Customer Reviews

Yesterday's Tomorrow

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I intended to take this book in chunks, but when I reached my first self-imposed stopping point, I ignored it. Yesterday's Tomorrow is so compelling that I had to keep turning pages. Delicious characters who live so fully that they allow themselves to get filthy and face evil and temptation from friends as well as obvious foes will make you remember them for a long time. Cathy's story isn't about women's rights, although the late sixties in America is a testing time. The character of Kristin isn't out to prove that a woman can do a war-time correspondent job; she's out to prove that she has an eye for a story like no one else. A chance meeting with international journalists gives Kristin a roommate in Saigon; the roommate has a brother who's a mysterious photo-journalist. Although Kristin has defied her mother and her boss to go to Vietnam, she quickly grows up, finds the right connections and the chance to write the story of a lifetime on the unspoken role of the US government behind the scenes. Luke lives fast and recklessly, and when he and Kristen are thrown together as a team for Life magazine, they share secrets that bind them long after the war is over.

I remember all those messed-up soldiers coming home. I was in junior high and very impressionable, and lived through some pretty gruesome aftereffects in our neighborhood, including the stabbing of a neighbor's wife. As I read the book I wondered if Cathy had lived through the era, and found out later that she had researched well. The book is so complex in that Cathy touches on women's rights, racism, espionage, the fallout of war on orphans, temptation and the aftermath, besides a raw faith element. All of the beautiful ingredients create a rich and sensuously satisfying meal. She also has a great book trailer.

When I first received this book for review, I read the opening and part of the first chapter, then went to check out the author. I still have trouble believing that this is Cathy's debut novel. I read a lot of books for review and I rarely give raves, but this book is rave-worthy. For readers who like thought-provoking, gritty, death-defying and fast-paced realism in their recent history entertainment, or for those who just want a taste of what it was like for people going through this devastating time in American history, Yesterday's Tomorrow will satisfy you for the moment and stay with you long afterward.

Lisa Lickel

LisaLickel.com

It takes a talented author to stir a reader's emotions at a deep level, but Catherine West managed it with no problem in her debut novel Yesterday's Tomorrow. The story centers around Kristin Taylor, a twentysomething journalist who goes to Vietnam to continue her father's legacy of touching people's lives with the written word. She's unprepared for the gritty reality of war and the emotions--and sometimes lack of emotions--that go with it, but she's spunky and determined to stay in Vietnam and report the truth about the war. She traveled to the country without a visa or a press pass, but finds work with Time magazine shortly after arriving. A photographer, Luke Maddox, reluctantly introduces her to the cuontry and the media's way of life there. Kristin and Luke, along with Jonno, who is a soldier who, for medical reasons, spends most of his time chauffering Luke around, travel into the dese jungles and throughout the war ravaged country visiting men who are involved in the war and hearing and reporting their stories.

Kristin and Luke, who are still only reluctant acquaintances, are assigned by Time magazine to be partners. Kristin will write and Luke will take the pictures. As the two of them get to know each other while still trying to keep secrets, their witty dialogue and back-and-forth sarcastic comments keep the reader interested in their relationship and wondering if anything romantic could ever develop between two people with such distinct and strong personalities.

I laughed. I cried. I know it's completely cliche to say so, but I really did. The story made me feel every emotion along with the characters. Fear. Guilt. Hope. Finally--peace. It will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Romance fans, I think you'll enojoy the sparks that fly between these characters. Women's fiction and Karen Kingsbury fans? I can almost guarantee you'll love Catherine West's heart-tugging story telling.

Kudos to Cathy for crafting a story in such a controversial setting and making it about MORE than just Vietnam or the political climate. The story is well integrated in its setting but the characters and their journeys as people are the focus of the book. Very well done--this debut novel is only the first of many compelling stories I'm anticipating from Catherine West. She's definitely an author to watch.

A harrowing and affecting debut novel that throws you head first into the catastrophic reality of the Vietnam War both in the field and on the homefront. Cathy introduces us to the untold stories that permeate wartime. This is an era in the world's history that we can not escape or ignore because it set the ground work for where we are today as a society.

The rhythm and flow of the narrative takes the reader from extreme action-packed highs, to insightful and suspenseful twists and turns, through to contemplative and heart-wrenching moments. Cathy's writing engages all of your senses and transports the reader so that they are immersed in the congested and sweltering streets and exotic and terrorizing jungle of Vietnam. These characters will burrow themselves into your heart as their stories began to unravel and they have to reacclimatize to a life juxtaposed by what they experienced in Vietnam. The romantic elements were an added treat that adds to the complexity and richness of this story.

This is a book that you have to experience to fully appreciate it. I can throw out pages and pages of superlatives and never get close to describing how much I was touched by this book. Cathy is the fresh voice that modern historical inspirational fiction has been waiting for, especially with the brave undertaking of such a pivotal and controversial point in history. This story is for the reader that craves intelligent, mature and substantial storylines. Put her on your reader radar because this debut novelist is just getting started!

