From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.May 2013Her finances are in dire straits and bestselling author Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. … Sarah Blake is struggling to find a big idea for her next book. Desperate, she breaks the one promise she made to her Alzheimer’s-stricken mother and opens an old chest that belonged to her great-grandfather, who died when the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. What she discovers there could change history. Sarah embarks on an ambitious journey to England to enlist the help of John Langford, a recently disgraced Member of Parliament whose family archives might contain the only key to the long-ago catastrophe. . . .
April 1915
Southern belle Caroline Telfair Hochstetter’s marriage is in crisis. Her formerly attentive industrialist husband, Gilbert, has become remote, pre-occupied with business . . . and something else that she can’t quite put a finger on. She’s hoping a trip to London in Lusitania’s lavish first-class accommodations will help them reconnect—but she can’t ignore the spark she feels for her old friend, Robert Langford, who turns out to be on the same voyage. Feeling restless and longing for a different existence, Caroline is determined to stop being a bystander, and take charge of her own life. . . .
Tessa Fairweather is traveling second-class on the Lusitania, returning home to Devon. Or at least, that’s her story. Tessa has never left the United States and her English accent is a hasty fake. She’s really Tennessee Schaff, the daughter of a roving con man, and she can steal and forge just about anything. But she’s had enough. Her partner has promised that if they can pull off this one last heist aboard the Lusitania, they’ll finally leave the game behind. Tess desperately wants to believe that, but Tess has the uneasy feeling there’s something about this job that isn’t as it seems. . . .
As the Lusitania steams toward its fate, three women work against time to unravel a plot that will change the course of their own lives . . . and history itself.
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There is so much to love in this beautifully written book! The glamour and sinking of the Lusitania, espionage and a love triangle. I loved reading the three different viewpoints in the story. Williams, Willig and White knocked it out of the park with The Glass Ocean!
Booking passage on the Lusitania or any ship during WWI would not seem like a good idea to me, but Caroline Hochstetter and Gilbert needed to get closer, and figured this would be a wonderful way to help their relationship. Did Gilbert really agree to the reason they were going on the Lusitania or did he have ulterior motives?
Along with Caroline and Gilbert on a ship in waters that German submarines were prowling, we meet Tess, a female thief, who needed to steal valuable music sheets to pay her bills. We also meet Robert Langford, a man who has been in love with Caroline since the first day he saw her many years ago.
All of the characters had a reason to be on the Lusitania, and the reasons were all different.
Meanwhile the story line moves from the 1915 Lusitania story to present day and introduces the reader to a struggling author, Sarah Blake, who found a trunk containing things of her great grandfather’s who perished on the Lusitania. This mystery centered around what could these things have to do with Robert Langford and the story.
And…..what could Sarah, Caroline, and Tess have in common all those years apart. We knew why Robert was there even though it actually was a coincidence that he and Caroline were booked on the same ship.
THE GLASS OCEAN weaves all of these characters together taking us on a ship that was to be a luxury cruise but leads to intrigue, mystery, death, and secrets.
The writing is flawless and beautiful even though I was a bit confused at first about how it all was to fit together. Learning the history of the Lusitania, the life style and protocol of the ship’s passengers, and having no sea legs along with the passengers kept my interest.
THE GLASS OCEAN is another marvelously researched book that smoothly moves from chapter to chapter and gives the reader a marvelous history lesson.
One chapter ended and the next began with a take off from one or two words that ended the previous chapter.
ENJOY when you read the newest gem by these lovely, talented ladies. 5/5
This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The lives and loves of three remarkable women—two in the past, one in the present—and the tragic final voyage of the HMS Lusitania.
From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Forgotten Room comes a captivating historical mystery, infused with romance, that links the lives of three women across a century—two deep in the past, one in the present—to the doomed passenger liner, RMS Lusitania.
I was not sure The Forgotten Room the first collaboration book from Willig, Williams and White could be topped but this is a fabulous book. Truly could not put it down. Remarkable character development and voice. You will be on the edge of your seating as the ending rushes toward you and you wonder the fate of your favorite characters.
A must read for historical fiction fans. 5 Stars from me.
