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The Carousel Painter
Without the means to support herself after her father dies, Carrington Brouwer receives the opportunity to use her artistic talent at her friend's father's carousel factory. But the men at the factory are not happy that a woman has been given the very desirable job of painting the elaborately carved horses. When mishaps occur at the factory and jewelry disappears from the home of the factory owner, accusations swirl. Is the handsome young factory manager truly Carrie's ally or will he side with those who believe she should be fired?
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 13, 2009
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673 people want to read
About the author
Judith McCoy Miller
66 books632 followersJudith McCoy Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
July 26, 2015
SUMMARY: Carrie loves painting the beautiful carousel horses...but can she stand strong against the many who don't want her to keep the job?
When Carrington Brouwer receives the enviable job of painting carousel horses for a factory in Ohio, she believes her future is secure. But after an expensive necklace disappears from the home where she's been staying, she's caught up in a search for the truth that puts her entire livelihood--and her developing relationship with the factory manager--at risk. Can she lead police to the real culprit before she loses everything?
REVIEW: This book combines history, mystery, and romance into one excellent bundle. I love the unique prenmise of the heroine taking on a job in a man's world where she is not wanted by her fellow workers or their wives. Carrie is a strong, independent woman who learns to follow God's direction and will for her life and to stand up for herself. Josef is such a sweet, gentle man who still has to fight to control his temper when he sees injustice occuring. The slow developing romance between them is well written. I loved learning more about how carousel animals are created and you can definitely tell the author did her research. The touch of mystery, secondary characters elements of faith all helped build this into a really great read.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "It doesn't seem right that good people should suffer does it?" Nope. But this here's what the preacher calls a fallen world. When Adam and Eve sinned, evil came into the world. Kinda turned things upside down and makes it hard for us to understand when good people get hurt. But the devil's out there prowlin' around, doing his best to cause pain and confusion."
"To be young and untroubled is a gift we don't appreciate until it's gone."
"Ain't none of us perfect, but bein' a Christian means you always try to do the right thing, no matter what. An' ask God to help you."
"I wanted to become a person who didn't envy others. After all life wasn't a competition, it was a personal journey--"
When Carrington Brouwer receives the enviable job of painting carousel horses for a factory in Ohio, she believes her future is secure. But after an expensive necklace disappears from the home where she's been staying, she's caught up in a search for the truth that puts her entire livelihood--and her developing relationship with the factory manager--at risk. Can she lead police to the real culprit before she loses everything?
REVIEW: This book combines history, mystery, and romance into one excellent bundle. I love the unique prenmise of the heroine taking on a job in a man's world where she is not wanted by her fellow workers or their wives. Carrie is a strong, independent woman who learns to follow God's direction and will for her life and to stand up for herself. Josef is such a sweet, gentle man who still has to fight to control his temper when he sees injustice occuring. The slow developing romance between them is well written. I loved learning more about how carousel animals are created and you can definitely tell the author did her research. The touch of mystery, secondary characters elements of faith all helped build this into a really great read.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "It doesn't seem right that good people should suffer does it?" Nope. But this here's what the preacher calls a fallen world. When Adam and Eve sinned, evil came into the world. Kinda turned things upside down and makes it hard for us to understand when good people get hurt. But the devil's out there prowlin' around, doing his best to cause pain and confusion."
"To be young and untroubled is a gift we don't appreciate until it's gone."
"Ain't none of us perfect, but bein' a Christian means you always try to do the right thing, no matter what. An' ask God to help you."
"I wanted to become a person who didn't envy others. After all life wasn't a competition, it was a personal journey--"
January 13, 2020
A slow-burn delight of a story. Originally the cover snagged my eye (honestly I first tried this author because of her scrumptious covers) and since I enjoyed one of hers last year I decided to try it out. It’s a beautiful tale of a young woman who takes a job as a carousel horse painter and I loved the details about how she went about that. She also faces a slow mystery with some recurring thefts and the challenge of her best friend having a cad of a suitor. Through it all she is brought face to face with the uncomfortable fact that her pride is continuing to get in her way. I found her delightfully human and I enjoyed the gentle romance.
Probably 14+ in age on this one.
Probably 14+ in age on this one.
February 2, 2015
Why did I wait forever and a day to read The Carousel Painter?! This book was FABULOUS! I l.o.v.e.d. it!!! The story was sweet, gripping, and well-paced; not super fast, but never did it lag. The characters were engaging and well developed, and the mystery was intriguing- if slightly predictable. The growth and charmingly unique setting made up for it. Judith Miller has a lovely and clear way with words, and I really enjoyed the German accent she gave Josef- it was adorable and totally grew on me! It made him a very sweet hero with a quiet strength, and a passion for hard work and truth. Carrington was a relatable and lovable heroine, and her slow-growing relationship with Josef was very well -and cleanly- done; I loved that she had to learn to unscramble his backwards sentences and reiterate what he said to make sure they were on the same page! Super cute. ;)
I highly recommend this shade-patched stroll through the sunny hub of Collinsford, Ohio- from social Fair Oaks to Carrie's rustic and friendly home in The Bottoms.
I highly recommend this shade-patched stroll through the sunny hub of Collinsford, Ohio- from social Fair Oaks to Carrie's rustic and friendly home in The Bottoms.
January 14, 2021
3.5 stars
I had checked this book out of the library last winter after it was recommended to me, but I didn’t have a chance to get it read, so when I saw it was on KU, I decided to try again.
