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In Consequence: A Retelling of North and South
A variation of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and SouthUpon being abruptly uprooted from her idyllic childhood home, Margaret Hale is thrust into the industrial world of Milton where conflict, inequity, and bitterness seem to beset her at every turn. How can she ever find peace and happiness in such a place?
John Thornton longs for the chance to show this newcomer from the South that beneath his strict adherence to business principles he possesses a heart. Captivated from the first by her beauty, strength, and independent spirit, the lonely Master finds himself increasingly tantalized by her presence and stirred by her words.When a riot breaks out at Marlborough Mills, events take a decidedly different turn, spinning a story of attraction and developing love in a whole new direction….
John Thornton longs for the chance to show this newcomer from the South that beneath his strict adherence to business principles he possesses a heart. Captivated from the first by her beauty, strength, and independent spirit, the lonely Master finds himself increasingly tantalized by her presence and stirred by her words.When a riot breaks out at Marlborough Mills, events take a decidedly different turn, spinning a story of attraction and developing love in a whole new direction….
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2014
32 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Trudy Brasure
6 books100 followersTrudy Brasure is a hopeless romantic and a history enthusiast with a penchant for the Victorian Era.
The author began her own personal romance story with a whirlwind courtship. Her married life started in a picturesque colonial town on the coast of Massachusetts. She now resides in Vermont where she and her family endeavor to enjoy the beauty of nature whenever possible.
The author began her own personal romance story with a whirlwind courtship. Her married life started in a picturesque colonial town on the coast of Massachusetts. She now resides in Vermont where she and her family endeavor to enjoy the beauty of nature whenever possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
October 14, 2020
One of the best North and South variations I've ever read.
I've always resented the botched proposal in the original book and series. The way Margaret haughtily turned John down has always been a sore point for me. Unlike most fanfictions, here Margaret accepts him the first time, inspite of having some misgivings about his 'tradesman traits' and there begins their love story. And what a beautiful story it was!
Thornton's financial troubles, the mill workers' grievances, Frederick's history, Mrs.Hale's death and every other subplot was incredibly well woven around John and Margaret. I can already see my future self rereading this book a dozen times.
I've always resented the botched proposal in the original book and series. The way Margaret haughtily turned John down has always been a sore point for me. Unlike most fanfictions, here Margaret accepts him the first time, inspite of having some misgivings about his 'tradesman traits' and there begins their love story. And what a beautiful story it was!
Thornton's financial troubles, the mill workers' grievances, Frederick's history, Mrs.Hale's death and every other subplot was incredibly well woven around John and Margaret. I can already see my future self rereading this book a dozen times.
May 27, 2016
A tempestuous classic romantic tale set during the Victorian Industrial Revolution has been told in this charming, gentle yet passionate 'what if' variation. It asks 'what would have happened if Mr. Thornton had been hit with the striker's thrown stone and then what would have happened if Margaret had said 'yes' to his first proposal?'
I read North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell for the first time a few years ago. This was one of the rare times that I saw a movie adaption before reading a book particularly an older classic. In truth, I didn't even know about Elizabeth Gaskell's works until I saw Wives & Daughters. I was enchanted by that story and then watched North & South and that's when the real love affair with the author began. But I thought all that I could do was read other Gaskell books, re-read N&S and re-watch the movie until recently.
It was lovely to discover an author had take her own love of the story and retold it in her own way. In Consequence is the result. But I will say up front that this story assumes by the way it is told that the reader is already somewhat familiar with Gaskell's original N&S storyline. And as such, the reader will see that yes there are alterations of character and actions lead along a slightly different path though familiar characters and scenes are very present.
When Margaret says 'yes', this sets in motion something new. John Thornton has hope and it gets him through the end of the strike and all his self-doubt because of their class differences and differences of upbringing and family history. Her change of heart is inexplicable in the face of their former antagonism. He is content that he will have her for his wife and dreams of winning her complete to feelings of love for him. In the meantime, he has a cotton mill to keep running and somehow fulfill the orders that the strike interfered with, other mill owners to finesse, a family to care for and a new lady and family to woo in the face of events that set him back.
Margaret Hale has endured much change in her life and loss. Her knee-jerk response to Mr. Thornton's proposal leaves her as mystified by her answer as it does others who know her and her previous encounters with the brooding, hard Master Marlborough Mills. Only, she has seen something during that horrible day of the strike and was left even more struck by his ardent and honest feelings for her. There is more to him than she imagined and now she will tentatively give this little flutter a chance.
Her mind is not as made up as her affirmative response that first day. The conflict of her poor union worker friends and Thornton's being a master, Bessy's death, Mrs. Hale's health, and her own fears that marriage will squash all her freedom are balanced against the slowly revealed nature of the man she has agreed to marry.
Their courtship is long, starting tentatively and building into the passionate love affair between two people who reach across a chasm to build something new and special together.
The story is a long and gently paced. It lacks for strong conflict, but it is not devoid of all conflict. The early rivalry of mind between John and Margaret are still present as is the greater conflict going on as worker and business owner clash over the issues of the work environment and treatment of workers and beyond this is a differences between middle and upper class depicted by the growing prosperous new rich industrious North and gentle bred landed South.
The pace is uneven at times. The book had stronger beginning and end with the lag in spots in the middle. There is a lot of introspection on the part of Margaret and John as they ponder their circumstances and what the other is thinking. Thornton is deeply in love for the whole story, but he has to patiently court his lady and grow to be her match. Margaret has a few crisis moments where she doubts and her mind and loyalties are divided between family and new engagement so their introspections arise from different things.
I will give fair warning here that this is not a fade to black romance. It is still very much of the sweet sort, but their passion is described.
The characters are familiar and I enjoyed that all the familiar faces were present. They are engaging, well-drawn, developed characters. Perspectives were mostly from Margaret and John's point of view, but others like austere Mrs. Hannah Thornton, puckish Mr. Bell, and envious Henry Lennox got their turn to narrate. The reader does have to pay attention because there is head hopping going on swiftly, sometimes one paragraph to the next and back.
Though it did take time, this story was a thing of tender loveliness. The romance and romance of the author for the story comes shining through. I had several swoony moments, smiles, and ended the book on a satisfied sigh.
All in all, my first encounter with the author and a N&S variation was a resounding success. I would definitely pick up more of this author's books. I think historical romance lovers who like mostly sweet with some spice should give this a try and most definitely fans of the North and South story.
