The new Pullman Hotel Express leaves Boston in 1870, it’s has eight train carriages and is bound for San Francisco. The first train to travel from coast to coast, going westward, through the mountains, prairies and barren deserts and it draws huge crowds along the way. The train is full of congressmen, railroad presidents, and the owner George Pullman is on board.

Hattie’s happy to be gaining her independence from her parents, she’s extremely intelligent and interested in engineering. She's unconventional, drinks bourbon and sneaks off for a cigarette. Hattie’s traveling to meet her fiancé Mr Leland Durand, they have been writing to each other and courting by correspondence. Louisa’s been employed by a wealthy couple to be a governess for their two children Sheila and Frank during the train journey. Louisa grew up in the South during the Civil War, she witnessed some traumatic things and she’s a sensitive person.

During the day the passengers look at the amazing sights, eat extravagant meals, they sleep in specially designed pull out beds, and with privacy curtains. As they travel west they see abandoned graves and sod houses on the prairie, fields of wild flowers and herds of buffalo.

For Hattie and Louisa, it’s a trip into the unknown, one of self-discovery, personal revelations and they need to decide what they will do when they reach the end of the line. I received a copy of A Transcontinental Affair in exchange for an honest review, not exactly what I was expecting in the story-line and four stars from me.

I adored this book! Great storytelling and indelible characters made it an excellent read. Thanks to netgalley for the arc.

This was an interesting read. It has a few twists and turns that one is not expecting along the way. Perfect for summer and a weekend beach read, or just sitting in the backyard.

Get lost in the story of Louisa and Hattie, as they traverse across the frontier and the dangers that it holds.

Set in 1870, this novel is about a train journey across the country. It was the first transcontinental train trip from coast to coast that started in Boston. I found the story delightful! I enjoyed the characters and the humor throughout. There are affluent, important people riding on the train. But we get to know three young women the most. There’s Hattie, a congressman’s daughter, who is traveling to California to meet her unseen fiancé for the first time. And there’s Louisa, a governess for a difficult couple. And there is Julia, the daughter of an important nature scholar. Late in the story, the tone turns a different direction after the passengers witness something that will forever change their lives.

A Transcontinental Affair was a good historical. It was slow at times but quickly picks back up. I give it three stars.

This lovely novel takes readers on a journey that features the most advanced train travel of the day, but also on an exploration of the human spirit, courage, and heart. Daynard not only creates great characters, she paints them with vivid colors and light. Each one is unique and fully developed, and you will yearn to know the outcomes all along the way.

Historical fiction that drew me right in the Pullman cross country luxury train trip.Characters that come alive there are friendships love and the details the author provides of this train the dining car the meals and one particular character Hattie sit back enjoy the journey,#netgalley#lakeunionpublishing.

This was an initial very interesting premise: a girl who takes a train across the country in the late 1800's without her father to meet a man whom she has never met and is expected to marry. This is based on an actual train that traveled during this time period and certain people within the story were based on actual passengers on the train.

However, halfway through I realized the crux of the story was based on two women who are lesbians and how they deal with their feelings in such a time period where it was considered an abomination to be homosexual in nature. This main theme wasn't executed well and I didn't feel as drawn in or attached to the characters as I could have been.

Overall, I was just okay with this story. It could have been more fascinating in the descriptions or with the emotions than it was.

Thank you Net Galley/Lake Union Publishing for my copy and honest review.

A very interesting look at the development of the Pullman transcontinental railroad. I really enjoyed it and the character of Hattie.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you love historical fiction, this is the perfect choice. I knew little about the history of the transcontinental railway, and this novel was worth a semester history class. The story is based on the first transcontinental trip from Boston to San Francisco on the Pullman Hotel, an elegantly outfitted train, filled with the elite of the Times. The research to bring this journey to life, was very impressive. I felt that I was on this rail adventure as well. The descriptions of the landscape and terrain were so vivid and clear to the reader, and the experiences of the journey so realistic.
The accompanying story of Hattie and Louisa and those they encountered along the way was a bonus. Wonderful, interesting characters, that made the journey even more adventurous. The friendships that developed on this trip were described beautifully. The corruption and shady dealings of the investors and supporters of the railroad, was familiar by today’s standards as well.
This is a story of the spirit of adventure and the awakening of a new experiences in pioneering country. It was the coming of age of women’s desire for independence and importance and the contributions they could make, if given the advantage.
My thanks to #LakeUnionPublishers #NetGalley for the ARC. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book follows the first trancontinental train trip in the Pullman Express through the eyes of two unconventional women. Hattie, the daughter of a congressman, is on the journey to meet her fiancée in San Francisco for the first time. She prefers trousers over dresses and the mechanics of the train over the opulent trappings inside. Louisa is the daughter of a reverend, a constant reminder to him of his wife's infidelity. Born with a club foot, she is considered unmarriagable, and her only chance of escape is to become a nanny to a rich and extremely spoiled pair of children on the journey. These two courageous women meet by chance and become fast friends, and then discover they've fallen in love.
This book has beautiful descriptions of the landscape and the rich furnishings of the train. The attitudes of the men against women of the day, especially women like Hattie and Louisa, were a reminder of how far women's rights have come. Need an escape? Take a journey through this great adventure.

