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Brianne is a somewhat naïve college freshman. She becomes disillusioned as her professors and peers challenge many of her long-held beliefs. When she finds a diary that belonged to a distant relative, she hopes it will offer much needed distraction. And she is soon drawn into the story of a passionate woman who seems to whisper from the past.
In 1915’s New York, idealist and primary teacher Margaret struggles with the problems women face at home and in society. She is first timid about speaking her mind, but in time cannot keep her impassioned spirit hidden—not even from the gentleman who teaches in the classroom next door. His concern for her stretches the limits of their friendship, pressing into something more. Caught up in the Women’s Suffrage Movement, she faces down authority figures and others who question her beliefs.
And so, Brianne is whisked along on this journey as Margaret joins the fight for women’s rights, all the while trying to work through her own questions and experiences with modern feminism.
Before long, things spin out of control and she wonders where her newfound relationship fits into everything? Are there any clear answers? Will she land on her feet? Or be forever lost to herself?
I loved this book! I've always enjoyed the format of a story-within-a-story and the discovered diary trope fits so well. I know it's been used a lot, maybe even overused, but in this case it works well.
Brianne first finds the diary and hopes it will prove a distraction, but it soon becomes so much more. It was fascinating seeing how the women's movement in the early 1900s and women's movement as Brianne experiences it at college were different. It was also fascinating to see the parallels and divergencies between Brianne and Margaret as they each try to figure where their worth comes from.
I love the main characters from each time period. The secondary characters were not as fully drawn, but were still interesting. That was okay, because it is very much a love story and so the main characters were the ones I was most interested in anyway. I would like to know, though, what happened to Brianne's roommate. I would love to hear her story and find out why she was so angry.
There is a strong inspitional element in both storis which I appreciated. And Ms. Turnquist also touches on some difficult topics, both is letting us see what our foremothers went through as they were trying to get the 19th Amendment passed and in seeing how depression can wreak havoc on a person's life. I applaud the author not taking the easy way out.
This is the first book I've read by this author, but it certainly won't be the last. 4 stars.
She narrowed her eyes and bit at her lip to keep her surprise from showing. How did he know this? Surely he didn’t care about the Woman’s Movement. Or did he? Why should he? His precious Abigail was ever the dutiful, demure, docile girl that any man would seek. She wouldn’t be caught within a hundred yards of anything related to women’s rights.
He continued, “I also understand that anyone caught attending her speeches on Sunday is in danger of being thrown out of their church. You don’t want that, do you?”
“Maybe I do,” she shot back and looked away. His words stung. Perhaps more so because he wasn’t wrong. About any of it.
“You don’t mean that.” He craned his neck, trying to catch her eyes.
“What if I do?” She jerked her head, turning her features toward him. “Pastor Thompson said some harsh things today. I don’t know if I can continue to submit myself to the authority of a man who preaches in such a way.”
“In what way?” His voice was gentle. Try as she might, she could not find anything accusing in his tone.
“He made a several assertions without the Scripture to support it. Yet he insisted that the Bible was clear about the subject. I think a man of the cloth ought to be more careful when making such statements about the word of God without the proper foundation.”
Henry’s eyes searched hers. The deep brown fell soft upon her eyes and caressed her features with gentleness. How could she stay angry when she was losing herself in such dark warmth?
She averted her gaze. What was this? It would not do for her to be thinking about him this way. This was not proper! He was someone else’s beau.
“Listen,” he said, moving closer. “I’d regret if anything bad happened to you.”
She nodded, focusing on the lines of the sidewalk.
“I would have to teach your class and mine.” His voice became thick with sarcasm.
Her eyes shot to his and found his lips spreading in a huge grin.
But of all the love stories she knows, hers is her favorite. She lives happily with her own Prince Charming and their gaggle of minions. Three to be exact. They sure know how to distract a writer! But, alas, the stories must be written, even if it must happen in the wee hours of the morning.
Sara is an avid reader and enjoys reading and writing clean Historical Romance when she’s not traveling. Her books range from the Czech lands to the American wild west and from ancient Egypt to the early 1900s. Some of her titles include The Lady Bornekova, Hope in Cripple Creek, The General’s Wife, Trail of Fears, and the Convenient Risk Series.
Happy Reading!
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Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BH42H5X/ref=sr_1_1
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ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting. And for your review!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rita :-)
DeleteGreat review!
ReplyDeleteYes, Victoria, it is. And very appreciated :-)
DeleteThanks for taking time to share your book with us and it's always a pleasure in our family to learn about a new one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, James, for keeping up with the tour!
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