Carrie was a likable character. Her willingness to work hard at what she did, and her kindness to Mrs. Wilson (and her cooking!) made me enjoy her. But oh, Augusta annoyed me. I’m not sure how Carrie was able to stay friends with her, but at the same time, I could clearly see and understand why Augusta acted the way she did.
There was a time in the story that I was expecting certain people to believe a certain thing about a certain other person, and I was almost ready to toss the book aside if they did. I was greatly relieved to find my fears fruitless.
I enjoyed learning about the carousel factory and the work that went in to creating the carousel animals.
While there is some really good Christian teachings in this book, I felt as though there was no really clear understanding of what becoming a Christian is. There was no mention of forgiveness for sin or anything like that. It was as though Carrie was already a Christian when the book started, but at the same time she didn’t seem to know the first thing about it which left me a little confused.
There are some kisses, but nothing really descriptive.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and am glad I read it.
I had checked this book out of the library last winter after it was recommended to me, but I didn’t have a chance to get it read, so when I saw it was on KU, I decided to try again.
Carrie was a likable character. Her willingness to work hard at what she did, and her kindness to Mrs. Wilson (and her cooking!) made me enjoy her. But oh, Augusta annoyed me. I’m not sure how Carrie was able to stay friends with her, but at the same time, I could clearly see and understand why Augusta acted the way she did.
There was a time in the story that I was expecting certain people to believe a certain thing about a certain other person, and I was almost ready to toss the book aside if they did. I was greatly relieved to find my fears fruitless.
I enjoyed learning about the carousel factory and the work that went in to creating the carousel animals.
While there is some really good Christian teachings in this book, I felt as though there was no really clear understanding of what becoming a Christian is. There was no mention of forgiveness for sin or anything like that. It was as though Carrie was already a Christian when the book started, but at the same time she didn’t seem to know the first thing about it which left me a little confused.
There are some kisses, but nothing really descriptive.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and am glad I read it.
November 1, 2019
No doubt, one of the worst books I've ever read.
FULL SPOILERY REVIEW IN MY BLOG: http://abookandateacup.blogspot.com/2...
FULL SPOILERY REVIEW IN MY BLOG: http://abookandateacup.blogspot.com/2...
February 4, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. It is the perfect blend of an artistic theme combined with historical romance with a touch of mystery. The author includes detailed descriptions of the manufacturing process. I found this book fascinating.
June 23, 2014
About this book:
“Carrie loves painting the beautiful carousel horses…but can she stand strong against the many who don’t want her to keep the job?
When Carrington Brouwer receives the enviable job of painting carousel horses for a factory in Ohio, she believes her future is secure. But after an expensive necklace disappears from the home where she’s been staying, she’s caught up in a search for the truth that puts her entire livelihood—and her developing relationship with the factory manger—at risk. Can she lead police to the real culprit before she loses everything?”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Carrie says her father thought “God was for weak people who needed a crutch to get through life.”; Church going (some sermons are written or the topic is); Bible reading; Carrie gets told the story of Stephan; Many Prayers and Scriptures are quoted; Many talks about God, why He lets things happen; and Having Faith to stand in our own fiery furnace (She hears the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego).
Negative Content- Lying & Stealing. (Everything works out though.)
Sexual Content- Tyson Farnsworth is a player and flirts many times with Carrie, at one point when Carrie almost falls he says “Careful or we’ll land on the floor. If you want to lie down beside me, I can think of more comfortable places.” (That is the most detailed any flirting gets); Two semi-detailed kisses and a few not detailed kisses.
-Carrington “Carrie” Brouwer
P.O.V. of Carrie (all in first-person, present tense.)
Set in 1890
335 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
I never knew how much work went in to making a carousel! Sure, we hit on it in one of the novella’s in the “Sincerely Yours” collection, but “The Carousel Painter” has much more details about the making of a carousel horse. This was a historical mystery (the stealing kind of mystery, not a murder mystery) with a bit more than a touch of romance to it.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Carrie loves painting the beautiful carousel horses…but can she stand strong against the many who don’t want her to keep the job?
When Carrington Brouwer receives the enviable job of painting carousel horses for a factory in Ohio, she believes her future is secure. But after an expensive necklace disappears from the home where she’s been staying, she’s caught up in a search for the truth that puts her entire livelihood—and her developing relationship with the factory manger—at risk. Can she lead police to the real culprit before she loses everything?”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Carrie says her father thought “God was for weak people who needed a crutch to get through life.”; Church going (some sermons are written or the topic is); Bible reading; Carrie gets told the story of Stephan; Many Prayers and Scriptures are quoted; Many talks about God, why He lets things happen; and Having Faith to stand in our own fiery furnace (She hears the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego).
Negative Content- Lying & Stealing. (Everything works out though.)
Sexual Content- Tyson Farnsworth is a player and flirts many times with Carrie, at one point when Carrie almost falls he says “Careful or we’ll land on the floor. If you want to lie down beside me, I can think of more comfortable places.” (That is the most detailed any flirting gets); Two semi-detailed kisses and a few not detailed kisses.
-Carrington “Carrie” Brouwer
P.O.V. of Carrie (all in first-person, present tense.)
