Glamorous Illusions: A Novel (Grand Tour Series) Paperback – June 1, 2012

Cora Diehl was always secure in her identity and faith. The only daughter of Montana farmers who eked out a grain-poor living from the copper-rich soil, Cora's parents sacrificed and saved to give her the chance to earn a teaching certificate. Cora's precious enrollment at Normal School was her golden ticket to a future unencumbered by the vagaries of a farming life, dependent on the whims of the weather. But the foundation of her world crumbles when her beloved father suffers a stroke and her parents stand in danger of losing the land into which they'd poured their lives for years. With her future hanging in the balance, the already fragile Cora sustains an even greater blow. The infamous copper baron Wallace Kensington appears, announcing biological father, and offering to make the Diehls' problems vanish -- for a price. He'll see to the physical and financial needs of Cora's parents if she'll agree to take the Grand Tour of Europe with her three half-siblings, and at the end of the summer if she so desires he'll provide the necessary tuition for her return to school. All he asks for is one brief summer -- a few months that promise to change everything. With Cora's very identity called into question, her greatest challenge may be in choosing between returning to the life she's always known or embracing the unthinkable -- the idea that the Tour, her newly-discovered family, might change the course of her life forever.If there was ever a novel primed to capitalize on the fervor created by Downton Abbey, Glamorous Illusions is it. Bergren's opening volume in the Grand Tour series is a masterful exploration of a girl and her world on the cusp of earth-shattering change. For all the revelation of Cora's illegitmate birth rocks her world, that personal turmoil is but a small ripple in the stormy sea that threatens to engulf her newly-discovered world of wealth and privilege offered by the Tour. The summer of 1913 is very much the calm before the storm of world war that will engulf the glittering, overwhelming world that Cora is thrust into as the newest (and most scandalous) recognized member of the Kensington family. It is a masterstroke, setting Cora's very personal journey against the lush, decadent backdrop of a world of privilege in its twilight. Doing so allows Bergren to emphasize in a very organic way the transient nature of earthly wealth versus the eternal riches of faith and character which Cora must embrace if she's to survive and thrive in her new reality.Cora is one of the most appealing and likeable heroines I've encountered recently in fiction of this ilk. Intelligent, passionate, and articulate, she's every inch a "diamond in the rough." I loved her compassion, her honest battles with grief, anger, and fear, and the raw wonder with which she approaches the world she encounters so far removed from her farm roots. It's refreshing to see a character raised a believer grapple with questions of faith and identity when the familiar and safe nest of childhood and home are stripped away -- in Cora's case quite literally. Faced with the choice of letting her past define her, or choosing who she wants to be in a world and circumstances not of her own making or choosing, Cora's personal journey is incredibly well-meted out, her personal struggles nicely woven into the fabric of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity her newly-discovered father has made possible.Bergren populates Cora's world with a host of richly- drawn supporting players. I particularly love Will, the young tour guide-in-training and the quiet manner in which he shows his ever-growing (but oh-so-socially-inappropriate) regard for Cora. And Pierre, the unconventional nobleman? Oh my stars. Beween the two men Bergren has crafted the beginnings of a love triangle worthy of any Masterpiece production, and just as addictive.The history of the Grand Tour is a fascinating one, and thanks to Bergren's meticulous research and richly evocative prose, the reader is swept into a fully-realized world now lost to time. Bergren's passion for history and travel shine in this novel, and through eager eyes of Cora and her travelling companions, Glamorous Illusions paints a vivid picture of the life-changing nature of their journey. Bergren has a wonderful knack for creating compelling characters that ring true to the time period. Her vivid characterizations and well-crafted plot mark Glamorous Illusions as the start of what promises to be an epic, unforgettable reading journey. This is a masterfully-executed, enthralling work of fiction from start to finish that will leave you eager for the next installment, and reluctant to bid even a temporary farewell to Cora's glittering world. A fantastic, addictive, compulsively-readable experience -- very, very well-done.