I read North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell for the first time a few years ago. This was one of the rare times that I saw a movie adaption before reading a book particularly an older classic. In truth, I didn't even know about Elizabeth Gaskell's works until I saw Wives & Daughters. I was enchanted by that story and then watched North & South and that's when the real love affair with the author began. But I thought all that I could do was read other Gaskell books, re-read N&S and re-watch the movie until recently.
It was lovely to discover an author had take her own love of the story and retold it in her own way. In Consequence is the result. But I will say up front that this story assumes by the way it is told that the reader is already somewhat familiar with Gaskell's original N&S storyline. And as such, the reader will see that yes there are alterations of character and actions lead along a slightly different path though familiar characters and scenes are very present.
When Margaret says 'yes', this sets in motion something new. John Thornton has hope and it gets him through the end of the strike and all his self-doubt because of their class differences and differences of upbringing and family history. Her change of heart is inexplicable in the face of their former antagonism. He is content that he will have her for his wife and dreams of winning her complete to feelings of love for him. In the meantime, he has a cotton mill to keep running and somehow fulfill the orders that the strike interfered with, other mill owners to finesse, a family to care for and a new lady and family to woo in the face of events that set him back.
Margaret Hale has endured much change in her life and loss. Her knee-jerk response to Mr. Thornton's proposal leaves her as mystified by her answer as it does others who know her and her previous encounters with the brooding, hard Master Marlborough Mills. Only, she has seen something during that horrible day of the strike and was left even more struck by his ardent and honest feelings for her. There is more to him than she imagined and now she will tentatively give this little flutter a chance.
Her mind is not as made up as her affirmative response that first day. The conflict of her poor union worker friends and Thornton's being a master, Bessy's death, Mrs. Hale's health, and her own fears that marriage will squash all her freedom are balanced against the slowly revealed nature of the man she has agreed to marry.
Their courtship is long, starting tentatively and building into the passionate love affair between two people who reach across a chasm to build something new and special together.
The story is a long and gently paced. It lacks for strong conflict, but it is not devoid of all conflict. The early rivalry of mind between John and Margaret are still present as is the greater conflict going on as worker and business owner clash over the issues of the work environment and treatment of workers and beyond this is a differences between middle and upper class depicted by the growing prosperous new rich industrious North and gentle bred landed South.
The pace is uneven at times. The book had stronger beginning and end with the lag in spots in the middle. There is a lot of introspection on the part of Margaret and John as they ponder their circumstances and what the other is thinking. Thornton is deeply in love for the whole story, but he has to patiently court his lady and grow to be her match. Margaret has a few crisis moments where she doubts and her mind and loyalties are divided between family and new engagement so their introspections arise from different things.
I will give fair warning here that this is not a fade to black romance. It is still very much of the sweet sort, but their passion is described.
The characters are familiar and I enjoyed that all the familiar faces were present. They are engaging, well-drawn, developed characters. Perspectives were mostly from Margaret and John's point of view, but others like austere Mrs. Hannah Thornton, puckish Mr. Bell, and envious Henry Lennox got their turn to narrate. The reader does have to pay attention because there is head hopping going on swiftly, sometimes one paragraph to the next and back.
Though it did take time, this story was a thing of tender loveliness. The romance and romance of the author for the story comes shining through. I had several swoony moments, smiles, and ended the book on a satisfied sigh.
All in all, my first encounter with the author and a N&S variation was a resounding success. I would definitely pick up more of this author's books. I think historical romance lovers who like mostly sweet with some spice should give this a try and most definitely fans of the North and South story.
April 9, 2015
This review was first published on Babblings of a Bookworm: http://babblingsofabookworm.blogspot....
This is a variation on North and South, which is one of my favourite books. If you’ve never read it I would heartily recommend it. Margaret Hale’s family relocates from the countryside, in the south of England to an industrial town in the North of England, a fictional place called Milton in ‘Darkshire’. Here she comes face to face with some harsh realities of life, sees want in its more unpleasant forms and meets young mill-owner Mr John Thornton. Margaret doesn’t appreciate Mr Thornton’s point of view on many things, including how he deals with his workers. Over time both of their viewpoints change – he starts to see the viewpoint of his workers, and takes a more humanitarian view, and she starts to better understand some of the pressures he works under, and gives him the credit he deserves for being such a strong and honourable self-made man.
I was a little thrown when Margaret’s hair colour was changed in first line of the prologue to be red instead of black, but I soon felt a bit more at home with the characters. This story picks up around the time of the riot. The mill workers in Milton are striking for more pay and Thornton has brought in mill hands from Ireland, which causes his workers to riot in protest. In the original Margaret goads him into going outside to face the mob to explain his viewpoint as she naively believes that he wouldn’t be in danger, being one man against many. In North and South Margaret realises her mistake when she sees people in the crowds with stones, and she rushes out to protect Thornton, as one human defending another, nothing more, and she gets injured. Here, although she attempts to protect Mr Thornton, he is the one who gets hit by the stone. He is momentarily knocked unconscious, and Margaret starts to see Thornton’s vulnerability much sooner than in N&S, so the scene the next day when he visits her unfolds differently. I am not sure that it follows that their visit would have gone so differently as in this variation, but I went with it!
Margaret and John’s relationship unfolds in a very different manner from canon following this initial change. One of the things I love about variations is the ripple effect, where a change doesn’t just change things initially but other things not directly connected with the variation. In this case, aside from the obvious differences to John and Margaret, Margaret’s relationship with Higgins is affected, Thornton’s relationship with Higgins starts at a different time, things also go differently for Boucher (the man who threw the stone and caused the strike to end), Margaret’s parents and even Thornton’s business affairs changed. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.
On the downside I felt that there was some repetition in the scenes between John and Margaret – I know we needed to see their relationship develop but there were a series of scenes that dragged a bit for me because they were all variations on him being full of feeling for her and not wanting to scare her off and her vacillating between not being sure how she feels for him, and being ashamed of being affected by him. I would have liked to see a little more variety in their interaction. I also felt that the book could have done with a bit more tension, as it was a very smooth ride – some people may prefer this, and I don’t like angst for the sake of angst but it felt a little flat to me. It picked up pace towards the end, but in some respects I felt this was a bit rushed, I would have liked to have seen a bit more detail on how some of the other relationships developed (sorry to be vague, but I’m trying not to put spoilers in!). The ending itself was entirely satisfactory all round, there were no loose ends or things that I’d have liked to have seen changed.
Although this isn’t quite in the style of Mrs Gaskell, being generally more sensual, I enjoyed this author’s style. The dialogue didn’t feel too modern and though the spelling was generally US English there were only a few American words. There are some sex scenes, but they are not particularly graphic. One thing which I found a bit off-putting was that Mr Thornton was often referred to as ‘The Master’ out of context – it’s fine when he’s being the master of the mill, or he’s being thought of as the master of the mill even though he’s doing something else but out of context it was just odd.
