In a Far -Off Land gives readers a look into all the grit and drama of Hollywood in the 1930’s. I haven’t read too many stories set in the Depression era, but the author sets the stage with the contrast between over-indulgent socialites and obliterating poverty. Minerva Sinclaire decides to leave her humble small-town roots for the lure of Hollywood stardom. Thinking she can make money as an actress, she sets out to earn enough to keep her family’s farm from going under. But she enters a world of corruption and winds up losing everything, especially her identity.

I love a few things about this story. The time period and setting seemed magical with the celebrities and scenery of old-timey Hollywood. But just a few blocks down the road, communities were devastated by the Depression with unimaginable poverty. The author really brought to light the social issues of the times.

I also liked that this story is a modern-day retelling of the prodigal son. In this case, daughter, but the story was filled with redemption and meaning. The spiritual lessons jump off the pages as a reminder that no matter how bad things get, we are still loved. Forgiveness isn’t a dream from a far-off land.

While not fast-paced, this novel brings emotional depth to the characters and I found this to be a meaningful and well-crafted story. I definitely recommend, especially for any fans of historical fiction.

4 stars (I liked it a lot and would definitely recommend)
3 stars (some suspenseful moments)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Wow, what a tale set in 1930's Hollywood during the Great Depression. A Midwestern girl, Minerva Sinclaire, runs away from home with dreams of making it big in Hollywood and making money to help save her family's farm. "I'd thought California was different, that the hard times didn't dare visit this far-off land of dreams. Boy, was I wrong about that." A wonderful cast of characters join Minerva during her difficult journey, some want to help willingly, and others not so much. Max Clark, Minerva's agent is handsome, well-connected in Hollywood, and takes her under his wing. I loved the hardworking Mexican immigrants Oscar, Lupita, Padre Ramirez, and others who add so much. This story contains some of the nitty-gritty experiences of Hollywood, the lavish parties, drugs, and promiscuity. Minevra Sinclaire makes successive decisions to survive that she is not proud of. Add murder and corruption into the picture and you will find yourself needing to keep reading to see what happens. This prodigal daughter story kept me turning pages with a beautifully satisfying conclusion. A reminder of God's tender mercy no matter how lost or unworthy we may feel.

A heartbreaking retelling of the prodigal son, this story shows readers what the path to fame really would have looked like (and still does, unfortunately) for a young desperate wannabe star. From the cover and back, I had not expected how dark and sad this story would be, but I did thoroughly enjoy it and read it in one sitting because I just had to know what happens to Mina.

I would rate this story 5 stars if not for all of the content. I understand it was necessary, to drive home the main point of the story, but as it is I would rate the book 16+ and caution young readers. There is a lot of sex that's implied for the most part, but also two main characters do have sex (closed door, nothing graphic).

However, In A Far-Off Land is still a wonderfully dramatic, engrossing tale full of old Hollywood flair. The redemption part nearing the end was my favourite to read. Actually, the entire ending was just done so well. The author artfully captured the desperation that drove so many suffering from poverty and social injustice at that time, as well as the brokenness in everyone's lives, no matter how good they seem to have it.

In a far-off land takes you to Hollywood in the 1930's, the author does a good job of immersing you into the time in the culture, and the atmosphere of the period.
This book is well written with a hook in that first chapter that had me wondering how this was going to work out.
I usually read, and enjoy books with a lighter hearted or faster plot line, so this book is out of my normal reading taste. This book takes a take a good look at the events in that culture in the flavor of what was going around in the time. Based on content this book it does have more adult content and heavier series issues, and that's to be expected with this story. In some parts I did have a hard time completely connecting or rooting for the character that just because of how hard the story was. The author did do a good job of wrapping up the story but it took a while for me to get to that point.
If you are looking for a book that has a strong message of mercy and the social issues of the day, youmay enjoy this one.

I recieved a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgally. All opinions in this review are honest and completely my own.

I really enjoyed this book, which was a period piece set in the 1930's. It was a great study of diverse characters. Mina struck a chord with me and things she did in those days were considered pretty outrageous. Oh, that those things would raise some eyebrows today.
Mina is wanted for murder and the those involved with her, by her very presence, find themselves releasing secrets and seeking forgiveness and doing the right thing.
Stephanie Landsem did a very good job of capturing the times. There was a wonderful analogy at the end and I found myself in tears before the book even ended. Lessons to be learned here.

Thank you NetGalley and Tyndale House for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

In a Far-Off Land is a retelling of the parable of the prodigal son. Featuring murder and romance and set in Old Hollywood, Landsem’s newest novel balances desperation and hope to create a intriguing tale.

I’ve lately found myself looking for more books set during the heyday of Tinseltown, so this book’s description immediately caught my attention. I wasn’t expecting the retelling of the well-known Biblical tale, but I quite enjoyed it, especially the twists and turns that it took for the prodigal son—or in this case, daughter—to find her way home.

Mina is a sympathetic character. She left home in an attempt to make it big in Hollywood and make enough money to pay off her family’s debt. Not an altogether selfish reason, but things definitely don’t go as planned. We get Mina’s backstory in bits and pieces, and I wish her background could’ve been incorporated more smoothly, perhaps as flashbacks or more in-depth letters rather than just having Mina narrate her past. I also could’ve done without quite so much of Mina’s “poor me” routine. Yes, she resorted to horrible things to get by, but sometimes survival is a dirty business, and I wish she wouldn’t have let her past dictate quite so much of her future.

However, that past becomes less important when Mina finds herself suspected of murder and on the run. Luckily, she has her agent and friend, Max, on her side. The relationship between Mina and Max was adorable, and I was rooting for them to end up together the entire time. I was glad that Max didn’t let Mina’s past dissuade his heart, no matter how much Mina tried to push him away to save him. I do wish there had been some more honest conversations between these two rather than letting secrets keep them apart until the end, but that’s Hollywood drama, folks.