Rating: 10/10

**Heartfelt thank you to Cathy West for sending me a review copy**

Un-forgettable!! I thought that I wouldn't truly love or enjoy a book based off of Vietnam but I was SO AMAZED by this story!! I will never forget the characters in Yesterday's Tomorrow or the impact it made on my life! This story is about the heroes and heroines that gave their time and lives to the Vietnam War, what it was like for them there and how it was when they came home!

The main character Kristin goes to Vietnam as a journalist trying to finish the story her dad started in Vietnam before he was killed. She meets Luke, who is a photographer and her room-mates brother and together they go out in to the war zones to capture the truth of what the soldiers were experiencing!

The suffering and sorrow was so authentic and realistic that I found myself crying several times while reading this book. I felt like I was right there living the pain and heartache along with the characters!

The first majority of the book is about what Kristin and Luke went through in Vietnam and the latter half is about the homecoming. This part of the book lacked a bit in keeping me interested but it was necessary for the story to flow well. I found myself fighting the urge to read the ending just to find out if everything was going to be okay.

The dialogue was great! I LOVE grouchy yet sexy and mysterious heroes!! I feel awful that I'm always attracted to the "bad boy" in the books I read but it is true and Luke fits this well. He and Kristin have some hilarious banter back and forth and it was great to feel like you were a part of it! They argued a lot yet the passion was unbelievable!!

The romance is so strong and so passionate!! They make mistakes and are slow to acknowledge the feelings they have but I loved it!! I actually went back and re-read some of the scenes I loved just to feel the passion all over again! The kissing scenes were breath-taking, not just because they were so passionate but also because of emotions involved with the kissing! Wow!!

The spiritual threads were kept to a minimum and I enjoyed what was in there. I don't really care to read a story that is jammed packed full of strong-un-wavering Christians. This story was much more believable because the Christians struggled with their faith off and on and I found it much more relatable to my life.

Content: There are a few swear words, maybe 2. There are some passionate kissing scenes and some questionable choices. Due to the darkness of what these characters went through and the effects of war I recommend this for adults only, maybe 16 and up.

I find it hard to believe that this is a debut novel; I really have only read one other book that moved me quite like this one did! I will be keeping an eye out for more great books by this author!

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up Yesterday's Tomorrow. After reading the back cover I wondered if it would turn into another fluffy, love story with the faint backdrop of war. I was, to my satisfaction, vastly mistaken. The author doesn't glaze over the truth, but shows the horrors of Vietnam, with all its gritty details, through the lives of her characters. This is not a fluffy romance--this is an honest, realistic story of the kind of love between two people that will survive anything, no matter what.

The cast of characters in Yesterday's Tomorrow were all fun and down-to-earth. Luke and Kristin were the most complex, but by the end of the book I felt like I knew them personally. Cathy did a fabulous job in writing three-dimensional, believable people. Both Luke and Kristin are incredibly stubborn and while they don't follow the normal "opposites attract", they were perfect for each other...they needed each other. I loved watching the high, seemingly-impenetrable walls of these characters come crumbling down. And Jonno, wow! That guy was SO much fun to get to know. I was devastated by the turn of events surrounding him.

The subject of the war over in Vietnam was sobering. Journeying with Kristin, I felt her emotional struggles as she watched people dying all around her. Towards the end of her time in Vietnam, after the terrible tragedy that she blames herself for, it hurt to see her falling down into depression. My admiration for Luke soared as he cared for her.

Because of a few situations that occur, I wouldn't recommend this book to younger teens. Two of the characters end up sleeping together and having a baby. The way that the author wrote the scene was very vague, which I appreciated. In fact, I wasn't even certain if they had done anything until the girl became pregnant. Along with this, there are a few bad words, but I never felt uncomfortable reading it, and they were words such as h*ll and d*mn. I understood, since it was war. And the author didn't overuse bad words and, more often than not, jus mentions that a character swore.

When Joshua made an appearance, I confess to raising an instant dislike for the man. Not that he was bad, but I was stuck on Luke. I gripped the pages in suspense, hoping Kristin would make the right decision. I confess to being on the edge of my seat for the last hundred pages and reading through it as quickly as I could just so I could be assured of how everything would end. While I was a little perturbed at Kristin for ever wavering, I did eventually come around and see things from her point of view.

The ending was satisfactory. But this isn't a book where you sit back with a large smile and think about how beautiful the story was. No. This is a sobering read filled with true feelings and facts about war and its effect on the people in it. Certainly not a book to be taken lightly. One reviewer used a word to describe Yesterday's Tomorrow, and I cannot agree more--Haunting. How true. This honest, gritty, thought-provoking book is sure to stay with me for a long time to come.

I reviewed this book for FIRST Wild Card Blog Tours. Special thanks to Catherine West for sending me a review copy. It was not required that I give a positive review, but solely to express my own thoughts and opinions of this book, which I have done.

The story of blossoming romance between the two main characters, Kristin and Luke, was absolutely riveting. However, the book has much deeper roots. Yesterday's Tomorrow is an incredibly well researched and well written story of history, journalism, family, integrity and love. I highly recommend picking up this novel when you have time to NOT put it down.

Yesterday's Tomorrow is author, Catherine West's, debut novel; but you wouldn't know by reading it.

