Lady Ruth Bromfield by Gordon Smith

Reviewed By Katelyn Hensel for Readers’ Favorite Lady Ruth Bromfield by Gordon Smith was an interesting read, to say the least. This is not your typical historical fiction about World War II and the Nazis. This has a lot less sadness, and more of a hopeful quality about how a life can be forever altered, but still grow strong in a new and fertile home. This book is written with exceedingly realistic clarity so that at times I was not sure if I was reading fictionalized history, a biography, or a complete work of fiction. It was intriguing and fun to feel like that with Lady Ruth Bromfield! There was a lot of meat packed into this book, and themes of family, finding yourself, moving on, and living a full life. I particularly enjoyed the aspects about Ruth becoming an engineer...Girl Power! Gordon Smith has done a good job in trying to condense a lifetime down into a novel length story, though a bit more detail or characterization would have been helpful. Lady Bromfield/Ruth is determinedly her own character. The story meanders a bit as she travels to England and then Australia, but I do think that the focus is kept rightfully on this strong and interesting woman as she makes a life for herself, and overcomes differences to find a place where all humans can live in harmony with one another. Reviewed By Mamta Madhavan for Readersrs’ Favorite Lady Ruth Bromfield by Gordon Smith is a thought-provoking book in which the author shares her story of escaping Nazi persecution as a child when she was sent to England on 'Kinder Transport.' Born to an unwed Jewish mother in Germany, life was unbearable for the Jews there, and when the Nazis seized Ruth's grandfather's house, the family had nowhere to live. As the book progresses, readers get to know more about Ruth's life, how she reached England, her upbringing as a Christian Jew, and how she grew to become an inspirational leader, and also bridged the gap between people from different backgrounds and religious beliefs. Ruth's upbringing, along with her Christian and Jewish upbringing, sets the tone of religious tolerance which readers get to see at every stage. This heartwarming story also sees Ruth's growth to take on responsibility at one of the largest construction companies in the world, and how she brings people from all walks of life together, bridging their differences. The character of Ruth has been well sketched by the author, making her story memorable and palpable to readers. Her experiences and journey reach out to readers and connect well with them, and her growth as a person is inspirational. The story is uplifting and profound, and will help readers overcome differences with others, especially when it comes to tolerance of other religions and ethnicity The Hungry Monster Book Review As the Nazis begin to take over Germany, a young, Jewish mother strives to protect her daughter from the persecution that her people face on a daily basis. After meeting a secret agent from England, the young mother ships her daughter to the English countryside to live with a minister and his wife with the promise that they will raise her in the Jewish faith. A look into the life of a girl raised to be a Christian Jew, Lady Ruth Broomfield showcases the drive and amazing work ethic that its titular character posses which helped her become a powerful player in a world that once persecuted her people. Gordon Smith’s Lady Ruth Bromfield proves to be an interesting read in the sense that it reads like fiction, but also reads like a true story. While the story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat near the beginning of the novel, there are obvious dips in the interest levels and movement of the story. The book is very well written in the sense that the author definitely knows how to pace the story when it comes to facts. However, one of the major issues with the storytelling comes through the depiction of Ruth. While it is understood that Ruth is the story’s hero, she is far too perfect in her depiction. Overly smart, ambitious, and predominantly successful from an early age, the writing of ten-year-old Ruth makes her appear to be unusually self-aware. Certainly, the children of World War II grew up faster than most, but her mentality seems to be a mix of a spoiled five year old and a wise twenty year old. Similarly, her depiction as a three-year-old is unrealistic. Had some of the conversations happened when the child was five instead of three, it would’ve been more believable than the conversation presented. However, when the reader keeps in mind that the main character is a little bit above and beyond the normal person as the story continues, it makes the unnatural maturity seem more plausible, if only by a little bit. While the writing is mostly well done, the repetitive descriptions and retelling of information slows the flow of the book greatly and dampers the overall mood when reading the story. It’s really the ending of the story that makes up for the roller-coaster of writing and descriptions throughout the book. The promise of hope and the example of overcoming as a woman in a predominately male field is quite the impressive story. Similarly, overcoming her initial adversity at the beginning of the story as a Jewish orphan to becoming a massive player in the world of construction does offer hope to anyone who believes that their small beginnings do not allow them to go on and achieve greater things. Overall, this story provides hope By Hungry Monster on September 13, 2016