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 … 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?
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Line by Line by Jennifer Delamere is the first book in her Love Among the Wires series. It follows career telegrapher Alice McNeil as she navigates a new job, including one incredibly handsome man and one incredibly rude one.
As a woman in the 1880s, Alice chooses her job over a family. Despite the pressure to marry, to have a man take care of her, she is determined to exercise her independence. When she’s accused of sabotaging the company she works for, all those dreams come crashing down.
Douglas Shaw is on his way up. He already excels at his job, which opens the door to higher society. A marriage match that would help his company and his own business prospects is next on his list of accomplishments. When his boss hires a new telegrapher, a woman, his plans are undermined by his own crazy heart.
I thoroughly enjoyed Line by Line. I hadn’t read a book by Jennifer Delamere before, but I definitely will again. Alice was a wonderfully complex character. I especially liked how she didn’t seek out a man to save her, but determined to find her own way, whether love had a part to play or not. And the ending was incredibly satisfying.
Now I’m looking forward to discovering who the next book in the series is about. I’ll definitely be adding the title to my to-be-read list when it comes out.
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I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in order to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
A new series by Jennifer Delamere and I am thoroughly delighted. The book offers hope, redemption, humor and inspiration. It is a clean, historical romance that drew me in from the very start. I loved the premise of Alice being a telegrapher as she is intelligent, quick, and witty. Douglas is determined and they ignite a delightful chemistry, although it does not come easily. I look forward to the continuation of this series. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own and freely given.
Line by Line, by Jennifer Delamere, is the first book in the Love along the Wires series. Offering plenty of wit and humor, this delightful historical romance is a genuine pleasure to read! Ms. Delamere is a talented writer with a real gift for storytelling! With a charming plot and thoughtful characters, this book is utterly uplifting and thoroughly entertaining.
Line by Line is a creative and engaging novel with a swiftly paced plot that includes plenty of surprises. Brimming with scenes that are rich with comedy and romance, this book also offers a meaningful story of hope, purpose, and new beginnings. Moments of loss lead to new paths of perseverance, introspection, and restoration. Faulty logic and misconceptions are defeated with faith, humility, and truth.
The appeal of this book is wholly enriched by well-developed characters that are refreshingly unique and compelling. They exhibit endearing qualities that make them unconventional yet believable. As they overcome obstacles and evaluate their motivations, the characters are relatable and inspiring. Even though they struggle through real trials that test their assumptions and their choices, the gift of God’s grace abounds, offering renewed hope and second chances.
Line by Line is truly a wonderful piece of historical fiction. Its sweet combination of comedy, romance, and faith, makes the story very readable and enjoyable. It is a satisfying novel from the first page to the last, and I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in this series. Line by Line is certainly creative, clever, and memorable, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.
*I was given a copy of this novel from the publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.
I found this book to be very interesting. I had not given much thought to telegraph lines and what they meant in history and how they changed business. The fact they used code when sending a telegram was new information to me. I like how the author formed a story with Alice and Douglas. Both characters had similar backgrounds, yet Douglas had risen and had high hopes of going further. Alice is just happy to have her job being a female Telegraph operator. And that had many challenges presented within the story. Definitely an interesting read and I look forward to more in this series. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All views stated here are my own.
The debut of Jennifer Delamere’s new Love Among the Wires series is a fun read. There’s some great history about telegraphy, there’s humor, there’s conflict, and there’s romance.
Alice, who has determined her destination in life is a career and not marriage, is intelligent, kind, witty, and driven. Is it any wonder Douglas is drawn to her before he even lays eyes on her? As the two spend time together, they grow to admire much about the other and that blooms into more than friendship.
But the romance doesn’t dominate this story. When Alice starts employing some of the suggestions from a guide to finding a man, things go awry and she finds herself in a couple predicaments. Alice’s friends all have opinions about who the best match for her is.
I found myself laughing in places, eager to find out what happened next in others, and contented with how everything came together. Who else is hoping Rose or Emma get the spotlight in the next one?
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Line by Line is the start of a new series by Jennifer Delamere, and it’s a great start! Alice is a driven young women who is determined to be a successful telegraph operator. She’s very good at it and believes the only way to continue to succeed and be self sufficient is to remain single and fight to be treated as an equal. Douglas is also driven to succeed, but he wants to amass wealth and social status. The character development was absolutely delightful. I really enjoyed both of them along with the secondary characters. I also really enjoyed the storyline of the telegraph. I found that very interesting! Looking forward to the next book in this series!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
What a sweet, enjoyable and entertaining read!
Line by Line is the first book in a new Victorian-era series by author Jennifer Delamere. Set in 1880’s London, as the spread of telephone lines threaten the telegraph’s future, readers are treated to interesting historical tidbits while spinster Alice tries to secure a career in a man’s world.
The setting is wonderful and the story is quite engaging! This was a hard one to put down!