From the very first page, she creates vivid images and characters that you'll empathize with, root for, want to slap upside the head a few times, but, mostly, fall in love with.

Set in war torn Vietnam, here is a brief run down of the story:

She's after the story that might get her the Pulitzer. He's determined to keep his secrets to himself. Vietnam, 1967. Independent, career-driven journalist Kristin Taylor wants two things: to honor her father's memory by becoming an award-winning overseas correspondent and to keep tabs on her only brother, Teddy, who signed up for the war against their mother's wishes. Brilliant photographer Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, exudes mystery. Kristin is convinced he's hiding something. Willing to risk it all for what they believe in, Kristin and Luke engage in their own tumultuous battle until, in an unexpected twist, they're forced to work together. Ambushed by love, they must decide whether or not to set aside their own private agendas for the hope of tomorrow that has captured their hearts.

I guess the best way I can think to describe Yesterday's Tomorrow, is that it's unflinchingly, heart breakingly, sometimes painfully, realistic.

In other words, it's not a light read. But I'm glad, because this era in history is one that deserves to be explored and revisited by someone brave enough to do it justice. I applaud Catherine, especially, for tackling the subject of post traumatic stress disorder, as it's not an easy thing to delve into. She truly does an amazing job of allowing the reader glimpses into what it must have been, and for some, still must be, like to endure.

The writing completely engages you throughout. Each scene propels the story forward wonderfully, plus the interactions between Luke and Kristen fairly crackle with tension, passion, danger, and awareness. You're never quite sure what will happen next, which leaves you on the edge of your seat. Also, I love the humor Catherine sprinkles into the dialogue, which helps to alleviate some tense moments and off set the serious circumstances which are ever present.

There honestly wasn't anything I didn't like about Yesterday's Tomorrow, and I highly recommend it as compelling storytelling at its finest. This book moved me deeply and I know I'll be putting it on my keeper shelf for future re-reading.

In light of just celebrating Veteran's Day on 11/11/11, Yesterday's Tomorrow by Catherine West gives credence to Vietnam Veterans, a group of veterans who have mostly been forgotten or ridiculed. They gave their lives for a cause, put themselves in personal danger, and suffered mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) was identified from this war. Schnurr, Lunney, and Sengupta[46] identified risk factors for the development of PTSD in Vietnam veterans. [...]

Catherine weaves a thread of romance in her book through the eyes of independent, career-driven journalist, Kristin Taylor, out to finish a job her father had started, and superb photographer, Luke Maddox, silent and brooding, seemingly holding out on a secret mission that needed exposing. Their romance helped to alleviate some of the trauma of reading about the horrors and atrocities of the war.

The romance itself was traumatic, too, due to the circumstances, but also the brooding and hot temper of the characters. Lack of sleep added to the tension, which was palpable in Catherine's characters. The full breath of their relationship is heartrending at times.

Personally knowing men who have come back from Vietnam, I am acquainted with the stresses of the war and the resulting turmoil, especially those in combat, search and rescue, and physicians and their nurses. Catherine did an excellent job of describing the horrifying experiences of the war and its toll on the men and women serving, as well as the war correspondents. It made me think about whether I would have the courage to engage in war as they did. Personally convicting.

Catherine's inclusion of humor was appreciated to lower the emotional trauma of reading about the wartime circumstances and to bring some sanity into the midst of the insanity of the war. The web of faith spread by the `Preacher' ultimately kept many of the men and women striving for resolution and hope for healing. In fact, I just heard this week that they are providing `stick Bibles' (technological forms of the New Testament) for the men and women overseas today, giving them hope through Christ during their stressful times.

A great book to help understand PTSD in loved ones and encouraging them to receive help for their very real symptoms.

This book was provided by Catherine West through This Is A Blog About Books in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was exchanged.

Yesterday's Tomorrow by Catherine West is a touching love story, played out against the backdrop of the Vietnam War.

First off, from reading the synopsis, I wouldn't have realized that this was Christian fiction. For me, I don't think it would have affected my decision to read it, but I know that a lot of folks like to know details like that up front. And, as such, there aren't the hot sex scenes that it has the potential for. There are tender moments, but anything racy happens way off screen. And faith is a major part of the story, although it rarely felt forced or preachy. I think for these characters, their questioning and relying on God made sense.

I loved this one. It has a richly developed setting and characters who I truly cared about, who I felt like I knew. I was laughing and sobbing, hoping and worrying along with them.

I have had teachers who served in the Vietnam War and I have read books about the war, but this book made me feel as if I was in Vietnam living with Kristin and Luke. I laughed with them, cried with them, and felt their fears.

After Kristin returned to the states she suffered from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). This helped me realize what one of the latest families (husband served in Afghanistan) has been going through.

Catherine West did a tremendous writing Yesterday's Tomorrow. I highly recommend this book. This book is for everyone and has danger, romance and heartbreak. I want people to learn more about the Vietnam War and what the people went through.

I am going to tell my friends, family and librarians about this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Yesterday's Tomorrow by Catherine West for free from the author as a pdf. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255. All links were current when posted.