The future looks bright for Cathy Gold, recent summa cum laude Vassar graduate, until her controlling father snatches away her dream job, insisting she marry the nice Jewish boy next door. So, she jumps at the chance for one last taste of freedom as temporary bookkeeper at a Catskills resort.Thomas Cullen used hard work and Irish charm to escape the factory that maimed him and took his father’s … father’s life. As manager of the resort, he’s working toward his own American dream. He doesn’t need the distraction of the strong willed and brilliant Cathy, but he can’t resist the passion that flares when they are together.The Irish immigrant is the last person Cathy’s parents would choose for her, but he’s the only man to encourage her ambitions. They would have a chance at a future together if it weren’t for 1948 rules on class, religion, and gender, and a sudden scandal at the resort that threatens them both.To succeed in love and their American dreams, they must refuse to give up, and be willing to break the rules.
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Cathy has plans for her future. Plans that push the boundaries of society in 1948. Plans that set her against her father and that ultimately lead her into the arms of an Irishman. Thomas knows what it’s like when life kicks you and leaves you with nothing. He works hard to provide for his mother and sister even as he dreams of being his own man one day.
After sharing a few stolen moments during the summer, this couple find themselves working together and neither are fighting their attraction. But Cathy still has her plans and Thomas still has his dreams, even if they have now shifted to include her.
This story conveys so much angst of a woman’s role during this time period. How hard it must have been to crave a career but knowing that despite an education, you’re only job in life is to be a “housewife”.
”Life is unfair. Is there any reason I shouldn’t have the job I want? Why should I have to hide my plans from my family? Why should I have to choose between having a family and allowing my mind to work on what I want? The only reason is that the world is unfair.”
Cathy battles against the constraints her father, friends and society puts on her. In a bit of rebellion she seeks out an adventure and what better adventure could she find than to begin an affair with her coworker Thomas?
While Thomas isn’t the strong dominant hero I prefer, he is real. He hurts, he laughs, he cries and he loves. And when he loves, he will do almost anything to smooth the way for the woman he loves but will never be able to have. I adored him for his ability to experience such deep emotions. Cathy was strong and determined, even in the face of her father’s opposition. But there was more to separate this couple than jobs and expectations. Although their religious backgrounds didn’t play a large role in the plot, it was enough to ratchet up the angst at just the right moments.
I went into this book unsure of what to expect or how I’d react to it as I’m not a fan of historical romances set in this era. Before I was a quarter of the way in I was lapping it up as quickly as I could. Despite the lack of action, this book never slowed down. It is such a sweet story of love laced with all the angst of the times and situation. The ending was wrapped up a bit too easily and sweetly considering the conflict, but once I finished the epilogue I was more than happy.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a softer strength in their hero, a heroine who chooses the unpopular way, and a steamy romance set in the mid 1900s.
Overall I found this to be a pretty good read, the storyline was interesting although I felt a few times it tended to lag for me at places. I believe this is probably a pretty good feel for what life was like back at that time in our country.
A More Perfect Love is a romance by Kate Forest that takes place in the tumultuous times of 1948. It’s the story of two people from different classes, different backgrounds, different religions that share a love that breaks all of the rules.
Catherine (Cathy) Gold grew up in a wealthy Jewish family, never wanting for anything. Her father believed his daughters should have the best education and Cathy graduated from Vassar at the top of her class with a degree in mathmatics. Cathy had dreams. She was twenty one years old and was expected to marry the nice Jewish man that lived next door, a man she didn’t love. What Cathy really wanted was a career and to live on her own. She knew her own mother had given up her dreams to raise a family and Cathy wasn’t willing to make that sacrifice herself. But her father sees things differently.
Thomas Cullen is the son of Irish immigrants. His father was killed and his mother and younger sister are now back in Ireland. Thomas has a good job running the Pine Breeze Resort in the Catskill Mountains. His boss is also in the process of building another posh resort that Thomas will oversee. Thomas sends a good portion of his income to his mother. But he also has dreams. He dreams of owning his own piece of land and opening his own small inn.
Both Thomas and Cathy are very forward thinkers for their time. Thomas believes women can be independent. It’s what he wants for his younger sister. They meet when Cathy and her family are vacationing at the resort where he works. One look and Cathy is smitten with the clearest blue eyes she’s ever seen. When Cathy’s father foils her plans for a job she had lined up, a new opportunity arises. It seems the man Thomas works for needs a temporary bookkeeper while the new hotel is being built. It will give Cathy and Thomas a few months to explore their attraction. But then, when their time is up, no matter what, Cathy plans to continue her adventure and pursue a career. She will not give up her dream.
“Here was my adventure, my risk. A man who was unknown and who was just as curious about me as I was about him.”
Thomas is a poor Irishman, Cathy is a wealthy Jewish woman, but that doesn’t seem to matter to their hearts. But, no matter how deeply Cathy falls, she still insists that she’s not staying, that family life is not for her.
“I was taking control of my own destiny. My future was in my hands. A little bit of money and I could own my life. I could have anything I wanted. Except the one thing that had been making me happy for the past six months.”
I loved Thomas. Luck was not on his side. But he was honest and honorable. And he had such a huge heart. I loved Cathy’s determination to think outside the box. Her one track mind did get on my nerves a little bit. She truly was in love with Thomas but she was convinced it would never be enough. I think part of that was just her age and her lack of life experience.
These two have just about everything against them. And I can honestly say that the last twenty percent was pretty intense. Historical romance isn’t usually my first choice. But I couldn’t help but to get pulled into this story and had to find out how their story was going to turn out.
Catherine Gold is a woman before her time, who has goals and ambitious that do not include being a housewife. When she meets Thomas Cullen her world changes for the better. Will her and Thomas be back to achieve their dreams? Or will love ruin it all?
If you love historical fiction with realistic characters you will fall in love with as you watch them on their journey to defy all odds, then this is the story for you.
Cathy comes from a well off Jewish family. Her parents allowed her to go to college and get her degree but they still intend for her to marry a nice jewish boy and settle down. Cathy has dreams and wants more than to be a housewife. A visit to their family friends catskill resort introduces her to Irishman Thomas who is the resort manager. Instant attraction but neither can afford to put their dreams aside. Can Cathy and Thomas fight all of society’s expectations of them in order to find happiness?
This was such a sweet love story. We think of it as being simpler times but that isn’t necessarily true for woman or immigrants. Loved that the author created a strong woman with dreams and the gumption to go after them. Also that she created a man who was supportive of her dreams even if it means he loses her. This was my first Kate Forest read but won’t be my last.