Oh, boy. I am not sure where to begin with this one.

I can sum up my thoughts rather quickly - reading this book is a big waste of your time!

The writing overall is OK and there were a couple of scenes that were written well (the sinking of the ship itself) - so well written and put together that I think Lehman had a lot of help, because the rest of the book has plot holes the size of Titanic. But let's not forget Lehman's wonderful writing throughout the book, such as: “She knew that he knew she knew he knew better.” What???

When one calls a book "a novel of the titanic" you'd expect much more of the book to actually be on board the Titanic, wouldn't you? Well, less than a third of the book actually takes place about the ship. There's a lot of detail about the ship, some accurate and a lot of not-so-accurate bits. The actual sinking of the ship felt very rushed, was wildly inaccurate in places, and other than a few moments here and there, just left me feeling disappointed.


Lydia gets married on the ship, for crying out loud, and is pregnant, and her brand new husband John decides he's going to finish writing a poem and then sits down and dies. The scene where he dies was so horribly bad I was laughing so hard I had tears coming out of my eyes.

Lydia of course survives the ship sinking, watches Craven (the family business's head honcho and the book's big evil bad guy) acting like an idiot/coward/fool, and then days later, marries him with hardly any thought. Then lies to him for the next 18 years, never admitting the child isn't him. And Craven is such a man about town, but is clueless that Lydia isn't a virgin.

Lydia survives the ship going down (of course) and though is traumatized a bit from it, none of the characters who survived really suffer any post-traumatic affects. Really? After just a couple of weeks everyone is just fine?

About 35% into the book, all of a sudden a new character is introduced - who ends up being Lydia's friend Caroline's love interest. But he doesn't get introduced until after the ship goes down... Really, Lehman could have introduced him into the book much sooner in the book and it wouldn't have been so disruptive to the story.

And what's with everyone having telephones ? Really? How many people had telephones in 1912? very very few, that's how many, yet everyone seemed to have them, even a lawyer in the middle of Halifax.


And now, 40% or so into the book, all of a sudden the story is all about Caroline and the book gets very, very preachy. There were some minor Christian elements in the beginning (Lydia tells John she's pregnant and he tells her to read her bible), but they weren't a significant part of the story. Now the book changes entirely, again, and is a Christian storyline and the writing is completely different, with metaphors that don't make any sense.

The plot begins rushing - years past on a single page - which I was honestly grateful for because the book was so horribly bad, I just wanted it to be over - and of course, the moment comes when John's poem magically resurfaces and Lydia tells her husband the truth about their child and then Craven dies and the grandkid's all get married and they all live happily ever after.

i could spend weeks writing about how bad this book sucked. ( )

Title: Hearts that Survive (A Novel of the Titanic)
Author: Yvonne Lehman
Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/153704.Yvonne_Lehman
Pages: 432
Year: 2012
Publisher: Abingdon
My Rating: 5+ stars
This is a riveting story set in an era where social class determined much and a marriage to someone who wasn’t in the same class was appalling. John and Lydia’s marriage based on love and mutual faith takes place on the night the unsinkable ship struck an iceberg. Their love and faith bathed in redemption grips the heart of the reader, dragging them into a whirlwind story that takes away one’s breath.
Other characters in the story, some of which were real people, bring back the night of April 1912 on the maiden voyage of Titanic. Like others, I have seen movies and read novels based on the Titanic that might give the impression that another tale based on the Titanic would be like other books. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Yvonne Lehman offers both a heartbreaking story coupled with one of redemption. As most tales always have antagonists, this one has one by the name of Craven Dowd the president of a railroad who sees himself as the protector of an heiress, Lydia. Every time I read in the novel what the man was doing or not doing I kept getting the sense he wasn’t what he appeared to be to others. You will have to read and make that determination for yourself.
Other delightful characters like Molly Brown and the Astors bring delight and joy to the celebration of John and Lydia’s marriage. After that fateful night’s events, Lydia along with other survivors must decide through the fog what their lives are to become now that nothing will ever be the same. In the pages, faith is a theme that enraptures the soul of some while others don’t see the need for it and live without it. Each character grapples with finding peace or answers sometimes without those answers as to how a God could allow such a night to pass with so many lives lost.
I read this magnificent tale in one sitting. I simply couldn’t stop. The powerful message of forgiveness and redemption comes through all the way to the last page! I hope whether you’re a fan of the Titanic story or not that you will read a novel that will surely bring you to an exciting conclusion!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ . Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457 ( )

Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
Book provided by publisher for review.

