I started reading this book knowing very little about Harriet Beecher Stowe. I had heard the name but knew nothing about her. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized what she is known for! This book was an eye opener on how little value was placed on a woman’s intellect. I found myself being very frustrated for Hattie!

This book was an easy read and I enjoyed it very much. It was interesting to get something of an insight into the life of the author of one of the most well known titles in America.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I have the hardest time picking favorites, but that being said, this is one of my very favorite books that I’ve read this year! I loved everything about this book. I loved the way the author put the story of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s life on paper. I loved her sweet love story and I loved the way these true to life characters jumped off the page for me as I read.

The characters in this one are amazing! You see the point of view of both Harriet and her husband Calvin. That gave this one so much more depth than it would have had if the only view we saw was Harriet. I loved that I learned a lot about this great woman. Quite honestly, if you had asked me before I read this book the other day what I knew about Harriet Beecher Stowe, the only thing would have been that she wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I loved that I was able to learn a bit more about her and about what an amazing woman she truly was.

I loved that the love story showed Harriet and Calvin’s up and downs. Because marriage is work for all of us and they were no different. I liked the way the book showed her struggle to find a way to be herself, even with the demands of marriage and motherhood, because that’s a real struggle for all of us as well.

Maybe that’s what really made me like the book the most. She was a real person, with the same kind of real problems that we all deal with. And she lived during a difficult time in history. There were tons of things going on both for and against slavery during this time period and she wanted to know where she stood on the issue and once she knew that, she wanted to know how she could help others form their own opinions.

This is one of those you need to just go buy! You won’t regret it!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I love the author's attention to detail, her depth of research, and the notes at the end describing the true events and changes she made to turn Harriet Beecher Stowe's story into a novel. I felt deeply for Harriet's struggle in trying to learn to be a wife and a mother without losing herself and her passion for creativity.

Like most Americans, I've grown up hearing Harriet Beecher Stowe's name in school. I never read Uncle Tom's Cabin and didn't really know much more than that she wrote it and was therefore a famous female author. So I came into this story with no preconceived notions.

That said, it took a little while for the story to really pull me in. Ms. Kilpack's characters are as relatable as ever. When Hattie and Calvin argued, I could understand the frustration on both sides. I loved that the relationships (marital and familial) were not perfect and had their challenges and sore spots. Loss is a thread sensitively woven throughout the novel.

I really felt like I got an interesting look at life back then, within the home as women's roles were beginning to change: the position of a woman in the family, her role a wife and mother, what was expected of her, etc. Hattie's situation was especially interesting as she had been brought up with money (and servants) and taught to pursue education, and struggled when her marriage was not a lateral move. Hattie was definitely ahead of her time. I found the way she tried to balance the expectations for a wife and her spirit absolutely fascinating.

I loved the role family played all throughout this novel. Remarriages, squabbles over money and promises, providing advice, direction and protection. I loved the way Calvin and Hattie both turned to their parents for support, but ultimately had to find their own way. And despite their imperfect history, in the end, Catharine fiercely protected Hattie.

The themes of prayer, hope and forgiveness were perfect and convicted me personally. My favorite part was a candid conversation between father and daughter, not because it was a perfect response or solution, but I loved that he redirected Hattie back to her husband. A loving parent is perhaps the one person we might expect to be in our corner no matter what. But being in our corner sometimes means speaking truth into our lives rather than platitudes. It ended up being a catalyst that eventually led to reunion and healing.

I should also say that I always appreciate when an author includes notes on fact vs. fiction when they base a novel off of a real person. Ms. Kilpack goes above and beyond here.

I highly recommend this book. There is so much to love here: interesting family dynamics, a realistic love story, relatable characters with strong personalities, humor, personal growth, and a dose of history. Can't wait for more from this author!

Opening line:
Harriet Beecher looked around her bedchamber--which had been transformed into the bride's room for her wedding day--and found it ironic that all three of her bridal attendants had never been married."

I really enjoyed the story of Harriet, or Hattie! But I didn't love her story until toward the end when both main characters learned to serve each other and forgive. They were flawed humans who had to learn the give and take of a relationship.
I went through so many different emotions while reading this book but mostly frustration because I wanted Hattie and her husband, Calvin, to talk out their differences and learn to help each other. I wanted to shake both of them for being so stubborn, which at the same time brought humor to the situations, even if there wasn't meant to be humorous.
Some parts of the story were a little uncomfortable because the sentiments were close to how I felt when I was first engaged. Would I lose myself to being a wife and mother? Would I be able to remain true to myself when I had others to take care of? How do I justify doing what I want with keeping house and being a good mom. I was anxious to keep reading and see how the conflicts were resolved.
At the end of the book Ms. Kilpack adds fact vs. fiction for each chapter. Very enlightening!

Thanks to netgalley for the early read!

This book gave me a look into the past and what life might have been like for a woman that had more dreams than just being a mother and wife.

While this book is fiction, it is based on a real person, Harriet Beecher Stowe. While I have heard the name and know she wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, I really didn't know much about her at all. This authors story, while mostly fiction, does have some truth to it. There is a section at the end of the book that goes chapter by chapter to explain what is true and where she obtained the information. All I can say is a lot of research went into this book!

All that aside, I think I identified with Harriet. I wasn't meant to be a homemaker. Sure I love to cook, but the cleaning? no thank you! Thankfully men have evolved since the mid 1800's and don't always expect women to be the homemaker. But at that time, women had really no rights and not much of a voice.

Calvin is a good man but was set in his beliefs about a family due to how he was raised and his first wife. Not that any of what he learned was wrong, but to fall in love with Harriett when she was the complete opposite, you would think he might adjust his thinking. Over time he did, but it took time and others to help him understand who he married and that she was not his mother or first wife.

