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Boardinghouse Betrothals #4
A Daughter's Return
Finding her way home
Having fled her privileged upbringing for a failed romance, Rebecca Heaton knows her pride has kept her from returning home. Now at her mother's boardinghouse in New York City, she's determined to forge a new life for herself--and her daughter. She just never expects to find a new love in the process…
Ben Roth has always been compelled to help the downtrodden—including single moms like Rebecca. But if the past has taught him one thing it's that offering his trust can lead to disappointment. Could these two wounded souls make one another whole…and come together as a forever family?
Boardinghouse Betrothals: Hearts taking shelter—and forging new beginnings
Having fled her privileged upbringing for a failed romance, Rebecca Heaton knows her pride has kept her from returning home. Now at her mother's boardinghouse in New York City, she's determined to forge a new life for herself--and her daughter. She just never expects to find a new love in the process…
Ben Roth has always been compelled to help the downtrodden—including single moms like Rebecca. But if the past has taught him one thing it's that offering his trust can lead to disappointment. Could these two wounded souls make one another whole…and come together as a forever family?
Boardinghouse Betrothals: Hearts taking shelter—and forging new beginnings
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 30, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 7, 2015
Rehash much? Formula much? Oh my goodness! Here is the book in a nutshell:
Rebecca has been hurt in the past
Ben has been hurt in the past
Carry her up the stairs
Rebecca wanted love
Ben wanted love
Carry her down the stairs
But Rebecca would push Love away
Ben would push love away
Carry her up the stairs
Down the stairs, up the stairs, down the stairs,…
Plus a lot of Pollyanna–like speech with everyone so polite and kind and everything they say is nice and sweet and proper. Nearly every reply is dripping with sweet, frosted, honeyed kindness.
Then there's the continual rehash of inner monologue for the two lead characters over and over and over.
"I've been hurt, I don't want to be hurt, but I love him, but help me not love him, I'm not worthy."
“I've been hurt, I don't want to be hurt, but I love her, but help me not love her."
I don't think I have ever seen so many people in a series of books want to refuse themselves happiness or love. To say that this formula gets old is an understatement. These books are a sweet, easy read but after the first book the formula is overdone. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who feel I have to finish out the series unless it is complete abject misery. This series was not misery, but there was a lot of skimming involved.
Rebecca has been hurt in the past
Ben has been hurt in the past
Carry her up the stairs
Rebecca wanted love
Ben wanted love
Carry her down the stairs
But Rebecca would push Love away
Ben would push love away
Carry her up the stairs
Down the stairs, up the stairs, down the stairs,…
Plus a lot of Pollyanna–like speech with everyone so polite and kind and everything they say is nice and sweet and proper. Nearly every reply is dripping with sweet, frosted, honeyed kindness.
Then there's the continual rehash of inner monologue for the two lead characters over and over and over.
"I've been hurt, I don't want to be hurt, but I love him, but help me not love him, I'm not worthy."
“I've been hurt, I don't want to be hurt, but I love her, but help me not love her."
I don't think I have ever seen so many people in a series of books want to refuse themselves happiness or love. To say that this formula gets old is an understatement. These books are a sweet, easy read but after the first book the formula is overdone. Unfortunately, I am one of those people who feel I have to finish out the series unless it is complete abject misery. This series was not misery, but there was a lot of skimming involved.
September 10, 2016
This is the fourth book in the Boardinghouse Betrothals Series. I have enjoyed this series. This book is well written and heart warming. I know you'll enjoy it.
Rebecca Heaton ran away from home years ago to marry the man her family refused to let her see. After a short time together he ran off and left her. Telling her they were really never married and to run home to momma. Left pregnant she moved to a tenement and took in washing. Her pride keeping her from returning home to her family. Now her family has found her and she has moved into the boarding house her mother runs. She know that no decent man will want to have anything to do with her. So when one of the men starts showing her and her daughter attention she's not sure how to handle it but she must tell him of her past.
Orphaned Ben Roth has lived several years at Mrs. Heaton's boarding house. He loved the feel of family that had grown so strong over the years. After being rejected by his mother and rejected by a woman he thought her loved he was ready to live his life alone. Then Rebecca and her daughter moved in and everything seemed to change. Ben is teaching young women business classes to help them get on their feet. Rebecca joins his class and becomes a big part of his life.
A journey of two people struggling to find their way back from a world of rejection and hurt. God has a plan for these two and it's much better than either of them had dreamed. God has a plan for you too if you can just learn to trust Him. Remember God loves you.
Rebecca Heaton ran away from home years ago to marry the man her family refused to let her see. After a short time together he ran off and left her. Telling her they were really never married and to run home to momma. Left pregnant she moved to a tenement and took in washing. Her pride keeping her from returning home to her family. Now her family has found her and she has moved into the boarding house her mother runs. She know that no decent man will want to have anything to do with her. So when one of the men starts showing her and her daughter attention she's not sure how to handle it but she must tell him of her past.
