Review of An Improbable Alliance
Posted: 30 Sep 2024, 12:30
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "An Improbable Alliance" by Diane Coia-Ramsay.]
A lovely historical romance, Diane Coia-Ramsay's "An Improbable Alliance" follows Caroline DeBeck, a young socialite, when she is sent off to the country for the summer to stay with her eccentric aunts, where she meets Jacob MacKenzie, a handsome farmer with whom she falls in love.
The Gilded Age period is lived vividly through the author's vivid descriptions. Coia-Ramsay depicted the period of the Gilded Age as one that prominently portrayed extremes of wealth and stark inequality—the true depiction of that era. Richness and depth came with the setting of the whole scenario, right from the streets in New York City to the countryside.
The love between Caroline and Jacob is warm and believable. Their different backgrounds and personalities are themselves a compelling contrast, so the connection that binds them all the more warmly. The author has skillfully shown their conflicts as they face the challenges of society and class differences.
My favorite part is the way Caroline is depicted as a very strong and independent lady—a woman who challenges the conventional norms of living to suit women in her time. She can pursue her passions and dreams with absolute abandon. Her relationship with Jacob is a reflection of love's power to conquer all.
While this book is such an enjoyable read and fun in its little ways, there are a couple of minor shortcomings. For example, the book could have elaborated on the challenges that were then experienced by society as well as the economic changes during the Gilded Age. While the book focuses on issues of inequalities in the classes as well as industrialization processes, it lacks proper development of these issues. Such a situation made me wish while reading the book that he would have found more details about the issues that critically affected society during the Gilded Age. The novel suggests glimpses into these kinds of problems through the experiences of Caroline and Jacob, but it does not reach any deeper into the broader societal context.
The editing of this book is superb. I found neither one error nor one typographical error during my reading. Although the book contains a few instances of borderline profanity, these are not prevalent, and such an occurrence does not compromise the excellence of the narrative.
Overall, "An Improbable Alliance" is a superbly written and entertaining historical romance. I shall recommend this to readers who enjoy stories with strong female characters, vivid historical settings, and heartwarming love stories. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. Of course, it had the potential of scoring 5 stars, if not for the lack of more considerable action in discovering the broader societal context of the Gilded Age.
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An Improbable Alliance
View: on Bookshelves
A lovely historical romance, Diane Coia-Ramsay's "An Improbable Alliance" follows Caroline DeBeck, a young socialite, when she is sent off to the country for the summer to stay with her eccentric aunts, where she meets Jacob MacKenzie, a handsome farmer with whom she falls in love.
The Gilded Age period is lived vividly through the author's vivid descriptions. Coia-Ramsay depicted the period of the Gilded Age as one that prominently portrayed extremes of wealth and stark inequality—the true depiction of that era. Richness and depth came with the setting of the whole scenario, right from the streets in New York City to the countryside.
The love between Caroline and Jacob is warm and believable. Their different backgrounds and personalities are themselves a compelling contrast, so the connection that binds them all the more warmly. The author has skillfully shown their conflicts as they face the challenges of society and class differences.
My favorite part is the way Caroline is depicted as a very strong and independent lady—a woman who challenges the conventional norms of living to suit women in her time. She can pursue her passions and dreams with absolute abandon. Her relationship with Jacob is a reflection of love's power to conquer all.
While this book is such an enjoyable read and fun in its little ways, there are a couple of minor shortcomings. For example, the book could have elaborated on the challenges that were then experienced by society as well as the economic changes during the Gilded Age. While the book focuses on issues of inequalities in the classes as well as industrialization processes, it lacks proper development of these issues. Such a situation made me wish while reading the book that he would have found more details about the issues that critically affected society during the Gilded Age. The novel suggests glimpses into these kinds of problems through the experiences of Caroline and Jacob, but it does not reach any deeper into the broader societal context.
The editing of this book is superb. I found neither one error nor one typographical error during my reading. Although the book contains a few instances of borderline profanity, these are not prevalent, and such an occurrence does not compromise the excellence of the narrative.
Overall, "An Improbable Alliance" is a superbly written and entertaining historical romance. I shall recommend this to readers who enjoy stories with strong female characters, vivid historical settings, and heartwarming love stories. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars. Of course, it had the potential of scoring 5 stars, if not for the lack of more considerable action in discovering the broader societal context of the Gilded Age.
******
An Improbable Alliance
View: on Bookshelves