Hearts That Survive: A Novel of the Titanic

by Yvonne Lehman

Will those who survived the Titanic's sinking and their descendants be able to find a love more powerful than their pain?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction, Historical, Christian, Ebooks

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 29, 2012

About the author

Yvonne Lehman founded and directed the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference for twenty-five years. She is author of 59 novels and 16 nonfiction books in the Divine Moments series. Yvonne enjoys mentoring beginning writers.

Her fiftieth novel, Hearts that Survive – A Novel of the TITANIC, (Abingdon), is available in bookstores and at the Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, TN where she periodically holds book signings. The Divine Moments books (Grace Publishing) are a compilation of 45-50 articles written by various authors.

Reviews

[Josephine (Jo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was, to start with, the story of the sinking of the Titanic, the story of two lovers who marry on the ship is very reminiscent of the film Titanic and I just could not bring myself to like Craven Dowd or see why Lydia could either. The telling of the sinking was very well done and very descriptive although there were too many people to remember. The story is told from a Christian perspective which was nice but I felt that the epic dragged on rather and I have to admit I was waiting for a bit more excitement. The end was all brought together in a kind of a rush as if the author was trying to finish off a bedtime story for a child quickly and filled in all the facts and said "and they all lived happily ever after" the end.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me preface this review by saying that I have read a lot of books. The number of "read" books on my Goodreads profile is only a fraction of what I've read in my entire life. I've read a lot of good books, some middling books, some books that were so great I'm still in speechless awe, and some that were so terrible, I was left wanting to throw them across the room by the time I was done.

This book definitely falls in that last category. In fact, it is very fortunate that it was not thrown across the room into either the wall or the trash can, whichever one it reached first.

In my review, I go deeply in depth about what all is wrong with this book (and ALL sums it up quite nicely), so the majority of my review will be in spoiler tags. If you don't wish to be spoiled, please don't click the link - but I highly encourage you to do your research on this book before you buy, lest you accidentally get hold of a lemon like I did.

I should have known from the start that this was going to be one of THOSE books. When the main female character (whose status as the "main" female character changes several times through the book, when her friend Caroline takes the forefront spot on stage more than once) told the man she loved she was pregnant (they were not even engaged, let alone married at this point), all he could do was tell her, "Go read Psalm 51. We'll talk in the morning." Mind you, I am a Christian, so it doesn't bother me that he told her to go read Scripture. What DOES bother me is that it seemed so flippant! Basically he told her to go take two aspirin and call him in the morning. This is NOT something to be put off, I don't care how much you're trying to fly under the radar. They should have sat down, read it together, and discussed it IMMEDIATELY. The author tried to excuse it by saying John was a poet and had a hard time saying words instead of writing them, but it was a very pitiful excuse for a horridly handled scene.

I thought I could at least enjoy the book because of the level of research Ms. Lehman did on "Titanic." The ship's luxury and opulence was well-described, as well as the general location of rooms in relation to each other and the sheer size of the ship itself. The author did well describing the sense of wonder of the ship's size and appointments, at the introduction of well-known, famous passengers among those she created, and so on. But when it came time for the sinking, it was clear she did little to no research. Molly Brown (who was known as "Maggie" Brown until AFTER the sinking), makes a snide comment about J. Bruce Ismay getting on a lifeboat. She had been off the ship for a good long while by the time Ismay boarded a lifeboat himself. Ida Strauss's touching conversation with her husband Isador when she refuses to get on board a lifeboat and leave him was also included - but was done incorrectly! I understand that doing research on such a tragedy as the sinking is very difficult - I have done extensive research on the subject myself - but getting so many things wrong is inexcusable. Even the things she made up was just one mess after another. Craven Dowd, a business associate of Lydia's father and the man who'd always wanted to marry her (despite their significant age difference), claimed to be Lydia's husband (something she did not refute, despite the fact she was standing right there at the time) so he could get on a lifeboat WITH HER. Then he said he was an experienced sailor (he was not) so he could get onto a lifeboat and row away. He left Lydia standing on the deck, after all that fuss, without even so much as an apparent thought about her. Lydia did, apparently, get on a lifeboat, but this is not brought up until much later and feels very confusing, especially considering the events surrounding Craven.

But what got me most was what John did. Wanting to finish the poem he had started writing for Lydia before their wedding (on the Grand Staircase, no less, at 10 PM on the night of April 14th, just an hour and forty minutes before the iceberg collision), he hurries back to his rooms, gets pen, paper, and his notebook, and goes to the men's smoking lounge (I believe, the area was not well-described or named, but that was the impression I got), finished the poem, translated it into Italian, then asked three men drinking at a nearby table for a bottle. One of them drains his, gives it to John, who then tucks the poem into the bottle, corks it, tucks it into his pocket... Then sits down at the table to wait for whatever will happen, "I am confident it will reach her."

