Alice McNeil resolved at a young age to travel through life unencumbered by love or marriage, free to make her own decisions. A seasoned telegrapher, she's recently acquired a coveted position at an important trading firm, but when the company's ambitious junior director returns to London, things begin to change in ways Alice could never have imagined.
For Douglas Shaw, years of hard work and ingenuity enabled him to escape a life of grinding poverty. He's also determined to marry into high society--a step that will ensure he never returns to the conditions of his past.
He and Alice form a friendly relationship based on mutual respect, but anything deeper is not in their plans. However, when Alice accidentally raises the ire of a jealous and vindictive coworker who's intent on ruining her life, Alice and Douglas are forced to confront what is truly important in their lives. Will their growing bond give them the courage to risk finding a better way?
For Douglas Shaw, years of hard work and ingenuity enabled him to escape a life of grinding poverty. He's also determined to marry into high society--a step that will ensure he never returns to the conditions of his past.
He and Alice form a friendly relationship based on mutual respect, but anything deeper is not in their plans. However, when Alice accidentally raises the ire of a jealous and vindictive coworker who's intent on ruining her life, Alice and Douglas are forced to confront what is truly important in their lives. Will their growing bond give them the courage to risk finding a better way?
MY THOUGHTS.....
Line by Line has history, romance, and some great supporting characters. I was especially intrigued by Andrew Carnegie's appearance and appreciated that Delamere includes some of Carnegie's actual words as he urges Douglas not to put too much stock into wealth and prestige and to recognize the perils of idolizing money. I also enjoyed the conversations between Alice and Miss Templeton, the owner of Miss Templeton's School for Young Ladies. She had seen great potential in Alice and she continues to encourage her. "Don't waste a minute of your life when you could be doing something productive." Certainly words to live by but it is an eighteen word telegraph from Douglas that forever changes Alice's life. Eighteen words but "a ten-page letter couldn't have said more."
I love it when a book entertains and teaches at the same time and this is what author Jennifer Delamere has accomplished in Line by Line. It is a well-written, well-researched story and I recommend it to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author but there was no obligation to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts.
A history fan, travel lover, and outdoor enthusiast, Jennifer Delamere writes tales of the past...and of new beginnings. Her debut novel An Heiress at Heart was an RWA RITA® award finalist, and her follow-up, A Lady Most Lovely, earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned her B.A. in English from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where she also gained fluency in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. An avid reader of both classic novels and historical fiction, she also enjoys biographies and histories, which she mines for the vivid details to bring to life the characters and places in her books.
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