The Bridal Veil

Rating:
Summary: A very satisfying read!
Review: "The Bridal Veil" is an enjoyable and feel good historical romance that is bound to bring a sigh of satisfaction to most readers. Normally, I don't read historical romances set in the America, as I'm ashamed to admit, my knowledge of American history is extremely spotty. But I did enjoy "The Bridal Veil" very much, and given my limited familiarity with the material, felt that Alexis Harrington has done a wonderful job in evoking the feel and realities of what is was like to live in a homestead in Oregon in the 19th century.

Luke Becker needs a wife. When his beautiful wife, Belinda, passed away three years ago, his cantankerous mother-in-law, Cora, moved in to help him raise his eleven year old daughter, Rose. But Cora seems to be spoiling Rose and Rose has changed from an affectionate and happy child into a sullen and morose one. Luke's hope is that the influence of a nice and intelligent woman will affect Rose for the better, and since there is no one in his small town that he wants to marry, Luke puts an advertisement in a newspaper for a bride. A Miss Alyssa Cannon from Chicago answers his advertisement, and net result is that Luke asks her to come to Oregon to be his wife.

What actually happens however is that Alyssa's elder sister, Emily arrives in Alyssa's stead. Alyssa had been killed in a street accident, and with no one and nothing to hold her in Chicago, Emily impulsively decides to take her place, especially when she reads Luke's latest letter imploring her to come at once. Will Luke be willing to accept tall and plain Emily as a substitute bride for that beautiful one he was expecting? Luke has no choice: his desperately needs help in raising his daughter, and so decides to marry Emily after all. And now Emily has the difficult task of trying to be a mother and friend to a difficult child, a wife and helpmate to Luke, and of trying to ignore all of Cora's cruel gibes as well as undo all the harm that her poisonous presence has wrought. Will she succeed?

While Alexis Harrington does a wonderful job of bringing to life Luke and Emily's budding romance, and a really good job in charting the friendship and affection that develops between Emily and Rose, the last two chapters however felt incredibly rushed. I, for one, would have liked it better if there had been a more detailed account of Cora's comeuppance, esp since she initiates a rather cruel plan in order to wrest Rose from Luke's care. I also think that the authour did a wonderful job of fleshing out the characters of all the major players in this story -- the pain and angst that Emily, Luke, Rose and even Cora feels is deftly related and resonates through the pages. And even though I disliked Cora immensely, I did find myself feeling sympathetic towards her because she was quite unable to let go of all the anger and pain she felt because of her daughter's untimely death.

"The Bridal Veil" is wonderfully romantic tale of how a young woman who feared that she would never find love, and a young widower who desperately needed to be loved, find lasting love and acceptance in each other. Definitely a romance novel worth recommending.

Rating:
Summary: Charming Story of Real Life
Review: After hours of listening to the sorrows of personal lives day in and day out, reading The Bridal Veil was like a fresh seabreeze calmly gentling the waters. A satisfying story about a young woman who takes a huge risk to find a place for herself in the far west. And a delightful happy ending. I read to relax and not get myself strung out on implausible twists and turns.

Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER WINNER!
Review: I just finished THE BRIDAL VEIL and was thoroughly enthralled. Alexis Harrington captures the feel of the old West and the emotions of her characters beautifully. In this case Luke and Emily are both tortured souls and unlikely lovers who are bound together by honor and deception. Emily is not the woman Luke expected when he sent for a mail-order bride. He's not certain this prim, proper and slightly plain woman who had the gumption to fill in for her sister is a woman he can trust, let alone marry. Yet he needs a mother for his daughter and Emily desperately needs a family. Their union is tenuous at best. However, Luke and Emily get past their fears and doubts as the story unfolds. Each etches a spot in the other's heart as they learn the true meaning of love and family. THE BRIDAL VEIL is another heartwarming winner from Alexis Harrington!

Rating:
Summary: Alexis Harrington can do better
Review: I loved Allie's Moon by Alexis Harrington but this book didn't match the quality of that book. Luke is one of the weakest and slowest heros in a romance novel. He almost seemed mentally retarded. It's not just our hero who is slow, however, but the entire pace of the plot. And there is extremely little sexual tension or action. Still, the bridal veil was a short and pleasant read.

Rating:
Summary: ANOTHER WINNER!
Review: Luke Becker's wife Belinda died three years ago so his overbearing mother-in-law, Cora, moved in to help raise his eleven-year-old daughter, Rose. Cora turns the home into a shrine for her daughter while Rose turns into a surly child and Luke hates life, feeling like he lives in hell. Luke concludes he needs a mother for Rose and advertises accordingly. Alyssa Cannon of Chicago responds and agrees to journey to Oregon on the ticket Luke provided for her.