Set in 1890
335 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- Two Stars
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars (and a half)
I never knew how much work went in to making a carousel! Sure, we hit on it in one of the novella’s in the “Sincerely Yours” collection, but “The Carousel Painter” has much more details about the making of a carousel horse. This was a historical mystery (the stealing kind of mystery, not a murder mystery) with a bit more than a touch of romance to it.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
September 4, 2015
Carrington is psychotic. She is mean and every character tells each other to pray whenever anyone is upset about anything. There is a total lack of go getter attitude, just passive wait and see. There is a whole "pride is bad" theme throughout, but what the author calls pride is just inflated self worth. You can have pride in an accomplished task without thinking yourself the best in the world. The mystery was disappointing because the author introduces a new character intsead of using another previously named female character(like the maid). It's no mystery at all. Romance is rated G with the question of why is it even happening. They don't seem to have connection except work and even that isn't enough for love to blossom. The writing was engaging until a third of the way through I had a Christian bible thrown at me. I finished it any way and was let down by the predictability of the ending.
October 10, 2009
Mix the sweet promise of a carousel factory with the spunk of a heroine who must make her own way, and you might think the end result would be a heartwarming story perfect for moments of escape. Unfortunately, you would be wrong. All the elements are just a little off: the romance is flat, the characters are uncomplicated, and the mystery never is. I can't understand why authors continue to create "good" protagonists who are beset by large numbers of simultaneous trials just to have circumstances miraculously reverse in time for a happy-ever-after.
I'm not a complete cynic. What I found most disappointing is that I was ready for a sweet, light, uplifting story. I wanted it to be better. I wish it had been.
I'm not a complete cynic. What I found most disappointing is that I was ready for a sweet, light, uplifting story. I wanted it to be better. I wish it had been.
July 7, 2012
Judith Miller is an author I have encountered when she co-authors books with Tracy Peterson, but I have never tried one she wrote herself, and I'm very glad I did. The carousel factory and the work that goes on there is a wonderful, unique setting, and the other elements of clean romance, mystery, and the growing faith of the main characters make it hard to put down. Carrie's giggling got a tad bit annoying, but it also made her a real person with weaknesses and flaws. The outcome of the mystery was a little predictable, but not to the point I lost interest in it. I enjoyed the fact that both Carrington and Josef have a character trait that they try to help each other overcome. I highly recommend this book,and will personally read others by this author.
June 14, 2023
The fascinating history regarding the carving and painting of carousel horses, mystery and a sweet romance made for a truly enjoyable read. I loved how matters of personal faith were naturally discussed and actively a part of the main characters’ and even a few secondary characters’ lives. That Josef and Carrie admitted to their weaknesses and sought help to overcome them made them even more endearing. I appreciated the snippets of humor sprinkled throughout that made me laugh. I enjoyed this well-balanced and inspiring book!
October 10, 2009
Everybody has fond memories of perching on the beautiful horses on a carousel and going round and round. Reading this story was just as much fun. The characters were interesting and the background even more so. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into a carousel factory. Judith Miller has a way of transporting her readers into another era and then telling her story in page-turning fashion. A little history, a good dollop of romance and a side dressing of mystery made this story a good read.
September 24, 2025
*reads 2000s Christian fiction* *takes psychic damage* *closes book*
To be fair, I did finish this one because I was curious where she was taking some of her ideas. Unfortunately, it went about where I was expecting.
I read this one as a teen and remembered it as being a solid historical fiction with a quirky main character. And for the first few chapters that's exactly what it was.
And then the sermons came.
No, really, literal sermons. Every few chapters, we had to get an update on what the sermon was at church that week. And when we weren't reviewing previous sermons, the main character's coworker was all too happy to provide more! All plot and all story completely halted.
The whole idea of the book seemed to be that Carrie needed to get over her pride. However, it is interesting to note that every person that Carrie needs to "be less prideful" with was actively discriminating against her because of her gender. And every single one of them was a man.
This could have been a really neat opportunity to discuss things how pride can show up as we're dealing with real-life issues such as inequality and gender and discrimination. But instead, we're assured that Carrie wouldn't have to deal with any of this if she were just less prideful. The discrimination is never addressed, it just kind of goes away and no one apologizes or speaks of it again.
In addition, Carrie is being sexually harassed/assaulted by a side character. This also just "goes away" and no one addresses it.
But at least the love interest is good right? That's a big no. He's her boss (so we've got uneven power dynamics anyway) and turns a blind eye to the discrimination. After only a few weeks of her working there, he absolutely loses his mind because she *checks notes* left work at the end of the day and walked home alone. He's extremely possessive to a concerning extent. And we're expected to shrug it off as "oh he just has a temper tee hee, it's his flaw that he has to work on with Jesus."
I should note that while everyone insists that Carrie get over her pride, no one really seems to care if Josef gets over his anger. Interesting.
That being said, Carrie is just genuinely an unlikable protagonist. After the first few chapters, she devolves into a judgmental mean girl. She claims Augusta is her friend, and yet Carrie is so nasty to her all of the time. (This makes it even worse since Augusta is the one of the only other noteworthy female characters, leaving Carrie without any meaningful relationships with any women in the story.)
The story has a nice little mystery subplot--if Carrie were allowed to have any part in solving it instead of sitting back and letting everyone else work to solve it.
And in the end, everything works out. Carrie spends the whole story struggling with what will happen if God doesn't answer her prayers the way she hopes, only for everything to go her way and her to conclude that God did answer her prayer exactly as she wanted. Don't get me wrong, God does that sometimes, and it's really wonderful when He does. But the way it's presented in this book is that if you have faith, you'll get what you want.
This is one of the few books that I have finished and found that it contained genuinely harmful ideas. Which is really unfortunate from a Christian story. I don't even want to give this one star, it was that sketchy.