On the whole, I enjoyed my first foray into North & South-based reading outside of non-published fan fiction. In Consequence is not this author’s only book based on North & South, and I’ve added her other book, A Heart for Milton to my wishlist.
This is a variation on North and South, which is one of my favourite books. If you’ve never read it I would heartily recommend it. Margaret Hale’s family relocates from the countryside, in the south of England to an industrial town in the North of England, a fictional place called Milton in ‘Darkshire’. Here she comes face to face with some harsh realities of life, sees want in its more unpleasant forms and meets young mill-owner Mr John Thornton. Margaret doesn’t appreciate Mr Thornton’s point of view on many things, including how he deals with his workers. Over time both of their viewpoints change – he starts to see the viewpoint of his workers, and takes a more humanitarian view, and she starts to better understand some of the pressures he works under, and gives him the credit he deserves for being such a strong and honourable self-made man.
I was a little thrown when Margaret’s hair colour was changed in first line of the prologue to be red instead of black, but I soon felt a bit more at home with the characters. This story picks up around the time of the riot. The mill workers in Milton are striking for more pay and Thornton has brought in mill hands from Ireland, which causes his workers to riot in protest. In the original Margaret goads him into going outside to face the mob to explain his viewpoint as she naively believes that he wouldn’t be in danger, being one man against many. In North and South Margaret realises her mistake when she sees people in the crowds with stones, and she rushes out to protect Thornton, as one human defending another, nothing more, and she gets injured. Here, although she attempts to protect Mr Thornton, he is the one who gets hit by the stone. He is momentarily knocked unconscious, and Margaret starts to see Thornton’s vulnerability much sooner than in N&S, so the scene the next day when he visits her unfolds differently. I am not sure that it follows that their visit would have gone so differently as in this variation, but I went with it!
Margaret and John’s relationship unfolds in a very different manner from canon following this initial change. One of the things I love about variations is the ripple effect, where a change doesn’t just change things initially but other things not directly connected with the variation. In this case, aside from the obvious differences to John and Margaret, Margaret’s relationship with Higgins is affected, Thornton’s relationship with Higgins starts at a different time, things also go differently for Boucher (the man who threw the stone and caused the strike to end), Margaret’s parents and even Thornton’s business affairs changed. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.
On the downside I felt that there was some repetition in the scenes between John and Margaret – I know we needed to see their relationship develop but there were a series of scenes that dragged a bit for me because they were all variations on him being full of feeling for her and not wanting to scare her off and her vacillating between not being sure how she feels for him, and being ashamed of being affected by him. I would have liked to see a little more variety in their interaction. I also felt that the book could have done with a bit more tension, as it was a very smooth ride – some people may prefer this, and I don’t like angst for the sake of angst but it felt a little flat to me. It picked up pace towards the end, but in some respects I felt this was a bit rushed, I would have liked to have seen a bit more detail on how some of the other relationships developed (sorry to be vague, but I’m trying not to put spoilers in!). The ending itself was entirely satisfactory all round, there were no loose ends or things that I’d have liked to have seen changed.
Although this isn’t quite in the style of Mrs Gaskell, being generally more sensual, I enjoyed this author’s style. The dialogue didn’t feel too modern and though the spelling was generally US English there were only a few American words. There are some sex scenes, but they are not particularly graphic. One thing which I found a bit off-putting was that Mr Thornton was often referred to as ‘The Master’ out of context – it’s fine when he’s being the master of the mill, or he’s being thought of as the master of the mill even though he’s doing something else but out of context it was just odd.
On the whole, I enjoyed my first foray into North & South-based reading outside of non-published fan fiction. In Consequence is not this author’s only book based on North & South, and I’ve added her other book, A Heart for Milton to my wishlist.
January 22, 2014
I just adored this book. It held me spellbound. Loved it! Highly recommend to any fan of the BBC 2004 version of North & South.
February 17, 2017
4.5 stars
The original book and the movie with Richard Armitage are favorites of mine. I have read other variations and/or sequels.
This book is a variation of the original plot and while the course of events does not vary radically from canon it is the romance that drew me in and kept me turning pages. The author spends a great deal of time inside John's and Margaret's minds as John proposes at the same time as in canon BUT is accepted as he tells her upfront that he loves her. And the next day he also writes a letter stating in detail his admiration and respect for her...even though she has challenged him in public and painted him as uncaring for his employees.
I marveled at the author's ability to write so well not only the physical draw, the magnetic attraction, between John and Margaret, but also the determination by John to respect and not compromise his love light. Margaret cannot quite understand the reason she accepted his hand but can't deny the new and disturbing feelings when she is in his presence or when he touches her and even more so when he kisses her. As he hears her ideas or suggestions as to management and labor relations he finds ways of coming up with solutions all his own but yet pleasing to her. He also finds ways to respect her relationship with Higgins and his daughter, Mary.
Many of the main points in canon are here: Hannah Thornton's possessive and protective relationship with her son, Mrs. Hale's failing health, John Hale's exile and short return, Mr. Hale's tutoring of John and their friendship, the strike and how is concludes (with one varying point), Leonard's happening upon John at the RR station, the Crystal Exposition in London, etc.
But we have a period of time after the wedding and then an Epilogue which bring some very sweet moments...yes, the honeymoon is written of but without graphic details. I enjoyed reading of this extended period as it settled for me, the reader, how John kept in his heart the ideals of honor and respect that he and Margaret nurtured and grew together between them and towards their family, their community and those who worked in his factory.
This was a very satisfying and lovely read which I can recommend to lovers of North and South.
The original book and the movie with Richard Armitage are favorites of mine. I have read other variations and/or sequels.
This book is a variation of the original plot and while the course of events does not vary radically from canon it is the romance that drew me in and kept me turning pages. The author spends a great deal of time inside John's and Margaret's minds as John proposes at the same time as in canon BUT is accepted as he tells her upfront that he loves her. And the next day he also writes a letter stating in detail his admiration and respect for her...even though she has challenged him in public and painted him as uncaring for his employees.
I marveled at the author's ability to write so well not only the physical draw, the magnetic attraction, between John and Margaret, but also the determination by John to respect and not compromise his love light. Margaret cannot quite understand the reason she accepted his hand but can't deny the new and disturbing feelings when she is in his presence or when he touches her and even more so when he kisses her. As he hears her ideas or suggestions as to management and labor relations he finds ways of coming up with solutions all his own but yet pleasing to her. He also finds ways to respect her relationship with Higgins and his daughter, Mary.