I'm sorry, but this is UNFORGIVABLE. He doesn't even try to get the bottle outside, to the water, where it at least has a CHANCE of floating away from the ship and getting to a lifeboat, or into the debris field, or anywhere else, really. And then when the room is flooding and he's getting caught up in the water, he watches the bottle float away from him and become "trapped in the corner of the room," then despairs that it will never get to Lydia. I wonder why not? (Yes, I did bang my head on the table several times after reading that particular piece of nonsense.)

Another thing that really bothered me: The reception for John and Lydia's wedding was being held in one of the cafes aboard the ship (it wasn't made clear which one - there were two), and yet Lydia felt the impact with the iceberg while she and John were dancing. Blueprints of the ship are readily available online and in several books, and if the author had done any research she would have known that both cafes (and even the dining room itself, had she chose to hold the reception there) were too far away from the point where Titanic impacted the iceberg to have felt the collision. Lydia, John, and the rest of the people at the reception would not have felt a thing. Also, according to the book, lifebelts were being handed out and lifeboats uncovered just minutes after impact, when in reality it was almost an HOUR after the collision when these things were being done. Perhaps Ms. Lehman was doing this for some sort of dramatic purpose, but when working with a historical and well-known event as the sinking of the "Titanic," one does not just mess around with the facts to suit one's plot and purposes.

In the time after the sinking, where survivors are floating in their lifeboats and wondering if they were going to live or die, I can give Ms. Lehman some praise. Lydia's and Caroline's points of view on these events were very well-written and heartbreaking. She captured the despair of the survivors, the cries of those left in the water, and even what measures some took to make sure no one swamped their lifeboats very well. They were two very dramatic and gripping scenes, and gave me hope that the rest of the book might improve.

No such luck. After the Carpathia's rescue of the survivors, the usual cringe-worthy events started right back up as if some promise had not been shown. Craven makes no apology of leaving Lydia behind and swoops right in to begin his wooing of the new widow. Several times in the following chapters does he give this creepy, self-superior sort of grin - now that his competition is dead, the path is wide open to him. Craven is a very unlikeable character - he is smarmy, egotistical, self-serving, manipulative, controlling, and above all, a bully. He talks Lydia out of telling the world of her and John's marriage and makes a play for Lydia himself - which, to my sheer disgust, she falls for hook, line, and sinker.

Their courtship is practically nonexistent (though, apparently, there was some before she met John, though this is not brought up until almost the end of the book), and their engagement and subsequent marriage is a whirlwind and done within a couple of weeks after the sinking. And here's what really gets my goat: Craven is made out to be the sort of character who knows everything about everything. He is significantly older than Lydia (and while I know marriages between older men and younger women were not unusual back then, Craven's behavior comes across as that of a pedophile more than once, instead of a noble man who simply loves a woman and wishes the best for her), and is portrayed as being one who is wise in all the ways, if you know what I mean. Which makes his lack of realization that is new (trophy) wife is NOT a virgin on their wedding night absolutely inexcusable. You cannot portray your character as being so smart and knowledgeable, then have him do something so incredibly stupid, and make him seem even remotely believable, let alone likeable.

And this continues. For some reason, the doctor who examines Lydia and shares the news of her pregnancy plays along with Lydia and pretends the child is, indeed, Craven's. He's still blissfully unaware, and Lydia plays along, pretending the baby's his and he's getting his long-awaited heir. He traipses off to Britain for business meetings (and a visit with Lydia's father), then doesn't seem the least bit worried or suspicious when the babe is born a month early (nine months and two days, according to Lydia, after the boy's conception). Lydia is more than happy to let him continue to think Beau is Craven's, but fears the day when Craven will look at him and "see the boy's resemblance to his father." Never mind that Craven has said that Beau looks just like his mother, and is apparently happy to stick with that assessment.

And I almost forgot to mention: Lydia drank so much wine, champagne, and coffee while she was carrying Beau, it boggles my mind that the boy was born without some sort of defect.

And then there is Caroline. Now that Beau is born, Ms. Lehman seems to think a shift away from Lydia is incredibly important, and switches to a huge chunk of the book in Caroline's point of view. She travels to Halifax, Nova Scotia, since that is where the victims of the sinking are being brought and she's hoping (I think?) her husband will be one of them. There she meets Armand, a charming lawyer who she clearly falls in love with before her husband is even in his grave, let alone cold in it. (Yes, he was found and identified. Poor William.) Courting commences, and they often spend Saturdays together. It winds up in marriage (surprise, surprise).

