction tries his best to stay professional and keep his distance from her.

It's a lovely sweet story, where people despite the prejudices and differences in status stay nice to each other and learn from their experiences. Cora slowly gains respect and admiration from other Kensingtons, and when a charming rich French aristocrat, Pierre Richelieu, starts courting her... Well, things get really exciting and make her really question what it is that she wants from her life? What starts like an absurd dream for a farm girl from Montana becomes an even stranger reality.

This book was a sorely needed breath of fresh air among darker fiction which I usually read. Recommended.

Please, make a note that this is Christian fiction, so there will be plenty references to Lord and His ways. I don't mind reading it, but I know that plenty of people find it a bit irritating.

Other works by Lisa T. Bergren I recommend: Waterfall, Cascade & Torrent. ( )

I would rate this book higher (the writing is superb - i fell in love with the hero and heroine and their romance) BUT the book just ends. No resolution to any of the story lines. Including the suspense. I don't mind a secondary story line left hanging for a sequel but I become very dissatisfied when a book leaves me with nothing resolved at all. I feel like I have just wasted the time it took me to read it. If you're like me, don't read this book unless you have all the subsequent books handy ( )