The Glass Ocean is a historical mystery by three authors who have all written popular books on their own. When they team up, the result is bound to be great. This is a dual narrative novel that takes place in 1915 and present day. The two stories are intertwined throughout but there is a mystery that doesn’t get solved until the end. The story is centered around the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. Two of the main characters were on the ship and the other is trying to find out more about one of her ancestors.
The lives of the women intertwined throughout this novel and helped create a lot of mystery over what really happened in 1915. There is a tragedy, a little mystery and several love stories throughout the book which make it all more exciting. I didn’t know much about the sinking of the Lusitania and found it very interesting to learn some history as well as being involved in these characters lives.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Just what you would expect from the 3 Ws and more! Incredible complex characteristics, a rich tapestry of history, and a plot with intricate twists to keep you guessing. An absolute must read!
I received this book as an ARC, I have enjoyed reading it immensely. There are great characters, good story line, some forbidden romance, and a lot of good stuff to keep you reading. I recommend it, try it, you will like it!!
Fascinating look at a a moment in time with three wonderful authors spinning a spellbinding tale.
The Glass Ocean is the story of three different women. Sarah is an author looking for a book. Family papers lead her to Devon to research the story of two ancestors who were on the Lusitania when it was hit by a German torpedo. Caroline is a society woman married to a rich industrialist who is on the Lusitania. And Tess is a con artist, also on the Lusitania to perpetuate a scheme involving a lost Strauss waltz and German codes.
The story of each woman is written by a different author, and the chapters alternate, but they mesh seamlessly into a story both historically interesting and with romantic intrigue. Sarah and John, the two descendants of people on the Lusitania, research their ancestors and find their own romance. Caroline, her husband Gilbert, and friend Robert have their own complicated love triangle overlaid with political issues from WWI. And Tess falls in love with Robert, but has loyalties of her own to her sister who may or may not be a traitor.
I very much enjoyed this book, staying up late to finish it. I like all three authors – Ms. Willig is a special favorite. Their writing is rich with details for each setting, and their characters are realistic. I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction.
A wonderful read. Highly recommend!
Fantastic book. The 3 authors worked together seamlessly. Williams is my new favorite author
5 Stars
When it comes to tragedies on the ocean, the RMS Titanic seems to own centerstage. So way back when I first browsed the blurb on “The Glass Ocean”, I saw RMS Lusitania and was immediately intrigued. And having read The Forgotten Room, the first collaboration by these three authors, I was already assured that they work well in this format (they each take the voice of a single character and then the chapters rotate characters), so I was in.
What I liked about “The Glass Ocean”:
The title and cover – Are we allowed to say that if we want to be taken seriously? I don’t know but both just appealed to me so much.
Quotable – I love when I can find some good quotes in a book to add to my collection.
Three authors, three characters – Different styles that work together lend themselves well to three separate character voices to tell this story. As I mentioned previously, I am familiar with their writing styles and this format, and it works well. Each character had her own distinct voice and I never felt confused or abruptly pulled from one to the next.
That scene – You know which one I mean. That Scene. *That* scene. The one that steals your breath away. In this case, it was the perfectly constructed “first kiss” scene that made my heart skip a beat like it was my own first kiss. So sweet, so well-composed…so perfectly executed. (And no, I don’t consider this a spoiler. There were sufficient characters that there’s no way you know which two I am possibly referring to.)
What I didn’t care for:
Language – There wasn’t much of it, but even what there was felt unnecessary to me. Almost like a slap, it felt so out of place.
Caroline Hochstetter – I can’t say much without risking spoilers, but of all the characters I met in this book, she was the one who made my skin crawl most, which is saying something, considering who and what some of the other characters were. This isn’t to say she was poorly written or that the book would have been better without her or with a different version of her. I just…really couldn’t make myself like her.
Warning :
For those of you who prefer to avoid books with bedroom scenes, this has several. They are tastefully done and not out of place for the story, but they are there nonetheless.