This book had humor, faith, lively characters and a super cute romance! Alice’s two friends, Emma and Rose, were equally delightful additions to this story and I hope we see more of each lady in the future!
I happily recommend Line by Line to fans of historical fiction! I’m rather pleased to have read this book and I look forward to more from Jennifer Delamere!
Line by Line is available now – purchase your copy from http://www.bakerbookhouse.com or http://www.christianbook.com today!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. A positive review was not required. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Delamere pulls you in with barely the first line.
From the first page, I was attached to Alice, she is not the usual heroine. Neither too feminine nor too much of a feminist, I was thrilled to follow along as the story progressed.
Douglas is a hero who I liked from the first as well, you can see instantly that he is not perfect and yet he is not a hero that you are disappointed in.
With a smart writing style that is as alluring as the plot is, “Line by Line” had me eagerly turning every page until I reached the end on a new favorite historical romance.
Note, there is a slight villain and he is something of a creep but he does not take over the story in any way that made me uncomfortable.
I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
I enjoyed the historical detail of this book. I felt I was taken back in time with the customs, dress, mannerisms and speech & struggles of woman in the work place. Alice and Douglas each had boxed themselves into an idea of what would ultimately bring them joy. The journey Jennifer Delamere took them on to grow and expand their view was written well and flowed nicely. The romance felt genuine and realistic. The challenges the H & h each had felt natural & not contrived. I really liked having Andrew Carnagie make an apperance. The supporting characters really helped move the plot along & gave the readers and h & H food for thought. I have enjoyed Jennifer Delamere’s books prior to this one. I feel confident that when I pick up one of her books I’ll get a richly written story with depth & layers. Good dialogue and the ending was wrapped up beautifully. I had wondered how the author would wrap up and tie loose ends satisfactory as the book neared it’s end. I love this is going to be a series and will get to know more of Alice’s friends’ stories. Douglas had wonderful friends as well that added to the enjoyment of the story. My only dissapointment is the waiting for the next story to come out.
Line By Line is the first novel I’ve read from Jennifer Delamere and it most certainly isn’t going to be the last. Line by Line tells the story of Alice McNeil. She began her career as a telegrapher and just recently acquired a position at a trading firm. She most certainly doesn’t regret her forgoing of marriage and romance but what happens when she starts to fall for her new friend Douglas Shaw? You’ll just have to read the book to find out! But don’t worry, it released earlier this month from Bethany House and is available from most Christian Retailers so you can grab yourself a copy as soon as you want.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really love Jennifer Delamere’s books and this was another great book in a new series! I loved all the historical aspects that she gave while describing women and telegraphy in the Victorian Era. I loved the humor that she used and I loved how strong and independent her heroine was. I love how the hero and heroine started off with a deep respect for each other as coworkers and then it developed into love as they got to know each other more. I also loved how the heroine needed to realize that she could be successful and have a husband, not just one or the other. I look forward to reading more by Jennifer and more in this series.
I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors. A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.
This is an exceptional story with many wonderful and colorful characters. I was drawn into the story from the very start. A great plot that leads to a story with humor and a lot of soul searching for the main characters. The author does a wonderful job at making the case that even the best laid plans can and will go awry. Learning about the telegraph was a neat tidbit along with how much memorizing went along with it. This is a sweet clean romance that will keep the midnight oils burning for the outcome. There is so much to love about this story!
Was given a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
What a fantastic start to the new series Love Along the Wires by Jennifer Delamere. I loved the story of Alice McNeil and Douglas Shaw; she is a young telegrapher who is far more interested in a career than l marriage and children while he is concerned with his social standing and desperately wants to marry into high society. That’s one of the many things I loved about this storyline because in most novels the situations are reversed.
There was only one character in the story that I didn’t like but he is supposed to be unlikeable, so kudos to the author for crafting him perfectly because I truly found him to be so annoying. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the other characters and am anxious to read their stories as the series progresses. I found this to be a delightful and well written novel, full of humor, hard working delightful characters with a sweet romance. If you are a fan of historical romance novels you will want to get a copy of this one.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Line by Line is the start of a new series by Jennifer Delamere. This book is a history loving reader’s delight. The story revolves around a heroine who is a telegrapher. The Victorian era is full of new inventions and books like this one brings those things to life for the reader. This book also features a visit from Andrew Carnegie. There is fun humor as well sprinkled throughout. I really enjoyed it. There is romance, but I wish it had a bit more. Overall, a very good read.
Charming! Line by Line is my first read by Jennifer Delamere, and now I definitely plan on reading more of her books. I really enjoyed this story. Some of my favorite parts include the details about working as a telegrapher, as well as a woman working in what was previously considered primarily a man’s job. I also have to mention that fact that a mutually visited bookstore, and a rather humorous book about understanding the opposite sex has a lot to do with the story line – quite humorous and delightful! Oh, and dancing to the “tune”of Morse code – you’ll just have to trust me on that one!