It is around this point in the book that Ms. Lehman seems to think speaking in metaphors is a good idea. Caroline can "feel thunderclouds growing inside her," but apparently mistakes these clouds as a volcano, which then erupts and leaves her a blubbering mess at the dinner table while Armand was visiting. (He leaves - practically flees - in fear. At least he went to get Bess, Caroline's ladies-maid-turned-friend, to help her.) In a later conversation, Caroline asks Armand if he has a volcano in him, but he says no, his has already erupted, and his problems are merely thunderclouds now, but thank you for asking. Throw in a garden metaphor for Armand's heart (where ten-foot sunflowers are growing, surrounded by daisies, as a symbol for his love for Caroline [but where weeds could grow, and then he could just walk on by the garden, knowing he wasn't gardener but an attorney, and that's fine since he shouldn't be thinking about her anyway]) and a scene where Caroline wanders out one morning into the mist and, for how it's written, apparently has a make-out session with a tree until the mist dissolves, when the tree magically turns into Armand (there is no explanation of why he is there, or how or when he got there in the first place). Add in Bess's courtship and marriage to Willard, Armand's fisherman-friend-turned-driver, and you've got a recipe for eye-rolling, head-desk worthy, face-palming ridiculous drivel and purple prose which makes you wish this book would just end, already!

But it is far from done, unfortunately. Eighteen years after Beau's birth, Craven finally figures out the boy's not his (incidentally, AFTER he has had a procedure done to make sure there will be no more children). He leaves the house for four days, in which Lydia does a lot of hand-wringing and worrying, then returns home, has dinner with his wife, takes her upstairs, undresses her, has relations with her (yes, it is as creepy as it sounds), the leaves the next morning for work as if nothing happened. Lydia finds out later in the day he disappeared for four days to ... buy her a yacht. This after she swore several times she would never set foot on a ship again. (Yes, she does get on it without protest. How did you guess?) Craven stops judging the boy for his preference for film over the family business, and then everything is just hunky-dory.

Huge chunks of time - anywhere from a handful of months to several years - pass in the span of a few paragraphs, leaving the reader extremely lost and confused about what's going on and what year it is supposed to be. Craven dies of a heart attack; Beau gets married to an actress and goes to Hawaii to film a move about Titanic, but gets caught up in the Japanese air raid on the state (he and Angel, his wife, are both fine); he comes back home... All in the space of less than a page.

And then comes the REAL kicker, which I had seen coming about 300 pages ago. In all the debris from the Titanic wreck which was washing ashore, and which are being sent to Beau for his movie, is a bottle. The contents of this bottle make their way to Lydia, and - surprise, surprise! - it's the poem John wrote fifty years before, as the Titanic sank with him content to sit inside and do nothing to release the bottle. Clearly the ship happened to break apart right where he was, so the bottle could handily make its way to its intended recipient. The way this scenario is presented and comes about is so impossible and unbelievable and riddled with coincidence, it made me sit and laugh until I had tears in my eyes. What was supposed to be a touching scene was nothing more than a painful farce.

In the end, Armand and Caroline's granddaughter gets married to the son of one of the other Titanic survivor's sons, and she wears Lydia's wedding gown (in which she'd married John, not Craven). While meant to bring about closure and be a touching "everything circles back around and ties into each other" kind of moment, this is not a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, and the way everything supposedly circles around and ties into itself smacks of a mix of cliché, convenience, and a heavy dose of sheer dumb luck.

This books gets half a star for the scene where the survivors were floating on the water, and that's it. The rest of it was such a jumbled mess, filled with nonsensical metaphors and deep purple prose (and stilted conversations you wouldn't even hear in a sanitarium), it left a nasty taste in my mouth and the inability to recommend it even to my worst enemy. I have never hated a book as much as I do this one - the only reason why I finished it was because I hate having a DNF on my record and I kept (pointlessly) hoping it would improve. I typically do not write long, scathing reviews, but I am very sorry, this book deserved it.

Be ye warned about this book: Stay far, far away. Do not read. I wish I hadn't. I never intend to again.

And if I never see "Hearts that Survive: A Novel of the Titanic" again, it will be too soon.

[Christine Rebbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a great story in here, but it got lost among too many characters and too many references to God/Jesus. I didn't realize going in that we were going to be preached to (continually, it seemed), and almost put the book down totally at the first instance of that. At one point, when Lydia tells John that she's carrying her child, his response is to be silent except to tell her to read some Psalm? If I were Lydia, pregnant out of wedlock in 1912, I probably would have thrown myself overboard if my lover had that initial reaction! Not a smile, not a hug; just "read this Psalm and I'll talk to you tomorrow"...