Many of the main points in canon are here: Hannah Thornton's possessive and protective relationship with her son, Mrs. Hale's failing health, John Hale's exile and short return, Mr. Hale's tutoring of John and their friendship, the strike and how is concludes (with one varying point), Leonard's happening upon John at the RR station, the Crystal Exposition in London, etc.
But we have a period of time after the wedding and then an Epilogue which bring some very sweet moments...yes, the honeymoon is written of but without graphic details. I enjoyed reading of this extended period as it settled for me, the reader, how John kept in his heart the ideals of honor and respect that he and Margaret nurtured and grew together between them and towards their family, their community and those who worked in his factory.
This was a very satisfying and lovely read which I can recommend to lovers of North and South.
March 29, 2014
I don't want to give too much away with the plot of this book. If you read the description of the book, you will know it's based on Gaskell's wonderful North & South. What you might not be aware of, which I feel should be said, is this is a "why if story". The writer, Trudy Brasure, examines what would happen if certain events in the story had a different outcome. How would that change have effected the characters moving forward.
Needless to say I loved every last word. Again, I'm unsure of what else to say, as I don't want to spoil the experience for anyone else. I will say, it is not a story that dives into the industrial struggle but focuses more on our two main characters.
Thank you Trudy.. it was a pleasure to read.
Needless to say I loved every last word. Again, I'm unsure of what else to say, as I don't want to spoil the experience for anyone else. I will say, it is not a story that dives into the industrial struggle but focuses more on our two main characters.
Thank you Trudy.. it was a pleasure to read.
April 8, 2014
Trudy Brasure has a great formula for North and South fan lit. I loved her first book "Heart for Milton" and enjoyed "In Consequence" almost as much. the writing is very good and more faithful to the original novel in style and decorum. There are quite a few bodice ripper version of North and South out there (coincidently, many are poorly edited) and they serve a wicked fantasy purpose. I enjoy the fantasy versions for what they are, but once in a while, it's good to return to Ms Brasure's books to revisit the innocence of John and Margaret's budding romance.
March 25, 2014
There are a number of editing slips that should be corrected, but it's not badly written style-wise. There just isn't much of what I'd call conflict. It was annoying. I kept waiting for it, but it didn't happen. There were a number of things that COULD have happened, that were hinted at, but none of them happened. There were hints of jealousy from another woman, hints that Frederick might object to John marrying his sister, etc. Yet none of these things came up again. Everything was just easily dealt with and easily fixed and everyone was just so damned happy. Except for when John and Margaret were both pining for each other. There was A LOT of that. Half of the book was just the two of them pining, pining, pining and Margaret not understanding that she was pining. And then there was a lot of sneaky kisses and a few quick gropes and guilt over said gropes because everyone is way repressed. But, hey, historical romance. Someone is usually repressed in those. I was disappointed in the wedding night scene. There was a lot of build up to that and it was, well, not good. I wasn't expecting the scene to be down and dirty - it's not an erotic novel - but I was hoping for something a bit more than wham-bam, etc. Things were better later, but more romanticized (and unrealistic) than sexy. That's probably what the author was going for, though. The story was quite romantic at times, despite all the pining and lack of active conflict. It did keep me interested, but I wasn't content reading it. It made me antsy, waiting for something bad to happen to disrupt things, but things were mostly just happy. 400+ pages of it.
June 15, 2016
This book was a retelling of the novel North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It followed many of the same lines of the original, but made it more of an adult romance, and extended it out past John and Margaret's marriage. I don't know what I was expecting, as I had already read North & South, so a retelling would be, you know, redundant if it wasn't changed enough, but if it was greatly changed, then it really wouldn't be a retelling. I found Brasure's writing slow, sappy, and repetitious - it seemed in every other paragraph she was writing a different way to say the same thought/feeling expressed previously. There was a lot of fluttering eyelashes and maidenly blushes. And lots of "fairly's lol. "He fairly groaned at the tremors of sensation aroused by her fond touch...". Oops. I think I just made my review PG-13.
January 31, 2015
What if Margaret said yes during the first proposal? What then? This is a retelling of North and South that attempts to answer that question. Basically, it's just an extension of the BBC miniseries and really just mindless fun. Brasure is not a bad author and tastefully continues her version of the story. Much of it was romantic and fun.
Three stars for me, however, as after a while the lack of conflict started to get frustrating. And Margaret seems a bit colorless and washed out. Her spunk is missing. Also, needs a bit of editing and I got a little bored toward the end and began skipping sections.
But if you're like me, stuck in a doctor's office and looking for something quick and easy, give this one a try. The author for the most part really captures the feel of the miniseries and and it was a bit fun to get carried away in it.
Three stars for me, however, as after a while the lack of conflict started to get frustrating. And Margaret seems a bit colorless and washed out. Her spunk is missing. Also, needs a bit of editing and I got a little bored toward the end and began skipping sections.
But if you're like me, stuck in a doctor's office and looking for something quick and easy, give this one a try. The author for the most part really captures the feel of the miniseries and and it was a bit fun to get carried away in it.
April 27, 2014
Loved Trudy´s first book, and this didn´t disappoint me too. Wonderfully romantic and sensuous with another "what would have happened if..." plot. Can´t wait to read more of her North and South adaptations, which are so near to Gaskell and the BBC series!
November 2, 2015
Unfortunately, I found this retelling of Elizabeth Gaskell's "North & South" boring and unimaginative... It was really romantic and all, but it wasn't enough for me.
April 27, 2014
I will say this for the author, she really gets North and South. The feel of this novel just rings with all that I adored from the BBC adaption (the only version of North & South I've experienced). The intensity of the emotion in the story, the feel for the Victorian times (both societal mores and the upheaval between the haves and have-nots), and the beautiful romance all make an appearance. I enjoyed continuing my North and South experience in reading this novel. I really felt like I was continuing to explore that world, the author just extended the vibe that well.
The romance... Oh the romance! The author really gets that in this continuation/re-telling. I was swept away in the sheer passion and intensity of emotion these two individuals felt for each other. I found myself, more than once, just hugging my Kindle to my chest, trying to contain all the emotion I was feeling in my heart. The author reaches into your soul and just makes you want everything to work out alright for these two. I wish every author trying to write romance did it half as well as Ms. Brasure. It's pretty much the best part of this book.
