Rating: 
Summary: Definite Potential Here
Review: In "Written on the Wind," readers are instantly plunged into the intrigue that fills the lives of the Hayes sisters. Daughters of a hard and ruthless Los Angeles newspaper tycoon, each girl's life is filled with dilemmas and drama in 1941. Cameron, the oldest, is a stubborn, talented journalist who holds God and anyone else attempting to be a part of her life at arms length. Quitting work at her father's newspaper, she soon gains a "dream" assignment with a "rival" paper as a foreign correspondent in Russia. There, she finds action, mystery, the devastation of war...and love. Beautiful "middle" sister Blair covets a place in Hollywood, yet soon becomes disillusioned with her theatrical and relational experiences there. Indeed, Blair is so desperate to find true love that she resorts to deception. Finally, youngest sister Jackie, a university student, seems to be leading the uncontroversial Christian life that her older sisters lack. However, soon her life becomes more complicated when she begins to form a friendship with a Japanese-American, Sam. In the midst of such change, each sister must determine what is right and how her life is to be lived.Without a doubt, there are a few aspects of this first book in a series that make it memorable. First, readers will undoubtedly enjoy each sister's unique personality, and find such contrasting yet intertwined stories well-developed and interesting. In particular, Cameron's life, personality, and struggles were explored in detail, and her mental strength and intelligence makes her a refreshing change from the often weak-willed heroines of Christian fiction. Secondly, it was appreciated how Pella intelligently incorporates romance in her novel while showing other areas of each character's life, instead of simply making another romance novel. Lastly, some of the history "woven" into stories of Cameron's European and Russian experience is fascinating and obviously well-researched, and undoubtedly adds a new dimension to the book. Definitely, the book has some solid qualities. However, "Written on the Wind" could use a few corrections. Above all, it was unfortunate that while some of the history and geography in "Written on the Wind" was fascinating, some was simply overwhelming and boring. Sometimes it was hard to keep everything straight in Cameron's portions of the book, and it felt like reading a history book instead of historical fiction. Also, I was slightly disappointed that Cameron dominated this book's storyline, and even though I trust that the two remaining sisters will do the same in the coming sequels, I think the book's "pace" and readability would be improved if time was equally divided between sisters. Unfortunately, not everything was perfect. Overall, this book was worth reading. A few rough spots, a few times when the reading got a little boring, but always there were sections and characters that mostly "made up" for the faults. I greatly enjoyed this book's characters, and certainly will be interested to see what Book 2 in the series delivers.
Rating: 
Summary: I Loved this Book
Review: of a great series. I would have liked a little more resolution at the end, but I think that some of the characters had moved much further along in their lives by the end of the book. The book opens in 1941 and centers on the lives of the 3 Hayes daughters. Cameron is following her father's footsteps into Journalism. Blair is trying to find her place in the world but not settling on anything. Jackie is the youngest, and is completing college. All three girls face their problems in this book--some of them are more serious than others, but all have far-reaching consequences. The book ends in December 1941, with a letter dated December 7th. I wonder if this leaves the series open for 5 more books--one for each year of the war, and then a follow-up???
Rating: 
Summary: There's Promise here
Review: of a great series. I would have liked a little more resolution at the end, but I think that some of the characters had moved much further along in their lives by the end of the book. The book opens in 1941 and centers on the lives of the 3 Hayes daughters. Cameron is following her father's footsteps into Journalism. Blair is trying to find her place in the world but not settling on anything. Jackie is the youngest, and is completing college. All three girls face their problems in this book--some of them are more serious than others, but all have far-reaching consequences. The book ends in December 1941, with a letter dated December 7th. I wonder if this leaves the series open for 5 more books--one for each year of the war, and then a follow-up???
Rating:
Summary: Good read-not great though
Review: This could have been a good book. I felt very cheated after reading nearly 500 pages because absolutely nothing was resolved. I don't begrudge the fact that this is part of a series, but I also believe that books in a series should stand on their own. We were left hanging with all three sisters, not one part of their situations were resolved. If I would have known this, I never would have spent the time reading the book. I don't know how long it will be until the next in the series is out, but by then I will have forgotten this book.
Rating: 
Summary: I felt cheated...
Review: This could have been a good book. I felt very cheated after reading nearly 500 pages because absolutely nothing was resolved. I don't begrudge the fact that this is part of a series, but I also believe that books in a series should stand on their own. We were left hanging with all three sisters, not one part of their situations were resolved. If I would have known this, I never would have spent the time reading the book. I don't know how long it will be until the next in the series is out, but by then I will have forgotten this book.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: This was a great book. I liked how Judith Pella showed three different perspectives on World War II. I thought that it was very intriguing how she had a female journalist, a young Hollywood starlet, and a young college prep. Each had different perspectives on the war. The journalist was able to experience the war, the starlet had a backlash with how tricky show business could be - especially in war time, and the college prep showed how difficult it could be for a friendship with an Asian-American at that time in history. It was a great book.
Rating:
Summary: Written on the Wind (Daughters of Fortune, 1)
Review: With a soupy mix of historical drama, period romance and Christian proselytizing, Judith Pella spins a pretty good yarn with Written on the Wind. Cameron, Blair and Jackie Hayes are very different sisters, yet they all are shaped by the lack of love and affection from their father, tycoon publisher Keagan Hayes. Cameron is a hustling journalist working for her father's newspaper, The Journal, but desires the excitement of a foreign correspondent's life. Liberated for a 1940s woman, her father's unwillingness to give her the assignment she longs for-Russia-holds her back. After she's again denied assignment, she quits her father, the paper and her former boyfriend, Shanahan, who's been assigned the correspondent's job she wanted. She's hired by her father's rival and is soon winging her way to Europe's war. The old proverb, "be careful what you wish for," seems appropriate. One step ahead of the Nazis, involved in a new love affair and secretly trying to find the half-brother she never knew about until her mother's tearful confession of past indiscretions, Cameron's story is fancifully entertaining. Blair, who tries to exact revenge on her father by being an actress and/or lounge singer, is a true party girl. Her mother and younger sister spend a good deal of time praying for her, but to no avail as she slips further and further down the path toward becoming a "wanton woman." Maybe the affections of church-going, ultra handsome, Army officer Gary can save her from herself. Maybe not. Finally, the trio is rounded out by Jackie, the youngest sister who splits her time between the aforementioned prayers, saving Blair's bacon, and falling for a young Japanese-American boy named Sam. This relationship elicits a doom even before the events in Pearl Harbor and seems to suggest a trial of faith for young Jackie. Painted against an often translucent and gauzy background of the growing war, their story is not for someone interested in real depth and texture. However, the characters are engaging and the prose is well done. For those who enjoy it, the girl's fates and the letter Cameron writes her father ominously dated December 7, 1941 promises a sequel. Published by Bethany House, readers expecting an evangelical Christian slant will not be disappointed. However, it is not heavy handed in method or message, so unconverted readers should not be offended.
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