A Great Read - An Unlikely Suitor - Nancy Moser

This period novel follows the story of Italian immigrant Lucy Scarpelli and her mother and sister, 3 women struggling to make ends meet in 1895 New York. The Scarpelli’s are seamstresses working in sweatshops and out of their small, dilapidated apartment when they are unexpectedly evicted because their building is being torn down. Desperate to help her family, Lucy sets out to find them a new place to live and happens upon new jobs for them as well. Her families luck begins to change and their lives take a sudden grandiose turn when they acquire a modest apartment above the dress shop of Madame Moreau.

Lucy has big dreams, and those dreams begin to take flight when she befriends Rowena Langdon, a socialite with a physical injury that hinders not only her confidence, but also her social standing. Lucy creates a wardrobe for her new friend that enhances her beauty, disguises her infirmity and establishes a bond between the two young women. When Rowena travels to Newport, she is determined to figure out a way to bring her new friend along, even if it means defying the social rules of the time.

Once in Newport, Lucy experiences many situations that make her uncomfortable in her social position. She begins to see that she is nothing more than a seamstress, and regrets leaving her family behind to “pretend” to be something she is not. In the midst of her self-doubt and realization that she may never be able to rise above the status that she was born into, Lucy meets Dante. Dante is everything that she has never allowed herself to desire, and she finds herself inexplicably in love.

Meanwhile, Rowena is struggling with her own self-doubt and pulls further away from the man that she is to be married to. She realizes that she is not in love with the man her parents have arranged for her to be betrothed to and that she is actually in love with another, a man below her social status and forbidden by her family. 

As the two young women grow closer, their lives intertwine in more ways than one, until secrets and deceptions are exposed and confidences are betrayed. Will Lucy and Rowena ever be able to be with the ones that they love? Will their friendship survive disasters of envy, betrayal and social barriers? This novel is beautifully written, with characters full of life and emotion. Even if you are not particularly fond of period pieces, this novel’s story of love, friendship and determination shine through to make an enjoyable read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Bethany House Publishers  book review bloggers program. 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 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

An Edge of Your Seat Coming of Age Story- Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

As the text from the back cover promises – “A mother fleeing unspeakable danger to keep her children safe… Two young girls guarding secrets in a “cross my heart and hope to die” pledge… A father desperate to be reunited with his family…” this novel is full of unforgettable characters, twists and turns, and a heart pounding finale.

Meet Roz, an 11 year-old-girl in 1967, caught in the middle of her tween years, desperate to be an adult, yet clinging to her childhood as it swiftly disappears. Her family is torn apart by an angry father and a mother determined to keep her life under control. Roz finds herself in a new town, in a new house, and all alone. Her mother, older brother, younger sister and herself have moved into the house on McDowell Street, where they discover an unlikely friend. Tillie, the “old lady on the front porch” begins as a burden and a sad reminder of the past, yet she soon becomes a pillar of strength for a family that is faltering.

Reading this story, I experienced a gamut of emotions, and found myself lost in the tender world of Roz. It was a true to life depiction of the struggles of being an almost teen, and the sadness of seeing your family torn apart. When Roz meets up with her father, I felt the hope of the young girl, and found myself praying that somehow, someway, she would be able to bring her family back together. The final chapters of the novel kept me at the edge of my seat, with an unexpected climax that I won’t disclose. I certainly didn’t expect it.

I thoroughly enjoyed Tatlock’s tale, and felt a bond with the characters. She writes with wit and intelligence, and adds a certain voice and reality to the words on the page. I highly recommend this novel, it is a light and easy read that doesn’t disappoint.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Bethany House Publishers  book review bloggers program. 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 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”