It probably would make a good movie, if the definitive movie about the Titanic hadn't already been done. Maybe a TV movie, on Hallmark or something...

There were several out-and-out errors in the book, where who's taking what point of view gets confused, or that daisies have yellow petals, or that Lydia sleeps till the late afternoon but then gets up, gets busy and is glad for everything she accomplishes "before lunch". Toward the end, when she tells her son the truth about his father and he goes out to the back yard to think, it reads, "she could not sit across from him and look into his eyes as if she were his mother". She IS his mother! Sloppy stuff like that...

In the great big world of wonderful books out there, I don't think I would recommend that someone take the time to read this. Life is short...

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book follows several upper class English people who are traveling on the Titanic. Some survive and some do not. Those who survived are picked up by the Carpathia and first taken to Nova Scotia, and then on to New York which was their destination. The two main females both lost their husbands, but decide to stay in New York. The story follows them through their ups and downs as well as their remarriages as they learn to live and love again.

Overall, a very good read.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a okay read . Not what I thought the book was going to be .

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK!

Hearts That Survive: A Novel of the Titanic by Yvonne Lehman

The Titanic! Everyone wants to be aboard on the first trip across the ocean on this wonderful, powerful, unsinkable `city' it is called because of the size of this marvelous ship. The worlds richest of the rich is traveling aboard the most beautiful and high-class way of travel in the world in this era.
Lydia Beaumont is no different that all of the other wealthy class, traveling from London to New York on the Titanic. She is accompanied by her fiancé, John Ancell and long time employee of her father and wanna be husband of Lydia, Craven Dowd.

Lydia was thrilled to say yes to John's proposal of marriage, and his wanting to have the wedding on this magnificent ship with all of the first class wealthy travelers invited. And so the plans begin, with help from some of the most famous wives in history. This was to be the wedding of all weddings, the first of many on the Titanic, and a party afterwards that exceeds anything anyone could ever imagine. And this is just the way it happens. Lydia is so very happy, John has made her the happiest woman in the world on this night of their wedding. But it was Craven Dowd that was not the happy one, but to Lydia's surprise Craven did not object to the wedding, instead he actually agreed to be John's best man. Against his will that is, but because he knew it was what he should do. Everything was beautiful, actually it all went down just perfect. Then it was over, the guest begin to head to their rooms. That was when Lydia felt something, but not sure what. And since John didn't seem to feel the same thing, she thought it was just the jitters from the wedding. That's all it could be, right?

Being the first book I've read by Yvonne Lehman, I was sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised at the awesomeness of this book. Ms. Lehman pens an unforgettable story that will be on the minds of its readers for a good while. The outstanding characters finds their way into the hearts of its readers, grasping and never letting go. From the Breath-taking wedding in the beginning of the book until the lives of its survivors decades later, readers will be mesmerized by the shocking details and the unique emotions of each of the characters as we place ourselves in this story right along with them. The author has an awesome way of describing each scene to give a feeling of realism throughout the book. The scenes after the ship started sinking were unbelievably and awesomely written. From the emotions between husband and wife and family members to the cruel trick men tried to get aboard the survival boats shows emotions so realistic it gives a feeling that these things really happened the way the author writes them. I will however say I didn't care for Craven Dowd and his attitude. He could in no way replace John and the love he and Lydia shares. The way Craven survived and made himself out to be he hero, well just didn't set well with me, but then you gotta have Craven's kind in every book, don't you!

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I appreciate the way the author stresses that God is always with us in our difficulties even though we can't see or feel him, or understand why tragedies such as this happens. We can always trust in Him, and depend on Him in our lives. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book and will be looking for more books from this author. I highly recommend this book for anyone to read. In this year 2012, the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, this is one book you do not want to miss out on.

I rec'd this book from Abingdon Press through PUYB blog tours. I was not expected to give a positive review, only an honest one. The opinions in this review are mine only.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What was supposed to be the maiden voyage to America for "the greatest ship ever built," The RMS Titanic, turned into a horrific tragedy that forever changed the course of the lives of so many people. The "ship of dreams" was thought to be unsinkable, but on that cold and icy night of April 14, 1912, the gaiety and liveliness of the passengers turned to horror, when the ship collided with an iceberg and began to take on water, slowly sinking into the North Atlantic. From 2207 passengers only 675 survived the tragedy ... Hearts That Survive is the fictional story of some of those survivors, the story of how through their painful loss they learned to survive.

