Glittering Promises: A Novel

Written by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Narrated by Jaimee Draper

Wealth cannot buy peace... or direction.

For Cora Kensington, the Grand Tour was to be the trip of a lifetime. She discovered the family she never knew she had and may have even found the love she longs for in Will. Yet her life has just become infinitely more challenging

Hounded by the stubborn pursuit of Pierre de Richelieu and journalists chasing the beguiling story of the newest American heiress, Cora fights to remain true to her past, reconcile her present, and still embrace her future. But as Will struggles with her newfound wealth, Cora begins to wonder if their love is strong enough to withstand all that threatens to pull them apart.

As she glimpses the end of the tour, Cora knows it's time to decide Who and what defines her and who and what does not.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oasis Audio
• Release date: Oct 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781621882848

Lisa Tawn Bergren

Lisa T. Bergren is the author of over forty books, with a combined count of nearly three million copies sold.  She has written bestselling children’s books, award-wining YA (River of Time Series: Waterfall), popular historical fiction, contemporary fiction, women’s nonfiction, and gift books.  She is a writer residing in Colorado Springs, CO, with her husband and three children.  You can find out more about Lisa at LisaBergren.com.  

Reviews for Glittering Promises

[Jdrichardson16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book, I really enjoyed the storyline. Would recomend. A

[cbcmedia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the third book in this series and I do hope there will be a fourth! I have loved traveling throughout Europe with this strange mixture of family, friends, and foes. During their tour of Europe they saw many of God’s splendor in His creations, yet they also saw evidence of man’s creations that were now in ruins, crumbled, torn down. That’s like us, we can build on our own or we can build on our relationship with Jesus, that’s something that will be here for eternity.It’s hard to write a review about the second or third book in a series without letting some information out, so I do warn you...if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, please just take my word for it and go read them...this is an excellent series.Cora Deihl Kenninston is surrounded by family and friends and bodyguards on this trip through Europe. At first you think all the troubles from Book 2 are over with, but never let down your guard! Cora is still searching for the right thing to do with her newfound position in life and her lady’s maid, Anna, had some very good advise for her. She said, “I’ve rarely seen money make anyone a better person, but I’ve seen it destroy many....happiness depends on how a body uses what the Lord gives them. Seek His will out, Miss Cora.” Sounds like pretty good advise for us too! Cora has tried all summer to fit in with her new family and new way of life, only to be miserable. Will she decide on Will or Pierre? Are the threats to her life over or really just beginning? Finally Cora realized something important, “about how grand it was of God, to sort out the glittering promises of my life and make it clear what was truth and what was a lie. What I could cling to, count on, and what I could not.”God does work in mysterious ways and that is what happened with Cora on this Grand Tour. So many joyous moments, so many sad moments, and so many terrified moments. But God brought them all together to make sense of the whole trip and show her that her true heritage lies with Jesus!

[stephlaymon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This installment in the Grand Tour Series is the best of the lot. The inspirational piece is meshed nicely as we see a bit of an Esther retelling shine through. Cora's voice is easy to relate to and I was truly touched by her faith and circumstances, which is a rarity in Christian fiction for me. I often fine it forced and displaced. Well done, Lisa Bergren!

[vanyadrum · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

NOTE: I received the eARC via Netgalley.

I waited very (im)patiently for Glittering Promises to come out. Now that it has, and I'm done reading it, I wish it hadn't finished so fast. I honestly can't believe that this is the end of Cora's story. I mean, it is the perfect conclusion and all, but I just... gah! I wish it had lasted longer. You know? I kind of felt like this when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows came out. Sad, mostly. Happy too, but...

So, let's just get on with the review.

I am amazed by Bergren's writing style. It is perfectly appropriate for the historical age of which she wrote. Sometimes I was bothered by the wording she (or rather the characters) used, but hey - just because we don't talk like that now, doesn't mean they didn't talk like that back in the day. In fact, I believe that Bergren has spent many hours researching speech, manners, societal norms etc. of the early 1900s so that Cora's story would become as convincing as it is. I was swept off my feet seeing how deep in the concept of that world the author has actually ventured into.

Each character acted according to their class, their place in society, their upbringing. Sometimes individual feelings were disregarded because of parental insistence. Sometimes the characters decided to stand up to their beliefs and understanding of all things important.

Undoubtedly, the most charismatic character is Cora Diehl Kensington. She is headstrong, independent and quite firm in making her decisions. Of course, being a new person in the high society, she feels a bit misplaced sometimes, misunderstood, spoken down to or flattered simply for the reason of her inheritance. Fortunately, she isn't vain, so mostly she doesn't care. I admire that in her. Especially when Andrew Morgan continuously put her down. I loved how she was beginning to open up to her father, to understand some of his reasoning.

William (the Bear) made me a tiny bit confused, to be honest. I was left with the impression that his heart was fully devoted to Cora. But then this Italian lady crossed his path and he got distracted. I understand that he felt insecure about Cora, whether she loved him, whether she really wanted him, but allowing flirting with someone else? That was way degrading. Then again, I did not come to like Will all that much to begin with. Sometimes he felt like the right one for Cora, sometimes not.

Pierre... *sigh* My sweet romantic Frenchman disappointed me way too much. I could've never expected him to fall so low in his pursue of Cora. He was always my favorite, my hero. And to slum it so bad! What a huge misfortune! I really can't talk much about him or I'm bound to say something spoilery.

Andrew on the other hand, surprised me not. He was such a jerk! I couldn't really understand why ANYONE would ever want his company. He definitely got what he deserved, and I'm so proud of Vivian and everyone really for sticking to what was right.

