My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island

Maude’s Mooring



by Carrie Fancett Pagels

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Barbour Books



Christian , Romance

Pub Date 01 Jul 2017

I am reviewing a copy of My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island Through Barbour books and Netgalley:

This book takes us to Mackinac Island, Michigan, late 1890's. Maude Wellings father refuses to let his daughter run the inn that has been in their family for generations without the guidance of a husband.

Undercover Journalist Ben Steffans comes to town posing as a wealthy industrialist!

Maude wants to help her Father run the inn as he is Ill, but he is to stubborn to let his daughter help run the inn as she is not married.

Soon Ben realizes he has fallen in love with Maude Wellings. Can they build a life for themselves despite all obstacles they face find out in My Heart Belongs On Mackinac Island.

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Wow What a great story. An awesome plot. Wonderful characters who became a part of me. Fantastic setting of a place I have wanted to see since I was a child. Then add in the inspirational thread and you have an unforgettable book. One that I will want to read again and again and again

A little deception went a long ways in this wonderful story. A story of life of the rich being targeted by men and women looking for a marriage to success and wealth! A wonderful family story, with a little sweet romance! I really enjoyed this story and hope there will be a continuing series with these interesting characters.. I was gifted a copy and my review is voluntary...

I have been enjoying the "My Heart Belongs" series. This one takes place in Michigan on Mackinac Island, a place I have been to several times as it is my home state! The era and history of the Grand Hotel was interesting. The identity changes of Ben, the newspaper reporter trying to get his big story and Maude, the jilted islander make this a good story. Looking forward to many more stories in this series and more from Carrie Fancett Pagels.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and am only required to give my personal opinion.

A great book set on a beautiful island. Maude gets her heart broken or (does she really?) when her "fiancé" Greyson marries someone else and shows back up on the Island.
Maude and Ben both posing as someone else. Maude is trying to prove to her Dad that she is able to run the Inn that has been her family for years by working as a maid in another Inn on the Island. Ben posing as someone else trying to get a story and get a prominent position in the news office.
With Ben and Maude both keeping secrets, it's hard for them to trust one another. Will they both make the right decisions? Will they forgive each other? Will Maude's Dad forgive his Wife and Mother-in-law for what they did?
The characters were great and there's adventures to follow. Oh and I loved little brother because he was always into something.
I enjoyed reading about a real place that was well researched and that the author actually had been there. I almost felt like I was having a vacation on the Island. I would for sure love to see Mackinac Island and just stay awhile.
Read this story and enjoy Island life and all the twist and turns.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and publisher. I was under no obligation to post a review.

I love all of the My Heart Belongs series, they are all well written and romantic.

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island is about Maude Welling. She and her family run an inn on this island town and they have many people that visit for the season. Maude's mother has died and the terms of the will are still being worked out. Maude's father has run the inn and Maude is desperate to prove to him that she, a woman, can run the inn. She has been hurt by her longtime boyfriend who returned the island and was married. Maude's world has been turned upside down. She comes up with a plan to disguise herself as a maid and work at the Grand Hotel. Thinking that this would help prove her capabilities.

Ben Steffans, a reporter from Detroit, comes to the island disguised as a wealthy man. He is writing a story about how men come to the island to find a wealthy woman and marry her. He runs into Maude and is smitten. As Ben continues his disguise he uncovers several things that are not as they seem. Ms. Fox at the Grand Hotel resembles a very rich woman he has been following, Maude's ex-boyfriend's new wife has secrets, and now Maude is working as a maid. As Ben continues to get to know Maude he loses his heart to her but the only way he can support her is by breaking a big story.

Soon all secrets come to life and hard decisions have to be made. Maude has to decide if she can forgive Ben for lying to her and possibly exposing the secrets of her family. Ben has to decide whether getting the story is worth the people it hurts to get it. In the end, one little boy makes it all clear.

Oh my word! I absolutely adored Carrie Fancett Pagels' work. She is fantabulous with creating her characters in a richly detailed way. The beautiful detail she added to the backdrop of the story really made me feel as though I was on the breathtaking Mackinac Island.

