The Best of Intentions by Susan Anne Mason

I’m always happy to read stories featuring our northern neighbor like The Best of Intentions by Susan Anne Mason, the first installment of the Canadian Crossings series!

about the book

She swore to protect her nephew at any cost. But what if that price is a chance at love?

In the aftermath of WWI, Grace Abernathy is determined to reunite with her family, crossing an ocean to convince her widowed sister to return home to England. Yet Toronto holds more tragedy and her nephew Christian is now in the custody of his paternal relatives, the formidable Easton family, who rejected Grace’s sister because of her low social status.

Unconvinced the Eastons can be fitting caretakers, Grace jumps at the chance to be Christian’s nanny and observe the family up close under an assumed name. In the course of her new position, she is shocked to discover herself falling for Andrew Easton, the boy’s guardian. Unfortunately, Andrew is promised to a spoiled socialite who will make a terrible stepmother for Christian.

Will Grace be able to protect her nephew . . . and her heart?

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my thoughts

Canadian Crossings, Book One… this makes me smile because I am always eager to learn more about our northern national neighbors and their history. When I realized the setting is within the time period between the two world wars (which doesn’t get nearly enough attention, in my humble opinion) and the story features a precious little one and two unlikely loves… insert a happy reader sigh here! Great foundation for an engaging story!

Grace is a hardworking, dutiful daughter and devoted sister. She entangles herself in a sticky web of half-truths and secrets kept… with the best of intentions, of course. I can sympathize and even justify Grace’s choices but only to an extent. Andrew, while far from perfect, is between two rocks (perhaps three) and a hard place thanks to a string of unfortunate events and familial expectations.

Miscommunications and intentionally misleading situations generally rub me the wrong way. The centrality of such a situation distracted my focus from the more important historical, cultural, relational, and faith aspects of the story but that’s on me. Had I not been hung up on my pet peeve, I would have been free to enjoy this story much more!

When you read hundreds of books each year like I do, it’s to be expected that an occasional book falls prey to a bad mood or triggers an unfortunate memory. That’s, unfortunately, the case for me and The Best of Intentions. However, my own lackluster experience with this story won’t keep me from reading the following books in this series and I do recommend it, especially to readers who don’t have my odd communication issues.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

For another perspective, check out my friend Rachel’s review at Bookworm Mama!

 

about the author

Susan Anne Mason describes her writing style as “romance sprinkled with faith.” She loves incorporating inspirational messages of God’s unconditional love and forgiveness into her characters’ journeys. Her historical romance, Irish Meadows, won the Fiction from the Heartland contest sponsored by the Mid-American Romance Authors chapter of RWA.

Susan lives outside Toronto, Ontario, with her husband, two children, and a big white cat. She loves red wine and chocolate, is not partial to snow even though she’s Canadian, and is ecstatic on the rare occasions she has the house to herself. Learn more about Susan and her books

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Canadian Crossings

 

also available

 

Do you have an irrational reader pet peeve, friends?!
Does it sometimes keep you from fully enjoying a story?
Pick up The Best of Intentions by Susan Anne Mason and decide for yourself!