Cora Diehl's life gets turned upside down when she arrives home from Common School to find out her father had a stroke. With a struggling farm and a sick father Cora knows she might not be able to continue school. She knows something is about to change but she has no idea just how much until a man arrives and says he's her real father and the world that Cora knew changes forever. Cora is now a Kensington and is thrust into the life of a copper king and his family. She now has to navigate Europe on her Grand Tour but also her new half-brothers and sisters, when they've made it perfectly clear that they don't like her or want her around. On the journey of a lifetime, Cora realizes just how hard it is to fit into a crowd that you weren't born into and how difficult it is to penetrate the pack, even if they are family. In Europe, Cora begins to find herself again and figure out who she really is, not who her parents or newfound father wants her to be. She meets two men who start to change her life and open doors she thought were closed and start to show her that she's not defined by her title or how she came into this world but rather who she is and how she lives her life. This journey will push her and her faith to the limits but it might justly her become the person she wants to be. Will Cora forgive her parents for keeping this from her or will she live with bitterness forever? Will Cora fall in love on this journey or will she break the hearts of two different men? Will Cora find out who she is or will she go home as confused as she left? Will Cora be able to make her siblings see her as more than a nuisance or will she forever be known as the outcast?------------------------------------------ I've never read a book by this author before but I've always admired and been attracted to Lisa Bergren's covers. This one was no different and it captured my attention with the stunning dress on the front with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop. I found that I was just as captivated by the story of Cora Deihl once I started reading this interesting book. Though there wasn't much excitement in this book, I still enjoyed it and the growth I saw in Cora's character. The story is a pretty uneventful one from the point that Cora leaves her hometown and until about two or three chapters from the end. That leaves a lot of space for basically history lessons and for Cora to be shunned by her siblings. It also leaves some space for a little infatuation to bloom. Though this book isn't the most exciting book out there I somehow got hooked by Cora's story and struggle to fit in with siblings and settle into a role that she wasn't prepared for, however I would've liked to have had a bit more excitement throughout instead of clumped at the ends. I guess her and Will made the story worth reading for me. This book technically isn't a romance but it's a precursor to one, or at least it seems that way, and Cora starts to fall for not one but two completely different men. One is a French duke and very powerful, the other is Will a guide and bodyguard and someone who always seems to make her heart flutter. There's definitely a love triangle going on and the real question is who's going to win over Cora's heart in the end. (I'm thinking Will) The author chose a rather odd set up for the writing style. Instead of making the entire book one style, like all first person or all second person, she chose to mix them up. Cora's point of view is written in first person while Will's and everyone else's is written in second person. It's a weird method and one I'm not totally sure I liked. It felt a bit disjointed at times and I'm not sure that was a good blend, but I am happy that she did write in point of views other than just Cora's. This author is completely new to me and I enjoyed my first book by her, but I wish there would've been some excitement in what can be considered a very vanilla book. I look forward to reading the next book in the series though, because now that we have some excitement going I feel like she should keep it up, but also because I want to see Cora grow into the woman she deserves to be and the only way to see that is to finish the book. I do recommend this book to select people and I think I can recommend this author. Overall, this is a good but unexciting book. The character growth and love triangle is the only thing keeping it interesting. I recommend this to people who like continuos novels and love triangles. I don't recommend this to younger resets but possibly mature teens and adults. I give this book a three and a half out of five. *I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

This book caught my eye when it was first released, and although I snapped up a free Kindle copy a while back, I didn't have the motivation to read it until my book group selected it as a monthly read. Such is the problem with having too many books to choose from! I'm truly glad that we read this book this month as I might have missed out on discovering a wonderful book and new author. I thought that this might just be a quick, fun read, but I was proven otherwise.The first third of the novel takes place before Cora goes off to join her siblings on their tour of Europe, and I was glad that we were given this chance to witness Cora's character and thus understand her reactions towards her siblings and their life as she gets to know them. A few reviewers have commented that the storyline is stretched too far in order to fit three books, but I didn't find this the case. There were a few times, just before the last third of the book when I felt like the story was slowing down again, but then it picked up right at the end of the novel.Ultimately, this was a great introduction to the characters and I'm intrigued to see where the rest of the series goes. The descriptions of European history, culture and geography are rich and made me feel like I was travelling right alongside Cora and her companions. The storyline is compelling, and I enjoyed witnessing Cora's triumphs and struggles as she made her way around Europe, attempting to get to know her family. The spiritual side of the story is relatively light, up until the end, and I enjoyed the turn it took there. I'm hopeful for Cora and Will's relationship, but I'm not sure how much longer they can keep their feelings for each other under wraps--Will seemed to be struggling towards the end of the novel!I will have to get hold of the next novel in the series and find out what happens next! Definitely one to check out if you enjoy historical fiction and fish-out-of-water stories. 4.5*

A great read particularly if you like some glamour, a touch of history and a twist in the tale. Let's hope the sequel is as good; we wait with baited breath. I am an old softy!

Great entertaining easy read. Only problem was I could not put it down and read it really quickly. One of those that you feel disappointed at the end of the book...you just want there to be more... Roll on book 2

If like me you enjoyed the River of time series, I'm sure you will enjoy this too. I'm waiting in anticipation for the next book!

The book, for me, was like Cora's experience, painful. It dragged. The best part, was the Cathedral 'scene', where there was peace and a deeper message. Would have been better with an ending, where resolved Cora's future?