Lydia Beaumont had it all: wealth, status, the company of a handsome and successful gentleman, the not-so-secret-love of an up-and-coming and kind young man, and a suite on the greatest of all ships' maiden voyage. With both gentlemen. And a secret that would change her life forever. This secret prompts Lydia and John Ancell - the young visionary behind Ancell (Toy) Trains - to plan a quick wedding aboard the Titanic. It's a perfect plan: a wealthy railroad heiress, wearing a brand new wedding dress from a renowned fashion designer, on the maiden voyage of the Ship of Dreams. And it is a perfect, beautiful wedding - the night of April 14th. But things take a shocking turn in the night hours following the reception, and history of a very different kind is made. Lydia escapes, as does her new friend Catherine, and Craven Dowd - the manager of her father's business, and her 'second suitor.' John stays on the Titanic.

What follows is a story that is poignant and very human. As they struggle to orient themselves in their new reality, Lydia and her friends must come to terms with who they are and what life means. And love - the thread that connects all the mismatched pieces of life is love. Always love. Even in the face of such wrenching tragedy, life goes on. Lydia marries Craven and finds herself in a fulfilling and, eventually, happy life. Catherine and her maid Bess travel north, to Nova Scotia, finding a place to call home, hearts to love, and the peace that passes all understanding. The survivors keep living, and have children who have children. And all the stories, from the ship and beyond, slowly come circling back together in a way that creates a beautiful story - and also reflects the intricate weave of life. When all the secrets are revealed at last, and lives are rattled on their foundations, the Love present in those foundations is strong enough to let life continue.

I don't want to give out too many details, while some of the secrets are revealed right away, others are a little more layered. Maybe less secrets and more tiny details that click into place. Hearts that Survive is an excellent exercise in creating a story that involves many separate stories gathered in one neat arc. With so many separate stories, there are a lot of perspective/point of view changes -- though most of them occur at chapter breaks, and it's normally easy to pick up and bounce between to the two main stories of Lydia and Catherine. ( )

What was supposed to be the maiden voyage to America for "the greatest ship ever built," The RMS Titanic, turned into a horrific tragedy that forever changed the course of the lives of so many people. The "ship of dreams" was thought to be unsinkable, but on that cold and icy night of April 14, 1912, the gaiety and liveliness of the passengers turned to horror, when the ship collided with an iceberg and began to take on water, slowly sinking into the North Atlantic. From 2207 passengers only 675 survived the tragedy ... Hearts That Survive is the fictional story of some of those survivors, the story of how through their painful loss they learned to survive.

Hearts That Survive: A Novel of The Titanic is a profoundly inspirational novel of the amazing spirit of people who learn to survive from a tragedy. The storyline is powerfully compelling, the author takes the reader through three segments: Before the sinking which details the final two days of the Titanic's journey, the gripping detail is breathtakingly beautiful yet haunting, you can't help but have the tissues nearby; During the sinking of the Titanic, where the reader is transported to the icy waters of the North Atlantic, and the slow descent of the grand ship into the ocean and the horror that befell its passengers; and After the rescue, where the reader follows the stories of some of the survivors. The attention to detail throughout the story was phenomenal, the reader is easily transported back to that tragic era in history. The storyline also had a wonderful yet tragic love story that leaves the reader emotionally spent, and also a heartwarming story of friendship that comes out of the tragedy that lasts throughout the years. There are so many characters in this story, I had to keep a list so I could keep them all straight. The characters are realistic, their complex personalities and intertwining lives are fascinating, and the reader is drawn into the inspirational story of their lives. The author does a wonderful job of telling a story that spans the generations, she engages the reader to become invested in all of the character's lives.

The inspiring message of the amazing spirit and heart of people who survive devastation and tragedy is one that will stay with the reader long past the end of the story. Hearts That Survive: A Novel of The Titanic is a powerful novel that has been released in time for the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. I would encourage that everyone should read this novel: for a piece of history; for a great story of love, friendship, heartbreak and redemption; and finally for the inspirational message that hearts do survive.

Disclaimer: At the request of the author, publisher and Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours, a Paperback edition of the book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.

Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, April 23, 2012, in association with Pump Up Your Book! Virtual Book Publicity Tours, author Yvonne Lehman participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/author-guest-post-yvonne-lehma...

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/04/hearts-that-survive-novel-of-t... ( )

The year is 1812 and Lydia Beaumont is very much in love. Her beloved John Ancell and [one could call him her guardian] Craven Dowd are on the Maiden voyage of the Titanic. Lydia and John are expecting and decide the right thing to do is to marry immediately. You will read a description of how one of the most glamorous and beautiful and magical wedding ends up being.
The wedding takes place, at 1030pm on the 14th of April 1912. We all know what happened, almost to horrible to even say. Lydia and her baby to be, do survive, as does Craven. There are others that will impact each others lives for decades. There are the children of the famous author Henry Stanton-Jones, Phoebe and Henry. There is also Caroline Chadwick and her maid [friend] Bess.
This book will hold you spell bound, and you will not be able to put it down. Loved it, but it is hard to read about all the poor people who lost their lives on this ship! Keep the tissues handy.

I received this book from the publisher Abingdon Press, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )