A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham

Genre: Historical Romance 
Publisher: Revell 
Released: January 1, 2021
324 pages

About the Book:

Five years in a New York state reformatory have left a blemish on Hazel's real name. So when she takes a job as Doctor Gilbert Watts's lady in attendance in 1898, she does so under an alias. In the presence of her quiet and pious employer, Hazel finds more than an income. She finds a friend and a hope that if she can set her tarnished past in order, she might have a future after all.

As Gilbert becomes accustomed to the pleasant chatter of his new dental assistant, he can't help but sense something secretive about her. Perhaps there is more to this woman than meets the eye. Can the questions that loom between them ever be answered? Or will the deeds of days gone by forever rob the future of its possibilities?

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I highlighted so many lines while reading, various ones made me think, others were just fun and others put a smile on my face. Hazel is trying to rebuild her life after time spent in a reformatory for a crime she didn't commit. We see her find a job and make new friends. The group of friends work together to help Hazel clear her name. I enjoyed when Hazel and Ina had their girl talk moments, and Gilbert was so sweet and had some of the best lines. I loved the slow development of the romance and seeing them work to fight their feelings in order to put the others' needs first. I really enjoyed how daily life was included. We see various characters learn the importance of forgiveness, grow from the beginning of the story to the end, and find romance.

Favourite Quotes: 

“I'd say grudges are not simple. They require endless feeding. Forgiving may in fact be the easier route, and there's no doubt it's the better one.”

“It seems to me that if a man cares for a woman, then what matters to her would also matter to him. Maybe not in the same way it does to her, but he still would care.” 

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

A Life Once Dreamed 

Beyond Ivy Walls

The Letter Tree

The Hope of Azure Springs 

Where the Road Bends  

Yours Truly, Thomas  

 

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Revell
Released: August 1, 2020
325 pages

About the Book:

Six years ago, a shocking secret sent Agnes Pratt running in search of a new start. She found it in Penance, a rugged town of miners and lumberjacks in the Dakota Territory, where she became Miss Aggie, respected schoolteacher and confirmed old maid. But the past has a way of catching up with people.

When childhood friend and former sweetheart James Harris accepts a position as the town doctor, Aggie's pleasantly predictable days suddenly become anything but. James wants to know why Agnes left behind the life they had dreamed of creating for themselves--but he is the one person who can never know.

In the shadows of the Black Hills, can a healing light be shed on the past? Or will the secret Agnes can't seem to outrun destroy her chance at happiness?

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The characters and setting made this story for me. It is set in 1880 in a frontier town in the Dakota territory. Aggie has left all she knew in the city of Buffalo after learning a devastating secret 6 years ago. She has built a life for herself in this new frontier town as a school teacher, but when someone from her past shows up in town her plans for the future are threatened. How does she deal with this and is it a bad thing or could it be good? I wasn't a fan that Aggie ran rather than being honest about why she left, but I understood what held her back from sharing. There are two wonderful guys that could provide a future for Aggie, but will she choose one or stay single? I had to laugh at little Tommy with his questions and how the adults tried to pass off answering him. Life during this time period was hard and it was described so well that I was able to picture what they were going through. There are quite a few things that happen that shake up the community and had me worried for certain people. Aggie was determined to stand up against the prejudice towards illegitimate children. The friendship and the resilience of the community members made me root for them. There was one particular character that I would like to see find their match.

Favourite Quote: 

“Sometimes the hardest things are the very best things.”

(I received this book as a gift from a friend; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

Beyond Ivy Walls

The Letter Tree

The Hope of Azure Springs 

Where the Road Bends  

Yours Truly, Thomas  

Beyond Ivy Walls by Rachel Fordham (Review)

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Releases: August 13, 2024 
336 pages

About the Book:

Beauty and the Beast meets A Light Between Oceans in historic small-town America where a wealthy reclusive bachelor and an unlikely ally join forces to solve a family secret and inadvertently find belonging along the way.

Early 1900s. When an accident leaves Sadie West's family in dire financial need, she nervously leaves the land she loves to work in the Hoag duster factory. But sending all her money home means that she has nowhere to board, and she's forced to take up residence in an abandoned building--a choice that throws her in the path of the town's mysterious bachelor.

Recently returned from exile, and determined to keep his arrival a secret, Otis Taylor makes the impulsive decision to hire the woman he finds hiding on his family's property with the strict instructions she tell no one he has returned. The dark halls of his boyhood flood him with memories he's long tried to forget. The only bright light is the woman he has hired. Can the optimistic Sadie teach the wounded Otis to trust again? To love? Can the pair unravel the family secrets that have long cast a shadow over the mansion and those who reside within?

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and these characters. Otis Taylor has returned home after being sent away by his father years ago, now its up to him to deal with the family home and the business dealings. Due to his events from his past he has accepted life in the shadows and does not want to risk ridicule from others. Meanwhile Sadie has left the family farm to work at the duster factory to earn money to help the family after her father gets injured. Due to events she has been staying in an abandoned factory owned by the Taylor family, but no one knows. What happens when she is discovered changes the course of her life. I loved Sadie's perspective on life and her determination to work hard for family. I felt Otis' pain and could understand his struggle with being home, he comes across as a grump at first but you quickly see that he has a soft heart and will do anything for those he cares about. I loved how Sadie encouraged him and looked past his exterior to see his heart. There is a bit of a mystery going on trying to figure out who someone is and where they could be. Once some of those questions were answered Otis then needed to make some decisions and that was hard. It was like no matter which decision was made someone was going to get hurt. I also enjoyed the characters of Mildred and Leon, caretakers of the Taylor house. They each came out with some witty comments that made me laugh. One example is: "You're offering her room and board, not matrimony. It makes no difference what you look like." This was an enjoyable to read and I am pleased with the way the story wrapped up.

(I received an ARC of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

The Letter Tree

The Hope of Azure Springs 

Where the Road Bends  

Yours Truly, Thomas  

Where the Road Bends by Rachel Fordham (Review)

Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Revell 
Released: June 7, 2022
305 pages

About the Book:

As Norah King surveys her family land in Iowa in 1880, she is acutely aware that it is all she has left, and she will do everything in her power to save it--even if that means marrying a man she hardly knows. Days before her wedding, Norah discovers an injured man on her property. Her sense of duty compels her to take him in and nurse him back to health. Little does she realize just how much this act of kindness will complicate her life and threaten the future she's planned.

Norah's care does more than aid Quincy Barnes's recovery--it awakens his heart to possibilities. Penniless and homeless, he knows the most honorable thing he can do is head on down the road and leave Norah to marry her intended. But walking away from the first person to believe in him proves much harder than he imagined.

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was drawn to Norah as soon as I met her. Norah is engaged to be married to someone quite a bit older than her and someone she isn't in love with all to save her family farm. She finds Quincy injured in a field and brings him back to her place and cares for him while he heals. A friendship begins, but life circumstances separate them. There is a time jump a few chapters in, and I verbally reacted with shock. Once I processed my shock, I was fully invested in these two characters and had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. I did not want to put the book down. I loved seeing friendships grow and romances develop. The side characters added to the enjoyment of the story. I was smiling at the end.

Favourite Quote: 

“I believe in a God who can use the worst of circumstances for our good if we're willing.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

The Letter Tree

The Hope of Azure Springs 

Yours Truly, Thomas