Tender, sweet, witty, charming, heart-touching: All these describe this book with wonderful characters and an interesting storyline. I have loved this author’s books, and this one is an example of her best work. It’s a beautiful Christian historical novel.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own..

Good, but i didn't love it.

With Cyano de Bergerac elements, including a love triangle, the "falling in love part"-- my very favorite part of any story-- was misplaced for most of it until the end was revealed. It has to be done very well for me to love mistaken identity tropes and this one didn't quite make the mark. It wasn't bad or horrible and i very much enjoyed it.

Emma's a romantic-- and when she meets Christopher she falls madly in love. When he suddenly starts sending her letters its like her dream comes true. But she has a growing friendship with Mitchell, Christopher's best friend, who seems to get her better than most.

In fact, Mitchell is in love with Emma, but when Christopher asks him to write letters to Emma for him, Mitchell agrees, knowing for once he can express the thoughts of his heart.

Eventually, all is revealed and Emma is hurt, but then realizes she loves the man in the letters the most, and that is Mitchell not Christopher.

This might count as a spoiler but I had issues during the part when Mitchell and Christopher are doing the 'balcony' scene-- it was very confusing, awkward, and i still don't quite understand how things were done despite reading it several times. While I did like Mitchell, i never fell quite in love him, as starting a relationship with someone through deception isn't the best.

Overall, an okay follow up to Line by Line, but I much prefer that one to this sequel. I look forward to book 3.

Solid 4 stars

Yes - read it. It was cute. I enjoyed the characters immensely. I found the locations/setting very interesting. The story line at one point was a little old/over done but I still enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from Netgalley to prepare my honest review.

Crossed Lines
by Jennifer Delamere
Pub Date: August 31, 2021
Bethany House Publishers

I am a fan of the books Bethany House publishes. Their content is always appropriate for our conservative small-town library, and our patrons are excited whenever a new one comes out.
This is the second in the series Love Along the Wires.

While typically a love triangle doesn't appeal to me, this one was different than the usual structure. While I didn't enjoy Crossed Lines as much as Line by Line, it was a delightful tale. Emma's love for gardening and romantic letters were lovely inclusions. The cover is stunning. I look forward to Rose's story as hers has been the most mysterious. Thanks to Bethany House and Net Galley for the ARC. I loved this book.
I will recommend this book! 5 star

Writing this review is a bit of a struggle for me. I am not a fan of love-triangle tropes and I really don’t like Cyrano de Bergerac. Because of this, Crossed Lines by Jennifer Delamere took me two weeks to read. I want to be crystal clear — Crossed Lines is a very well-written and engaging story. The plot is well-paced and the action throughout is constant. In no way is this story boring. I found the characters well crafted, unique, and endearing. Mitchell’s feelings in regards to his deformity are extremely relatable and very realistic. Emma’s desire to be loved and her want for a permanent, loving, stable home is the stuff of almost every girl’s dreams. And, Christopher’s infatuation with the pretty girl is quite typical of early romantic feelings. The various conflicts each character deals with in this story are all relatable and realistic. Overall, Crossed Lines is a great Historical Romance that I wholeheartedly recommend. To me, Crossed Lines is a must-read sequel in what is a very excellent series.

My issue with the love triangle trope is the lack of depth to the lovers’ romance. Because authors have to give time to each pairing (boy #1 + girl and boy #2 + girl), and typically their books are roughly 300 pages in length, there is not enough “time” for real feelings to develop in a believable manner. Generally, it’s just lusty chemistry rather than deep, true love. There are some ways around this. For example, one of the couplings, say boy#1 + girl, has been good friends for most of their lives. Establishing a preexisting relationship in the love triangle helps make romantic feelings a little more believable. In Crossed Lines, Emma has not known either Mitchell or Christopher for any real length of time. For me, the brief time of knowing two very unique men ruins believability when it comes to a love match. It’s more a lust match or a relationship-of-convenience match. Yes, there is such a thing as love at first sight, but that doesn’t really work when there are two men to get to know in a 300-page book. This is just my opinion. I know a lot of people love the love triangle trope.