Maude and Ben, and even Jack, quickly stole my heart. Sweet little Jack had me smiling more than once! The betrayal that Maude feels when she sees her "intended" married to another woman, was quickly felt in my heart. But, when she "runs" into Ben, the sparks were there and I loved watching their story unfold.

Ms. Pagels fills this novel with wonderful descriptions to make the story blossom before the reader. The messages from God of forgiveness, hope, faith and love are woven perfectly throughout. This wonderfully chiseled,4 star book kept me turning the pages long into the night and I highly recommend it to all historical fiction lovers! The characters, the plot line, the messages will all steal your heart and take you on a whirl wind right through Mackinac Island, leaving you wanting more. Visiting Mackinac Island is now at the top of my bucket list thanks to Ms. Pagels!

Living on an upscale island that is deserted for half of the year can be a difficult location for anyone to grow up in. Maude Wellings, the daughter of a man who had inherited an upscale inn on the island, desires to follow her familial female predecessors and become a business woman. Trying to prove her worth, she serves at the Grand Hotel, disguised as a maid.

While there, she meets Ben Steffans---also posing under a fake name---who is a reporter. Traveling to the island, he hopes to uncover a story on men trying to meet and marry wealthy women at the hotel solely for their fortune.

The tale of the island girl, and Detroit reporter weave together beneath lies, deceit, and second-chances.

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This book is part of the My Heart Belongs series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone, in my opinion. Set around historical settings, these romance tales are unique in location and time frame. This book was set on the amazing Mackinac Island, known for its amazing lakeside views, the Grand Hotel, and upscale living. Unfortunately, my appetite for atmospheric detail was not satiated. I wanted more of the island itself, life, and culture in detail. While the island wasn't the main focus of the story, it still is hard to deny such an iconic place more page time that what it was given. I can't ignore that there were some dollops given here and there, bur they managed to disguise themselves more than they should have beneath the romance itself.

The plot is centered around an unlikely romance between to people from very different backgrounds. While I appreciate the fact that this was a Christian fiction, I couldn't help but feel that it was not the main focus. Allusions to faith and God were few and far between, and stuck in at odd angles which made the text choppy and in-congruent. God seemed to be more of an afterthought. It simply didn't meet my expectations in that area.

One aspect that I enjoy was the era in which this was set, because social norms can be quite laughable. The lack of communication between characters due to propriety during that time makes the entire problem of this book. Every answer given is more indirect than the last, and only causes more confusion for the characters, if anything. This can be observed between both the main character, Maude Wellings, and her soon-to-be love interest Bob, disguised under the name of Friedrich. Gossip was the main form of communication, so many things were discovered via hearsay and speculation.

I also very much appreciated the author's ability and ingenuity with combining fiction with non-fiction. She took personal experiences, historical facts, and fictitious plots to fabricate this tale. (All of the details are provided at the end of the book in the Author Notes.

Overall, this was a decent read. The details I described above are my opinion only---and probably due to the fact that I just love Mackinac Island. If you haven't been there, I'd highly recommend that you visit. I mean, the only transportation is by horse and carriage, or by bike, still today! It's very nostalgic, with a LOT of history, and is a beautiful setting for a story.

Vulgarity: None.
Sexual content: Kissing only.
Violence. Zilch.

2.5 stars.

A big thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

What an intriguing, inspiring novel penned by Carrie Fancett Pagels, set during an integral time of change in our country’s history! The dialog, family secrets, very likable characters, faith of those characters, and plot twists make for a Christian novel that is a romance and so much more. Secrets, treachery, and deceit are abundant in the almost pristine perfection of an 1895 Mackinac Island summer.

Maude is a young woman who loves where she lives. She and her father, Peter and younger brother Jack are year-round residents on lovely Mackinac Island that enjoys a high volume of summer tourists. The Winds of Mackinac Inn has been in her mother’s family for many years, but since her mother’s death a year earlier, her father wants to sell it and move inland to a city where Jack can train seriously as an Olympic runner. If only Maude’s fiancé had not returned with a new bride! The betrayal stung, but perhaps not as much as her father’s refusal to let her run the inn by herself. He would have only allowed it if she and Greyson had married.

