Warm-Hearted Victorian Romance Brings 1880s London to LifeWhen a series of circumstances beyond her control leave Rosalyn Bernay alone and penniless in London, she chances upon a job backstage at a theater that is presenting the most popular show in London. A talented musician and singer, she feels immediately at home and soon becomes enthralled with the idea of pursuing a career on the stage.A … career on the stage.
A hand injury during a skirmish in India has forced Nate Moran out of the army until he recovers. Filling his time at a stable of horses for hire in London, he has also spent the past two months working nights as a stagehand, filling in for his injured brother. Although he’s glad he can help his family through a tough time, he is counting the days until he can rejoin his regiment. London holds bitter memories for him that he is anxious to escape. But then he meets the beautiful woman who has found a new lease on life in the very place Nate can’t wait to leave behind.
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I really enjoyed this story! It wasn’t too heavy and it had just the right amount of fun. Of course, there are a few concerning things like why Rosalyn flees her employer, a dastardly encounter at a train station, and a rather rakish actor. There’s also why Nate feels so driven to return to the army.
I loved Nate’s family so much! It was such a true representation of family bonds and sibling bickering, but also loving each other, working together, and wanting what is best for each person.
The message of God’s provision was woven into the fabric of the characters lives so naturally, I thought it was a great reminder for my own life.
I loved all the glimpses life behind the scenes and on the stage. The glimpses of Gilbert and Sullivan were fun too.
I highly recommend this book! Especially if you are a historical, musical theater lover.
* I read the Kindle version as well as listened to the Audible. It’s good in any format!
The Captain’s Daughter (2017) by Jennifer Delamere is the first book in her London Beginnings series. This novel comes in all forms including eBook, and is 352 pages in length. With a full-time job, and a 5-year old who was sick with the flu this week, The Captain’s Daughter took me four days to read. I purchased a copy of this novel on June 23, 2017 from Amazon to review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give this novel 4.5 STARS. The Captain’s Daughter is a Historical Christian Romance.
This is my very first read of a Jennifer Delamere novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. I found The Captain’s Daughter to be engaging and highly entertaining. The main characters, Rosalyn and Nate, are well written, but I actually found myself enjoying the secondary characters better. The personalities of the secondary characters were endearing and symbolic. They reminded me a bit of many of Charles Dickens’s secondary characters.
Of the two main characters, I liked Nate the best because he takes on problems that remind me a little of myself. Nate was in the military, but at the start of this story he is recuperating from a severe wound he sustained while in India. He feels the entire incident where he was hurt was his fault and wants badly to heal and reenlist so he can “make-up” for his mistakes. Over the course of the novel, Nate is insistent, much to his family’s dismay, that he will reenlist no matter what and will make right what he feels he did wrong. Nate is a worker and a fixer. When something is wrong, Nate immediately wants to work to fix everything for everyone. In this, I really related to his character. I, too, want to fix everything for everyone so no one is unhappy and God is not disappointed. But, this is exhausting behavior. A very smart character by the name of Danvers realizes what Nate is doing and tells him, “absolution doesn’t come through what we can do, does it? It comes from another source. One greater than ourselves” (338). This stops Nate right in his tracks as he realizes he never once went to God for forgiveness. He never talked to God about the situation or his actions in it. He never gave the burden over to God. Nate simply put himself to hard work trying to earn God’s forgiveness. All this does to Nate is exhaust him physically and spiritually.
I really loved this message the most. It definitely came, as all God’s reminders do, at exactly the moment I needed to hear it. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s forgiveness. All He wants is for us to come to Him with our problems, sins, insecurities, failings, worries, etc. He wants us to discuss them together, and to leave our burdens at His cross. He wants to do the work for us. As Jesus says in the Bible, His yoke is light. All we need to do is come to Him and accept that like yoke. What a beautiful message. It was well worth reading this book to be reminded of this again.
I very much appreciated the historical detail to this story. It is beyond obvious that Jennifer Delamere did an extensive amount of research into this story. I felt like I was transported back to Victorian London! The sights, the smells, the cold London winter, the feel of the rickety old theater where Rosalyn works, the stark difference between an upper-class neighborhood a middle-class neighborhood and a poor, low-class neighborhood were all so very realistic to me. I could envision it all so clearly as the attention to detail is superb. I enjoyed feeling like I was right there with Rosalyn and Nate and they went about their days.
