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Julie Daines
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It Started in Budapest (Romance on the Orient Express, #1) Kindle Edition

by Julie Daines (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 195 ratings
See all formats and editions
p>Molly Cooper is haunted by one simple fact: it is her fault her twin brother, Matthew, has spent his life trapped in a frail body while she has thrived. Deep in her heart, she knows he can’t hold on much longer . . .

In her desperation to save her brother, Molly finds inspiration in an unlikely source: the newly published novel Dracula. When her family embarks on the Orient Express to seek treatment for Matthew in Bulgaria, Molly is prepared to set her plan in motion: she will sneak away from her parents and journey alone to Transylvania, where she will seek a vampire, whose blood can make her brother immortal. Molly’s rash plan is going flawlessly—until she encounters Percy Hunt, a handsome American traveler running from the shadows of his own past. When he discovers Molly’s plan, Percy’s concern for the naive young woman leaves him no choice but to accompany her on her strange quest. But neither Percy nor Molly is prepared for the feelings that quickly grow between them or for the death-defying escapade that awaits.

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Romance on the Orient Express
  2. Print length
    170 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Covenant Communications
  6. Publication date
    August 10, 2020
  7. File size
    1542 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08BJGNB5W
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Covenant Communications (August 10, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 10, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1542 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 170 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 195 ratings

About the author

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Julie Daines

Julie Daines

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Julie Daines is an award-winning and best-selling author. She was born in Concord, Massachusetts, and was raised in Utah. She spent eighteen months living in London, where she studied and fell in love with English literature, sticky toffee pudding, and the mysterious guy who ran the kebab store around the corner.

She loves reading, writing, and watching movies—anything that transports her to another world. She picks Captain Wentworth over Mr. Darcy, firmly believes in second breakfast, and never leaves home without her vervain.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
195 global ratings
Fun Gothic Romance
5 Stars
Fun Gothic Romance
This story took me to places I have not yet been. It was different than anything I have ever read.There is a certain magic and mystery to the Orient Express. Add in the macabre of Vampires and you have a story quite unlike any other,Molly is the twin sister to Matthew, who has been ill his whole life, Much of the family’s time and fortune has been dedicated to keeping Matthew alive and seeking a cure. Molly has felt the guilt for his illness her whole life and takes it upon herself to find a cure for him.Using Dracula by Bram Stoker as her guide, she sets off on an adventure with some unexpected help, an American named Percy Hunt.Julie Daines tells a masterful story with mystery and the search for something better. It is a story of growth and acceptance for Molly. She defies what she has known and meets others on her way that offer her compassion and help.
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Top reviews from the United States

Élodie Nicoli
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely tale of coming of age.
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2020
Verified Purchase
Will her stubbornness see her harmed or saved ...

What a fun and entertaining read this book is, I liked following Percy and Molly in Bram Stoker’s hero footsteps in this coming of age tale.

And while I would have loved to shake some senses in Molly’s brain more often than ever, it was entertaining.
Sure the heroine is worse than naive, she is so very gullible she got herself nearly killed. Does her youth and sheltered life can explain it, of course, after all she is after a vampire.
Yet when everything is put to right, she adds more dents and holes on her road to her happily ever after, believing herself to be the one behind everyone’s life challenge.
She is lucky to have wiser persons to help her see the light and choose the right path.
From her phobia of the color white or leukophobia to her misguided idea to save her twin brother, she embarks on the adventure of her life chasing after an impossible chimera, a journey she will come back changed forever.

Percy while having no say in this tale is quite the knight in shinning armor, he stands by her side, a shoulder to rest her head in moment of weakness, an ear when she needs to clear her thoughts and a loving soul just waiting for her to be ready to accept him.

Mrs Daines with this romantic road trip gives her heroes the time of their life to face their ghosts and heal their heart.
4.5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Covenant Communications, here is my true and unbiased opinion.
One person found this helpful
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Angela Young
4.0 out of 5 stars Detailed breakdown and content guide for this cute book!
Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2020
My Rating: Four Stars
"I don't think we fully comprehend what our purposes are, but we can be sure we all have one. And each is different. Even though we do not know, is it not true that we are stronger together?"

Europe, 1900. Molly Cooper is on holiday with her family in Europe, but this isn't an ordinary holiday. Her twin brother, sickly from birth, is faltering in health. Molly is accompanying her brother and their parents as they travel to the Black Sea via the Orient Express to seek treatment for her brother's physical condition. Molly has become near-obsessed with the book Dracula and her obsession has given birth to a secret plan that will not only cure her brother of his physical ailments, but will also require her to leave the Orient Express and the companionship of her family in the secret of night, to travel through the mountains of Transylvania--alone.