Maude tries to get experience in more aspects of running an inn by working at the Grand Hotel as a maid, giving her a new appreciation for the staff at the Inn. Ada, the Housekeeping Manager, has kindly given Maude opportunities by varying the areas to which she was assigned. Ada has secrets of her own; Maude fears what the results might be of Ada’s visits with her father.

Ben Steffans is a guest at the Grand Hotel who, from the moment he first saw Maude, was enchanted by her. He also has a secret. He is a reporter for a Detroit newspaper there on assignment, masquerading as Friedrich Konig, a German industrialist. His assignment includes writing about men who come to Mackinac Island to find a wealthy bride. He uncovers truths demanding a decision: reveal the secrets for personal -gain or protect those involved and retain his honor.

The author has gifted to us an exciting Christian novel that is hard to put down, demonstrating her talents as a top-notch historical fiction writer. I was drawn to it as I wanted to find out more about this little treasure far upstate from where I was born, and found more treasures than I thought the island could hold! Some characters walk out how it looks to seek the Lord’s direction for their lives and several spiritual lessons, including letting go of deception and secrets and doing the right thing no matter the consequences. The author’s stunning descriptions bring the setting to life so well that one can almost smell the gardenias, lilacs and fresh, crisp air.

This reader found herself rooting for two characters who are strongly attracted to each other, even though each are locked behind their respective facades. Many of the characters are not who they seem to be, kind of like in real life. I enjoy the authentic historical touches, including national pride for the Olympic team, the visit from Mark Twain, and the author’s notes regarding her research. Plot twists change assumptions made about some characters, sometimes highlighting the growth of those involved. There are several surprises! I highly recommend this novel to those who enjoy well-written historical fiction that is Christian, highlighted with heartfelt prayers, and includes special characters in a setting that will stay with the reader long after turning the final page.

From a grateful heart: I received this eBook from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Mackinac Island, Michigan - 1895

Maude Welling has lived her entire life on the Island as has many of her family members. Her father owns the Winds of Mackinac Inn and family members own numerous businesses on the Island. Since Maude's mother passed away, her father's health has been failing and Maude wants to prove to him that she can take over running the Inn.

Maude had become enamored by a man called Luce Greyson. He has been away for awhile and is returning today. Maude just knows he will be proposing to her. But she is heartbroken to find him returning with a lovely woman who introduces herself as his wife.

Ben Steffan has just arrived on the Island aboard the White Star Line. He is actually a society columnist for the Detroit Post. He is to stay at the luxurious Grand Hotel under the name Frederick Konig, a wealthy industrialist. He will be watching some of the people visiting the island to put together a big story.

When Ben happens to observe Maude’s heartbreak at the loss of Luce, he is taken by her and gets to know her and her family. Maude takes a job as a maid at the Grand Hotel working long hours at a job literally beneath her. Along the way, she meets and helps other young women such as herself. Her friendship with “Frederick” continues to blossom.

There is a rumor that the wealthiest woman in America has taken an “undercover” position on the Island as she observes people and how places are run. Who is this woman and why is she here? After her heartbreak from Luce’s rejection, does she dare open her heart to “Frederick?”

This is a book with lots of different stories all intertwining together. I admit that there were a couple of times that I got a bit confused but was able to finally bring them all together. This is a clean, Christian novel that readers are sure to enjoy.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This story brings to mind the quote “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive”, and the author has it coming on more than one front. Whether it is from our reporter Ben, or from Maude’s Grandmother or her Mother, or even her former beau, they all seem to hidden something.
The setting for this book is beautiful Mackinac Island, and year 1895, and we have arrived at a beautiful time of the year, spring, the rebirth, and full of the scents of blooming lilacs and other flowers.
The author has us wondering what is going on when Maude’s intended arrives back on the island, and as we are running with her to greet him, we see he is not alone. This is also the moment that Maude meets Ben Steffans, and soon Ada Fox, and these two along with Maude’s brother Jack will warm your heart.
Surprises abound here and we hope for the best now and in the future, and sure would love to hear how our Jack does in the Olympics!
Prevalent throughout this book is the love of God, and we see how many practice their faith in their everyday lives.
Come and get lost in this sweet story, and the lives of these characters, some are really going to surprise you.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

This book was a real page-turner. Ms. Pagels is an excellent story teller. In addition to the story of Maude and Ben, there were several sub-plots. I loved the way all these came together. This story really kept my interest and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend this book.
I received a PDF copy of this book from NetGalley and was not required to give a positive review.