Not a five-star rating for me because the ending (the epilogue, to be precise) fell just the tiniest bit flat for me. I am not even sure why, just that I felt satisfied with the conclusion of Caroline’s and Tess’s stories, but Sarah’s left me wanting just a smidgen. But overall, I am thrilled to have read a historical novel on an event that was unfamiliar to me except in that I knew it happened. Also, holy moly, do I have a book-crush on John Langford.
Entertaining and even though we know the ship sank, some twists at the end are surprising. The first chapter tells the story so many writers are facing in this age of digital theft. Highly recommended.
Good
This was the first novel I read of these three authors and I love their work! I haven’t read much about this topic but it kept me informed and I learned a great deal. It takes an original twist that you won’t see coming (at least I didn’t). I definitely recommend for a book club or reading by yourself! Pass on to your friends!
Sarah Blake is a writer in dire need of an advance and stumbles into long-lost family history pertaining to the sinking of the RMS Lusitania in 1915. Sensing a story for her next book, she travels to London and pursues high-born, but disgraced John Langford for Langford family records that will enable her to craft her novel. Flashbacks unfold a tale of espionage that rivals the popular theory that the RMS Lusitania may have been left exposed to German U-boats as a means to draw the United States into WW1. Great historical settings coupled with sharp pacing and twists of a thriller make this book a terrific read that was, unusually, written by a team of three authors. I had to smile as I envisioned these three writers, each acclaimed in her own right, sitting around with glasses of wine, tossing out deft turns of phrase (e.g., ’… a vast French Renaissance pile, the pale stone glowing in the electric streetlights, adorned with an abundance of tracery and, the odd gargoyle.’) and bloody perfect British slang (e.g., ‘sacked toff’ and ‘a full English’ – breakfast that is).
Was this review helpful? I am an avid world war based fiction reader and author. You can read more of my takes at https://brodiecurtis.com/curtis-takes/.
What a fascinating book! I enjoyed the split timeline and the three points of view. It also was an interesting foray into what ifs surrounding this ill fated voyage. Even though I figured out the major twists before the reveals, I was engaged from beginning to end. Fascinating to see a book written by three authors. I’m guessing who I think wrote each POV. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the performances. (There are a few scenes my CBA readers won’t appreciate…but they are short and skippable.)
A few reasons I was immediately drawn to this book:
1. Lovely cover! Which leads me to reason #2 …
2. Steamships. I’ve had a love affair with them for over twenty years now. Then I read Dead Wake by Erik Larson last year which is a non-fiction account of Lusitania and World War I. His discussion of the topic was fantastic and inspired me to incorporate WWI into my writing.
3. I’ve read two other books by Beatriz Williams (Overseas and Along the Infinite Sea) and loved both of them. Highly recommend! I haven’t read anything by Lauren Willig and Karen White yet, but I certainly will.
4. Three authors wrote this together. As an author myself, I had to see how they did.
So let’s discuss #4. Three authors wrote this book. Three people with three writing styles who are looking at the story from three different viewpoints … and you could not tell. Each author wrote one of the three main characters, but they fit so flawlessly together that I had no idea who wrote which part. Both primary and secondary characters maintained the same feel throughout the book, and I only found one continuity error. One! Either these women have linked up their brains or have one heck of an editor. As an author, I can’t imagine trying to meld two thought processes into coherence, let alone three, and make it all sound wonderful.
From the description of the ship and historical events of the era to the conspiracy plot lines and entangled romance, I felt so much for these characters and stayed up far too late to find out who survived after that fated torpedo strike. I’m glad to say that the end was satisfying, although not exactly what I was expecting. Tragic yet hopeful. I’m really looking forward to reading these authors’ other collaboration, The Forgotten Room, and seeing what else they might pull together.
This review was first posted on kelseygietl.com
I liked The Glass Ocean, but I didn’t love it. It was very much in line with Beatriz Williams’ and Karen White’s other novels, with strong, interesting female protagonists and a duel timeline, which I really liked. This book just didn’t have enough action for me, and it was predictable. Still, great writing and very likable characters.
Multigenerational story intermixing classes and the tragedy of the Lusitania. The true value is providing more insight into the ship that always gives up the spotlight to the Titanic. Amazingly well written considering three authors had to shelve their egos and work together. Well done ladies.