Sensitive topics/content:
-on page sexual harassment and assault (poorly handled)
-gender discrimination (poorly handled)
-abusive love interest (poorly handled)
-loss of a parent
Representation:
-love interest is a German immigrant (I think) (although might not be great rep considering he's the scary abusive love interest)
To be fair, I did finish this one because I was curious where she was taking some of her ideas. Unfortunately, it went about where I was expecting.
I read this one as a teen and remembered it as being a solid historical fiction with a quirky main character. And for the first few chapters that's exactly what it was.
And then the sermons came.
No, really, literal sermons. Every few chapters, we had to get an update on what the sermon was at church that week. And when we weren't reviewing previous sermons, the main character's coworker was all too happy to provide more! All plot and all story completely halted.
The whole idea of the book seemed to be that Carrie needed to get over her pride. However, it is interesting to note that every person that Carrie needs to "be less prideful" with was actively discriminating against her because of her gender. And every single one of them was a man.
This could have been a really neat opportunity to discuss things how pride can show up as we're dealing with real-life issues such as inequality and gender and discrimination. But instead, we're assured that Carrie wouldn't have to deal with any of this if she were just less prideful. The discrimination is never addressed, it just kind of goes away and no one apologizes or speaks of it again.
In addition, Carrie is being sexually harassed/assaulted by a side character. This also just "goes away" and no one addresses it.
But at least the love interest is good right? That's a big no. He's her boss (so we've got uneven power dynamics anyway) and turns a blind eye to the discrimination. After only a few weeks of her working there, he absolutely loses his mind because she *checks notes* left work at the end of the day and walked home alone. He's extremely possessive to a concerning extent. And we're expected to shrug it off as "oh he just has a temper tee hee, it's his flaw that he has to work on with Jesus."
I should note that while everyone insists that Carrie get over her pride, no one really seems to care if Josef gets over his anger. Interesting.
That being said, Carrie is just genuinely an unlikable protagonist. After the first few chapters, she devolves into a judgmental mean girl. She claims Augusta is her friend, and yet Carrie is so nasty to her all of the time. (This makes it even worse since Augusta is the one of the only other noteworthy female characters, leaving Carrie without any meaningful relationships with any women in the story.)
The story has a nice little mystery subplot--if Carrie were allowed to have any part in solving it instead of sitting back and letting everyone else work to solve it.
And in the end, everything works out. Carrie spends the whole story struggling with what will happen if God doesn't answer her prayers the way she hopes, only for everything to go her way and her to conclude that God did answer her prayer exactly as she wanted. Don't get me wrong, God does that sometimes, and it's really wonderful when He does. But the way it's presented in this book is that if you have faith, you'll get what you want.
This is one of the few books that I have finished and found that it contained genuinely harmful ideas. Which is really unfortunate from a Christian story. I don't even want to give this one star, it was that sketchy.
Sensitive topics/content:
-on page sexual harassment and assault (poorly handled)
-gender discrimination (poorly handled)
-abusive love interest (poorly handled)
-loss of a parent
Representation:
-love interest is a German immigrant (I think) (although might not be great rep considering he's the scary abusive love interest)
June 8, 2022
This is an older book, but I really enjoyed it! I was fascinated by the title, and the book was just as fascinating! I didn't realize how painstaking it is to create a carousel animal. Of course there was a side story about the missing jewelry, but it doesn't take much too figure who had done it and why. Its a fast read, but enjoyable!
October 12, 2022
Setting: Collinsford, Ohio, 1890. The city's size (obviously quite large, and there was even one reference about it being the largest city in Ohio) and nearness to Lake Erie strongly resembled Cleveland, rendering me confused as to why the characters were not just located in Cleveland. Did Miller make up a city name? Nevertheless, I was happy to read a book set in Ohio. The factory lifestyle, contrasted with high-society life, was well portrayed and didn't feel forced.
Characters: Not entirely likable on the whole, but they did have distinctive personalities and quirks, and they didn't irritate me to an extent that I didn't enjoy reading about them. Carrie had her flaws, but she also had an earnest desire to replace her flaws with virtues, so I had grace for her. But boy, was her pride an issue. It was interesting to have pride be a major development point for a character, and I liked the uniqueness--even though prideful people are extremely annoying (even if they are right, which in Carrie's case, may have been about 60% of the time). It was a good reminder on how one should act in real life.
Josef was a pretty good character, with fun character distinctive. He was lacking a bit, possibly because he never had a POV; therefore, from the romantic perspective, his attitude changed rather inexplicably. It wasn't altogether rushed, and therefore it wasn't that noticeable, but the he lacked a romantic punch.
Augusta, her parents, Mrs. Wilson, and Mr. Lundgren were all fairly well-developed, if not exceptionally endearing, but that's just a result of the story and their involvement. I actually did end up liking Mrs. Wilson a lot--she actually had a remarkable character development. The more annoying characters were Detective Lawton and Tyson, and for the same reasons, except in the end it was quite different. Both personalities helped develop Carrie's quite well, but I wish things would have been resolved better to further establish Carrie's finished character arc.
Plot: On the surface, it was an interesting mystery combined with a nice romance, and some humorous dashes thrown in. However, being the nit-picky analyst I am, I soon found some unsatisfying parts. Carrie's character arc didn't finish out well, as her problem--her specific issue of pride--was soon lost in the general resolution of becoming a more mature Christian.
