The Governess of Highland Hall

Julia Foster has spent the past twelve years working with her parents for the London Missionary Society in a home for girls and running a medical clinic. Her father's recent health crisis forced them to return to England, hoping rest and good medical care will mend his body.  Since her father is bound to his bed most days, it falls on Julia's shoulders to look after and financially care for her family. Her experiences in London will serve her well as a governess and she find just such a position at Highland Hall caring for a widow's two small children and his teen cousins whose father has recently passed away.  Julia is outspoken and a strong influence in the household she serves.  As she comes to love those in her charge, she is also feeling the call to return to India. 

Sir William, the children's father, has just inherited Highland Hall and had no idea of the financial state of affairs.  He has only four months to find the money to pay the taxes.  He has too many people depending on him to let anything happen to their home but where will he come up with the money he needs.  His late wife doesn't make him desiring to marry again anytime soon but is that the answer to his financial problems?

Some may compare this book to a Christian version of everyone's current favorite PBS series, Downtown Abbey.  I would say that is the exact image I had in my mind when reading this.  I enjoyed each of the characters, the storyline, and the way the author gradually changed the characters, particularly Sir William, into a man of strong faith, ready to move beyond his past.  If you enjoy a sweet romance, The Governess of Highland Hall is a good read.  This was my first by Carrie Turansky but I hope not my last.  On sale 10/15/2013 but available for pre-order.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.

Harriet Beamer Stikes Gold

Harriet Beamer has moved from Pennsylvania to California to move in with her son and daughter-in-law at their request but it just doesn't feel like home. Her attitude changes a bit when her best friend plans a visit, her daughter-in-law announces she is pregnant, and a new "Grammy" suite is planned. She even begins to make a local friend and finds a gold mine to invest in.

The positives first: I liked the fact that 72 year old Harriet is the main character and that she has more spunk than most women half her age. I also liked the fact that a son and daughter-in-law were willing to take in Harriet even though their house was small and they knew that her adjustments would be big, leaving behind everything familiar in PA. However, that is where my positives end. I felt like the conversation was trivial and trite, the language simple to a fault, the characters not very well created, and was almost offended that Harriet could meet a 17 year old girl and her father and the same day hand over a huge amount of money to them. Is anyone really that gullible? I really didn't even want to finish the book and probably won't read any more Harriet Beamer books. I think I'm pretty diversified in my reading taste and fairly easy to please but this one just didn't impress. Sorry, Ms. Magnin.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Into the Whirlwind

Selling the 57th Illinois Watch Company (so named from her father's Civil War unit) has never crossed Mollie Knox's mind until the lawyer from one of the largest Chicago department stores makes her an offer that will be difficult to refuse.  But her first concern is for her employees, men who served in the War with her father and would find it difficult to find other employment because of the disabilities they inherited from the War.  When Mollie is at the point of having to make her choice, she begins to go through some of the boxes left by her father when he died several years ago and finds a piece of paper that sheds a whole new light on lawyer Zack Kazmarek's offer. 

That very night, the Great Chicago fire destroys much of Chicago forcing many from their homes and businesses.  Ironically, it is Zack who saves Mollie from the all consuming fire and together they are  faced with having to rebuild their beloved city and their livelihood.  Zack, a very powerful and influential man in the city, is accustomed to getting what he wants and Mollie and her company are what he has chosen to pursue.  However, Mollie isn't quite so convinced she can trust this man.

I loved Into the Whirlwind.  In a time where  women were not commonly such strong characters as well as owners of such businesses, Elizabeth Camden did an excellent job of creating just such a woman.  She also wove the perfect amount of history about the Great Fire into the story, taking the reader right into the streets of Chicago.  For historical fiction readers, pick up your copy today at your local bookstore or library--an excellent read drawing the reader in from the beginning. 

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way obligated to leave a positive review.