There are, however, other parts that were not so successful. There was a distinct lack of conflict or anything else, really, in this novel other than romance. There were the canon elements like the stuff with Margaret's brother, Fred, that could be classified as conflict. But that lasted like what, 3 chapters? Maybe?! Everything just seemed to work way too well for this couple. After the whole mob scene where the book diverges from canon, everything is ssssmmmooooottttthhh sailing for this duo, with nary an argument, family squabble, nor personality rub. *sigh* Kinda boring actually...
There are a few other little things. Margaret doesn't have quite the spark she did in canon. John starts making decisions that seem completely out of character from canon. And don't get me started on the whole "Master" thing... Yes, we all know John's a owner and master of a cotton mill. Do we need to use that descriptor (capitalized even!!!) on almost every other page to describe him?! Can anyone say 2x4 and head?
At the end of the day, I enjoyed this re-telling for the romance and the intensity of emotion it contained. It reminded me of the original and my love for it. Would I call this high literature? Most definitely not with a lack of conflict that makes me cringe and some other issues. But it's a good read for a North & South lover. So if you enjoyed the BBC adaption and are looking for a fix once done, give this book a look.
The romance... Oh the romance! The author really gets that in this continuation/re-telling. I was swept away in the sheer passion and intensity of emotion these two individuals felt for each other. I found myself, more than once, just hugging my Kindle to my chest, trying to contain all the emotion I was feeling in my heart. The author reaches into your soul and just makes you want everything to work out alright for these two. I wish every author trying to write romance did it half as well as Ms. Brasure. It's pretty much the best part of this book.
There are, however, other parts that were not so successful. There was a distinct lack of conflict or anything else, really, in this novel other than romance. There were the canon elements like the stuff with Margaret's brother, Fred, that could be classified as conflict. But that lasted like what, 3 chapters? Maybe?! Everything just seemed to work way too well for this couple. After the whole mob scene where the book diverges from canon, everything is ssssmmmooooottttthhh sailing for this duo, with nary an argument, family squabble, nor personality rub. *sigh* Kinda boring actually...
There are a few other little things. Margaret doesn't have quite the spark she did in canon. John starts making decisions that seem completely out of character from canon. And don't get me started on the whole "Master" thing... Yes, we all know John's a owner and master of a cotton mill. Do we need to use that descriptor (capitalized even!!!) on almost every other page to describe him?! Can anyone say 2x4 and head?
At the end of the day, I enjoyed this re-telling for the romance and the intensity of emotion it contained. It reminded me of the original and my love for it. Would I call this high literature? Most definitely not with a lack of conflict that makes me cringe and some other issues. But it's a good read for a North & South lover. So if you enjoyed the BBC adaption and are looking for a fix once done, give this book a look.
March 20, 2016
Silly Fantasy Fan Fiction
This read like an awkward teenager's fantasy of what might have happened to the characters from North & South. After 60% of the story, I skimmed to the end just in case I missed out on some turning point. But no, there was nothing redeemable in the prose, plot or characterization.
If the author skipped the endless repetitions of how beautiful John finds Margaret, or how her love will soothe his soul, or how he longs for her, the rest of the story *might* fill 100 pages. Many other themes from the original story & the miniseries are flogged to death with tedious repetition (for instance how Mrs. Thornton worries about Margaret replacing her in John's affections or how John worries he's not worthy of Margaret). Several pages read like bland descriptions of scenes from the miniseries (the dinner party at Thorntons' or the Great Exhibition). And the romantic scenes and dialogue are clumsy & childish.
Regarding the plot, every point of conflict central to the story - John & Margaret's rocky relationship, Margaret's passionate defense of the poor, Frederick's visit, Boucher's ill fortune, John's financial problems, Mrs. Thornton's dislike of Margaret, etc. - is either resolved before it arises or is resolved after the slightest upset. Other than a wedding, nothing happens in this story!!
Finally, the characters of John & Margaret are so watered down by the author's effort to reconcile their quick engagement that they lose the qualities we know & love them for.
I really liked the idea of N&S fan fiction but this was completely unsatisfying.
This read like an awkward teenager's fantasy of what might have happened to the characters from North & South. After 60% of the story, I skimmed to the end just in case I missed out on some turning point. But no, there was nothing redeemable in the prose, plot or characterization.
If the author skipped the endless repetitions of how beautiful John finds Margaret, or how her love will soothe his soul, or how he longs for her, the rest of the story *might* fill 100 pages. Many other themes from the original story & the miniseries are flogged to death with tedious repetition (for instance how Mrs. Thornton worries about Margaret replacing her in John's affections or how John worries he's not worthy of Margaret). Several pages read like bland descriptions of scenes from the miniseries (the dinner party at Thorntons' or the Great Exhibition). And the romantic scenes and dialogue are clumsy & childish.
Regarding the plot, every point of conflict central to the story - John & Margaret's rocky relationship, Margaret's passionate defense of the poor, Frederick's visit, Boucher's ill fortune, John's financial problems, Mrs. Thornton's dislike of Margaret, etc. - is either resolved before it arises or is resolved after the slightest upset. Other than a wedding, nothing happens in this story!!
Finally, the characters of John & Margaret are so watered down by the author's effort to reconcile their quick engagement that they lose the qualities we know & love them for.
I really liked the idea of N&S fan fiction but this was completely unsatisfying.
December 27, 2016
I happened to watch the period drama North and South adapted by BBC three years ago and fell in love with it at once (at the first glimpse of Mr. Thornton, perhaps). It was so beautiful that I could not help searching more information related. Naturally Trudy' books came to me. In consequence is the second N&S fan-fiction I have read and I am still enchanted with it very much. Like A Heart for Milton, the first time I have ever approached to N&S fan-fictions, it focuses on Margaret and John' s love but in a dreamier and ideal way, reminding me of a fairy tale where a prince and a princes always live together happily. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying it is less wonderful than the first one. On contrary, it somehow comforted me in a way that neither the canon and A Heart could do, letting Margaret say Yes when John asked her hand at the first time. Starting as sweetest as you can ever imagine, it narrates a deadly romantic love that I believe every girl hopes for a life. I don't know how to choose the exact words to express my feelings for this book, but if you are a fan of either BBC version or the canon, In Consequence is must- read!
October 14, 2014
As a huge fan of the miniseries North and South based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, this is actually the first sequel/retelling of the story that I've read. And what fun it is! Events happen just the same until the riot scene, at which point things take a much different route. John and Margaret have way more opportunities to spend time together, setting up several cute and sweet moments between them. Their interactions are almost always fraught with misunderstandings in the original story, and that remains the same here. Although things get cleared up quite a bit quicker and their open communication is a welcome change! I also really enjoyed getting a glimpse of their married life together. Nicholas is as impudent as ever, Mrs. Thornton as stern, Mr. and Mrs. Hale just the same, and really the entire cast of characters are wonderful. If you enjoy retellings of classic stories, I'd recommend this one for a bit of fun.
