Look to the East (The Great War Series #1) [Paperback]

Maureen Lang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 4, 2009

At the dawn of the First World War, the French provincial village of Briecourt is isolated from the battles, but the century-old feud between the Toussaints and the de Colvilles still rages in the streets. When the German army sweeps in to occupy the town, families on both sides of the feud must work together to protect stragglers caught behind enemy lines. Julitte Toussaint may have been adopted from a faraway island, but she feels the scorn of the de Colvilles as much as anyone born a Toussaint. So when she falls in love with one of the stragglers—a wealthy and handsome Belgian entrepreneur—she knows she’s playing with fire. Charles Lassone hides in the cellar of the Briecourt church, safe from the Germans for the moment. But if he’s discovered, it will bring danger to the entire village and could cost Charles his life. First in a three-book series.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in the French hamlet of Briecourt, Lang's first novel in her Great War romance series teems with conflict. Caught on the front lines of WWI and further torn by a senseless family feud, the village reels with uncertainty, fear, suspicion and blame. Julitte Toussaint, as made excessively clear by her perfection, is the story's pious heroine who has unique spiritual gifts and a mysterious history that elicits wonder and, unfortunately, rejection by many of her neighbors. However, refugee and Belgian gentleman Charles Lassone sees past the rumors surrounding Julitte as she brings him food during his time of hiding in the village's church. Their virtuous love story acts as a foil to other subplots involving vanity, greed, pride. The most damning comparison Lang overemphasizes is between the chaste relationship of Julitte and Charles and the suggested sexual fall of her best friend. Lang's novel is a cautionary tale as well as a romance within an exciting framework of war, secrets and blissful reunions. (Sept.)
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Review

"Lang's novel is a cautionary tale as well as a romance within an exciting framework of war, secrets and blissful reunions." --Publishers Weekly Magazine, July 20, 2009

"This is an intriguing historical tale with a romantic subplot enhancing the deep look at life during an occupation. Julitte is terrific as the lead protagonist who holds the insightful story line together, as her love with Charles is pure and in stark contrast to a village filled with the seven deadly sins. Readers will enjoy this cautionary tale that resonates today at a time when outright lies by leaders are acceptable because the means no longer matter if the end is achieved." --Harriet Klausner Reviews

"Lang's couple doesn't experience enough time together for a satisfying romance, but the accounts of survival during dire circumstances make the story interesting." --RT Book Reviews Magazine, October, 2009

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; Original edition (August 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414324359
• ISBN-13: 978-1414324357
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I grew up as one of the youngest in a six-kid, boisterously loud German-Irish family in the suburbs of Chicago. Eight of us in a house with only one bathroom! We didn't really argue, although just to be heard over all the noise it might have seemed that way to an outsider. So whom did I marry? A quiet, reserved son of a German brick layer. While our family gathering decibels would compare to the lift off of a jet from nearby O'Hare, his family gatherings would register more like the soft rustling of oak leaves.
I grew up loving to tell stories, and God has blessed me immeasurably to be able to tell them to a wider audience these days.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Romance in Briecourt France, August 17, 2009

By 

James W. Harris IV "& Paulette L. Harris" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Look to the East (The Great War Series #1) (Paperback)

Maureen Lang has done it again, written a beautiful story and it is about World War I.

There is an old feud between two families, the Toussaints and de Colvilles in the little village of Briecourt France.

The village finds itself isolated from the rest of war torn France as the enemy marches forward, taking their homes,food, clothing and anything else that they can grab. The isolation forces the village people to take a second look at their circumstances as they learn to depend on one another. They take in people that have been caught behind enemy lines and hide them, even learning to help them escape to other places to help France and themselves be saved. But is it too late?

Charles Lassone is one of the strangers who is hidden in the Church. He is a Belgian entrepreneur.

An outsider all her life in this village, Juliette Toussaint is adopted but when she helps everyone around her, she discovers Charles and as she helps him, she realizes she is falling in love with him. She struggles with scorn and hunger as she helps him to escape to warn the people of France where the Germans are and the predicament that the village is in. She prays it won't be too late and the entire village is destroyed with the people who have lived there for over a century.

Maureen has painted a beautiful picture of the country side of France with it's simple villagers. I enjoyed every step of the way with Juliette and her handsome knight in shining armor. I believe you will too as you immerse yourself in a wonderful story of heroism and what happened during World War I.

Paulette L. Harris
Free lance author/speaker

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great War Historical, September 18, 2009

By 

Margaret Chind "Creative Madness Mama - Quilt... (Atoka, Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Look to the East (The Great War Series #1) (Paperback)

*This is a review of an ARC version.*

Maureen Lang has a great way with words to weave into a story. I enjoyed this book. Historical Fiction is my favorite genre, although I like to stay in the happier romances. This book was filled to the brim of chill-bump romance and true love, but the entire tone of the book was sad and cold because of the war background setting. For me that brought the book down a couple stars, but that is only my book preference. As far as the character likability, the main characters Julitte and Charles were fabulous and extremely amiable. The antagonists both German and French were highly detestable. Emotions really run rampant with this novel and it reads almost like a two person diary. In my opinion, Maureen is an author to be watched. I just personally need to stick to happier time periods, yet even with that said, I will definitely be looking for the sequels to this series. The peace of God highly showed through in the characters thoughts and actions, and those that needed to grow were shown with heightening strength. Even the characters that were to "fall" as a reader you find yourself thinking of prayers for similar people in your life. It was a very powerful read, and besides the devastation of war a fabulous story.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lovely WWI romance, August 22, 2009

By 

Stacey (Las Vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Look to the East (The Great War Series #1) (Paperback)

At the outbreak of World War I, Julitte Toussaint and Charles Lassone meet and are consumed with thoughts of each other. When Charles goes into hiding in the quaint country town where Julitte lives, they grow to love each other despite their families' feud with each other. But when the enemy Germans come to invade, their love, their lives and the lives of the townspeople are in mortal jeopardy.

Maureen Lang's "Look to the East" is a breathtaking old world romance written in old world romantic language that transports the reader directly to the 1914 French countryside. This book has many of the key elements that I look for in an enjoyable reading experience. First of all, I am one of the most hardcore Francophiles that I know! This book is set in France, and is written with the elegance that I have come to associate with that place. This story is about forbidden love because of feuding families a la Romeo and Juliet, although our leading man is the friend of one of the feuding families and separated from his lady love also by caste. In fact, the female lead character is named Julitte. The cherry on the top of this delightful read is a strong, handsome, and kind leading man named Charles - a name I have always adored because it belonged to my Grandfather.