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BOOK REVIEW: Bette
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Click cover to purchase book
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by Vickie McDonough Dancing Word Reviewer
Title: Bette – Book Two in The Women of Ivy Manor series Author: Lyn Cote Publisher: Warner Faith ISBN: 0-446-69435-5 Genre: Inspirational/Historical/Romance
Almost since the day she met Curt Sinclair, Elizabeth "Bette” McCaslin has been in love. She's waited four long years for Curt to finish college so they can marry, but now war is looming, and Curt wants to wait.
Not one to remain idle, Bette goes to work for the War Department. Her handler, Ted, quickly recognizes Bette has an innate ability to see details that others overlook, and this soon earns her a job as a spy fighting the Nazi influences in America. As they work long hours together, Ted and Bette become closer. Ted's cocky smile and stolen kisses stirs Bette in a way Curt never did, but she remains loyal to the man who's owned her heart for as long as she can remember.
After years of separation and with the war over, Curt returns—but he's not the same person Bette fell in love with. Even though they are married and finally together, Curt wants nothing to do with her. His aloofness tears at Bette's heart. And to make matters worse, Curt demands she quit working. Can Bette win back Curt's heart? In her loneliness and confusion, will she give in to the temptation to turn to Ted for comfort? Will she be forced to quit the job she's so good at—a job that's helping curb Nazi activity in America and overseas?
Bette is the intriguing tale of a naïve girl who blossoms into a woman making a difference for her country. The story is set in the days before and during WWII. Readers are sure to be pulled into the story quickly and will have a tough time setting the book down. They will enjoy Bette's metamorphosis from a young girl wanting only to marry her high school sweetheart to an independent women with a driving purpose for her life. Lyn Cote does a fabulous job bringing the post-Depression years alive with her eye for detail and vivid descriptions.
The darker side of this book touches on how marriage isn't always wonderful and often doesn't meet one's expectations. I admire Bette for the decisions she made, even though they were difficult. The one thing that disappointed me in Bette was that there's not much of a faith message for a book that's promoted as an inspirational. A key character dies and there's no mention of God's forgiveness or redemption.
Bette is Book Two in The Women of Ivy Manor series. I haven't yet had a chance to read the first book, and even though Bette is a stand alone novel, I think I would have understood the relationships between the different characters better if I'd read Chloe first. Lovers of historical romance are sure to find Bette a fascinating, intriguing read and will be anxiously awaiting the third book in the series: Leigh, which is due out January 2006. (292 pages, $10.99)
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