At a glance: I liked this book! It had something for everyone--adventure, suspense, danger, romance, and devotion to family. I appreciated the depth of the main character, loved the setting, was pleasantly surprised by how nicely Bram Stoker's Dracula integrated into the book, enjoyed the super-appropriate, yet tender romance, and loved the deep themes explored in this book. Read on for a breakdown!

Molly is both very relatable and complex. She has deep devotion to her family, specifically her twin brother, and she has very real personal limitations in the forms of phobia and self-doubt. Her expectations for herself are high and she seems to act from a place of desperation throughout (arguably) the entire book. Because she has a phobia, people around her often question her sanity and she rebuffs their questioning looks or body language with her own mental reassurances. As a reader, I felt like her rebuffs should reassure me that she is mentally stable, however, I also found myself questioning her sanity at times too. Again, I think those moments where her actions didn't seem to connect to reality were results of her state of desperation.

Historical fiction set in 1900 in the backwoods of southeastern Europe was a refreshing change. The time period and area make for a fascinating setting since this was a time of unprecedented technological and social changes. Characters board Orient Express, attend the 1900 Paris Exhibition, and meet people from all parts of Europe and America. The international nature of the book added to the feeling of adventure.

Julie Daines quotes Bram Stoker's Dracula throughout It Started in Budapest. I thought that the heavy involvement of Dracula in the plot would have brought a macabre or morbid feeling, but it did just the opposite. I have not read Stoker's Dracula myself so I was pleasantly surprised that the quotes throughout It Started in Budapest brought a profound and thoughtful tone to the book, and even helped shed light and comfort during times of turmoil.

The romance in this book was both sweet and squeaky-clean. The only questionable part was that, by the standards of the time period, it would have been scandalous for her to spend so much alone time with a man she was not related to. However, their personal conduct is entirely clean and honorable, and the book would not be the same without the romance.

Themes explored in this book include the reality of personal limitations, acceptance of personal limitations, questioning the fairness of differing life circumstances, interdependence of human relationships, and making the most of life despite hardship.

Content Guide:

Sex & Affection--Brief kissing.
Language--None
Drugs, Alcohol, & Substance Use--One man keeps a pipe in his mouth but does not have any tobacco in it, yet he somehow mysteriously puffs smoke in a woman's face several times. Coffee is consumed.
Violence & Crime--Arson is committed, a murder is attempted.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.com. All opinions are entirely my own.
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SarahBeth
3.0 out of 5 stars Too fanciful for me
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2021
Verified Purchase
I have to say I was excited to start the story. However, as “vampires” became such a large part of the book...it put me off. I did read most of it. The last 3-4 chapters I just skimmed. The book tells a story, sort of a parable, to teach the characters & readers an important lesson in life. I suppose I’m just not into such far fetched ways to do that. I felt the girl was a little “off” although her heart was in the right place. The man was a good character but I felt it a stretch he would be drawn to the girl. It didn’t end quite the way I thought or hoped it would. But it was not a bad ending. I think this might just be a book for people who enjoy more “fantasy” in their stories. Therefore, I cant discount it. It did catch my attention & kept me reading, I wasn’t sure which way I wanted it to fall. It definitely has a unique plot since I am getting soo bored of the same style. Not sure if I will try another book by this author yet.
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Scribs
5.0 out of 5 stars Quick, enjoyable, and sometimes profound read
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
Each book Daines' writes explores a little deeper into characters, a little more profound themes.

Molly Cooper believes that, healthy as she is, she stole the life from her twin brother Matthew, in the womb. Having tried everything she can and having watched her parents try as well, with not much result, Molly is determined to find a more unconventional solution.

Finding a vampire.

At some point in our lives, we learn there is a lot we can't control. That while it is essential to have passion for change, there are some things not in our hands. Molly's journey explores these themes in a well-paced novel with self-depreciating humor. Highly recommended!

*spoiler alert*

My favorite part of the ending:

"So focused had she become on Dracula and things of absurdity that she had not thought to look beyond to find the beauty. It was not about vampires and creatures of the night; it was about light and love. Angels and peace."
2 people found this helpful
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Heidi Eljarbo, author
5.0 out of 5 stars Compassion and love with a twist
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2022
Verified Purchase
The more I came to know the main character, Molly, the more I liked her. Julie Daines writes a flowing, descriptive story about a young woman whose heart is good. But Molly stumbles across obstacles, misunderstandings, and perhaps most of all, her own low self-esteem and naïvety. I felt a bond to Molly, and I thought, "I've been there." Life often throws us into circumstances where we try to choose the right things to do, but somehow, the end result takes a surprising turn in another direction. Well done, Julie Daines. A different and refreshing story to me.
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