There are only two books in the series, so it is more like a duology. This book is about Julia Broeder, a student at one of the country's few medical school for women. She did something impulsive to save the life of animal and is being dismissed from the school just six months before graduation. She returns home to the Vandermark estate (she is the sister of the current groundskeeper), not knowing what to do. She seeks out the Vandermark estate's custodian, Vandermark empire lawyer Ashton Carlyle. Ashton doesn't help Julia at first, as he felt her impulsive actions and then not begging for forgiveness from the board of trustees is what got her into the mess she is in. When the family patriarch yells at him for treating Julia like dog crap, Ashton promises to get Julia back into medical school.

They have much in common and bond over goats giving birth. As they slowly work their way into each other's hearts, Julia has to go back to the board and fight for her return to school. Ashton has to find a way to follow his dreams while also balancing family obligations. I really liked this story and the fact the series is set in the Hudson Valley was a nice twist in historical romance. I didn't want to leave the world of the Vandermark estate, so I read the three chapter excerpt for the next book and now I want to read that one too.

Poised on the brink of a watershed moment for delivering clean water to the masses, “A Daring Venture” adroitly combines science with the human element. Hindsight is usually 20/20, and it is easy to look back and forget that what we now take for granted was once contentious and groundbreaking. As such, it is informative to see both sides of the controversy and to get a glimpse into the techniques, sacrifices, and struggles of each. Elizabeth Camden achieves this without overwhelming the reader with scientific detail, composing a novel that keeps readers engaged and intrigued.

My grandmother was born in 1908, and I know little about her life or the early twentieth century in America, so it was a treat to read a story set during that time period. Another aspect of this novel that distinguished it from other historical fiction was the occupation and background of the main character, Rosalind Werner. Her childhood brush with cholera paves the way for her professional aspirations and also makes her more sympathetic to readers, and having achieved her doctorate in biochemistry from a German university makes her completely unique in this genre. Nicholas Drake is similarly distinctive, a suitable complement and adversary. The moral and ethical considerations woven into the narrative cause Rosalind and Nick’s professional and personal lives to intersect while infusing the story with a subtle faith element. Elizabeth Camden truly pens a tour de force with “A Daring Venture”, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an intelligent, absorbing read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and was not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!!

Reading List

1. Home to Whiskey Creek (Whiskey Creek #4) by Brenda Novak

2. On Distant Shores (Wings of a Nightingale #2) by Sarah Sundin

3. Crewel World (Needlecraft Mysteries #1) by Monica Ferris

4. The Soldier's Secrets by Naomi Rawlings

5. The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

6. The Baron's Blunder by Susan M. Banganz

7. Toward the Sunrise (Until the Dawn #0.5) by Elizabeth Camden

8. Star Dust (Fly Me to the Moon #1) by Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

9. The Nightingale Sisters (The Nightingales #2) by Donna Douglas

10. Better off Wed by Laura Durham

11. Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

We found out we are moving back to the US sometime mid-summer. So now we are just waiting for our orders (telling us where we are moving to) to start the out-processing/clearance process. I am re-adjusting my summer reading plans and delaying grad school. I am really happy to be going "home" but I will miss some parts of living in England. 

To deal with my anxiety and stress (you would think I had a better handle on military moves considering this is my fourth move, but nope), I have been stuffing my eReaders with as much content as possible. One reason is that when we get close to leaving, my eReaders and laptop will be my only entertainment for weeks, since we will be staying in hotel rooms or temporary lodgings once back in the states. Second, my print collection will be on a boat with my other household goods, and that can take up to two months for it to arrive at our new house. So I am very dependent on easily portable reading material and puzzle books.

Added to the NOOK:

1. The Women Who Wrote the War by Nancy Caldwell Sorel

2. Undeniable: Book One in the Oregon Trail Series by Laura Stapleton

3. Lost Fortune (Unbridled #1) by Sandra E. Sinclair

4. Sacrificed to the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons #1) by Jessie Donovan

5. Train to Nowhere by Anita Leslie

6. Mad About Matt (Red Maple Falls #1) by Theresa Paolo

7. Restless Hearts (Gold Rush Romance #1) by Mona Ingram

8. Giovanna: The Cowboy's Calabrese Mail Order Bride (Sweet Land of Liberty #1) by Lorena Dove

9. A Mail Order Heart (Miners to Millionaires #1) by Janelle Daniels

10. The Wren (Wings of the West #1) by Kristy McCaffrey

11. The Christmas Mail Order Bride (Holiday Brides #1) by Kit Morgan

12. Romance Down Under: A New Zealander Romance Starter Set by Tracey Alvarez

13. Cliffhanger by Amy Saunders

14. McKenna (Nevada Brides #1) by Clara Kincaid

Added to the Kindle:

15. Wild Montana Skies (Montana Rescue #1) by Susan May Warren

16. After a Fashion (A Class of Their Own) by Jen Turano

17. The Bounty (The Malloy Family #1) by Beth Williamson

18. Then Came You (Bradford Sisters #0.5) by Becky Wade

19. True to You (Bradford Sisters #1) by Becky Wade

20. Destiny's Embrace (Destiny #1) by Beverly Jenkins

21. Destiny's Surrender (Destiny #2) by Beverly Jenkins

22. Destiny's Captive (Destiny #3) by Beverly Jenkins

23. A Dangerous Legacy (Empire #1) by Elizabeth Camden

24. Beyond All Dreams by Elizabeth Camden

25. Dawn's Prelude (Song of Alaska #1) by Tracie Peterson

26. Gentleman of Her Dreams (Ladies of Distinction #0.5) by Jen Turano

27. Spice and Smoke (Bollywood Confidential #1) by Suleikha Snyder

28. Spice and Secrets (Bollywood Confidential #2) by Suleikha Snyder

29. Bollywood and the Beast (Bollywood Confidential #3) by Suleikha Snyder

Book #0.5, in Until the Down series

I am not a huge fan of novellas but I will make exception here. It was just enough of a teaser to see the author style and enjoy her introduction to the series and her characters. By omitting the fluff that no one really cares about, the author has managed to propel an excellent storyline within 100 pages or so.

This page- turner for some but maybe not for others brings us to the end of the 19th century in Hudson River Valley and is a good start to the Until Dawn series. Although I wish “Toward the Sunrise” would have been a novel instead. The story offers an intriguing peek in the life of residents of the abandoned Vandermark historic estate. Julia Broeder is the main character she dreams becoming a medical missionary and with the help of Aston Carlyle she will achieve her dream ……and more. The plot is vivid, complex and is well paced. Considering the shortness of this novel the characterisation is quite enjoyable although missing substance. (Unfortunately, there is no time for development in a novella).

This is a sweet historical romance novella I enjoyed quite a bit. Maybe I was just in the right mood for this type of book……