Book Review - Transcontinental Affair
Transcontinental Affair by Jodi Daynard is a fictional novel written with references to factual events that took place in the 1870s. Many wealthy people - call Excursionists back then - from the Northeast set off on a 9-day journey from Boston to San Francisco on the lavish Pullman Hotel Express Train. This was a maiden journey that would change the lives of most who were lucky enough to travel on the luxury train.
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Summary:
Hattie and her father were due to take the Pullman Hotel Express across the country where Hattie was to meet her future husband. When her mother became ill on the day of departure, her father urged her to make the trip alone.
While Hattie had not met Leland in person, they had only communicated via letters and telegram. However, as she set off on this adventure, she was initially excited to meet her husband in person and begin her new life on the West Coast.
That was until she met Louisa the nanny. Meeting Louisa would change the course of her life forever.
These 2 women could not be more opposite. While Louisa is quiet and more of a people pleaser, Hattie is more outspoken with little regard for how people view her. However, these women became fast friends, quickly realizing they couldn't wait to see each other every day.
Hattie made it her mission to know what was happening on the train. She read the train's daily news and was very inquisitive about the other passengers. She also looked out for Louisa, not allowing her employers to take advantage of her while watching their children.
ADVENTURE ON THE TRAIN
The Pullman Hotel Express stopped several times. This gave the passengers a chance to take a break from the train and visit the towns they were in. When Indians came to cause harm one night, something took place that no one could have imagined. Nothing would be the same after that.
Hattie and Louisa had begun to realize they had feelings for each other, stronger than they would have expected. After the life-changing event, they became closer. Hattie started to question her expectation to marry her fiance when she got to San Francisco. Soon Hattie started to suspect the agenda of the executives and other men on the train. She started to question how things would end when reaching the end of the journey.
As the train was approaching San Francisco, Hattie worked fast to come up with a new plan. A new life. Louisa had already decided to keep her employment as the nanny until Hattie put her plan into action as the train slowed to a stop at the depot, changing the course of their lives.
Review:
I began reading this story early in December. Bad timing as I was busy with the holidays. This slowed down my progress with completing the story. The beginning was a bit slow as the many characters were being introduced and described.
The author did a great job of describing the train, the scenery at each stop/depot as well as the characters. I truly felt as if I was taking the train along with Hattie, Louisa, and the others. The descriptions of the landscape and towns along the way made it seem like a great adventure to take a train cross country.
Approximately halfway through the book, I had a hard time putting it down. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. I was truly invested in Hattie and Louisa's relationship and couldn't wait to see how it would develop.
This was an easy book to read. If you enjoy descriptive stories and like to learn a little about the geography of the USA, you'll enjoy this story.
Until my next review...
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