The murder mystery itself was well done, with Mina, Max, and Max’s estranged cousin, Oscar, all working together to put the pieces together. Each character plays to his or her strengths to gain information, and I liked Landsem’s inclusion of race, illegal immigration, and poverty as hot-button issues that plagued the leads; not only were these issues accurate for the time period, they also presented realistic obstacles instead of needing to create unnecessary drama. The resolution of the case was clever and wrapped up with the flair I’d expect from a 1930s mystery film.

Of course, the close of the case isn’t the story’s true ending, and I liked the few additional chapters as the characters fought to find their right paths. Everyone gets a happy ending, and they feel deserved rather than shoe-horned in. I finished reading with a smile on my face.

In a Far-Off Land has a few issues here and there, but overall, the characters are well-written, the mystery keeps you guessing, and the setting is dramatic and engrossing. If you’re looking for a story of forgiveness, family, and faith, this is the book for you.

In a Far Off Land by Stephanie Landsem is a prodigal daughter and the trials she has to face while she roams to Hollywood during the 1930's. First a word of warning, there is hints of lots of drinking and intimate relationships between Minerva and many men, so I would be a little nervous at allowing a young lady reading this story. Not that Landsem actually shows what happens, but she does have moments that are close to the action and leading up to it that might be not suitable for younger ladies. Other than this, the story was realistic and haunting. Of course, it was not hard to draw the connections between this story and the Prodigal story in the Bible. The story was well-written and definitely captures my attention. I loved reading about this time period, and it was a unique twist on the Gilded age storyline. It was nicely done. Overall, In a Far Off Land by Stephanie Landsem is a gritty, realistic view of the underbelly of the 1930's Hollywood.
I received a complimentary copy of In a Far Off Land by Stephanie Landsem from Tyndale Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

What I Loved:
Hollywood in the 1930's! I loved the contrast between the glamour and the hard life of trying to get by when you didn't belong to the lucky few. The mystery was good. The relationship between Max and Minnie was sweet. I also really liked the parts about the immigrant family, especially Lupita. She said exactly what I was thinking about the situation Minnie was in.
What I didn't really like:
The way Minnie felt sorry for herself and kept saying that she did so many bad things over and over. Yes, she did some bad stuff, but most of it was just to save herself. I just couldn't really connect with her as a character the way I could with Max. He felt more down to earth an more straightforward about the situation.
Conclusion:
Read this if you like old Hollywood and a little bit of mystery.

"In a Far-Off Land" by Stephanie Landsem
Released 5.4.2021

Minerva Sinclaire runs to Hollywood during the Great Depression; she knows she can save the family farm with her talent! What she doesn't count on is how difficult it is to catch a break. When she's about to sign a contract, she wakes up to a dead movie star, and she's the suspect!

Only two people can help her: Oscar, the Mexican gardener who is in danger of being deported and Max, an agent.

This book is very well researched; I never knew a lot about Depression-era U.S. and Tinseltown. I enjoyed Mina's story and enjoyed seeing her return home to her family.


Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in response for my honest opinion.

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I loved the mystery that surrounded this book... who killed the slimy Hollywood big shot? We followed Mina, Max, Oscar, and Mina’s family throughout which I loved getting the various points of views. Especially so we could see the complexity between the little triangle of Mina, Max, and Oscar. We also got to see from various ethnicity points of views and the struggles that they faced. Oscar’s story could have been just as common in present day as it was in this story.

IN A FAR OFF LAND by STEPHANIE LANDSEM is a historical romance novel which takes p[ace in the early 1930's.
The story starts with Minnie Zimmerman leaving her father's farm in Odessa, hoping to succeed as Minerva Sinclaire in Hollywood. She feels inferior to her sister Penny who always seems to do everything right and longs to make something out of her own life. She also wants to make enough money to help her father pay off his debts and save the farm.
It is the time of the Great Depression, and when she walks the streets of Los Angeles, hoping to land a leading part in a movie, she finds that the effects of the depression are all to real there as well.
The author also makes us aware of the discrimination against Mexicans, even those who were born in America, and the poverty in the "colonia" where they live. She has given us an interesting look into the glamour of Hollywood and the lives of the well known film stars of that era. We see how they seem to be searching for something they cannot find, in spite of their wealth and fame.
I like her understanding of human nature which comes out in her portrayal of the characters. We see sadness and longing to belong in Max, desperation and guilt in Mina, legalism and anger in Oscar and his mother and unconditional love in Ephraim Zimmerman, to name a few, and we are reminded that the choices we make affect, not only ourselves, but those around us.
Through it all we are reminded of God's forgiveness and compassion and I feel that the story closely follows that of the Prodigal Son in the Bible.
It is a worthwhile and inspiring read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Tyndale House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

10/10!! As soon as I saw the cover of In a Far-Off Land, I knew I needed to read it and the description was just confirmation. Set during the Great Depression, which is an often overlooked time period for historical fiction in my opinion, Mina sets out for Hollywood to make a name for herself. It is not long before she realizes that the glitz is not all as it seems, she is on the run and doesn’t like how far she has fallen. Full of suspense, deep character development and plenty of historical detail, In a Far-Off Land is nothing short of a treat. The ending with Mina’s father brought tears to my eyes and a familiar biblical parable echoes throughout the pages of this novel. I will add a note of caution as mature themes are definitely present throughout the entirety of the book, thought not gratuitous or overly graphic. Highly, highly recommend!!

Sadly never finished reading this book. I found the story wasn't something that interested or captivated me. The descriptions were good but I didn't connect with the characters so decided not to complete reading.