There was also a weakness in the romance part, in that the initial tension was not directly resolved. Then at the end there wasn't such a strong resolution. It felt that the romance was more of a garnish than a plot aspect--or rather, a stepping-stone to the resolution to the main plot, which was the mystery.
The mystery took priority in the end, not so much of the solving of the mystery, but more for its inconvenience on Carrie's life. That was not how the beginning is written, so the plot ended up being rambling, even though all aspects were interesting.
Faith Content: I already mentioned that the issue with Carrie's pride wasn't resolved very strongly or specifically. But in general, Carrie's spiritual development was nicely done. I appreciated how the utter difficulty of "being a good Christian" is portrayed. Josef's struggle was particularly relatable. The preacher's sermons were frequently included, but there was a nice balance of straight teaching and Carrie's reaction to the teaching. The balance of Christian and non-Christian (or at least seculars in a Christian society) was also nicely done.
All in all, I enjoyed reading the book in the moment, for the intriguing plot and obvious flaws that needed to be resolved. In hindsight, though, the plot was just not very tight, and there were a few holes in the story.
Characters: Not entirely likable on the whole, but they did have distinctive personalities and quirks, and they didn't irritate me to an extent that I didn't enjoy reading about them. Carrie had her flaws, but she also had an earnest desire to replace her flaws with virtues, so I had grace for her. But boy, was her pride an issue. It was interesting to have pride be a major development point for a character, and I liked the uniqueness--even though prideful people are extremely annoying (even if they are right, which in Carrie's case, may have been about 60% of the time). It was a good reminder on how one should act in real life.
Josef was a pretty good character, with fun character distinctive. He was lacking a bit, possibly because he never had a POV; therefore, from the romantic perspective, his attitude changed rather inexplicably. It wasn't altogether rushed, and therefore it wasn't that noticeable, but the he lacked a romantic punch.
Augusta, her parents, Mrs. Wilson, and Mr. Lundgren were all fairly well-developed, if not exceptionally endearing, but that's just a result of the story and their involvement. I actually did end up liking Mrs. Wilson a lot--she actually had a remarkable character development. The more annoying characters were Detective Lawton and Tyson, and for the same reasons, except in the end it was quite different. Both personalities helped develop Carrie's quite well, but I wish things would have been resolved better to further establish Carrie's finished character arc.
Plot: On the surface, it was an interesting mystery combined with a nice romance, and some humorous dashes thrown in. However, being the nit-picky analyst I am, I soon found some unsatisfying parts. Carrie's character arc didn't finish out well, as her problem--her specific issue of pride--was soon lost in the general resolution of becoming a more mature Christian.
There was also a weakness in the romance part, in that the initial tension was not directly resolved. Then at the end there wasn't such a strong resolution. It felt that the romance was more of a garnish than a plot aspect--or rather, a stepping-stone to the resolution to the main plot, which was the mystery.
The mystery took priority in the end, not so much of the solving of the mystery, but more for its inconvenience on Carrie's life. That was not how the beginning is written, so the plot ended up being rambling, even though all aspects were interesting.
Faith Content: I already mentioned that the issue with Carrie's pride wasn't resolved very strongly or specifically. But in general, Carrie's spiritual development was nicely done. I appreciated how the utter difficulty of "being a good Christian" is portrayed. Josef's struggle was particularly relatable. The preacher's sermons were frequently included, but there was a nice balance of straight teaching and Carrie's reaction to the teaching. The balance of Christian and non-Christian (or at least seculars in a Christian society) was also nicely done.
All in all, I enjoyed reading the book in the moment, for the intriguing plot and obvious flaws that needed to be resolved. In hindsight, though, the plot was just not very tight, and there were a few holes in the story.
February 15, 2010
You know, God has a way of weaving every aspect of our lives together in ways we would never expect. I just had a long conversation about about how people read these romances in order to escape the every day troubles they face and yet... let me be transparent with you once again... this book captured me in a way I had never thought possible.
It's not the first time it's happened. I think Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss was the first one that spoke to me where I was at and encouraged me to move forward ~ in the fictional realm. I still like to read it every so often.
What Judith Miller has done in this book is create a character, Carrington (Carrie), who isn't without faith but doubts why God would put good people through such hard trials and not rescue them. She doubts her strength to endure those trials and wonders why her prayers to change both her circumstances and her person have not been answered.
As someone who battles chronic pain, whose husband was laid off through no fault of his own, and who sees so many of her friends and family going through the same thing... I have to admit some of the same questions have come to my mind. What Carrie learns is that just as God loves us unconditionally, we can't base our love for Him on what He does or doesn't do. His plans may not always seem to be what we would pick and things may look pretty grim. Even their worst punishment - death - is really a reward for those who love God. We get to be with Him. We just need to keep trusting, keep believing, and not let them steal that one thing from us that really matters ~ our faith.
Despite my mini-sermon, this is a nice romance with interesting characters. This author also does a wonderful job of not painting them as perfect cut outs with no dimension. As I noted, Carrie struggles with her faith and is prone to giggles when nervous. Our hero, Josef, has a temper problem ~ and a very cute German accent. He is touchy about it though. lol Carrie's best friend, Augusta, can't stand up to her mother and is prone to judging people by their social status. Then you've got the woman running a boarding house who can't cook.
In the middle of all of this there is a small mystery to be solved about missing jewelry. The romance and development of Carrie's character are the most important parts of this story though (in my opinion). It was an entertaining story with a wonderful message and a very touching romance. I also think that the story can offer a lot to people who are struggling with all that's going on right now ~ in a fun, non-threatening way.