September 7, 2015
Wonderful!
I was a late-comer to the BBC series so I missed out on this moving, romantic tale until Netflix ran it. I then read the original novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. Thankfully I ran across Trudy's retelling of it which I found to be far less depressing than the original, however much the darker parts of the original made the ending seem so sweet in contrast. Although I thought I understood Margaret's refusal of John Thornton's proposal in the original novel, Trudy's retelling of this scene changed everything. As a writer I could almost see the author thinking, ' What if that scene had turned out differently?' This was a well-written, tastefully done transition of the original. I commend the author for not only her devotion to these two characters from that original novel but tastefully retelling the story in such a way as to take very little away from the original. Beautiful job.
I was a late-comer to the BBC series so I missed out on this moving, romantic tale until Netflix ran it. I then read the original novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. Thankfully I ran across Trudy's retelling of it which I found to be far less depressing than the original, however much the darker parts of the original made the ending seem so sweet in contrast. Although I thought I understood Margaret's refusal of John Thornton's proposal in the original novel, Trudy's retelling of this scene changed everything. As a writer I could almost see the author thinking, ' What if that scene had turned out differently?' This was a well-written, tastefully done transition of the original. I commend the author for not only her devotion to these two characters from that original novel but tastefully retelling the story in such a way as to take very little away from the original. Beautiful job.
January 22, 2015
An amazing continuation of a great love story
A very gratifying and enjoyable book that continues one of the great love stories. This book holds your interest as it takes a very different premise from the original plot. It is interesting the way the characters interact and grow into a loving harmonious family and pull together for the greater good. The characters seem more genuine and realistic of the times than most reads.
A very gratifying and enjoyable book that continues one of the great love stories. This book holds your interest as it takes a very different premise from the original plot. It is interesting the way the characters interact and grow into a loving harmonious family and pull together for the greater good. The characters seem more genuine and realistic of the times than most reads.
July 29, 2022
3.5 Stars.
June 24, 2016
One of the better retelling of the North and South version I've read. Though at one point I was be moaning about when are you going to bring up Frederick and a chapter later there he was. I'm bad.
October 9, 2024
⭐️5.5/5⭐️ 💖Enemies to Lovers💖
Perfect Love Story!
💕FOR THE REASONS I READ ROMANCE:
The Connection of the Couple: 6/5
Do I believe the couple will endure after the last chapter: 5/5
Couple spent enough time together: 5/5
Give and Take balance between the couple: 3/5
Couple was balanced and suited: 5/5
Banter and Fun Times: 4/5
🖋️THE WORDS
Show and not Tell: 5/5
Was I transported and enraptured: 5/5
Was the language sophisticated: 5/5
⛔️(SPOILERS BELOW)⛔️
🌸OTHER NOTES
Characters Likability:
H: The H was steadfast, loyal, and just wants to make his woman happy. He felt underserving of her love and spends the whole book taking care of her, being considerate and showing his affection. He also gets so angry with himself that he loses control of his sexy urges towards her. He was a gem.
h: In the original North and South, the h came across the pages very strongly, she was upstanding, of strong moral character and sometimes even impulsive and lost her temper. In this, after the proposal scene took place, I found that she was a shadow of her former self. The H solved all her problems that she had really nothing to fight for. This put the H in a great light but all the things I liked about the original Margaret character was missing.
The Couple’s Connection:
The yearning, the development from light touches to a burning passion, the infatuation to a deep and mutual, meaningful love and partnership was just so epic in this. I have no complaints, I enjoyed every minute of the building of this connection. It was so slow and detailed, moving and building, and each step was lengthened in way that I savored every word. It was perfection on top of perfection.
Push Pull:
There is no pushing away, there was only earning of trust and learning to lean on someone.
The Ending:
The ending was happy for all. They are married with children, their parents settled, the mill and its future charting a new destiny.
I was equally happy for the things that didn’t happen, that I never liked in the original book, the father doesn’t die, Mr. Belle never proposes (kinda ew), Marlborough Mills never goes under or had to close its doors. Because these things were NOT in this ending, I found this more satisfying.
SUMMARY
My favorite thing about this book:
The couple’s connection and the building of the tension, the creating of the simple special moments even in mundane places such as the front hall of the h’s house, this whole thing was just pure perfection and standard to aspire to.
What I didn’t like:
Everything was smooth sailing until the wedding and honeymoon. When they got back and the story took the turn of grieving, I have to say it was a let down and cast a shadow over the rest of the end of the book. When I reread this I will only read up to their honeymoon!
Should you read this: Yes!
Will this go on my favorites shelf to read again: Yes!
My Personal Preference:
Of course I love my H’s to be super in-love, I like them to earn the h, slowly and steadfastly. My only gripe with this is I felt it lacked balance between how much the H gave and how little the h gave back. I really love a good H but what I love even more is if both are taking care of each other and love each other and there is an equality to it. I just needed a few more scenes with the h initiating, expressing and caring for her man and that would be perfect with a cherry on top.
Preference Checklist:
Third Act Break Up ✖️
OW/OM-Centric Drama ✖️
Cheating ✖️
h Goes Thru too Much Abuse ✖️
h was the Mistress Troupe ✖️
H was a Gentleman ✔️
H did Most of the First Moves ✔️
Mystery/Suspense Side Plot ✖️
(In HRs) Sex Before Promise of Marriage ✖️
(In HRs) Modern Themes✖️
Too Many Chapters About Other Things NOT About the Couple ✖️
Too Many Allusions to Other Books in the Series ✖️ Too Much Marketing within the Chapters About the Following Book or Other Books ✖️
Other Things:
My Rating System:
6 - This was great/funny/enjoyable AND the story touched my heart.
5 - This was great/funny/enjoyable.
4 - I liked this but there was one small thing or small things I didn’t like.
3 - I liked it but it had flaws I couldn’t overlook.
2 - I was very disappointed.
1 - Terrible
Perfect Love Story!
