Love on a Train

By: Colleen L. Donnelly

Narrated by: Amy Deuchler

The moment Martha noticed Raymond on the train, everything her mother warned against erupted - romantic notions, palpitating heart, the desire to write it all in a novel and tell the world.

Martha lived and wrote that love story until the day Raymond handed her a sketch. “Want to see a picture of the girl I plan to marry?” The penciled profile resembled Martha… But when Raymond went away, she knew. She wasn’t the girl he planned to marry.

David was her father’s apprentice, everything Martha’s mother said made a good husband - hardworking, no romantic tendencies, no tolerance for writing about it.

Martha added a fictional happy ending to her and Raymond’s story and published it. Cleansed herself of romantic love, ready to marry David. Until a copy of her book appeared - full of sketches - Raymond’s version of their love story - drawings that enticed her heart to beat once again.

©2016 Colleen L. Donnelly (P)2018 Colleen L. Donnelly

How does a woman navigate choosing who to marry?

A universal question that Colleen Donnelly sets post--WW2. Martha vacillates between her mother's mores and her own desire to marry for love. She creates a novel plot-line during that transitional time for women and incorporates train travel, bridge building, women beginning to drive cars as well as women working full-time, albeit our heroine is in a traditional female role. Donnelly presents the oppressive intensity imposed on a young woman to maintain the status quo of a stable marriage to a dependable man. Yet we engage with Martha's creative muse to write her story into a novel and are surprised when she seems to be walking the path her mother paves for her and puts away her writing. I kept wondering when Martha would take a stand for what she wanted. Character development deepens in the last chapters of the novel with new revelations from each of the main characters. I found it odd that there's no mention of David's response at the end.
It took awhile for me to settle into the story within the story and the repetition that presented.
Amy Deuchler, especially in the later chapters, effectively distinguishes the male characters. However, I was distracted by the too staccato and monotone inflection of the narration and main character. A smoother delivery would be to phrase words into thought-groupings, rather than punching each word at the same inflection.
I recommend lovers of historical fiction to listen to Love on a Train.
I requested a free copy of this audio book and here offer my honest review.

Dramatic Love Story

I got this story via audiobook boom and this is my voluntary review. I enjoyed this story within a story although at times I wanted to tell someone to grow a spine. The daughter and the father. I am glad in the end both grew one and the story ended like it should have. I have never been a fan of someone else telling the other person who they should love and then plan and try to execute their life. I am so grateful for Karen and her finding love to show the heroine what love truly is. The mother could use a good kick in the rear end also. The narrator made the story complete.

pretty good

Just the absolute best story. Everything I like to listen about and more. Such a great story I will listen again and again. A keeper!!

A Unique Story Set After World War II

I’m going to be honest, I typically don’t read stories set in or around World War II, but this was a great exception to that case.

We get to see how the era affected multiple characters, especially Martha, which this story is from her point of view. Some people may feel strongly about why she accepted certain things going on in the story, but I think some people may not understand the era and what was acceptable roles for both genders at the time.

Even knowing certain roles and expectations of both men and women, could not make me truly like Martha’s fiancé David, or for the most part her Mama (Ann). There are certain things you do learn on the end of Martha’s mother, but still, I had a hard time understanding based on those facts, why her mother still was pushing so hard on Martha to marry David.

This is a book I feel like I may re-read again in the future. I really do enjoy reading books where a character writes a romance book, regardless of the naysayers, and enjoys romance in general. I thought the narrator did a good job as well.




——————-
Disclaimer: I received a free code from freeaudiobookcodes.com. All opinions are my own.

Fall in love on your way to work.

I liked this book. It held my attention and had some twists and turns. It had me saying don't do it(out loud)!! It shows the importance of a good friend, companionship and being able to laugh together. This was a great book and I will be happy to read it again and again. The narrator Amy Deuchler did a job. I will be on the look out for other books she has narrated.