It's not the first time it's happened. I think Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss was the first one that spoke to me where I was at and encouraged me to move forward ~ in the fictional realm. I still like to read it every so often.
What Judith Miller has done in this book is create a character, Carrington (Carrie), who isn't without faith but doubts why God would put good people through such hard trials and not rescue them. She doubts her strength to endure those trials and wonders why her prayers to change both her circumstances and her person have not been answered.
As someone who battles chronic pain, whose husband was laid off through no fault of his own, and who sees so many of her friends and family going through the same thing... I have to admit some of the same questions have come to my mind. What Carrie learns is that just as God loves us unconditionally, we can't base our love for Him on what He does or doesn't do. His plans may not always seem to be what we would pick and things may look pretty grim. Even their worst punishment - death - is really a reward for those who love God. We get to be with Him. We just need to keep trusting, keep believing, and not let them steal that one thing from us that really matters ~ our faith.
Despite my mini-sermon, this is a nice romance with interesting characters. This author also does a wonderful job of not painting them as perfect cut outs with no dimension. As I noted, Carrie struggles with her faith and is prone to giggles when nervous. Our hero, Josef, has a temper problem ~ and a very cute German accent. He is touchy about it though. lol Carrie's best friend, Augusta, can't stand up to her mother and is prone to judging people by their social status. Then you've got the woman running a boarding house who can't cook.
In the middle of all of this there is a small mystery to be solved about missing jewelry. The romance and development of Carrie's character are the most important parts of this story though (in my opinion). It was an entertaining story with a wonderful message and a very touching romance. I also think that the story can offer a lot to people who are struggling with all that's going on right now ~ in a fun, non-threatening way.
August 21, 2009
This really wasn't a bad book, but I never would have touched it if I had known it was Christian lit. My rating is mostly contingent on my feelings for that genre, and I suspect that people who like reading Christian lit would very much enjoy reading this book.
But me? No. Carrie is just so passive. She wanders to a new country by an act of invitation. She ventures into employment by another invitation. She roams over to a new place to live by suggestion. Her plan to avoid making waves at work is to avoid human interaction. She responds to a budding romance with pleasure at every new step her suitor makes, but she never initiates any advancement herself. She waits patiently to be cleared of criminal charges and only ambles in to attempts to clear her name by direct request of the investigating detective. Even the one instance where she did willfully reject someone's suggestion, she was taken to task for it and meekly went back and followed suggestion. ARGH.
This book had been part of the June giveaway of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, where the title and publisher's description caught my interest. Granted, now that I know this book is Christian lit., a courtesy search of the publisher Bethany House would have taught me it was a Christian press. But I was interested enough in the premise of the book at the time that when I didn't win a copy through the ER program, I added it to my BookMooch wishlist and was able to snag an ARC anyway.
I did love reading Miller's descriptions of the carousels and how the carousels were created, which is why this book is getting as high as a two-star rating. Unfortunately, that aspect was pretty much discarded at the mid-way point of this novel, which is also about when the romance picks up, the silly mystery plotline appears, Carrie starts pondering church sermons, and my interest bottoms out like the flatline of a heart monitor.
Some other reviews of this book mention how annoying Carrie's giggling was. I can't say that I noticed this myself as I read the book, but I did get in the habit, very early on, of skipping any paragraphs with a variant of the word giggle in them. It worked for me.
But me? No. Carrie is just so passive. She wanders to a new country by an act of invitation. She ventures into employment by another invitation. She roams over to a new place to live by suggestion. Her plan to avoid making waves at work is to avoid human interaction. She responds to a budding romance with pleasure at every new step her suitor makes, but she never initiates any advancement herself. She waits patiently to be cleared of criminal charges and only ambles in to attempts to clear her name by direct request of the investigating detective. Even the one instance where she did willfully reject someone's suggestion, she was taken to task for it and meekly went back and followed suggestion. ARGH.
This book had been part of the June giveaway of LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program, where the title and publisher's description caught my interest. Granted, now that I know this book is Christian lit., a courtesy search of the publisher Bethany House would have taught me it was a Christian press. But I was interested enough in the premise of the book at the time that when I didn't win a copy through the ER program, I added it to my BookMooch wishlist and was able to snag an ARC anyway.
I did love reading Miller's descriptions of the carousels and how the carousels were created, which is why this book is getting as high as a two-star rating. Unfortunately, that aspect was pretty much discarded at the mid-way point of this novel, which is also about when the romance picks up, the silly mystery plotline appears, Carrie starts pondering church sermons, and my interest bottoms out like the flatline of a heart monitor.
Some other reviews of this book mention how annoying Carrie's giggling was. I can't say that I noticed this myself as I read the book, but I did get in the habit, very early on, of skipping any paragraphs with a variant of the word giggle in them. It worked for me.
August 24, 2010
I purchased this book because it was on sale and the title drew me in. I am fascinated with carousels, so how could I not buy it? I really hesitated because I figured it would be another run-of-the-mill Christian romance novel. I was very wrong! This Christian novel has strong, realistic characters who experience real-life emotions. It has enough mystery to make it a page-turner, and I was fascinated by all the facts about a carousel factory. I was thrilled to read about the steps, time, effort, care, and artistry that go into forming carousel animals and carriages.