Alyssa's sister Emily is depressed, having lost her beloved sibling as well as her job as a teacher. Frantic, she uses Alyssa's ticket to travel west hoping that Luke will wed her. Desperate, but irate over the deception, Luke marries Emily almost from the moment of her arrival. However, Luke makes it clear with his words and his actions that though they are married, she will never be his true wife, something that Emily desires.

Powerful realistic characters turn THE BRIDAL VEIL into a stunning tale of second chances at love. The well-written story line hooks the audience through the grieving of Emily, the hopelessness of Luke, the angst of Rose, and the need for Cora to keep her daughter's memory alive. The audience will need a box of tissues handy when reading Alexis Harrington's moving feast.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A winner
Review: Luke Becker's wife Belinda died three years ago so his overbearing mother-in-law, Cora, moved in to help raise his eleven-year-old daughter, Rose. Cora turns the home into a shrine for her daughter while Rose turns into a surly child and Luke hates life, feeling like he lives in hell. Luke concludes he needs a mother for Rose and advertises accordingly. Alyssa Cannon of Chicago responds and agrees to journey to Oregon on the ticket Luke provided for her.

Alyssa's sister Emily is depressed, having lost her beloved sibling as well as her job as a teacher. Frantic, she uses Alyssa's ticket to travel west hoping that Luke will wed her. Desperate, but irate over the deception, Luke marries Emily almost from the moment of her arrival. However, Luke makes it clear with his words and his actions that though they are married, she will never be his true wife, something that Emily desires.

Powerful realistic characters turn THE BRIDAL VEIL into a stunning tale of second chances at love. The well-written story line hooks the audience through the grieving of Emily, the hopelessness of Luke, the angst of Rose, and the need for Cora to keep her daughter's memory alive. The audience will need a box of tissues handy when reading Alexis Harrington's moving feast.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: A treasure...
Review: Ms. Harrington once again delivers a rewarding story, one with characters that keenly reflect the most intense human emotions...loneliness, despair, heartache, grief, anger and finally shared love and passion. I find her use of a 19th century historical setting to be an exciting diversion to our contemporary times and hope that she continues to present her stories and characters in settings that reflect different times and places. We cannot fully understand the ways and thoughts of people of long ago, but it is intriguing to see Ms. Harrington's interpretation. "The Bridal Veil" is a story that remained in my thoughts and heart as I fell asleep the night I finished it, and was on my mind the next morning. I felt I knew these characters by then and who wouldn't want to forget your friends?

Rating:
Summary: disappointment
Review: Sorry, the heroine is sad, the hero is sad, the mother-in-law is sad, and the daughter is sad! This is romance? The relationship between Emily and Luke is boring and the story line slow moving. It all comes together in the end, but I really didn't care anyway. The Irish Bride had some interesting drama at least, although the love between Ms. Harrington's characters leaves me wanting something...more!

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing, very little plot
Review: The plot was very weak and this book was a waste of time. The author has the characters repeat the same thoughts over and over and over. As if the author needed to fill pages, she just repeated the same *conflict*. Did I mention there is only one conflict in the entire book?

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Twist to this Story
Review: Typical mail order bride story but there are several twists that keep this one interesting. First, as Luke and his ragamuffin daughter await his mail order bride (petite Alyssa Cannon) at the dock, a rather tall, crow-like woman is all that remains of the passengers of the stern-wheeler. She is Alyssa's sister, Emily. Emily has been left homeless and penniless after the school she taught at shut down. All in her family have died including Alyssa and she has come in Alyssa's place hoping to help Luke and his daughter, Rose. Will he marry her or send her back to Chicago? Luke decides to go ahead with this marriage for his daughter's sake.

Waiting at home is his manipulative, bossy mother-in-law, Cora. Cora does not like anyone taking her deceased daughter, Belinda's place and makes her feelings known to all. She belittles Emily and undermines Emily's attempts to befriend Rose. The tension in the house is almost unbearable. Despite the hostile atmosphere that Cora perpetuates, Emily, Luke and Rose begin to make themselves a family.

There are many wonderful situations with town folk and fights aplenty with Cora. Will Emily find the family she wishes for? Can Luke forget his guilt about the way Belinda died? Will Rose become the happy child she once was? I read this story in one afternoon because I could not put it down! I liked the loyalty Luke felt towards his mother-in-law, the way he felt torn by each of the "women" in his life.

The pace was a little slow and Emily did turn out to be a little too perfect for having been a city-girl living in a school but that is normal for most romance's and it did not affect my enjoyment. Since other reviewers felt this was not one of Alexis Harrington's best, I am anxious to pick up some others! I found it exceptional reading and highly recommend it!