Swift Water

by Emilie Loring

Vibrant Jean Randolph had returned unwillingly to her father's home in the country. The high-spirited, impetuous young woman who at first refuses to fall in love with Christopher Wynn, the handsome young minister, because she missed the bright glamor of her life in the city. The powers of envy and bigotry, the misgivings of her family and friends, and above all her own doubts nearly defeated Jean, yet she stayed because she had fallen hopelessly in love with the young clergyman. Until a violent storm draws the two together--and the flood which brings havoc to their town, unlocked the secret of a truly good man's heart.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Religion

317 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1929

About the author

AKA Emilie Baker Loring
Emilie Baker was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1864 to George M. Baker and Emily Frances (Boles) Baker. Her father was a playwright and publisher and her mother was a homemaker. Loring married Victor J. Loring, who was a lawyer. She began writing in 1914, published her first novel in 1922 at the age of 56, and continued writing until her death after a long illness in 1951. She was a prolific American romance novelist of the 20th century, known for her "wholesome love" romances and independent, spirited heroines. Beyond romance, her books also explore a selection of topics including, but not limited to marriage, love, American patriotism, freedom, and optimism. She died in Wellesley, Massachusetts on March 13, 1951. At the time of her death, she had sold more than a million copies of her first thirty books.

After her death, her estate was managed by her sons, Selden M. and Robert M. Loring, who, based on a wealth of unfinished material they discovered, published twenty more books under her name until 1972. These books were ghost-written by Elinore Denniston. taken largely from wiki, made some corrections (dates didn't add up) per her biographer

Emilie Loring Wiki Page

Reviews

[Kelly Kosinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in my teen years. I was a girl who loved romance.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

She was the first romance writer I read YEARS ago - used to save my money and buy one book a week. I still have this book - it's five stars for what I thought at the time. She'd be incredibly dated now, but at the time - she was the best....

[Wyrmia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read this book because it was short and I was bored. It's a decently written, but unrealistic romance between a rather unlikable rich girl and a minister. I think the title refers to the main character being swept up in the "swift waters of love" or something and there is a nice flood to tie into it as well. The title is much better than the book.

[CLM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sanctimonious yet appealing book about a young socialite who reluctantly falls in love with a minister, despite betting her best friend that the day she goes to church for a man she will forfeit her expensive automobile!

[mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

again like many other readers it was one I read as a teennager 50 years ago. It still is one of my favorites

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m conflicted about this book. It’s a wild ride for certain. Not one of her greatest efforts.

[Tinnean · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the reasons I'm hesitant to reread the books I loved in my early teens and twenties is because I'm afraid, being older, they won't strike me as powerfully as they did back then. This book, although I didn't read it then, struck me as one of those. As I mentioned in one of my updates, this came out in 1929. It's casually racist, it's misogynistic, it's condescending. The thing is, they just didn't realize it. This book can't be judged by today's standards--it's not fair to the book or the reader-- so I won't.

What I will do is mention what drove me crazy: the Contessa's chronic "Dio mio." Jean's selfishness-going back into the church to fetch her jewel box. Sally Mae's childishness. Madelaine Randolph's idiocy. If she no longer loved her husband, she should have been woman enough to admit it, and her writing career be damned. I'll just bet Jean didn't understand.

I've got no religion and little faith, but I will say I did like the shining figure walking through the night beside Chris.

The stock market would crash in October of that year, and that world came crashing down. I imagine the lifestyle of every one of the characters fell apart.

I have to wonder if the crash hit Luther Calvin's interests hard and he blew out his brains.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as a teenager. Wealthy young socialite finds faith and love with a minister, and learns there is more to life than parties and nice dresses. I found the message a bit simplistic, even as a teenager, but still worthwhile.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first authors I read when I was a young girl. Loved them all.

[Natalie]

cute story

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Emilie Loring books as a teen. I've read a few since then that I also really liked. This one, an early book of hers, was just okay. Frankly, the tantrums and machinations of a spoiled rich girl and her friends was rather boring. And there was a lot of odd sayings that were probably popular in 1929 when the book was written but are lost now. It frequently referred to Jean, the heroine of the story, as having a "terrible twin". At first I thought she actually had a twin but it was referring to her evil devilish side that came out on occasion. I thought her rather insipid, actually. Meanwhile, the minister was a good man. I guess it's true that opposites attract even in books. The story got exciting after the flood.

I bought 14 old Emilie Loring books in hardcover with dust jackets at a used book sale so I will be reading and reviewing more.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most confusing thing about this book is that everyone in this little town seems to just walk into other peoples houses uninvited and unannounced usually at the least opportune moment. I was also mildly bothered that I could never really get a handle on the timeline of events I would think only a day or so had passed and find out it had been weeks and other times I would think weeks had passed and it turned out to have been only hours. Other than those things I quite enjoyed the story. The characters are realistic and the setting vivid. The faith aspect of the story was surprising, I don't think I have read another Emilie Loring book that dealt this much with faith at times I thought I had strayed into a Grace Livingston Hill book by mistake.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Emile Loring books when I picked up a paperback from a rack in a hotel lobby (for 50 cents) while on my sister's & my yearly vacation to visit my father. Hooked! I went on to purchase and read every Emilie Loring romance written and available in paperback, not knowing that she had died before I was even born. I loved these books, but read them when I was between about 12 and 18 years old. I was a young reader - do keep that in mind! :-)

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the most overtly religious of the Emilie Loring books I've read; in ways it is more like a Grace Livingston Hill novel. What I liked about it was the flood scene--it's one of the few action scenes I remember reading in one of her books, and it was well done. I felt the scope of the destruction and the peril the hero was in.

[Darlene Mindrup · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely not a favorite

One of the things that I always disliked about Emily's stories was that her heroines were always drop dead gorgeous with a string of admirers that she was always playing against each other. Other than that, they were good stories. This one though, the heroine is really hard to like.

[M. Christine Key · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiration in the time of the COVID

Reread this after 50 years. Swift Water, and its values, resonates more now than it did in my girlhood. I cringed at the thoughtless racism of a hundred years ago, but found the spiritual tone still shines through.

[NV · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good storyline

Good storyline filled with interesting characters and situations. It is good to read a story about real life people that takes place in room other than the bedroom.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat interesting, but not super. Can't believe I used to enjoy this kind of romance once upon a time.

[Ophelia Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swift Water

What an awesome romantic story with incredible characters. The story dealt with everyday human frailties, with faith in God a big factor. I highly recommend this book.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read for a 1929 romance novel with a religious theme bought for 25 cents at the thrift store!