💕FOR THE REASONS I READ ROMANCE:
The Connection of the Couple: 6/5
Do I believe the couple will endure after the last chapter: 5/5
Couple spent enough time together: 5/5
Give and Take balance between the couple: 3/5
Couple was balanced and suited: 5/5
Banter and Fun Times: 4/5
🖋️THE WORDS
Show and not Tell: 5/5
Was I transported and enraptured: 5/5
Was the language sophisticated: 5/5
⛔️(SPOILERS BELOW)⛔️
🌸OTHER NOTES
Characters Likability:
H: The H was steadfast, loyal, and just wants to make his woman happy. He felt underserving of her love and spends the whole book taking care of her, being considerate and showing his affection. He also gets so angry with himself that he loses control of his sexy urges towards her. He was a gem.
h: In the original North and South, the h came across the pages very strongly, she was upstanding, of strong moral character and sometimes even impulsive and lost her temper. In this, after the proposal scene took place, I found that she was a shadow of her former self. The H solved all her problems that she had really nothing to fight for. This put the H in a great light but all the things I liked about the original Margaret character was missing.
The Couple’s Connection:
The yearning, the development from light touches to a burning passion, the infatuation to a deep and mutual, meaningful love and partnership was just so epic in this. I have no complaints, I enjoyed every minute of the building of this connection. It was so slow and detailed, moving and building, and each step was lengthened in way that I savored every word. It was perfection on top of perfection.
Push Pull:
There is no pushing away, there was only earning of trust and learning to lean on someone.
The Ending:
The ending was happy for all. They are married with children, their parents settled, the mill and its future charting a new destiny.
I was equally happy for the things that didn’t happen, that I never liked in the original book, the father doesn’t die, Mr. Belle never proposes (kinda ew), Marlborough Mills never goes under or had to close its doors. Because these things were NOT in this ending, I found this more satisfying.
SUMMARY
My favorite thing about this book:
The couple’s connection and the building of the tension, the creating of the simple special moments even in mundane places such as the front hall of the h’s house, this whole thing was just pure perfection and standard to aspire to.
What I didn’t like:
Everything was smooth sailing until the wedding and honeymoon. When they got back and the story took the turn of grieving, I have to say it was a let down and cast a shadow over the rest of the end of the book. When I reread this I will only read up to their honeymoon!
Should you read this: Yes!
Will this go on my favorites shelf to read again: Yes!
My Personal Preference:
Of course I love my H’s to be super in-love, I like them to earn the h, slowly and steadfastly. My only gripe with this is I felt it lacked balance between how much the H gave and how little the h gave back. I really love a good H but what I love even more is if both are taking care of each other and love each other and there is an equality to it. I just needed a few more scenes with the h initiating, expressing and caring for her man and that would be perfect with a cherry on top.
Preference Checklist:
Third Act Break Up ✖️
OW/OM-Centric Drama ✖️
Cheating ✖️
h Goes Thru too Much Abuse ✖️
h was the Mistress Troupe ✖️
H was a Gentleman ✔️
H did Most of the First Moves ✔️
Mystery/Suspense Side Plot ✖️
(In HRs) Sex Before Promise of Marriage ✖️
(In HRs) Modern Themes✖️
Too Many Chapters About Other Things NOT About the Couple ✖️
Too Many Allusions to Other Books in the Series ✖️ Too Much Marketing within the Chapters About the Following Book or Other Books ✖️
Other Things:
My Rating System:
6 - This was great/funny/enjoyable AND the story touched my heart.
5 - This was great/funny/enjoyable.
4 - I liked this but there was one small thing or small things I didn’t like.
3 - I liked it but it had flaws I couldn’t overlook.
2 - I was very disappointed.
1 - Terrible
August 24, 2025
Ri-scrivere un capolavoro (come so bene) è una sfida irta di trabocchetti: lo stesso amore per l'originale trascina il ri-scrittore per un viottolo impervio. Come unire il rispetto (o addirittura l'adorazione) per l'autore con la propria personale ambizione creativa?
Ho forse scelto il volume sbagliato della trilogia di TB, ma, dopo un inizio sufficientemente apprezzabile, l'ho trovato deludente. L'autrice decide di modificare qua e là la trama della Gaskell: e fin qui, niente di male. Ma, avendo deciso di far fidanzare i due protagonisti subito dopo le sommosse operaie chiuse dalla fatidica sassata (che, con un cambio di prospettiva inaspettato, colpirà Thornton e non Elizabeth), non poteva poi lasciar trascinare la storia per altre quattrocento pagine, prive di eventi significativi: certo, la lettrice alla ricerca di un po' di romanticismo potrà assistere all'evoluzione dei sentimenti dei personaggi creati da Elizabeth Gaskell; ma io mi sono sentita orfana dell'avvincente tensione che percorre 'North and South', e ho ben presto trovato stucchevoli e ripetitive le scene d'amore.
E in tutto ciò restava assolutamente nello sfondo il vero tema del romanzo, la rivoluzione industriale: una scelta che farà esclamare a un suo critico (Lord David Cecil) " L'argomento ... comporta una comprensione di economia e storia completamente estranea al suo intelletto di donna vittoriana. E le uniche emozioni qui evocate potevano essere solo maschili e violente"
Ho forse scelto il volume sbagliato della trilogia di TB, ma, dopo un inizio sufficientemente apprezzabile, l'ho trovato deludente. L'autrice decide di modificare qua e là la trama della Gaskell: e fin qui, niente di male. Ma, avendo deciso di far fidanzare i due protagonisti subito dopo le sommosse operaie chiuse dalla fatidica sassata (che, con un cambio di prospettiva inaspettato, colpirà Thornton e non Elizabeth), non poteva poi lasciar trascinare la storia per altre quattrocento pagine, prive di eventi significativi: certo, la lettrice alla ricerca di un po' di romanticismo potrà assistere all'evoluzione dei sentimenti dei personaggi creati da Elizabeth Gaskell; ma io mi sono sentita orfana dell'avvincente tensione che percorre 'North and South', e ho ben presto trovato stucchevoli e ripetitive le scene d'amore.
E in tutto ciò restava assolutamente nello sfondo il vero tema del romanzo, la rivoluzione industriale: una scelta che farà esclamare a un suo critico (Lord David Cecil) " L'argomento ... comporta una comprensione di economia e storia completamente estranea al suo intelletto di donna vittoriana. E le uniche emozioni qui evocate potevano essere solo maschili e violente"
January 9, 2018
So as a summary if you read North and South, but skipped the bits about the union workers. Or you watched the TV series and loved the characters but wished there was more romance and less Dickensian death, then this is the book for you!
