By Melanie Dobson
Summerside Press, July 2012
About the Book
It’s the height of the Gilded Age, but Elena Bissette’s family has lost most of its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionable Mackinac Island, and they spend summers there in hopes of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor.
Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls at the Grand Hotel, she spends her days walking along the island’s rugged coastline. There she meets Chase, a young fisherman who invites her to watch the ships from an abandoned lighthouse. The two begin to meet there in secret, hoping to solve a decades-old mystery.
Meanwhile, Elena’s mother contrives introductions between Elena and the island’s most eligible bachelor, an elusive millionaire named Chester Darrington. When Elena’s two worlds unexpectedly collide, she will be in for the surprise of her life.
My Review
I’ve read a number of books by this author and have enjoyed them all. This is not my fav by any stretch, however, it’s still an insightful read that includes a lot of interesting detail about the time period. I like reading about people and society during the Gilded Age. The sharing and discovery of an old diary with the mysterious ending was a nice touch. The romantic tension was light, but present. I loved the investor and invention theme in the story and the romantic lighthouse setting.
I had a bit of a hard time believing the ruse, but the author made a valiant effort to have the scenario work out. I’ve always found the idea of marrying to keep the family finances afloat versus because you actually loved the person an interesting concept. That’s probably the most common theme for this time period. I have issues with the whole stuffy Victorian theme from that time, but I’m sure there was a lot of pressure to playact your role if you were a member of polite society. I wasn’t as drawn to the hero and heroine in this book as separate individuals, but every time the author put them together it kept me wanting to turn the pages.
As in all of Melanie’s books, there is plenty of rich detail, culture, and history in her stories. I always feel like I learn something I didn’t know before when I read her books. That’s probably my favorite thing about this author’s stories. She educates me and does it subtly through a good story. She also has a solid spiritual thread in each of her books. This one was deeper than most, and I especially liked the healing theme of the broken relationships at the end.
Michelle Sutton
Healing Hearts . . . fiction making an impact on real lives . . .
New titles releasing in 2012: Decision to Love, It’s Not About Her, Somebody Love Me, Out of Time, and Surprise Love
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2 comments:
Thank you for your great review! I really enjoy Melanie Dobson's books, but this one has left me with a maybe. Maybe I'll read it, but not sure. Thanks for your enlightening review to better aid me in my decision.
Diana Flowers
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