Book Shelf: Fateful by Claudia Gray

The RMS Titanic might be the most luxurious ship in the world, but all passenger Tess Davies wants to do is escape her dreary existence as a maid.
Trapped in a web of painful memories and twisted family secrets, Tess vows to make a run for it as soon as the ship reaches New York. A new world awaits... and a new life!
Her single-minded obsession shatters when she meets Alec. Handsome and mysterious, he captivates her immediately - but Alec has secrets of his own. As she uncovers the darkness lurking beneath his sophisticated surface, Tess discovers a horrifying truth. Werewolves, once only the stuff of nightmares, are real - and they are stalking Alec. Tess's love for Alec puts her in mortal peril, but an even greater danger lies in front of her before their journey on the Titanic is over...

Blurb from Goodreads.....



Review:

Fateful caught me from the beginning. It took me on an incredible journey of love, danger and tragedy. It made my heart soar before breaking it as I knew it eventually would, only to have it heal me once again and leave me with endless hope.
There’s no denying that the story of the Titanic isn’t a powerful one. It has been ever since the beginning, and in this book Claudia Gray creates a tale that transports you to another time and place. It’s beautiful and romantic, but hauntingly tragic as events come to pass that we all know are inevitable even before reading this tale.

Going into this book I knew that it would have to end it pain at some point; that many of the characters we met on the ship wouldn’t survive that tragic night, but that didn’t stop me from loving them regardless. Born to a time of high class and wealth, where difference of importance was a common thing, all these characters were captivating and wonderful. Some were well bred, but still kind as we saw with Miss Irene. Others were born to a lower class, yet still strong as individuals and soul as we saw with kind George, sweet Ned, feisty Myriam and honourable Mr Marlowe who loved his son no matter what. Of course there were the cruel ones as we saw with Lady Regina, Layton and Mikhail, but they gave the book a strong foundation and made it seem more realistic to that time. Each and every character had their own story aboard the Titanic and their own past that made them such colourful characters to read about.

Tess was a great lead to read about. She came from humble beginnings, and she was just a normal servant girl from those times who happened to want more from life. She knows her place in life and who she is, but she wanted the freedom that only fleeing her employer could give and believed the Titanic was her ticket to that. One of the things I loved about Tess was that she was so normal; of course she had vulnerabilities and she was scared but she was strong too. I thought she reacted to learning about werewolves with a healthy amount of fear, but she saw them in a good and balanced light over time and none of that changed her growing feelings for Alec.
As for Mr. Alec Marlowe....swoon. What can I say? Born to wealth, he was haunted by what he was now was and the things he did. He’s just the kind of man a girl can dream would sweep her off her feet in those times and days. He was a nobleman, but none of that mattered to him when it came to Tess. He treated those around him who weren’t quite in the same position as he was with respect too. He was sexy and charming and fell completely in love with Tess, eventually making a selfless act that would save her life.

Despite the events of the Titanic, or perhaps even because I knew how it would end, the relationship between Tess and Alec was so romantic! Both were so different, and from different classes, but the sparks between them were beautiful and their relationship was passionate and real. It was refreshing to have Alec’s family support his romance with a woman of a lower class and to have them have his father’s blessing. It was nice not having this as an obstacle for them and instead seeing them face a completely different threat. Tess and Alec connected and had a bond that nothing—not what he was, not difference of status, not even the ocean itself--could break. It was pure and so intense to read about.

I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that some scenes, especially towards the ending of this book, had me very emotional. When you love certain characters and follow them on their journey, only to have it end in such a tragic, be it inevitable way, it’s very sad. I can see the beauty in the way Claudia Gray has written the tale and her characters and I’m so pleased to have read their story.
It was impossible not to get swept up in this intense, passionate tale and I held on through it all; unable to stop reading as the characters found their feet and each other. The pain and sadness of the ending didn’t over power the hope and promise found at the very, very end and it was equal balance happiness and tragedy.

This book is an incredible journey that will draw all number of emotions from readers and will stay with you, long after you turn the last page!


Rating:
Source: Sent from Harper Collins Australia (Thanks so much!)
Format: Paperback
Recommend: YES!
Recommend borrow or buy: Buy!
Cover: It has a nice shiny foil finish to it--it's really nice!
Read sequel/continue with series: This is a stand alone novel, but I defiantly reccomend Claudia Gray.