I can’t say that I am a big Gilbert and Sullivan fan myself, but I do know of them. To see their different personalities a bit as they worked on their various operettas was a lot of fun. They appear to have been men of two different personality types. One — Gilbert — seemed quite brisk and a bit uptight, while the other — Sullivan — appeared a bit more personable. I did laugh at their expense a couple of times. And, it made me want to watch The Pirates of Penzance again, and do a little of my own research into their works.
Overall, I recommend this novel. I found it to be very interesting and engaging, and impressively well researched. The theme of going to God with our problems is timely and appropriate, and always a great reminder. I am very excited for book #2 in this series, The Heart’s Appeal, which is due out on March 6, 2018. The Heart’s Appeal is Julia’s story — Rosalyn’s younger sister — and sounds like a delight. The few moments we see Julia in The Captain’s Daughter were a few of my favorite.
An exciting and captivating look at the behind the scenes of theater life in London. Rosalyn is a resourceful woman who has no doubts that God will provide for her, despite being falsely accused of something. God’s providence brings her to the theater and she crosses paths with Nate. Rosalyn and Nate have an instant chemistry, although they both believe nothing can come of their interest. I loved seeing how we can make all of our plans for our future, but when we trust God to give us what is best, the outcome far exceeds what we could ever anticipate.
There is resolution to issues in the complicated lives
Great characters and storyline. I had to get the other books in the series!
Enjoyed it so much, that I bought books 2&3!
I enjoyed coming back to this book each time. Nicely written with great characters, story line and setting. Nicely transported to another world. Definitely would recommend!
I really enjoyed this book. Enjoyed the developing romance.
Well written; believable characters; clean language;
The orchestra music plays; voices rise and fall in melodious song; organized chaos, hustle and bustle of people and props. The Opera.
Jennifer Delamere has penned a stunning page-turner in The Captain’s Daughter. I was immediately captivated by heroine, Roslyn Bernay’s story set in Victorian London, England. From the first page I was sucked in by Roslyn’s desperate plight. We follow her through danger and destitution. Rejoice when she reaches a safe, satisfying destination.
Theatre is the backdrop of this entertaining novel. I enjoyed learning about all the ins and outs of stage and opera life. Jennifer Delamere gives such descriptive details of this world that one feels as if one has been a part of the cast. I have never seen the two productions mentioned in The Captain’s Daughter, but now have a desire to see them for myself!
Opposite the frolic and fantasy of theatre life, we have the faithful fortress of a family. Roslyn is an orphan with two sisters, but no living parents. She is a more serious, quiet heroine, but will talk more and relax with people she knows. Roslyn is independent, but is cautious and can be slightly too trusting at times. She was different from a lot of heroines and I liked that. I love the hero, Nate Moran’s steadiness and care for Roslyn. She needs a place in life and Nate and his family are a stable influence in her world. As a hero I never felt like I got to know Nate as well as I should have. I liked him, but wished I could have gotten to know him better. The Moran family is the best. Especially Nate’s brother. They provide a lightness in what could be a more serious story. These supporting characters added to the novel greatly.
Ms. Delamere has such a gift for story-telling and keeping one’s attention. I could hardly put the book down! The only drawback was not enough romance. It could have been upped more, but I had to keep reminding myself that this novel is categorized as historical fiction, not romance. The author’s previous series was romance and I kept expecting more.
There is a slight Dickens feel to this novel, but the setting, atmosphere, and characters have stepped right from the pages of a Sherlock Holmes story. One without the mystery though.
The Captain’s Daughter is an excellent, entertaining read. If you enjoy the writing styles of Rosslyn Elliott, Anne Mateer, and Karen Barnett, you will want to read this novel.
well-written, great characters
Historical fiction that allows the reader to learn about new things.
A great story that held my attention! Can’t wait for the other books in the series!
This is a new-to-me author and I am not disappointed to have read this first book in the London Beginnings series. I found the storyline original and well written. The characters were well developed and likable. The heroine, Rosalyn Bernay, is a strong individual with a mind of her own.
After being accused of steeling by her employer’s husband, Rosalyn runs to London to escape his and the police’s clutches. There she runs into the hero, Nate Moran. He tries to rescue her from a bad man at the train station only to frighten her into the arms of an old woman claiming to be her aunt.
Eventually, Rosalyn meets up with Nate again at the local theater when she is given a job as a dresser for the actresses of the play and he is a stage hand. They seem to hit it off once Nate is able to convince Rosalyn he is harmless.
This is the story of their relationship and how to be able to trust people, to forgive, to be honest and to follow your dreams. I really enjoyed this clean, Christian historical romance and recommend it to anyone who enjoys romance. Enjoy!
Great book. Great historical fiction. Loved how to moved to Quebec.