In the end of the great European journey, I can only say that blood is always thicker than water. Finally, finally Cora found her place in the world, and I can only congratulate her!

[l_manning · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Cora Diehl Kensington is determined to finish her Grand Tour. She has been kidnapped and had stories written about her, but she wants to keep going on. On top of all the peril, Cora has fallen for the leader of their group, Will. She and Will have gone public, so Cora thinks that is settled. It's not. Meanwhile, Cora has been handed the means by which to her future can be made secure as part owner of a mine. Cora will have to deal with more danger both to her person and to her relationship with Will if she's to make it through the rest of the tour. The final installment in this series finds us reading some very familiar characters. I like when we are able to spend time with people we feel like we already know. This book continues a lot of the themes and plotlines introduced in the earlier books. I found that made a few things feel a little repetitive, but overall there was enough new stuff to make it all feel fresh. Cora is still managing to find ways to grow, so I enjoyed that. She and Will are still working to know each other and work through their issues, and they are having more things throw at them with Cora's new placement as an owner of one of the mines. I found this part to be very realistic actually, and I think that they handled things in a good way.There are a bit of a twist in the end, but I honestly wasn't too surprised. It seemed a bit telegraphed to me, but that's ok. It was still interesting. It definitely felt like a good payoff for reading the entire series. Things were wrapped up in an acceptable manner (to me anyway), so I couldn't really ask for me. Overall this was a great book in a great series, so be sure to check it out.Book provided for review.

[glenajo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Surprise Ending for the Third in a SeriesThe third book in the Grand Tour series by Lisa T. Bergren, Glittering Promises, begins rather slowly with pages of relating the feelings of the group of travelers. Once it picks up, the book really moves as Cora runs into problem after problem. She attempts to make good decisions and grow as the story line twists and turns. Bergren continues to create beautiful pictures of life in Europe during the early part of century. The group itself begins to encounter more fiction as Cora’s father gives her full shares of the copper mine. That money waves to the reporters like a red flag to a bull, adding even more stress to Cora’s adventure. This is a fun read with an unexpected conclusion. I recommend it to those who enjoy a historical romance that has well-developed basics.

[deanna13-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Glittering Promises by Lisa T. Bergren is the third and last book in the series and is just as great a story as the previous two. Cora Kensington and the rest of the Kensington and Morgan families are now in Italy for the last leg of their grand tour. Not only are they having to guard against kidnapers but they are hounded by the press looking for any story about Cora and her new wealth that makes her one of the richest women in America. Cora is in love with Will but Pierre de Richelieu’s determined pursuit of Cora causes her to have a doubt or two. Cora is adding to her problems by doubting many of her decisions as she tries to determine exactly what she wants out of life.All the characters come to life on the pages of the book and I felt as if I knew every one of them personally. The author does an excellent job in describing all the scenes as the group tours through Italy. I felt as if I were right in the middle of the group and seeing what they were seeing. There were several twists and turns to the plot but the author brought them all together at the end. There was a good deal of suspense in the story and I was kept guessing until the end exactly what would happen. I would think that I had the mystery solved and then something else would happen and I had to start over trying to solve the mystery. Just as in the first two books, the author’s extensive research was evident throughout this third book. In the end, things worked out as they should and there was a happy ending. I would like to see the author write a fourth book dealing with Cora’s life after the tour.I highly recommend this book to all who enjoy a really good historical novel set in the early part of the twentieth century.I received a complimentary copy of this book from David C. Cook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[vintagebeckie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Glittering Promises is the concluding novel in Lisa T. Bergren’s sweeping The Grand Tour series. Cora Diehl Kensington has certainly matured since she was introduced as a humble Montana farm girl. Throughout the series Cora has had to wrestle with her identity and place in the world. In this final book Cora steps confidently into her future — a great conclusion to this grand saga.Much has occurred during the Grand Tour that the Morgan and Kensington children have embarked upon. Cora has had to come to terms with the knowledge of her real identity along with sudden wealth. Finding her way among her family, new social status and love interests while visiting the great landmarks of Europe has proven daunting. But Cora relies not only on her upbringing but her faith in God to see her through.Lisa Bergren has created a series fraught with danger, deception, and illusions amidst the backdrop of Europe of the early 1900s. Times certainly have changed — women’s rights, collapse of social barriers — but the truths of who we are in the world and God remain the same. Cora discovers the power of love and forgiveness as she embarks on the life she is carving out for herself.If you like epic sagas, rich historical details, and a story to touch your heart, then check out The Grand Tour series. Be sure to start with Glamorous Illusions, then turn to Grave Consequences. Then you will be ready to begin Glittering Promises.Recommended.(Thanks to David C Cook for a review copy. All opinions are mine alone.)

[mbarkman_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I do not enjoy reading Time Travel novels, and why then, do I enjoy historical novels? I am not sure, because that is literally what Lisa has done with her Grand Tour series. I somehow inadvertently missed reading Grave Consequences, which is the second book in the series, and so this third book, Glittering Promises loses a little of the impact it would have had had I read it. Also, I think in order to get the full picture of Europe, and the places Cora and her half-siblings visit it would be best to wait until the series is completed and available, or perhaps re-read as they are published. That will not be a hardship, because this is the type of novel where I expect that each time I read it, I will read or remember something new that I missed the last times around. Depicting the era of 1913 and spanning the world from Montana to Italy has been done in such a way that you can almost see the dilapidated Roman Ruins, feel the tension of a triangle romance and the angst of familial love and rivalry. Beautifully told, enough adventure and mystery to keep the reader turning page after page to keep up with the tour.I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and David C. Cook publishers in exchange for an honest review. A positive critique was not required. The opinions are my own.