Thank you #NetGalley and #LakeUnion for the ARC of this book. This is my own thoughts on the book.

It started out very slow and I kept putting it down. I would go back and try again only to put it back down again. Somewhere along the line it did pick up speed, so to speak. It would have been a great book if not for the slow parts that keep you dragging. Or at least it did me.

The author did a good job eventually with the characters. The trip across the country with all it’s ups and downs and the scenery was well written. The fact that it was history in the making was great. I liked that it was a subject that most never read in this era. Gay people did not just appear in our century but you never read about it back in the 1800’s. Or I haven’t anyway. I think it would have been a great book if only it would have started out strong and stayed that way. The cover up, Indians, and many other things that happened were interesting but that beginning almost made this one I didn’t finish.

I’m giving it a 3.5 star rating and will recommend it but with a slow start warning.

This is an interesting story about a train journey across the states, it starts in Boston and ends in San Fran. it has some twist and turns and is 1870 so great ready for some agh men moments. Hattie is a great character that you want to root for! Overall, I give it 3 starts as it was a bit hard to get into and then slow in the middle. But overall a great story.

I was very disappointed in this book. It is a lesbian love story and nothing about that is in the description of the book. I definitely would not have considered reading it I had known the sexual nature of the book. As for the story itself, it is rather bland and dragged on. The geography was not correct. I feel like I wasted time reading this book. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a historical novel that was filled with a little too much background info to set the tone. I felt like the author spent too much time setting the background info vs jumping right into allowing the reader to learn about the characters. I did enjoy the story once it got going, but it took too long to get there. I feel like a lot of readers will not stick out the boring start to get to the interesting love story.

Set in 1870, Hattie is set to embark on a journey from her family home in Boston to Sacramento to meet the man she is to marry. Never having met, only letters and a photo, she doesn’t really know the man who awaits her on the other side, and men are generally not to her persuasion.

Feisty, inquisitive, and hands-on, Hattie’s unaccompanied journey on the Pullman Hotel Express is less than straight forward. Twists, turns, unruly children, a hassled nanny, famous stops and views along the way. Dangers, deaths, coverings up, not to forget a transcontinental affair.

A great story of the time, with etiquette and manners to match. The story takes you along the railway journey with the passengers, their lives, ups, downs, and business arrangements, but mostly of a subtly developing, and deep love.

May 1870 and this is history in the making. The first train to travel coast to coast is about to begin its journey and on board are myriad characters all going to San Francisco.
Two women Louisa and Hattie are also on the train. Louisa as a governess to two children along with their strange parents, and Hattie on a mission to marriage where Leland is waiting for her at the other end. Hattie is different for her times - bold, brash, innovative and clever. Louisa is sensitive, reserved and with a club foot with a marked limp she is very conscious of tends to keep to the background. How these two women forge a bond of friendship and love amidst the travails of travelling and the excitement of this journey is the story.

Add to this accidents on the way, encounters with Indians, deaths, and a massive cover up by the train authorities themselves add to the story. The book though very factual was a bit of a slow read and you had to pursue it to the end to understand the nuances of the LGBTQ connections in this story.

Being a history buff, this part of the story interested me more.

I tried to like this book. Piciked it up several times and just couldn't get interested in the story. The writing seemed to drag and I just didn't care about the characters. Quit reading half way through. My apologies to the author. 3 stars because I didn't finish and I am sure its a good book, just not my taste.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy....all thoughts and options are my own.

A Transcontinental Affair takes you on the Pullman Hotel Express, a luxury train, the first to travel from coast to coast, from Boston to San Francisco. Aboard the train are a cast of characters, most importantly, three young women who become friends and possibly more than that. This novel was so well researched that I felt like I was on the train with Hattie, Louisa and Julia. I really enjoyed reading about a time in history that I haven't read much about.

This is the second novel that I've read by author, Jodi Daynard, and also recommend The Midwife's Revolt.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own. Review based on paperback copy.

This is a novel had interesting characters, highly descriptive settings, and focused on an interesting part of history that I am only vaguely familiar with. I enjoyed the characters, their interactions, and how the relationships developed. The relationship between Hattie and Louisa was handled with finesse and, I feel, was not remotely offensive.
That said, I am a little unsure about the author’s writing style. At times it was a little too verbose for me, reminding me of a novel that was written in the past, possibly about the same era as this novel took place. For me, it did detract a bit from my enjoyment, and I felt some of the events were either rushed or dragged out a little too long.
Overall, this was a solid read. Lovers of historical fiction will enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#ATranscontinentalAffair #JodiDaynard #LakeUnionPublishing