Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport


Blurb:
The whole world is coming to Chicago.
Charlotte's whole world is coming down around her.

While the rest of Chicago focuses on the enormous spectacle of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, Charlotte Farrow's attentions are entirely on one small boy--her boy--whom she has kept a secret from her wealthy employers for nearly a year.

When the woman who has been caring for her son abruptly returns him to the opulent Banning home, Charlotte must decide whether to come clean and face dismissal or keep her secret while the Bannings decide the child's fate. Can she face the truth of her past and open her heart to a future of her own? Or will life's struggles determine her path?

This compelling story of courage, strength, and tender romance captures the tension between the glittering wealthy class and the hardworking servants who made their lives comfortable.
 
My Review: Ever since reading Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City, I've been drawn to anything involving the 1893 World's Fair. In this book the Fair is a backdrop and portrayed so vividly that I felt like I was there amongst the sights and sounds of such a marvelous event.
 
With the current popularity of period dramas such as Downton Abbey, this is a book with definite appeal to readers of historical fiction. The "dilemma" Charlotte faces makes for a real page-turner as she's forced to face any mother's worst nightmare. It's a beautiful story portraying the strength and power of a mother's love. I'm very interested in reading the first book in the Avenue of Dreams series, The Pursuit of Lucy Banning, to learn more of the back story of these characters.
 
 
"Available January 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group."
 
I received this book free from the publisher through the Baker Publishing Group book review bloggers program.

1 comment:

Tess Bibliophile said...

Sounds like a great read! Thanks for sharing your review :)

tess_halim(at)hotmail(dot)com