Orphaned Ben Roth has lived several years at Mrs. Heaton's boarding house. He loved the feel of family that had grown so strong over the years. After being rejected by his mother and rejected by a woman he thought her loved he was ready to live his life alone. Then Rebecca and her daughter moved in and everything seemed to change. Ben is teaching young women business classes to help them get on their feet. Rebecca joins his class and becomes a big part of his life.
A journey of two people struggling to find their way back from a world of rejection and hurt. God has a plan for these two and it's much better than either of them had dreamed. God has a plan for you too if you can just learn to trust Him. Remember God loves you.
February 10, 2015
A Daughter’s Return, by Janet Lee Barton, is the fourth in the Boardinghouse Betrothals series. Ben and Rebecca are more than just boarders at Heaton Boardinghouse. Rebecca is the long lost daughter of Mrs. Heaton, and although her family has forgiven her of her past, she has not yet been able to forgive herself, and is certain she will never be able to trust a man again. Ben, likewise, has had trouble all his life with trusting women due to a secret from his past. He’s a teacher, who quickly becomes the hero of Rebecca’s daughter, Jenny. The story, set in 1897 in New York City, unfolds in a most genteel manner. A skating accident leads to a much closer physical relationship than Rebecca is accustomed too, as Ben seems to always be around when she needs help. After several evenings of night school, followed by hot chocolates and much encouragement from the former and current boarders, Ben and Rebecca realize that trust is only given to those who deserve it most, and that forgiveness is the beginning of learning to love again. Historically accurate, A Daughter’s Return paints a colorful picture of life at the turn of the century. Ben and Rebecca’s story is one of hope, forgiveness, and love.
March 28, 2015
I really liked A Daughter's Return one of The Boardinghouse Betrothals series by Janet Lee Barton. Rebecca Heaton returns home when her brother finally found her five years after she left home to go with a man she wanted to marry and thought he loved her. He left her three months later. Rebecca lived a rough life for those five years before moving back home to her mothers boarding house with her five year old daughter. Ben Roth lived at the boarding house. He is a school teacher. He has a past he was sad about also. The two of them formed a relationship. A lot goes on. A must read.
May 9, 2015
Janet Lee Barton has written a great conclusion to her Boardinghouse Betrothals series. Rebecca and Ben make great leading characters. The people in the boarding house and Rebecca's mother and daughter make excellent secondary characters. You want to cheer for them to find their way and open their hearts. The interactions between the characters are so real.I read this one as fast as I could to see the ending. This was the first in the series I had read. Now I have to go find the others so I can read them. It was that good.
March 12, 2015
A Daughters's Return by Janet Lee Barton is a wonderful read! I've loved all the Boardinghouse Betrothals novels but this is my favorite! Ben and Rebecca share a sweet romance and the historical detail is authentic and very interesting. Rebecca has made some life altering mistakes that separated her from her family, and her journey to reconciliation is full of God's love and forgiveness. Very well written.
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February 1, 2015"Another boardinghouse betrothal is in the making in this new romance involving the residents of Heaton House. This is a heartwarming visit with familiar characters, as well as some new ones, whose stories readers can look forward to" (RT Book Reviews, 4 stars).
Miniseries: Boardinghouse Betrothals
Miniseries: Boardinghouse Betrothals
June 29, 2016
I loved how Rebecca and Ben's relationship progressed through friendship to love. Because the book was set in a turn-of-the-20th-century boarding house, the old-fashioned notions about romance held true, which made Rebecca's reluctance to explain about her past (including her four-year-old daughter) seem genuine. Ben's acceptance of Rebecca's daughter was very sweet, and while I really appreciate the theme of redemption that carries throughout the novel, the number of times Rebecca apologizes to her mother gets tiresome. I was ready to throttle her for the number of apologies half-way through the book, so I can only imagine what her mother was feeling, because I'm sure we didn't see all of them.
September 5, 2016
Well, this book started out okay, but soon I got really board and felt the book was a bit cheesy and silly. It seems there was a lot of drama over a sprained ankle and everything that went along with that...You would think she was on her death bed with some bad illness or something the way everyone carried on...maybe I lost the jest of the story!
Anyway, I just couldn't enjoy this book too much because I just didn't see much drama worth reading about in here...
The romance was okay, and I liked the story of her background (though again, I was expecting that she had done something wrong in the conception of her daughter?)
Anyway, I just couldn't enjoy this book too much because I just didn't see much drama worth reading about in here...
The romance was okay, and I liked the story of her background (though again, I was expecting that she had done something wrong in the conception of her daughter?)
January 4, 2015
This may very well have been my fave of the series so far. Looking forward to the next one. I'd love to get Julia's story.
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February 16, 2015Miniseries: Boardinghouse Betrothals
March 18, 2015
Very predictable plot line.
March 20, 2015
a sweet romance
October 23, 2015
Cute short story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews