Review: Across the Blue by Carrie Turansky

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Multnomah
Released: February 1, 2018
341 pages

About the Book:

Isabella Grayson, the eldest daughter of a wealthy, English newspaper magnate, longs to become a journalist, but her parents don't approve. They want her to marry well and help them gain a higher standing in society. After she writes an anonymous letter to the editor that impresses her father, her parents reluctantly agree she can write a series of articles about aviation and the race to fly across the English Channel, but only if she promises to accept a marriage proposal within the year. When James Drake, an aspiring aviator, crashes his flying machine at the Grayson's new estate, Bella is intrigued. James is determined to be the first to fly across the Channel and win the prize Mr. Grayson's newspaper is offering. He hopes it will help him secure a government contract to build airplanes and redeem a terrible family secret. James wants to win Bella's heart, but his background and lack of social standing make it unlikely her parents would approve. If he fails to achieve his dream, how will he win the love and respect he is seeking? Will Bella's faith and support help him find the strength and courage he needs when unexpected events turn their world upside down?
 

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved these characters. James is a young aviator with the goal of being the first to fly an airplane over the English Channel between England and France. If he is not the first, will he be able to handle that? He is working with Professor Steed who is not only his mentor but also a father figure to him after raising him when his mom and guardian passed away when he young. He doesn’t know who his birth father is, and his mom was cut-off from her family when she had him. Isabelle comes from a wealthy family, her father owns three newspapers in London, her mother is pushing her to find a husband from a wealthy/titled family. Isabelle has dreams of being a journalist. While her father understands her dreams, he agrees with her mother that she is to focus on finding someone to marry and is worried that writing will tarnish her name and eligible men will not want her. They came to an agreement that she can write under a false name but she must also be open to looking for a match and accept a marriage proposal, approved by them, by the end of the year. James and Bella are drawn to one another, but with his background and financial standing her parents will not approve of him as a suitor. We follow James and the professor as they work on getting their plane ready to fly across the channel and see the setbacks they encounter along the way. I liked how the professor is able to encourage James and teach him patience and practice pays off. I loved how Bella stood up for her dreams and the determination she showed. There is a moment where the characters fight that frustrated me, I just wanted them to listen to one another instead of being stubborn with their beliefs of what happened. I really wanted these two together but couldn’t see how Bella’s parents would ever allow it. I wanted to know if they could overcome the obstacles. Faith was subtly mixed in with the story with the characters attending church, thinking about the message of the sermon and characters learning that God has been caring for them all along. 

Favourite Quotes: 

“What seemed liked a terrible disaster had turned into an unexpected blessing.”

“Looking back now, I see how God has been watching over me all my life.”

(I borrowed a copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Check out my reviews of other books by this author: 

   

No Ocean Too Wide - McAlister Family #1

No Journey Too Far - McAlister Family #2