Missed opportunity.

Let's start with the good. It's an interesting story, and probably at least partially researched. It's not a horrible book, but it is way overwritten. Our Heroine is just not to be believed. She's a 21st century woman who goes back to the 19th century. All good. Except she's an EMT. And a wonderful sketch artist. Oh, and she can recognize every classical music piece that is played to her. Did I mention she plays the guitar? And she manages to do vascular surgery on a kid injured in the wagon train. And knows karate well enough to kill three men who attack her. And she's a crack shot with handgun and an automatic rifle. And of course she's a champion horse rider. And can quote Shakespeare and other classics, as well as Robbie Burns. And both she and her love interest seem to have infinite funds. He can take a wagon train to San Francisco, then take the first boat to Panama, without worry about finances? He went to San Francisco for a job, and yet he doesn't seem to concern himself with money. And don't forget that in the 1850s they all watch YouTube videos on a particular topic - presumably, she's just happened to load her iPod (solar charger, of course) with the ones they'd need. Blah blah blah. Just a bit too much. This is a time travel novel, so some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but the characters should be credible. The story is fun, but the telling of it just isn't there.

For those concerned about sex scenes, there are several. And they're all unnecessarily detailed. I like a good sex scene as much as the next person, but they need to serve a purpose. Those in this book do not. A simple fade to black would have been sufficient for the purpose. If he entered her as the sun set in a blazing fire in the sky one more time, I think I'd have murdered both of them myself.

If you listen to the audiobook, be prepared to hear composers' names mangled - Haydn pronounced "hay"den instead of "high"den, Wagner pronounced as the actor, Robert, not the composer, Richard. Many other annoying mispronunciations as well, which grate on the listeners' ears. And don't get me started on the various accents. The alleged Scottish burr of two main characters is a disaster! And since when is a Scotsman's oath of "och" pronounced with a "CH" instead of a "k"? As one reviewer said, the narrator doing the Scots accents sounds like she's herding Leprechauns. But the narrator is the least of the problems with this book.

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227 people found this helpful

Not for me

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

I really wanted to like this book. Historic romance is my favorite genre, plus time-travel for added intrigue, and the many 5 star ratings, made it an easy choice. However, I was so disappointed.

Characterizations were flat. Kit was either crying, taking risks, or running around saving everyone. I could not relate to her at all. A woman who is stunningly beautiful (of course), and could sing, play guitar, draw, paint, cook - and bake pies! - over an open campfire, sew, teach children, ride, shoot, do martial arts, and perform surgery!! She was a bit too much to be believable. Cullen, on the other hand, spent his time either yelling at her and stomping away or lusting after her.

Some of the author's descriptions of the landscape were well done. Dialog, though, was too flowery and cliché. The reunion scene was especially bad - no heart in it, felt like actors rehearsing on a stage saying pretty things with no real emotion. I realize I'm spoiled by Diana Gabaldon, but Jamie and Claire's scene in the printshop - no comparison. I found myself rolling my eyes listening to many of the conversations.

I gave it two stars, mostly for the fact that I could finish the book, hopeful that it would end well. Meh. I will not be reading the other two books in this trilogy.

Would you ever listen to anything by Katherine Lowry Logan again?

No, her writing style is not for me.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

She has a nice clear voice, easy to listen to, and her American voices were fine. Her Scots dialect, however, was awful. Hopefully they will find someone who can speak like a Scot rather than sounding like an Irish wanna-be for the remaining books in the trilogy.

What character would you cut from The Ruby Brooch?

Hmmm. Well, you can't really cut the two main characters, I guess. I did enjoy the Barrett family. They seemed much more realistic than Kit & Cullen.

Any additional comments?

I'm glad there are readers who liked this book. I tried, but I just did not care for it.

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85 people found this helpful

Time Travel Tale That Is Refreshingly Wonderful!

Any additional comments?

