A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman

Book 1 - Winds of Change series


One thing I love about having a Kindle (other than the ability to increase font size!) is the availability of free books. I have gotten some great reads for free through Amazon.  A Hope Undaunted is one of those.  And as a result I will be looking for the others in this series to read.


Katie O'Connor is a progressive woman of the 1920s and her life plan is right on track. She is dating a great looking guy who comes from a fine, wealthy family and is headed to law school just as she is.  They both share a desire to defend and further women's rights in the United States.  With his family's political and social connections, Katie is sure to go far.  


Things turn upside down when Katie finds herself on restriction for the summer... unable to see Jack... working as a volunteer... and worst of all stuck with Cluny Magee.  Cluny was the bane of her childhood existence... a chapter she thought had closed for good... so why on earth is he back now!?  


Katie has plans and she is determined that no one is going to get in her way... but she learns the truth of Proverbs 16:9 In her heart a woman plans her course, but the LORD determines her steps.


God has plans for Katie... can she accept them even if they don't line up with her life plan? Can she accept that God's plan is better no matter how it looks?


Loved this one... looking forward to the remainder of the series.

A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman

This is the third and final book in Lessman's Daughter of Boston series. If you enjoy Historic Romances, then you will like this series. The books center on the O'Connor girls and their family and are set in early 1900's Boston around the first World War.

A Passion Denied is Elizabeth's story. Beth has been in love with John Brady as long as she can remember, but sadly he has always seen her as a little sister. She wants more and believes he does too, but he refuses to be more than friends. Finally Beth, now called Lizzie, turns her attentions elsewhere only to find herself caught in a web of deceit and hurt... and to her shock she finds Brady right in the center.

Can love truly conquer all? When trust is destroyed, can it be rebuilt? Does forgiveness extend to everyone and every circumstance?

A Passion Denied takes a love sick romantic girl and opens her eyes and heart to the realities of real life love.

A Passion Redeemed by Julie Lessman

A Passion Redeemed is Lessman's 2nd book in The Daughters of Boston series. (set in Boston and Ireland, early 1900s) This is most definitely a series that needs to be read in order! And one I highly recommend any lover of Christian Historic Fiction to read! Even if you aren't a fan of Christian Fiction, read this series... it might change your mind!

Charity O'Connor was born beautiful and early on became aware of the sway she held over people. She is use to getting whatever she wants... that is until she sets her sights on Mitch Dennehy. Mitch is far from immune from Charity's beguiling ways, but he is determined to not fall prey to them. So Charity turns things up a notch and enters into a dangerous partnership that almost costs her life.

While this is a lovely romantic tale with a bit of adventure woven in, there is a deeper story... one of a young girl so broken and hurt that she creates a wall around her heart and refuses to let real love in... of a girl who sees her worth only through the eyes on men who admire and desire her beauty... of a girl who feels unloved by her earthly father and her heavenly Father and at a loss to rectify either relationship... it is at its heart a story about a heart that needs Jesus.

SPOILER ALERT... this next part gives part of the storyline away and a bit of the ending, so if you plan to read the book you may want to stop here.

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I was very intrigued at the "why" behind Charity's hard heart and her anger at God and her father. I actually liked how Lessman worked in the childhood abuse of a relative. Not that I like the idea of that happening! But for whatever reason it caught me off guard. I think because I wouldn't expect that subject matter in a book set in 1919. I believe it was handled very well. While Lessman didn't sugar coat the situation, she also didn't provide gory details that we all can conjure up with our imaginations.

My one "complaint" came with the ending. I wasn't sure I really liked the ending. Didn't really like with whom Charity ended up. BUT I have started book 3 and it works! LOL!

I do love this series.... the settings... the characters... the conflicts... all of it!

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman

My friend, Susan, and I trade off books from time to time and this is one I caught her reading one day. I had never heard of the author nor seen the book, but the cover and summary on back intrigued me, so she loaned it to me.. and I am so glad she did.

A Passion Most Pure is Lessman's debut novel and book 1 of her series, The Daughters of Boston. (I recently learned that book 2 is out and will be grabbing it up soon!)

Faith O'Connor has a problem... she's in love... with the man who loves her sister. How could this have happened and why can't she stop these feelings? To top it off, her parents do not approve of Collin McGuire for any of their girls and forbid her younger sister to see him. What will they do when they learn of Faith's heart and that it appears Collin may have feelings for her also? As this struggle with love threatens to rip their family apart, America is thrust in the the first World War and the O'Connors have a new battle to contend with. The women and children head to Ireland, as the men go off to war with everything left hanging in the balance while they wait for the world to return to normal... if it ever does.

I look forward with great anticipation to reading more books by Lessman in the future. Just what I need! Another wonderful author to add more books to my to-read stacks! :)