It has been a dream of mine to visit Mackinac Island. Thanks to Carrie Fancett Pagels I have. I enjoyed the story and will highly recommend it.

You can never go wrong with setting when a book is set on Mackinac Island. This is my all time favorite place in the world. I have been there many times.

The book opens with a great scene that will draw you in right away. Maude's heartache and disappointment grabbed me.

The copy I read was an advance reader copy so  I am not sure if this mistake was corrected but it says something about looking out at Lake Michigan from the island. Mackinac Island is surrounded by Lake Huron. This might have been corrected in the final draft.

I was really torn with this book. At times I was pulled into the story other times I just couldn't get into it. I didn't always understand the character motivation for some things, and some things and misunderstandings seemed force or cleared up too soon.

I wanted to love this book but I didn't. I liked it, no doubt about it, just not as much as I had hoped.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.

Now and then I read a book that just says summer is here! I recently finished reading My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island Maude's Mooring: by Carrie Fancett Pagels and this is just such a book.

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring by [Pagels, Carrie Fancett]
Maude Welling is a lovely young woman, considered by fellow islanders to be the best sort of girl. She is unspoiled by the things most girls visiting the island long for. Her desire is to marry Greyson, her long time intended, and run the family inn. Fate, however unkind, intervenes and Maude is left at the pier to watch in horror as Greyson introduces Maude to Ann, his new wife.

Enter Mr. Frederic Konig, a handsome young man who is a very wealthy industrialist, witnessing the entire scene between Maude, Greyson and Ann. He was taken in by her hurt manner, but even more so by her beauty and grace.

Mr. Konig will be staying at the very smart Grand Hotel, the very best place on the island to find wealthy young women. Frederic, though, is an imposter. He is not who he says he is. He is actually Ben Steffan, a young reporter for the Detroit Post. He was furnished in the finest men's fashions, schooled in the proper etiquette of wealth and, more specifically, on special assignment to expose handsome young dandies who prey on lovely young women of fortune. He can fool the many but in his heart he knows who he is. A man of compassion, he feels like he is playing a game of the Prince and the Pauper. His dress and actions speak the part but his good nature continues to shine through. Mark Twain himself appears at the Grand, a nice touch of poetic license that adds just the right spice for Ben when he needed it.

Maude lives with her widowed father and lively brother Jack. She should be learning to take over the family inn, The Winds of Mackinac, but her father's wishes are adamant: she will not run the inn without the help of a husband. With her wedding plans down the pipe she is determined to prove to her father that she is capable of running the inn. She assumes the role of maid at the Grand Hotel, fooling her father but risking termination by her lack of skills.

Frederic takes an interest in Jack, an incorrigible lad who seems to be everywhere at once with many plans up his sleeve. He and his games are incorrigible. Jack is running so much it is hard to realize that if he slowed down he'd have to deal that old pain that keeps rising to the surface named grief. The Wellings lost their mother the year before and the grief is still hanging around the house like an unsung song.

Maude, her father and uncle Robert all have to come to an understanding of the future of the inn. Wills are meant to make things easier for loved ones left behind but once in a great while, a codicil can change the expectations of everyone. There is more riding on the fate of this will than just a family legacy on the island.
I liked the story. The setting on Mackinac Island lent itself well to the summer people who likely found respite from the city during the heat of the summer. Young women of marriageable age would have enjoyed being pampered at the Grand Hotel. The idea that a paper would set a handsome young reporter on unsuspecting gold diggers was a nice twist. It lured me in like a fisherman with a tall tale. I recommend you add My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island to your summer reading list!

Mackinac Island is indeed a historical, magical place and that was captured beautifully in this book. A very enjoyable historical fiction read with a touch of innocent romance.