Both leads are endearing. Alice is a self-proclaimed spinster, but she didn’t have that aggravating, over-the-top stubborn quality that similar characters in other books have had. Douglas is also goal-driver, but not to the point of it being unrealistic. The romance is lighter, but also easy to root for them as a couple. I adored Alice’s friends Rose and Emma, and I hope future books are about them. Her friend Lucy did nothing for me, because she treated Alice like a doormat, but other than that, I loved the secondary characters.
Ultimately, my favorite thing about this novel is that it shows that even when life doesn’t go quite like you planned, things are not hopeless:
“She had begun to feel as though every door was closed to her. Now she was ready to test the notion that it simply meant new ways were opening up. That something very different were on the horizon. She might not know exactly where she was going, but she had to believe that the right path was out there and that she would find it.”
Here’s to a closed door leading to the right path for us all.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel; this review is my honest opinion.
An enjoyable look at falling in love:
This was a fun, light-hearted book that is sure to entertain and delight.
Alice was fiercely independent and determined to make her own way in life and not settle down with a husband and family. Douglas is also ambitious and determined to succeed at work plus break into the upper social circles. They form a bond and end up coming to care deeply for one another yet they resist and try to forge their own paths in life. There are rivalries to overcome, decisions to be made and priorities that need to be set.
I found the first third of the book a bit sluggish but I became more invested in the story as it progressed. I enjoyed the various quotes from the Spinster book and thought they added much needed brevity to the story. There is a light Christian message and reminder to store up treasures in heaven and not on earth.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
A lovely start to a new series from Jennifer Delamere! Line by Line is evocative, heartwarming, and has all the makings of a dreamy historical story.
The solid friendship between Alice and Douglas was wonderfully refreshing. Too often I see the romance prematurely begun, and while there was an obvious attraction between the two, they were friends first and foremost. Alice is a determined and gratifying heroine, and Douglas is a swoon-worthy, ambitious hero. It was a delight to see them interact. Their “modern” knight-in-shining-armor tale does not involve a sappy, useless heroine and an unbelievable hero, but rather features two driven, flawed people who are made better by their relationship with the other.
I also loved how telegraphy was more than just an occupation, but became the underlying theme of the book, evidenced by Delamere’s portrayal of communication between Alice and Douglas. Whether they used this shared skill while dancing or in romantic speeches, telegraphy was an intriguing thread throughout the book that added another layer of satisfying storytelling.
I absolutely cannot wait for this series to continue! 4.5/5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
“Troubles – even those not of our own making – are part of every person’s journey. It’s how one deals with them that shows true character. I have no doubt you will find a way to triumph in the end.”
Line by Line kicks off Jennifer Delamere’s newest series Love along the Wires set in Victorian England during the boom of telegram usage. Her attention to detail will envelope the reader in 1881 London as international commerce and trading is rapidly expanding. The leaps made in technology during that time are fascinating and how the business world used encoded telegram/Morse code messages is quite intriguing to learn about. The two main characters, Alice and Douglas, are like two peas in a pod – both ambitious, intelligent, and devoted to work life without much need for romantic love. They both come from quite humble backgrounds and are proud of what they have achieved so far – she a telegraph operator at a prestigious company and he an assistant to the owner at the said prestigious company. Neither likes returning home but going back to their roots points them toward a more fulfilling direction in life.
There is definitely humor in the plot as Alice employs a book touted as “the spinster’s guide” to love and romance and her curious nature begs to experiment with some of the theories from the book on real men of her acquaintance. That experiment unfortunately backfires and puts her in a bit of conundrum as she re-evaluates what she really wants out of life. Alice and Douglas’ friendship is natural and fun since they have so many things in common; their romance is fraught with hurdles but they do overcome each one.
If you enjoy historical romance, you will definitely enjoy this book. I can’t wait to see who the second book in the series will feature.
I received a copy of the book from Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This enjoyable read came at the perfect time. With just the right amounts of romance and humor, this historical fiction had me hooked. I found the use of the telegraph in 1881 very interesting, as well as, everything surrounding that profession. The female telegraph operator and her male coworker learned a lot about forging a path in business and in life. As their lives take directions that they hadn’t planned, they once again had to make choices regarding what was truly important to them. I’m excited that Line By Line is just the first book in the Love Along the Wires series. I can’t wait to see what happens to the telegraph operator in the next book. I hope that the great characters from this book will be involved. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Line by Line is the start of a new series by Jennifer Delamere. This book is a history loving reader’s delight. The story revolves around a heroine who is a telegrapher. The Victorian era is full of new inventions and books like this one brings those things to life for the reader. This book also features a visit from Andrew Carnegie. There is fun humor as well sprinkled throughout. I really enjoyed it. There is romance, but I wish it had a bit more. Overall, a very good read.