Hearts That Survive: A Novel of The Titanic is a profoundly inspirational novel of the amazing spirit of people who learn to survive from a tragedy. The storyline is powerfully compelling, the author takes the reader through three segments: Before the sinking which details the final two days of the Titanic's journey, the gripping detail is breathtakingly beautiful yet haunting, you can't help but have the tissues nearby; During the sinking of the Titanic, where the reader is transported to the icy waters of the North Atlantic, and the slow descent of the grand ship into the ocean and the horror that befell its passengers; and After the rescue, where the reader follows the stories of some of the survivors. The attention to detail throughout the story was phenomenal, the reader is easily transported back to that tragic era in history. The storyline also had a wonderful yet tragic love story that leaves the reader emotionally spent, and also a heartwarming story of friendship that comes out of the tragedy that lasts throughout the years. There are so many characters in this story, I had to keep a list so I could keep them all straight. The characters are realistic, their complex personalities and intertwining lives are fascinating, and the reader is drawn into the inspirational story of their lives. The author does a wonderful job of telling a story that spans the generations, she engages the reader to become invested in all of the character's lives.

The inspiring message of the amazing spirit and heart of people who survive devastation and tragedy is one that will stay with the reader long past the end of the story. Hearts That Survive: A Novel of The Titanic is a powerful novel that has been released in time for the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. I would encourage that everyone should read this novel: for a piece of history; for a great story of love, friendship, heartbreak and redemption; and finally for the inspirational message that hearts do survive.



Disclaimer: At the request of the author, publisher and Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours, a Paperback edition of the book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.

Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, April 23, 2012, in association with Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours, author Yvonne Lehman participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Anastaciaknits · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, boy. I am not sure where to begin with this one.

I can sum up my thoughts rather quickly - reading this book is a big waste of your time!

The writing overall is OK and there were a couple of scenes that were written well (the sinking of the ship itself) - so well written and put together that I think Lehman had a lot of help, because the rest of the book has plot holes the size of Titanic. But let's not forget Lehman's wonderful writing throughout the book, such as: “She knew that he knew she knew he knew better.” What???

When one calls a book "a novel of the titanic" you'd expect much more of the book to actually be on board the Titanic, wouldn't you? Well, less than a third of the book actually takes place about the ship. There's a lot of detail about the ship, some accurate and a lot of not-so-accurate bits. The actual sinking of the ship felt very rushed, was wildly inaccurate in places, and other than a few moments here and there, just left me feeling disappointed.


Lydia gets married on the ship, for crying out loud, and is pregnant, and her brand new husband John decides he's going to finish writing a poem and then sits down and dies. The scene where he dies was so horribly bad I was laughing so hard I had tears coming out of my eyes.

Lydia of course survives the ship sinking, watches Craven (the family business's head honcho and the book's big evil bad guy) acting like an idiot/coward/fool, and then days later, marries him with hardly any thought. Then lies to him for the next 18 years, never admitting the child isn't him. And Craven is such a man about town, but is clueless that Lydia isn't a virgin.

Lydia survives the ship going down (of course) and though is traumatized a bit from it, none of the characters who survived really suffer any post-traumatic affects. Really? After just a couple of weeks everyone is just fine?

About 35% into the book, all of a sudden a new character is introduced - who ends up being Lydia's friend Caroline's love interest. But he doesn't get introduced until after the ship goes down... Really, Lehman could have introduced him into the book much sooner in the book and it wouldn't have been so disruptive to the story.

And what's with everyone having telephones ? Really? How many people had telephones in 1912? very very few, that's how many, yet everyone seemed to have them, even a lawyer in the middle of Halifax.


And now, 40% or so into the book, all of a sudden the story is all about Caroline and the book gets very, very preachy. There were some minor Christian elements in the beginning (Lydia tells John she's pregnant and he tells her to read her bible), but they weren't a significant part of the story. Now the book changes entirely, again, and is a Christian storyline and the writing is completely different, with metaphors that don't make any sense.

The plot begins rushing - years past on a single page - which I was honestly grateful for because the book was so horribly bad, I just wanted it to be over - and of course, the moment comes when John's poem magically resurfaces and Lydia tells her husband the truth about their child and then Craven dies and the grandkid's all get married and they all live happily ever after.

i could spend weeks writing about how bad this book sucked.

[Aneca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to start by saying that Christian fiction is not usually a genre I read. Still, I was looking for Titanic themed books and decided to give it a try. I don't think the blurb above correctly describes what the book is all about. It covers the beginning and the end but there are a lot more things happening in between.


The story starts on the Titanic. Lydia Beaumont is aboard with the man she loves, John Ancell, and the man her father wants her to marry, Craven Dowd. She is a rail road heiress and Ancell has a more modest living but when she discovers she is expecting his child, they decide to marry on board. They do it and a few hours later the Titanic hits the iceberg and tragedy follows. Caroline Chadwick is Lydia's friend. She is also aboard with her husband and her maid.


