| Title | : | Paradise Falls |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 278 |
| Publication | : | First published March 2, 2004 |
Paradise Falls Reviews
-
Suspend reality a moment and take yourself back to a time when things were much simpler. People lived among nothing that was elaborate and the elements were straight forward.... until Fiona Downey arrives. Suddenly you see the community for what it really is; PARADISE FALLS has class boundaries, adults favor one sibling over another, and physical abuse is hidden in homes.
Fiona arrives in this area of Michigan where stern German families live day-to-day. Young, a New Englander with a deep Irish background and homeless; she takes a job as a teacher in this rural setting. Her father recently died and her mother has gone to live with a sister in Chicago temporarily until Fiona can send for her. She will live with the Haydns and restart the local school that hasn't been in use for three years. While accustomating herself to this new family she finds herself trying to learn everything she can about her students and their families. She wants to make an impression and she does.
Grayson Haydn is the big silent type and is the older brother. Fleming Haydn is the mother's son: free-spirited, handsome and then-some. The two men are as different as night and day and Fiona will learn to love one of them.
I enjoyed this story for what it is: a historical romance with simple but sweet leading characters. I appreciated that Fiona was not the whiney clingy type. She was intelligent and always seemed to find some good in a person. The hero of this story treated Fiona with respect. Guarding himself because he has been hurt in the past he wants more from their relationship but in a good way.
Ms. Langan could have done a little more research to flesh out the setting and time period better and that can cause some people to be put off. Also, when a HUGE blizzard arrives it is not going to clear out in a matter of few days. But if you can get past these and a few other niggling particulars and are just looking for a simple story with some fresh characters I think you may like this book. I did. -
This was actually a pretty engrossing story! I found it to be a very interesting look at what life was like in that part of the country in history. However, I didn't like a few of the characters in it, so it drug my rating of the book down a bit. I'm actually rounding my rating up from 3.5 stars.
If you just look at it without having the entire cast of supporting characters, it is actually quite good. I liked Gray and Fiona, and could see their natural attraction and admiration for one another. I didn't care for how the mother treated her sons, and the character of Flem in general.
All the characters were very well fleshed out and the story, though short, felt very complete. All in all, I was very surprised by this book! -
I always wanted to be a teacher. This book was back in older days when kids came from all around to attend school whe, and if, their parents let them go. So much depended on getting their chores finished before schooling. A little bit of romance thrown in just topped this book off for me. I enjoyed.
-
Another great read by this author
What a great book this was with great characters and superb story line. This author is truly a gifted lady. Would highly recommend this book to everyone that enjoys a great story. -
Paradise Falls
Enjoyed this book very much. Your books, keep you on the edge of your seat. And as I am in mine most of the time. I hope I will be off this oxygen by Christmas. Maybe. But I will be reading more of your fantastic books.JD -
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA -
Loved it great book.
-
Downloaded this book because of its lovely cover (the red schoolhouse one) which drew me in before I even started. Then I found myself so engrossed with the realistic, hurting, smoldering characters and great well-developed flow of this novel that I stayed up until 4:00 AM to finish. It was so much more than just another cliched cookie-cutter historical romance with cardboard stock characters and generic plot. The one thing I found unrealistic and disappointing was the subplot about two abusive bullies making such a drastic change in character just because of their son's/nephew's act of kindness and a few wise words from teacher. Sadly, life doesn't work that way, and it takes a lot more than that to change an authoritarian control freak in an abusive domestic situation. The eye-opening of the bully Rose was also pretty abrupt but handled more realistically--taking a way more drastic trauma for her to see the light and just getting her to say "I was wrong" is a start. A pretty good book for those who want romance novels to contain warm-blooded characters within an original story.
-
This book had all the ingredients for a fantastic fluffy read, the sweet teacher gaining a position in a small town, the dysfunctional family, the charming brother, the hard working brooding brother, in an early 1900's setting. It was adorable and I wanted to read it constantly... then something went wrong with the recipe in the last quarter of the book. As soon as the love interests connected it was an entire chapter of sex (which was disappointing because I was enjoying this sweet, clean romance and it went against the characters of the book)and then an unnecessary amount of over the top drama in the end. If I was rating the first three quarters of the book I would have given it a four or five, but beyond that it was a one or two for me, hence, my rating of a three.
-
In 1800 a young girl named Fiona had to leave college to take a teaching job to support her mother due to her father's death. She takes a job in a small town and has to live with a family in Paradise Falls. When she arrives the father of the family has had a stroke and can hardly get around, there is ma, and two grown sons that she has to live with. One son is handsome and all the girls adore him the other is older and has to take care of all the chores. This is a good book it's in an era where life is simple, hard working people, mostly farmers that have nothing fancy. The school house needs repairs, the children have not had a teacher for three years. The story is good and the characters are well described, pleasant reading. Enjoy.
-
I really enjoyed reading about Fiona's life. She had to change her life plans after her father died and ended up teaching in Paradise Falls. Fiona lived with the Haydn family. They are a very interesting family. The two brothers are nothing alike, and the mother favors one brother so it is an awkward situation. Fiona really was an awesome teacher and Gray a stand up guy. I really enjoyed this book.
-
I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book because there was an issue that was brought up that irked me due to how it was handled however the story and the characters, the writing and overall everything Ruth has put into Paradise Falls is absolutely fantastic. I really enjoyed reading this story and I will be returning to this authors work in the near future.
-
Sweet formulaic tale of the new schoolteacher in town, struggling to establish herself and fit in with the people of Paradise Falls. No surprises, but then there aren't many risks taken with the plot. The right book for a nice easy holiday read.
-
Typical plot, characters and outcome, but not a bad read.
-
I really enjoyed this title and will be looking into the author's other titles as the year progresses!
-
This was a predictable story but written well so that the reader is transported to another era. It is a relaxing and enjoyable read.
-
Loved her writing style....puts you in the era of each book
-
A great read
I was captivated from the beginning. It wasn't predictable which kept me turning pages. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books. -
I am not one for historical fiction but this was in the vein off an adult Little House on the Prairie, with more grit! An excellent read.
-
Ebook
-
Loved it! I haven't read a good feel good, old fashioned story in a long time. Very, very good!
-
predictable but still a good read of simpler times.
-
Free on Amazon today, 01-20-13