As an experienced artist and friend of the boss' daughter, Carrington Brouwer becomes the first woman to work in a busy carousel factory. I learned that in the 1890s a woman working in a factory must deal with the resentment of men who feel she has stolen a job that could go to another man, and women who are afraid she will steal their husbands. This fast-paced story gave me insight into how women were treated and expected to behave in America at this time.
Carrington's character is challenged as she faces resentments and accusations from others and all the feelings that come with dealing with people of vastly different personalities. In the midst of it all she has to face her own strengths and weaknesses. It is encouraging to find a strong woman character in a unique Christian novel.
As an experienced artist and friend of the boss' daughter, Carrington Brouwer becomes the first woman to work in a busy carousel factory. I learned that in the 1890s a woman working in a factory must deal with the resentment of men who feel she has stolen a job that could go to another man, and women who are afraid she will steal their husbands. This fast-paced story gave me insight into how women were treated and expected to behave in America at this time.
Carrington's character is challenged as she faces resentments and accusations from others and all the feelings that come with dealing with people of vastly different personalities. In the midst of it all she has to face her own strengths and weaknesses. It is encouraging to find a strong woman character in a unique Christian novel.
February 15, 2010
I am a huge fan of Tracie Peterson and have read all her books thus far...so I was looking for a new author to pick up to keep me busy reading. After reading the Broadmoor Legacy Series (co-authored by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller) I decided to try a book by Miller. I had heard good things about Miller's newest book...and I was not disappointed. Since Miller co-authored her first few books with Peterson they have a very similar writing style.
The Carousel Painter was a fantastic book! Set in the late 19th century in Boston, Miller captures the essence of a spunky young lady, Carrington Brouwer. Carrie grew up in Paris under the care of her artist father, until his untimely death. With no inheritance Carrie is forced to move back to America where her only friend, Augusta Galloway (one of her father's art students) lives with her mother and father. Mr. Galloway helps Carrie find a job in his carousel factory as a painter. Working in an all male factory to make ends meat, she is faced with a new life in Boston that brings about a handful of challenges. Josef Kaestner, factory manager and her only ally when jewelry is found missing from the Galloway mansion...becomes more than a friend and ally in a funny and entertaining twist of events.
The Carousel Painter was a fantastic book! Set in the late 19th century in Boston, Miller captures the essence of a spunky young lady, Carrington Brouwer. Carrie grew up in Paris under the care of her artist father, until his untimely death. With no inheritance Carrie is forced to move back to America where her only friend, Augusta Galloway (one of her father's art students) lives with her mother and father. Mr. Galloway helps Carrie find a job in his carousel factory as a painter. Working in an all male factory to make ends meat, she is faced with a new life in Boston that brings about a handful of challenges. Josef Kaestner, factory manager and her only ally when jewelry is found missing from the Galloway mansion...becomes more than a friend and ally in a funny and entertaining twist of events.
May 5, 2016
I loved the premise of this book, and it was a fast, lighthearted read that held my interest... barely. As I often find in 1st POV, the plot felt flat and the pace dragged at times because there was much forced "telling." I don't particularly mind that the mystery was predictable, but the way it was rushed to a speedy conclusion left much to be desired. I also didn't completely buy the romance between Carrie and Josef -- whose dialogue was wildly inconsistent and often came across as more Swedish than German. Several plot points and characters also just appeared and disappeared for no believable reason. Overall, the unique premise was enough to keep me going, but now that I'm finished, I rather feel I just wasted a day reading this.
October 31, 2010
Ah, a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of the other historical fiction titles I've read this year. The story was unique, the characters were interesting, and the "conversion scene" wasn't there! The main character learned about God in a natural, realistic fashion rather than a sudden light bulb moment.
I can't give the book four stars, as it's not something I would own or reread. Other reviewers noted that the giggling was annoying. I believe Miller was trying to give the main character a unique trait but it was rather annoying to hear about her uncontrollable giggling. Still, this book was a nice change from the majority of Christian historical fiction.
I can't give the book four stars, as it's not something I would own or reread. Other reviewers noted that the giggling was annoying. I believe Miller was trying to give the main character a unique trait but it was rather annoying to hear about her uncontrollable giggling. Still, this book was a nice change from the majority of Christian historical fiction.
June 3, 2012
This book was well written. I was interested in the idea behind the story; however, I found that the actual plot lacked substance. It seemed a bit rushed about halfway through the book. The author spent a great deal writing scenes in the carousel factory and less time developing a solid plot. I figured that the romance would happen between Josef and Carrie, however, I was surprised at how brief their romance was. I can't even recall when they actually fell in love. Although this wouldn't be among my favorite books, I'm not upset that I took the time to read it. I probably wouldn't recommend it to my friends who are looking for something specific in a Christian historical romance.
July 17, 2014
Couldn't relate with the main character who seemed weak and unable to stand up for herself. Oh well
December 19, 2019
n the novel The Carousel Painter by Judith Miller, Carrington Brouwer has just traveled from France to Ohio. Her artist father has died and Carrington needs to find a means to support herself. She had befriended a young American women visiting France named Augusta, who had invited her to Ohio. But now Augusta’s mother, preoccupied with climbing the social ladder, is clearly not pleased. When Carrington learns that Augusta’s kindly father owns a carousel factory and needs an artist to paint the horses, Carrington assures him she could perform the job.
He hires her, but it’s uncommon for a woman to work in a factory full of men in 1890. Some protest and complain; some of the wives accost Carrie in public to try to scold her into quitting. Some men go so far as to quit or sabotage her work. Her supervisor, Josef, is not happy to have her there, but he can only abide by the boss’s wishes. The fact that Carrie is a friend of the boss’s daughter, and Carrie goes to their house every weekend, doesn’t sit well with the men, either.
Eventually Carrie’s talent speaks for itself. But a new enemy arises in the form of Augusta’s suitor, who has eyes for Carrie. Then some of Augusta’s mother’s jewelry is stolen, and Carrie is blamed.
Carrie’s mother had taken her to church, but her father “said God was for weak people who needed a crutch to get through life. Mama didn’t agree. She said believers were the strong ones because they had faith in something beyond what they could see and feel. I tended to agree with Mama. At least until she died.” Part of Carrie’s journey is realizing she has issues with besetting sins like pride.
I enjoyed the story and they way some of the relationships developed over the course of the book. Josef ended up being my favorite character. I also liked learning the background of how carousels were manufactured and painted. I guess they are probably made of molded and dyed plastic now. The old ones were individual works of art. I loved the cover.
He hires her, but it’s uncommon for a woman to work in a factory full of men in 1890. Some protest and complain; some of the wives accost Carrie in public to try to scold her into quitting. Some men go so far as to quit or sabotage her work. Her supervisor, Josef, is not happy to have her there, but he can only abide by the boss’s wishes. The fact that Carrie is a friend of the boss’s daughter, and Carrie goes to their house every weekend, doesn’t sit well with the men, either.
Eventually Carrie’s talent speaks for itself. But a new enemy arises in the form of Augusta’s suitor, who has eyes for Carrie. Then some of Augusta’s mother’s jewelry is stolen, and Carrie is blamed.
Carrie’s mother had taken her to church, but her father “said God was for weak people who needed a crutch to get through life. Mama didn’t agree. She said believers were the strong ones because they had faith in something beyond what they could see and feel. I tended to agree with Mama. At least until she died.” Part of Carrie’s journey is realizing she has issues with besetting sins like pride.
I enjoyed the story and they way some of the relationships developed over the course of the book. Josef ended up being my favorite character. I also liked learning the background of how carousels were manufactured and painted. I guess they are probably made of molded and dyed plastic now. The old ones were individual works of art. I loved the cover.
September 6, 2019
I received this book as part of the Early Reviewer program for LibraryThing.com. Sorry to say I was disappointed by this book. It had promise, a young girl working as a painter in a factory during a discriminatory time where women were ostracized from working outside the home but for teaching and nursing. But because of several very insipiant characteristics of the main character, Carrington Brouwer, it annoyed the heck out of me. For one, Carrie giggles uncontrollably in stressful situations. I grew extremely tired of reading how she had to clap her hand over her mouth at all the most inappropriate moments. She was also always running into people and knocking them down or elbowing them by rushing about for no good reason. A corney and contrived characteristic in my opinion. And last but not least, the out of context Christian theme that kept popping up. As soon as I caught on I thouhgt to myself - Oh no, it's one of THOSE books. I have read some Christian Lit before, some good which I had no problem with - the author worked the theme into the story well. This book, no. Religion being thrown in out of the blue once and a while really detracted from the story - which like I said, had promise - a young woman struggling to make a living in a mans world, a bit of mystery with a bit of romance. Christianity had nothing to do with the story line whatsoever. If this book could be rewritten without any religous theme, without the irritating giggling and without predictable crashing in to men around corners constantly I think it would be a much better story.
December 18, 2017
I would consider this book to be a Gentle Christian Suspense Romance novel. I describe it as gentle Christian genre because our main character Carie finds her faith gradually throughout the novel. The religion is nondenominational and sprinkled in a little here and there. The suspense also builds along with the romance. I fell in love with Carie and her character. I liked that her name is Careington, Carie for short. I don't appreciate it when authors choose spiffy names like Rose Lovegood that are trite. Carrieington fits the traits of a strong independent women defending her right to provide for herself. Carrie is resourceful and fights for what she cares about while learning a lesson or two along the way. I enjoyed the visual aspects of the carousel factory and all of its inner workings as well. I highly recommend this book to all ages. I was introduced to this novel from my book club. It is our January 2018 choice. I hope you adore Carie and Joseph as much as I did :)
March 1, 2018
This was a sweet historical Christian romance with well drawn characters. I enjoyed seeing Carrie's spiritual growth as well as her continued determination in the face of opposition to a woman working in the carousel factory. In addition to other problems, she also had to deal with a rogue who almost succeeds in framing her for theft, but thankfully, by the end of the book, Carrie's complete happy ending is in her near future. I really loved this book and am glad I grabbed it randomly at the library.
September 11, 2019
Carrie, the daughter of a painter, came back to the US from France after her father passed away. Early in the 20th century, women had a difficult time following their dreams into a career. She was not welcomed into the carousel factory, but painting the beautiful horses was tailor-made to her talents. She stayed through the intrigues, even though her future was in doubt. Maybe Josef, the factory manager had something to do with her success. Or maybe she won her place. Or maybe the surprise in store for her made the difference. A very enjoyable story.
October 29, 2018
A lovely story of French immigrant, Carrie, who bravely works in an all-male factory creating carousel animals. As best friend of the factory owner's daughter, Carrie has special privileges that distance her from other workers. She strives to overcome obstacles in her path, and begins to understand who God is and that he hasn't abandoned her. A nice historical romance with good takeaways, but not a deep story.
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