My issue with Cyrano de Bergerac has always been with the shallowness of the characters and the lying they’re OK with doing. When I was six years old, my parents took me and my brothers to the drive-in. I loved going to the drive-in. That particular night was a two-for-one special. The first movie was some kiddie movie that I can’t remember, but the second movie was Roxanne starring Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah. I was supposed to be sleeping during the second movie cause that was the rule. Kids get the first movie, then we go to sleep in the car for the second. Well, I didn’t sleep. I watched the “adult” movie instead. I can remember being very disturbed by the film. The girl only liked the pretty boy because he was handsome. I was totally offended that she couldn’t see how dumb the pretty boy was. I also hated how she made the star of the movie, the real love interest, a second choice. I was offended for this man. I was disappointed that he was OK with being the girl’s seconds. And, I really hated the lying. Nothing good comes from lying no matter how you spin it, especially when it’s lying during the brand-new, baby stages of a relationship. I just did not like the themes of the story. When I was older I had to read Cyrano de Bergerac for a class. I had no idea Roxanne was based on this play. I started to read the play and images of Roxanne came rushing to my brain. I tried really hard to like the play, but I just couldn’t. I felt the same as I did when I was six. In Crossed Lines, I struggled the same as I did with Roxanne and Cyrano de Bergerac. I will say that Delamere does a great job addressing the lying issue, and she even acknowledges the 2nd-choice problem. In Crossed Lines, the best man for Emma wins her hand and it doesn’t feel like she is resigning herself to a second-best option. I appreciate that Delamere rectified these issues in her story.

Jennifer Delamere did an excellent job taking the Cyrano de Bergerac storyline and making it her own. Crossed Lines is a good book; one I do highly recommend. If you are a fan of well-written, engaging Historical Romances, if you appreciate the love triangle trope, or if you love stories with happy endings then Crossed Lines is the book for you!

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is one of those delightful books which you know from the very beginning is going to let you just relax & enjoy it. Sometimes we need a quicker, lighter read between the ‘heavier’ tomes, & Crossed Lines fits the bill without being inconsequential. I must admit it kept me guessing right to the end, as to how it would turn out : all in all, a satisfying read which I can recommend. Note : Whilst this is part of a series, it certainly works as a stand-alone.
4 1/2 stars!

This was a great book by Jennifer Delamere. I loved her characters and how you fell in love with them from the first page. I loved how Mitchell struggled with his disability but how Emma was able to see past that to see the beauty within. I liked how it was a love triangle but how it worked out in the end. I liked how Emma helped Mitchell to see that God was there for him even when it seemed he wasn’t. I enjoy this series because I think it is interesting to learn about women being telegraph operators. I love the storyline and how the romance developed.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

Crossed Lines by Jennifer Delamere is the second book in the Love along the Wires series, but it can be read as a stand-alone novel. Emma Sutton is determined to find the love of her life while she is employed at London's Central Telegraph Office. Unbeknownst to her, co-worker Mitchell Harris has been in love with her from afar but is afraid to meet her. Mitchell worries his crippled leg would turn any woman away. When Emma becomes infatuated with Mitchell's best friend, Mitchell is forced to write love letters to Emma to help out his friend who saved his life years ago. Will Emma find out who is the true writer of the letters, and who does her heart choose in the end?

Crossed lines by Jennifer Dalemere

Emma Sutton the main character longs to be loved and married. It's a sweet historical romance set in Victorian England . Michell and Christopher best friend end up loving the same girls the beautiful Emma . Michell does not want his friend know how his feel and helps his friend woo Emma with romantic poetry with Emma loves but thinks the words are coming from Christopher. Story is beautifully written takes you to Victorian times.
Thank you Netgally for letting me preview this book

Crossed Lines is a sweet historical romance, with a lovely heroine, and a hero that truly stole the show. Emma and Mitchell both work in the telegraph office, though in different areas, and much to his chagrin, he and Emma seldom cross paths. Even worse, before he can press his suit, his best friend, Christopher meets Emma, and it appears there are sparks. Loyal to a fault, Mitchell promises to help Christopher, and confusion reigns for a time.

While I did enjoy book one more than Crossed Lines, there is still a lot for me to enjoy here. I adored Mitchell. His personality is so endearing and the way he overcame great personal adversity gives him such a strong background as a character. He is such a loyal friend to Christopher, who he has known since childhood and who saved him from a childhood accident. This accident leaves him feeling that he owes Christopher all the help he can give, in addition to feeling less deserving of happiness. Mitchell’s sharp wit, loyalty, and his way with words won me over completely.