When both their husbands die that night Lydia and Caroline form a bond. They remain friends despite leading very different lives. Lydia ends up marrying Craven Dowd and Caroline goes to Halifax, first to recognise her husband's body and then because that is where she finds a purpose for her life and love. The sinking of the Titanic, and their actions after the tragedy, will influence their lives and those of their children. And that was the most interesting thing for me. The lives of the several generations and what happened to all of them.


The scenes on the Titanic end up being just a small part of the story. I did like how the sinking was described, although there were several points of view, I think that added an urgency and confusion to those scenes that probably were very close to the real thing. I also liked the final moments of several of the characters very much, they were emotional and sensitive.


However I didn't like John Ancell and Lydia at all. He was too preachy; finding out you are going to be a father and, as a response, tell the future mother to go read a psalm sounded really odd. Lydia seemed to me a spoiled young girl. What she does with Craven after they reach New York and marry was totally wrong morally speaking. After all that talk of God it seemed wrong to have her act that way. I also didn't understand the author's intention with Craven. At first he is portrayed as a bit of a villain and then he ends up as the wronged husband who still behaves honourably and does not punish the innocent.


I much preferred Caroline! Her problems with her husband, her relationship with the Stanton-Jones children and with her maid... How things happened slower with her, how she also found a purpose in life after the tragedy and someone to share it with. The importance of God in one's life is also very much present but in a more fluid way. Through her and her story we are also treated to a part of Canadian history.


But this is just half of it as the book then follows the next generation and the influence that the tragedy had in them. I thought some of them were a bit exaggerated (one character too rich and successful, another too discouraged and beaten by his circumstances) but there was definitely a good story here. With the above mentioned flaws but an interesting story.


Grade: 4/5

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publisher'synopsis: On April 15, 1912, Lydia Beaumont is on her way to a new life with a boundless hope in love and faith. Her new friendship with Caroline Chadwick is bonded even more as they plan Lydia’s wedding on board the “grandest ship ever built.” Then both women suffer tragic losses when the “unsinkable” Titanic goes down. Can each survive the scars the disaster left on their lives?
Decades later, Alan Morris feels like a failure until he discovers he is the descendant of an acclaimed, successful, heroic novelist who went down with the Titanic. Will he find his identity with the past, or will he listen to Joanna Bettencourt, Caroline’s granddaughter, who says inner peace and success come only with a personal relationship with the Lord?

Will those who survived and their descendants be able to find a love more powerful than their pain?

My thoughts: Have I told you lately that I really love an old fashioned "saga"? NO? Well I do! Especially when the saga is as well done as Yvonne Lehman's Hearts that Survive. The story starts with the first and last wedding on the ill-fated Titanic. The story spans the lived of Lydia and Caroline along with their friends and family over the years. It ends a lifetime later, as we learn that love never ends and friendships survive.

Hearts that Survive is a fast paced, well written and plotted story. The characters were believable and you were given the information that you wanted so you would care about these people. While I wouldn't categorize this as a "Christian" story, Christian beliefs are there and you read about the love that binds from a Christian view point. It's refreshing to read about love, family and friendship among people who live their faith in their daily lives and loves.

Yvonne Lehman describes the sinking of the Titanic beautifully and respectfully. She skillfully weaves the threads of the mass confusion and panic of the people struggling to accept that the ship is going to sink and they could die. The reader feels the horrors. Then just as deftly, Lehman moves the story along, following the survivors as they make their way in their new world.

Hearts that Survive is the third book based on the Titanic that I've had the pleasure to read, and I think, all in all, it's my favorite. Crisp, clearly told and full of people who are a pleasure to read about.

5 out of 5 stars!

This book was provided to me at my request by the publisher through NetGalley and that, in no way, affected my honest review.

[Cheeyee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review At: I Read, I Think, I Share

Review Date: 15 Feb 2012

Review URL: http://littlemermybooks.blogspot.com/2012/02/hearts-that-survive-novel-of-titanic-by.html

Summary:

This is the second book about Titanic that I read this year. Needless to say, another touching story. It's not only about love, it's about friendship too. I like to read about the love between Lydia and John Ancell. And the friendship between Lydia, Caroline and Bess. I admire Lydia for making the decision to protect her and her baby. And although I don't quite like Craven, but somehow I change my view on him after he knew the truth about the child. Lydia was such so lucky to have 2 men that love her so much and protect her all the way in her life. Although Lydia and Caroline only get to know each other in Titanic, but the tragedy had made their friendship strong and long lasting until many years later. Caroline is another strong character that I like very much.