I simply loved the Ruby Brooch by Katherine Lowry Logan! It is an old-fashioned time travel tale, much in the vein of the Outlander series by Dianna Gabaldon. I’ve been disappointed by so many other attempts to replicate the feel and “heart” of that story and none have come close until now. [How many time travel highlander books do we need?] It is refreshing and a breath of fresh air to finally have an epic story that is hard to categorize, but tells the tale of two souls entwined through time in the United States.

The story starts off soon after paramedic Kit MacKlenna loses her parents in a tragic car wreck in the 21st century. She’s been seeing a harmless ghost ever since she was a child, and she eventually meets up with her ghost, attorney Cullen Montgomery, in the 19th century. Both characters are portrayed realistically with hopes, dreams, fears, and flaws. I especially enjoyed how the story comes “full circle” at the end and I felt that all loose ends were resolved to great satisfaction.

I listened to the Audible version of The Ruby Brooch, narrated by Teri Schnaubelt. Teri’s narration is simply fantastic. She really brings the characters to life, using a variety of accents and giving each character their own distinct voice. She is also able to switch genders and generations with ease. Her reading was nicely paced throughout and she kept me enthralled listening late into the night. Bravo!

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64 people found this helpful

What? No Editor?

There are so many things wrong with this book. The inconsistent used of vocabulary and then used incorrectly - and believe me I am no English scholar. I think the one about "descending up to the veranda..." was almost the last straw, and oh so many more. It was something like an Outlander wanna-be - and no dice. I listened to the end so I could see if it turned out like I thought. It was a bit different only in one aspect.

The narrator was just okay, but she didn't have much material to work with. This book would not affect a purchase narrated by her.

I will not be taking on the other two books. This one will go back.

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41 people found this helpful

Exceptional Time Travel Story

The best time travel book I have listened to. Great entertainment!

The Ruby Brooch is a very unusual story about a 21st Century heiress who learns upon the death of her father and mother that she was not their natural daughter but left on their doorstep wrapped in a bloody shawl, along with a magical brooch and a locket with the picture of a man inside.

Kit had lost her fiance in the same car crash that killed the parents that raised her. Feeling like she had nothing to live for Kit travels back in time through the power of the brooch to try to find her birth parents. She takes a well stocked covered wagon, including medical supplies, pulled by 6 oxen, a thoroughbred horse she has raised since he was a colt, and her stowed away dog and cat with her.

She has quite an adventure as she joins a wagon train heading for Oregon; following a clue from a journal from the 1800s, that her birth parents may have been on a wagon train that was attacked by killers along the route they were taking.

The wagon train faces a cholera outbreak, buffalo stampede, storms. Kit falls in love for the first time in her life with Cullen Montgomery. After she loses Cullen she goes home to the 21st century until she receives a letter written 160 years ago; the content sending her on another quest.

The narrator gave an excellent performance.

I highly recommend "The Ruby Brooch" for anyone who likes historical romance and time travel.

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31 people found this helpful

Wonderful Book!

What a great story. The author is genius for the story line. I truly enjoyed listening to this book. I loved going back in time to the wagon trains. I found all of Kit's stories for how and why she does things hilarious as she doesn't want to get caught with things from the future. I loved how Kit was a strong heroine in this story. That Kit could shoot and fight along with being a medic too! This whole book was such an adventure. All the twists and turns in the plot. I look forward the sapphire and jade stories too!

This book is historical western romance with a twist of intrigue in it! It's about a young woman who doesn't know who her real family is and is given a ruby brooch to travel back in time so she can find herself. Travel along with Kit back to the old west when wagons trains crossed the country and the buffalo still roamed along with the Indians. Learn how life was back in the 1800's while Kit finds the love of her life. For me this story made me grateful to be in the 21st century, but I so enjoyed listening to the history!

The author, Katherine Lowry Logan did an excellent job on this book! The plot totally surprised me and held my interest though out the book and at times, had me on the edge of my seat! The narrator, Teri Schnaubelt did a super job delivering this story to us with all her multiple voices and accents! Loved the accents! Teri is an awesome narrator and I just love to listen to her telling stories.

