1929 (Book 1 of the 1929 Series) by M.L. Gardner

February 19, 2015 by Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

As Black Thursday triggers financial despondency, three young couples in New York City must trade their lives of luxury for poverty, tragedy, and setbacks.

When Jonathan Garrett’s brokerage firm collapses on the day of the Stock Market Crash, he unites with his closest friends (and former business partners), Aryl and Caleb, to relocate, track down a low-paying job, and cultivate a new life.

As the three men toil in their laborious jobs, their wives, Ava, Arianna, and Claire, slowly adapt to life in a shabby, rundown apartment, learning to sew, cook, and clean. With the help of their former, outspoken, Irish maid, Maura, and a new, equally Irish friend, Shannon, the wives become even closer than before.

The couples’ rocky path leads to more turmoil, however, when a business rival, Victor Drayton, creates one disaster after another. From petty tricks to outright violence, Victor’s nefarious mind will stop at nothing to beat down Jonathan’s last glimmer of hope.

Despite everything, Jonathan and his friends are fixated on surviving.

Emotional and financial destruction nip at their heels, until finally, with a lucky twist of fate, they escape city life and begin anew in their hometown of Rockport, Massachusetts.

A story set in the past, 1929 is full of romance, drama, and humor. Vivid, expertly crafted characters make this novel more than memorable–1929 is unforgettable.

Synopsis provided by GoodReads.

Discussion on 1929: Jonathan’s Cross

February 6, 2015 by Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

1) How would you react if a secret your significant other kept hidden from you for many years suddenly resurfaced, changing your life forever?

2) Would you choose your friends over your wife, or vice-versa, if the situation called for it? What would be your justification?

3) How far would you go to make someone else’s life a living hell?

4) If you lost everything you worked for in the blink of an eye, would you do whatever it takes to gain it all back?

1929: Jonathan’s Cross by M.L. Gardner – Book Review

February 6, 2015February 6, 2015 by Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

“Every day we all wake up and struggle to put one foot in front of the other with no promise that at the end of the day, life will be any better. But you get up anyway. You keep breathing and hold on to faith that somehow, someday things are going to change for the better. Probably when we least expect it” – Aryl Sullivan, p. 198

What do you do when everything you’ve worked so hard for in life gets ripped away from you in the blink of an eye? Do you give up and throw yourself off the proverbial roof, or do you claw your way from the bottom of the pit and get back on top? This is what the characters of Jonathan’s Cross had to figure out the hard way, and it was a journey that was worth reading.

As we know, the book begins with the tragic Black Thursday event, the day that the Stock Market crashed back in 1929, causing thousands of people to lose everything that they had. It could be called one of the worst economic tragedies in the world, and in this book, our characters lost everything. The firm that they built from the ground up was wiped out, and they had to figure out how to survive with their wives, completely poor with no money to their name.

The character development in this book is one that was very realistic, even to the point of frustration. There were times when I wished that the characters could just listen to reason, and try to work things out. Then again, I wasn’t in their position, and I think that if I were in their shoes facing the exact same things, I would have probably reacted the same way. I believe that this was one of the reasons why I loved the book so much. Even if it meant me having to go through their heartache by witnessing it through words, I could suffer through it if it meant reconciliation at the end.

There were so many unexpected things that happened to this group. One minute, things seemed to be going better than before, everyone a little happier than before. Then, out of nowhere, a bomb goes off and it’s chaos all over again. It wasn’t anything completely out of this world, nothing that seemed to be forced, and those kinds of surprises are the ones that really tested the love that they had for each other. There were so many times where it seemed like things would end badly, but did it? You’ll have to read it to find out.

If you have any curiosity towards the Great Depression, want to read a story about overcoming struggles, or just want to read about real couples dealing with unfortunate circumstances in their own way, this is the story for you.

Rated: 5/5 Stars