The story started with their journey in Titanic, the tragedy, then surviving the heart break in a total new place and the next generation. The part on the next generation is not as details, but I was drawn into the whole story and each characters, as if I have known them for very long time.

I enjoy reading this book very much. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.


Note: I receive the digital ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Gallery. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved Hearts That Survive! Creative and captivating storyline, well developed characters and realistic scenery captured my heart and kept me reading and reflecting until the last word was read. I found it was very hard to put down.

Lydia Beaumont haunted by past regrets, John Ancell who spun words into magic, and Craven Dowd the realist along with a host of other interesting characters that I met while reading, were original and refreshing. The travelers also included actual people who were aboard the ship.
Friendships found, secrets kept, along with devastating heartbreak lie beyond the frigid waters of the deep and dark Atlantic. When the great unsinkable ship meets its destiny how many will survive and how many will the sea claim as its own taking them to their watery graves? A novel of both being on the ship and the sinking and of the survivors afterwards and how they kept on living. I loved the ending!

The more I read, the more I became drawn into the story and into the character's lives. A novel of romance, heartbreak and survival. I found the overall message inspiring because through all the devastation and tragedies God is always with us and is able to bring promise and comfort. I was highly entertained and will definitely recommend this book to others! Thanks to Abingdon Press and Netgalley for the ARC for my review.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1812 and Lydia Beaumont is very much in love. Her beloved John Ancell and [one could call him her guardian] Craven Dowd are on the Maiden voyage of the Titanic. Lydia and John are expecting and decide the right thing to do is to marry immediately. You will read a description of how one of the most glamorous and beautiful and magical wedding ends up being.
The wedding takes place, at 1030pm on the 14th of April 1912. We all know what happened, almost to horrible to even say. Lydia and her baby to be, do survive, as does Craven. There are others that will impact each others lives for decades. There are the children of the famous author Henry Stanton-Jones, Phoebe and Henry. There is also Caroline Chadwick and her maid [friend] Bess.
This book will hold you spell bound, and you will not be able to put it down. Loved it, but it is hard to read about all the poor people who lost their lives on this ship! Keep the tissues handy.

I received this book from the publisher Abingdon Press, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Link to blog: http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...

Hearts That Survive was such a great book. Yes, there was a lot of sadness (that can be expected from a book about the Titanic), but the characters and their journeys were so gripping.

I immediately loved John and Lydia's love story... it was so sweet and just overall wonderful. I cried when certain things happened and especially towards the end with the poem.

It was very interesting how Hearts That Survive covered generations (not just one person's life) - I loved getting to know Caroline, Alan, Beau, and others... it was great!

So, overall, I loved this book and recommend it if you don't mind reading a novel with some sadness... have tissues nearby!

*I received this book for free for my review. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

[Carissa (Regency Woman) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best or most accurate depiction of what actually occurred on the Titanic and lags dreadfully in the middling to end with a stronger finish than I expected. The book could have been much better and I wish it had been.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating is more like 3.75 stars. I really want to give it 4, but I felt the writing style was lacking just a little. It was refreshing that the story began with the Titanic, and went on for another 50 years, rather than just focusing on the tragedy itself.

I have found that often when authors attempt to intertwine multiple characters' stories, things get confusing rather quickly. She mostly handled this well, but there was a time or two where I wondered if all the story lines were progressing at the same pace, or if we were going back and forth. There were times when new characters were referred to before being "introduced," and I thought there was a mistake, or I had missed something.

Also, there were sprinkles of comments throughout that didn't seem to make sense until I realized they were jokes or just things that felt out of place:

"One more thing. Since you're working in my office and we're traveling together, but you'll be stepping out, might I ask - " He looked like a child asking for a cookie, "with whom?"

"Youm?"

And so they did.

I thought it might have been a typo, but there are other instances similar to this that are obviously not typos.

Other than that, the pace varied a bit, which got confusing in the second half or so of the book. At the beginning, there were dates and times that helped me know what was happening and when, but later, we skip years at a time without a lot to indicate that passage of time. These all feel like little things that might just be my own personal struggles, but if not for those things, this would be a solid 4 stars or even 4.5.

Still an enjoyable read, and I enjoyed how faith was a part of the story without overwhelming the story. I kept waiting for one of the characters to embrace faith, by the end of the book I wasn't certain whether that had happened or not. Which in a way feels "real," if a little unsatisfying. The strong themes of friendships and survival were encouraging without being too sweet or unrealistic. I'd read it again.