Reading My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island was the most pleasant walk down memory lane for me. When I saw this title on NetGalley, I had to request it immediately due to the title alone. I was born in Michigan and have vivid memories of visiting Mackinac Island and nearby St. Ignace as a child, though I haven’t been there in probably 20 years. The book featured scenes around Mackinac Island’s most famous landmarks, such as Arch Rock and The Grand Hotel and other areas around the island. One of the most interesting things about Mackinac Island is its restriction of motor vehicles. All of the sights must be seen from a carriage, bicycle, or on foot. I enjoyed the author’s use of bicycles in the story, making it seem realistic to the actual island, though the book was set in a time period before cars would have been common.

In the first half of the story, we are acquainted with Maude, a young woman who finds she has been jilted by her beau. Her hopes of running the inn that has been in her family for years are dashed by her two-timing lover. Maude’s father’s refusal to turn the business over to his unmarried daughter forces her to take matters into her own hands by getting a job at the Grand Hotel as a maid, to prove her competence in managing a hotel.

Along the way, Maude meets a wealthy German aristocrat who seems immensely intriguing and kind. She cannot help but be captivated by him after he inadvertently helps her young brother. Unfortunately, this impressive German man also has a secret he isn’t telling, and Maude is loathe to trust anyone after being deceived.

I absolutely love reading historical romance because it allows me to learn and be transported to another era while enjoying a beautiful story. I have not familiarized myself too much with Christian romance, because in some ways it seems to be a bit of a paradox to me. I found myself pleasantly surprised with this love story and the Christian elements were the cherry on top of a sweet novel. I will definitely be seeking out the genre more in the future, possibly with more of Carrie Fancett Pagels’ books in the My Heart Belongs Series.

I found this story to be a tad underwhelming in the beginning and decided to take a little break at the worst time. If I would have continued reading the second half of the story, I would have been drawn in and finished reading much sooner. The latter half of this book was full of mystery I wasn’t expecting this story to feature. I was turning the pages as fast as possible to figure out the details behind each character. This is an intricately woven tale, chock full of interesting characters, family drama, and hard choices.

One of the most impressive pieces of information I took away from this novel was the addition of Mark Twain! I was so intrigued, I had to stop reading to open Google and see if he actually made an appearance at the Grand Hotel. Turns out, Carrie Fancett Pagels did some excellent research of the island’s history because Mark Twain was indeed a visitor. If I had waited until the author’s note at the end, I could have saved myself from the my incessant fact-checking of historical novels. I appreciated the clarification of what was fact and fiction within the novel in her end note.

As a whole, this novel had some slow points, but an overall interesting storyline that grabbed my attention in the end. I enjoyed recounting my time on the island as a child and imaging being there in the Gilded Age like Maude. I am thankful to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to experience a sense of nostalgia and review this novel for 5171 Miles Book Blog.

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude’s Mooring releases on July 1st. Be sure to snag a copy if you are a fan of historical romance. This story allows readers to experience one of the most charming and unique places in the United States.

Loved this wonderful story...perfect reading for the summer season!

I struggled with this story; I had a hard time connecting with the characters and following the storyline. It felt choppy when it switched between points of view from one character to another. Also there were a parts that made no sense to me such as Maude taking the job at the Grand to prove herself to her dad except she didn’t want him to know she was working there, so how was this suppose to prove anything to him? And why was he so against her taking over the inn? The progression of the romance between Maude and Ben felt like there were chunks missing, they first meet at the docks and are instantly attracted to each other but I didn’t feel like they really got to know each other before declaring their love. What was their love really based on? There were so many secrets being kept by various characters, some are revealed early on, others take some time to be found out. I don’t feel like I even know what some of them were. What I did like about the book was the descriptions of the island views I felt like I could see what the characters were seeing. I also liked that Maude was a strong female and was willing to work to achieve her own dreams. I hate giving a bad review but I just couldn’t get into this book.

Set in my beautiful state of Michigan on Mackinac Island, I loved that Author Carrie Fancett Pagels did her homework and portrayed the island true to form. Even including the lovely lilacs it’s known for! It was tough to see the class differences on the island but that was very real for its day and Carrie didn’t shy away from what would have happened and how people in all classes would have responded to situations.

Full of twists, turns, and intrigue, I was immediately pulled into this story. The characters of this book are very believable and they learn that trusting God is so very important. It was great to see growth portrayed as they learned this lesson, and to see how it affected their decisions.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more by this author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a positive review.