Review: "Glamorous Illusions" by Lisa Bergren

Reviewed by *Katie McCurdy for Legacy of a Writer

5/5 Stars

THE BOOK: 

Cora is about to discover who she truly is.

It was the summer of 1913, and Cora Kensington's life on the family farm has taken a dark turn. Not only are the crops failing, so is her father's health. Cora is carrying on, helping her mother run their Montana farm until a stranger comes to call, and everything changes. Cora then learns a secret that will radically change her future: she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king who has come to claim her.

Cora is invited to take the "Grand Tour" of Europe, a journey intended to finish a person's education, to solidify an understanding of ancient culture and contemporary refinement. As she travels from England to France with half-siblings she's never known, Cora encounters the blessings of the Kensington family name, as well as the curses. But when an unbidden love begins to form, she realizes the journey is only beginning.

Faced with the challenge of accepting her father, new family, and the identity that comes with it, Cora also struggles to accept that she is also the daughter of the one true King-a Father who is the only One who can truly heal.

MY REVIEW:

While Glamorous Illusions is WAY different then Lisa Bergren’s action-packed River of Time series (that I totally adore!!), I really ended up liking this change of pace. A lot! It has a really laid-back, gentle storyplot, yet never once did I grow bored. Bergren’s kept my interest firmly from page one until the very end of this (thick!) book, leaving me wanting more.

First off, I loved the characters. Bergren has this ability to create the most interesting and unique—yet believable—characters and bring them to life through her writing style. That takes talent, y’all, and Bergren’s got it! Cora, Will, Pierre…you can’t help but grow attached to each of them in some special way. Not sure where this love triangle is going, though, and not even sure which couple I want at this point! I’ll just have to wait to decide until I read book two!

One thing I just had to point out is the character’s (very) realistic faith. Bergren shows, through the course of Glamorous Illusions, how Cori struggles with who she is. Yet even when she is low, she still always knew that Christ was her Savoir, God her Lord. Even when situations seemed to scream the opposite, she had an anchor to hold onto. I just loved this display of faith in a young girl. It’s inspired me!!

The time period is also really fun—I mean, Cora gets thrust into the ritzy life all of a sudden. Fancy dresses, large houses, dozens of servants…the works! I always love getting a view into the life of the rich, and Glamorous Illusions does just that. All around, Bergren’s newest release is another winner for me. Truly enjoyed traveling alongside Cora as she begins her Grand Tour of Europe and am eager to return in book two to continue the adventure!

* I reviewed this book for David C Cook via Litfuse. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.