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28 people found this helpful

Awesome

Good book. Glad I listened. Listened to it in two days. Laughed and cried Would listen again. Not as good as the outlander series but well worth the read

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26 people found this helpful

Enjoyable historical romance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It transported me from my current day to day to a new and different world. The plot had a lot of twists, and by the time I got to the end, I knew I'd missed some important elements. It would be fun to go back and, knowing the ending, reread again to pick up the bits and pieces I need to fill in the gaps.

The performance was good. Teri Schnaubelt's voice is very pleasant, and the reading was well paced. Creating different voices for the characters gave them more personality and individuality, even if those voices weren't perfect as was pointed out in other reviews. I do agree with others that Ms Schnaubelt's pronunciation of various words could be much better. The most glaring issue, as already pointed out, is that the composer Hayden's name is pronounced "high-den" (not "hay-den"), and I was very surprised that a narrator of this caliber would make such a faux pas. But, overall, this was a very engaging performance and has prompted me to look for other books narrated by Ms. Schnaubelt.

The book is not perfect. The story is advertised as historical, though I don't believe the historical aspects were researched as carefully as they could have been. It doesn't give a very accurate presentation of how difficult life really was in the 1850s. And I wondered at the easy acceptance of the concept of time travel by 1850s characters. Furthermore, I agree with other reviewers that the hero and heroine are too perfect, and their the sex scenes were a bit clumsy and gratuitous. HOWEVER, this book is entertainment. I don't believe it was intended to be a high class, well polished historical drama, so a few lapses are acceptable.

On the positive side, the plot was interesting and unique. The characters were enjoyable people who met their problems squarely and had to make tough choices, but eventually came through in good order. The writing pulls the reader into the story, and you feel the highs and lows along with the characters. Plus, there is a smattering of US history thrown in for good measure. If you like historical romances and are willing to forgive some of the rough edges, then this is a book to consider.

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25 people found this helpful

Oregon Trail - Southpass Massacre Mystery

The Ruby Brooch starts with Kit MacKlenna as the sole survivor of a car accident. While grieving, Kit discovered that she was adopted and was angry that her parents lied to her about being a MacKlenna. The things left surrounding her heritage was her father's notes regarding the South Pass massacre on the Oregon Trail, a locket with a portrait of a 19-century man, a bloody-splattered shawl, and a ruby brooch with magical powers.

Kit decided to embarked on a time-traveling journey into 1852 to find her true parents and her identity of who she is. With her paramedic background, she packed everything that she needed based on a journal from someone who made the Oregon Trail journey.

What she didn't plan to encountered was Cullen Montgomery, Scotsman/cowboy. With her knowledge of life-saving skills, Cullen was determined to find out who Kit is and where she knows so much healing. Kit now has to guard her heart against Cullen and knowing that she will have to leave him to return to her home in the 21st century.

What I like about the story is that Kit was pushed from one tragedy to to another life-shattering secret her parents have withheld from her. She was dealing the best she can. I love the interaction of Cullen when he started digging into Kit's past and discovering what cannot be and then accepting it. For someone in the 19th century, Cullen could have decided that Kit is insane or a witch. He was open-minded that Kit was here to harm anyone and accepted that she was on a quest to find out who she is.

I love the complicacy of time-traveling. It is a complicated matter but Kit kept her time-traveling from the present to the past minimum and the rationality that the ruby brooch is not a revolving door. I also love that the story is from Kit and Cullen's point of view as a third person.

I was given this audiobook from the author via Audiobook Blast for an honest review. I was not compensated or influence in any way in writing the review.

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17 people found this helpful

Entertaining

This is a fiction romance book including time travel and a ghost. Plenty of history and adventure found within the story line.
Kit, the heroin was a modern woman who knew how to take care of herself in a male dominated world. She is recently bereaved after her parents accident and discovers that her real parents lived in another time. The only connection is a brooch she found with her fathers things.
Cullen is a lawyer living in a another time and place. After much heart ache, and troubles the pair find out the truth of her past.
The title of the book matches the story with clear focus and creativity. The brooch is also consistently referred to throughout the story.
An endearing story that was great to listen to.

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14 people found this helpful