I loved North and South and have reread it many times so was slightly nervous about this retelling, but I had seen it recommended on another review so gave it a go . This books takes the first proposal Mr Thornton makes, changes the response he receives and then goes from there. This is a romance story between the two main characters and the author keeps their characters from the original story very well. As the author admits in the introduction, she was heavily influenced by the way the characters were presented in the BBC adaptation and that is clear to see. However, I do not think this is a bad thing as Richard Armitage is Mr Thornton in my head, and I suspect many others as well! I was also pleasantly surprised that a lot of the other main characters have their story line developed also.
Overall this is an enjoyable read, and good for anyone who like me, isn't quite ready to leave beloved characters behind.
I loved North and South and have reread it many times so was slightly nervous about this retelling, but I had seen it recommended on another review so gave it a go . This books takes the first proposal Mr Thornton makes, changes the response he receives and then goes from there. This is a romance story between the two main characters and the author keeps their characters from the original story very well. As the author admits in the introduction, she was heavily influenced by the way the characters were presented in the BBC adaptation and that is clear to see. However, I do not think this is a bad thing as Richard Armitage is Mr Thornton in my head, and I suspect many others as well! I was also pleasantly surprised that a lot of the other main characters have their story line developed also.
Overall this is an enjoyable read, and good for anyone who like me, isn't quite ready to leave beloved characters behind.
August 5, 2025
I love North & South. I love reading it, I love watching it. It is a beautiful, gripping and deep story beyond the love of the main characters.
That said, whenever I read or watch it, I anticipate the proposal with dread. It is a beautiful, tragic scene that feels true to the characters… BUT… I always kind of think ”What if Margaret said yes?” And kind of yearn for it.
Well this is that ”What if” and it is wonderful! I loved it. It even lets some characters (that die in the original) live and it is precious.
This will become a must read whenever I re-visit North & South.
I just loved how the author weaved in the events of the original in this new scenario.
I could gush and gush about how emotionally satisfying this was.
My complaints are that it is sometimes too repetitive with the characters POV’s, the same thoughts over and over. And it is sometimes too eager to remind us how feminine Margaret is. Like I am fine being told she is ”everything that is soft and feminine” several times, but when we’re even told (immediately after btw) about her ”feminine blouse” it felt a bit much.
That is a minor quibble though. I thoroughly loved reading this and will read it again.
That said, whenever I read or watch it, I anticipate the proposal with dread. It is a beautiful, tragic scene that feels true to the characters… BUT… I always kind of think ”What if Margaret said yes?” And kind of yearn for it.
Well this is that ”What if” and it is wonderful! I loved it. It even lets some characters (that die in the original) live and it is precious.
This will become a must read whenever I re-visit North & South.
I just loved how the author weaved in the events of the original in this new scenario.
I could gush and gush about how emotionally satisfying this was.
My complaints are that it is sometimes too repetitive with the characters POV’s, the same thoughts over and over. And it is sometimes too eager to remind us how feminine Margaret is. Like I am fine being told she is ”everything that is soft and feminine” several times, but when we’re even told (immediately after btw) about her ”feminine blouse” it felt a bit much.
That is a minor quibble though. I thoroughly loved reading this and will read it again.
May 20, 2024
Interesting Plot Twist in a Classic . . .
For those who have read Elizabeth Gaskell's classic North & South, this is an interesting retelling. (Slight spoiler alert for those that haven't read the original)
After the harrowing events of the riot, upon John Thornton's proposal to Margaret Hale; instead of being refused, in this version, he's accepted! And thus goes into the events that follow accepting his proposal at that time.
I enjoyed how John & Margaret grew in their understanding, love and appreciation of one another. I also appreciated how the author to into consideration how Margaret's acceptance would change the storyline for all of those involved & adjusted the subplots accordingly.
Do I think you should read the original? Yes.
Will this ever replace the original? No.
Is this a light, entertaining read that captures the spirit of those original characters (with more make out descriptions than books of that time period)? Yes.
Definitely a page turning read with tender and poignant moments along the way!
For those who have read Elizabeth Gaskell's classic North & South, this is an interesting retelling. (Slight spoiler alert for those that haven't read the original)
After the harrowing events of the riot, upon John Thornton's proposal to Margaret Hale; instead of being refused, in this version, he's accepted! And thus goes into the events that follow accepting his proposal at that time.
I enjoyed how John & Margaret grew in their understanding, love and appreciation of one another. I also appreciated how the author to into consideration how Margaret's acceptance would change the storyline for all of those involved & adjusted the subplots accordingly.
Do I think you should read the original? Yes.
Will this ever replace the original? No.
Is this a light, entertaining read that captures the spirit of those original characters (with more make out descriptions than books of that time period)? Yes.
Definitely a page turning read with tender and poignant moments along the way!
November 5, 2017
Well written
A great binge read, or a fun daily anticipation, this book delivers. This book takes the reader down alternative paths at various important turning points and descriptively works out its conclusions realistically. Although heavy on the romance between John and Margaret, there is still enough tension for the reader to keep one from rolling their eyes. This book was enjoyable to read. I recommend it highly!
A great binge read, or a fun daily anticipation, this book delivers. This book takes the reader down alternative paths at various important turning points and descriptively works out its conclusions realistically. Although heavy on the romance between John and Margaret, there is still enough tension for the reader to keep one from rolling their eyes. This book was enjoyable to read. I recommend it highly!
May 26, 2017
Lovely
I adore Trudy Brasure's writing style. It helps paint the picture of Milton and John and Margaret's love in such perfection that you can feel their emotions within. I cannot help but smile, laugh, love, and ache for the characters. Bravo!
I adore Trudy Brasure's writing style. It helps paint the picture of Milton and John and Margaret's love in such perfection that you can feel their emotions within. I cannot help but smile, laugh, love, and ache for the characters. Bravo!
January 3, 2018
An alternative version of loved by many "North and South" story. Book starts in the familiar setting of Milton and then, at the proposal scene, author takes reader on "what if" journey. Good and easy read for everyone who loves John and Margaret stories.
October 1, 2023
It was well written, but it was just not my type of book. There was very little new plot, if any. Also, it was smooth sailing the whole book which surprised me. I would read it if you love the original and want more love. The voices felt very much like the original.
March 14, 2017
About halfway through I would have said I would recommend it to hard core fans of the original or the BBC adaptation, but the only people I can really recommend it to is hard core fans who REALLY love straight romance. Romances where the whole book revolves around the main characters feelings but not a lot happens plot-wise. It was repetitive for me and I couldn't wait for it to end so it would be over. I would not recommend it to anyone who has not read the original or seen the BBC special as the book does not start at the beginning of the story and you would miss out on a lot of the back story. Parts were definitely good and all the characters were true to the original, but overall it was a disappointment.
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