[Killie Strawber · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly didn't expect what came out of reading this book and I have mixed emotions. This book isn't entirely bad. Now would I change a few things, sure! but it was a pretty decent book till we got past the Friends story. That's when I stopped reading.
I see people complaining about bible references and how the couples' reactions to one another threw them off in the beginning but all I can say is that it fits with them and their love and their story. You could plainly see they were meant to be together forever and most of the beginning story is really good.
Moving on to this book, it is depressing and devastating but it is true how things can get better and how having hope and trying to move on is real and true because if you don't have that you can be stuck so easily and ruin yourself and your progress. I cried about 5 times through half of the book. like sobbing crying. Half of it was good and the shift from good times to bad to getting better was nice but definitely the main girl's ending story could be way better! I ended up skimming through pages. (Because I gotta know right!)

You peeps can now see why the "mixed emotions" applies. lol not worth having a paperback copy the book was alright and could have been shorter.

[Ami Blackwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this one! I loved the Titanic angle but felt the ending was very rushed and the character mentioned in the synopsis should’ve have been introduced earlier in the book. I’m not a faith-based reader and knew this was a Christian book going in, however, I was able to the message clearly without it being cloying and smothering. I have been reading Titanic stories as of late and was able to picture the ship through the author’s descriptions. I just didn’t connect with the very wealthy characters much and it felt to much of a perfect timing trope when a struggling artist down to his last dollar suddenly enters the story. Overall, I would recommend to anyone looking for a Titanic-based story with a sermon or two on overcoming grief, finding happiness, and friendship.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only picked this up because when I visited the Titanic museum in Pigeon Forge, the author was doing a book signing that day. It has been on my shelf now for 6ish years before I finally decided to try it. I was pleasantly surprised. The first two parts of the book were the standard titanic love story that I always adore. The third part and most of the book focused on how the surviving characters coped with the tragedy in different ways. This book has Christian undertones that I thought was well done so that if this isnt your thing it was not overwhelming. Personally, this book pulled at my heart.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

exceptional

This is perhaps one of the better novels I have ever read. Early on, I thought it was just a revised Titanic movie. Later, it seemed it might be a follow up of the lives of those who survived. The more I read, though, it became a study of human growth, faith, tragedy, and life. The characters are wonderfully created. They grow and learn the real meaning of life. The events, although how the other half live, seem realistic. I heartily recommend that, if you’re unsure about reading Hearts That Survive, you take a chance. I can’t imagine you’ll be sorry you did.

[Sandra Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel about the Titanic is an intricately-woven story about two women. It begins before the tragic event and shows us what happens during the tragedy.

I was immediately drawn into the story and got by on less sleep until finishing it! Though you may know the history of Titanic’s voyage, you’ll find many surprises as you read. I especially loved the attention to historical details that were effortlessly woven into the story. Definitely recommend this novel by a very talented author!

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page to the last, I could hardly put the book away. A beautiful and heart warming story about different types of love and how each type of love is connected to each other. For followers of Titanic, this is a must read. Kudos to Ms. Lehman for her well-thought out words that allows the reader to feel part of the story. Appropriately titled, broken hearts do survive and live to tell a grand tale.

[Jodi Woody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love everything Titanic and this one was not a disappointment. The ending did seem a little rushed but all in all a good Christian romance. I give it four stars. I can recommend for high school age and up. No swearing, violence, or sexual content.

[Chris Schaffer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading anything Titanic related but this book had this weird Christian-bend. There were a lot of extraneous characters. I thought a bombshell was coming and then it wasn't. Lydia's son was a little too perfect. Weird.

[Kisza Weeks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expected this to be more about the Titanic and the sinking and the relationships on the boat. All of that seemed to fall kind of flat. Once I realized that was not the case, I enjoyed this a lot more.

[Christine Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love love love

My most favorite movie ever and then to read this book. It was almost as if you were there also.

[Vickie Biggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started out slow. It didn’t keep my attention at first but as I continued reading I was hooked.

[Shelby Graft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im a titanic nerd and this was really well written and entertaining. Romantic but not steamy it was just really sweet.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it confusing at the beginning to work out who was with who and had to keep checking back to earlier pages. Apart from that enjoyed the book

[Dann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hearts that Survive is a fairly average Titanic romance novel. The story follows a cast of characters, an heiress, a businessman, a socialite, a maid, as they travel aboard the Titanic on its maiden voyage and struggle to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of its sinking. Author Yvonne Lehman does a solid job at setting up interesting characters and avoids turning them into clichés. However, there are times where the wording creates a bit of confusion, and the religious tones can seem forced. Yet it presents a number of interesting issues, and a list of discussion questions is included at the end to further explore them. It can be a little slow and meandering at times, but overall Hearts that Survive is a compelling multi-generational story about love, loss, and hope.