Emma loves gardening, and I loved that aspect of her character. Gardening provides such a rich metaphor for life, and Emma totally sees this: “It was in putting forth that diligent effort to tend the garden that its blooms were able to flourish…she only had to keep tending her garden.” Though her life isn’t taking the route she wanted, she is continuing on the best she knows how, which is all any of us can do. I hope book three is about Rose, who has been somewhat of a mystery since book one. I do think that Crossed Lines could be enjoyed as a standalone!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher via Net Galley; this review is my honest opinion.

This was a delightful read. I had previously read the first in the series and enjoyed it as well.

Although love triangles (in this case two men care for the same woman) are not new in literature, this may be the first time I’ve read a book where one featured prominently. Mitchell was my favorite character from the get-go and I was glad things worked out the way they did for him!

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars!

The second in the Love Across the Wire has Emma falling for Christopher, a handsome man that can hardly speak in her presence but writes beautiful letters that speaks to her heart. Unbeknownst to Emma, Mitchell is the one behind the letter writing. This unfortunate love triangle is silly at times but readers will want to know how the author settles the matter. The etiquette rules are quite amusing at times compared to today's standards.

Crossed Lines by Jennifer Delamere is a precious and cute romance. It is set in Victorian England with a heroine who loves gardening. She longs for a sweet romance and to marry. The hero, Mitchell loves her at first sight and writes beautiful sonnets about her. Trouble is, she meets Mitchell's best friend. Thus, a love triangle.

I enjoyed this book with the romantic poetry and historical setting and I look forward to the next installment. This is a series, but it can be read as a stand alone.
*I was given a copy by Bethany Publishers and this is my honest opinion.

Utterly delightful! By turns funny, tender and bittersweet, Ms. Delamere spins an original take on a love triangle, placing the hero in the unfortunate role of loyal friend, penning love letters full of poetic prose. While the ending was predictable, I enjoyed Emma's story and found the romance charming.
Ms. Delamere's research into the Victorian age, and many references of the workers in the telegraph and mill industry is refreshing. It was an age when the numbers in the working and middle class were growing and the author masterfully portrays their world. A great book to reach for at the end of a busy day.

I received an advanced review copy from the author via Bethany House and NetGalley. I was not required to write a review and the opinions expressed here are my own.

I enjoyed reading this book. I love the historical accuracy that Jennifer puts into every one of her books. And I loved the Shakespearean references and poetry. I do love when an author puts a writer main character in their books. Especially one who is attempting to use words to court another. You can just let the eloquence loose and see where the words take you! There were some resemblances to other familiar stories where a man uses the words of his friend to woo the heroine, but the story was well drawn and both the hero and heroine grew along the way in maturity and sense, though never losing that romantic sensibility.

I have enjoyed everything I have read by Jennifer Delamere and this book was no exception. Crossed Lines is Book Two in her Love Along the Wires series and while I really liked Book One I savored this one even more, as this book had me feeling connected to the characters on a deeper level. Mitchell and Emma, the beautifully written hero and heroine, have each endured difficult childhoods and persevered to carve out respectable, hard-working lives for themselves working at a telegraphy office in London. These characters and their backstories, combined with a plot line of someone writing letters for another, resulting in confusion for the recipient, paved the way for wonderful character development between Mitchell, Emma, and Mitchell’s friend, Christopher. The love notes and poetry mentioned were sigh-worthy and the conversations among the main characters engaging, heartfelt, and at times, quite humorous.

It was fun to see a romance guide for spinsters that was previously mentioned in the series’ first book make another appearance in Book Two, this time being read and interpreted by a different person. Another highly informative and pleasing topic mentioned was that of (Victorian-era) gardening, a passionate interest of Emma’s. Last but not least, the faith element was inspiring and naturally interlaced into the book through heartfelt discussions among a few main and secondary characters. The intensity of conversations between Emma and Mitchell allowed for deep reflection and personal growth. This was such a sweet, poignant, and engaging story which kept me turning pages and closing the book with a happy sigh. I definitely recommend adding this to your to-be-read list!

I received an advanced review copy from the author via Bethany House and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions expressed here are my own.