I really enjoyed this book especially the last half of the book. I thought that the first half of the book was slow, but it was setting everything up so that the last half would bring all of the situations to a head. I learned something about Harriet and am now curious and want to learn more about this woman who was ahead of her time.

It's sometimes hard to imagine how life would have been if I had lived in the early 1800's when the country was changing so quickly and women were so repressed.  But then Josi Kilpack comes along and makes me feel like Harriet's life could have been my life or the life of any of us because of the common desires, thoughts and feelings that inherently makes us women.  

I did not know much about Harriet Beecher Stowe before reading this book other than her famous writing of Uncle Tom's Cabin.  I love how personable Harriet and Calvin became to me and how much of myself I could see in them.  Kilpack does an excellent job of bringing this bit of history to life and I loved her notes in the back for each chapter.  It points to research well done which can be felt in each page of this book.

There is nothing heart pounding or edge of your seat in this book.  It's simply a story about two people trying to work through the messy bits of life and relationships to find happiness and peace.  I felt the connection to the characters and the story.  I feel like I now have a better understanding of Harriet Beecher Stowe and I'm the better for it.

Content:  Some references to intimate relations between a husband and wife with no details.

- I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Josi Kilpack has written a fictionalized version of Harriet Beecher Stowe's life as a newly married woman in her new book, All That Makes Life Bright. Though the book begins in the early 1800s, some of the issues Harriet faces regarding her writing, her call to the social issues of her day, and juggling that with being a wife and mother are so poignant and pertinent to modern-day women.

The story opens with Harriet preparing for her wedding to Calvin Stowe. He's been widowed and Harriet felt like she wouldn't have the opportunity to marry, but when they connect, she feels strongly that she should marry him. Her sister, Catharine, voices her concern that Harriet will lose herself and all the good she can do with her God-given talents, if she marries and becomes a mother. Harriet assures her that Calvin supports her writing and she will be able to continue developing herself and rearing a family.

From there on, that conversation rings in the reader's head as Harriet struggles in her marriage, and she tries to to put that assertion to the test. Calvin still misses his first wife, he's away when Harriet first discovers she's pregnant, and their expectations of the other don't seem to align in very many ways. And that's just the beginning! Everything is compounded when her views on slavery and social issues start to become more pointed. Because the author did such a wonderful job of making Harriet so relatable, readers will care about her and her marriage and wonder how she will ever make this work. The setting and time period is very well done and though I had read a biography of Harriet years ago, this book really makes her come alive and what led her to write, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Compared to the other books in the Proper Romance line, this isn't a romance of first love, or even second chance love in a familiar sense, this is more of finding a way to keep the romance alive in marriage while facing unexpected and hard realities in life. It was real and sometimes raw and absolutely riveting.

All That Makes Life Bright: The Life and Love of Harriet Beecher Stowe, by Josi S. Kilpack, Shadow Mountain, Sept. 5, 2017, Softcover, $15.99 (young adult)

To say Josi S. Kilpack is a prolific writer is an understatement — she’s published three books this year so far. Prolific doesn’t always equal perfection, but in the case of Josi’s latest novel, All That Make Life Bright, she comes close.

All That Makes Life Bright is a fictionalized look at Harriet Beecher and Calvin Stowe’s first 18 months together as a married couple. The novel opens the day of their wedding ceremony, Jan. 6, 1836, and while Hattie is excited, her sister Catharine is not. Catharine is worried Hattie will her identity as an individual. But Calvin fell in love with Hattie because of her mind. He loves that she is intellectual. He loves that she’s a writer.

At first, things are perfect and the two work to adjust to married life. Two months after their wedding, though, Hattie learns she’s pregnant and Calvin is called away on a European business trip. He must go, but won’t be back in time for the birth of their child. Alone and feeling overwhelmed, Hattie returns to her father’s home while Calvin is away.

Much to Harriet and Calvin’s surprise, Hattie gives birth to twin girls, Eliza and Harriet. Their growing family returns home, and Hattie realizes quickly how hard it is to run a household and care for two babies. Hattie’s writing takes a backseat to the mundane chores of a housewife.

She begins to lose herself, and when she tries to take back control, she begins to question her place in her husband’s heart. Calvin and Hattie’s temperaments clash more and more. Things come to a head when Hattie, pregnant with their third child, collapses. The twins aren’t even a year old, and Hattie can no longer cope. Only when Calvin realizes the scope of his wife’s sacrifices is he able to meet her in the middle.

In her introduction to All That Makes Life Bright, Josi S. Kilpack explains that during her research, she found varying accounts of her characters real-life personalities. In the end, the author decided to base her version of their personalities based on their relationship, which was one of support and love. She also condenses 10 years of frustrations into an 18-month time period.

All That Makes Life Bright is part of Shadow Mountain’s Historical Proper Romance line. And while most of the time, these books are perfect for the YA crowd, this time around, Josi’s writing will resonate with a slightly older demographic.

Though All That Makes Life Bright is billed as a love story, and, based on the success of the Stowe’s marriage, I guess it was, it didn’t feel so much like a romance to me. Honestly, on multiple occasions, I found myself wanting to punch Calvin in the face. I get that different conventions were practiced during different time periods, but his complete obliviousness drove me batty.

I think my reaction to Calvin was so strong because Hattie’s experiences rung so true to me. I worked professionally for more than 10 years before giving birth to my daughter. I understood there would be changes, but I didn’t understand the enormity of them beforehand.

I am lucky to have a supportive husband who sees the value of me having passions beyond the household. But even with that support, there was an overwhelming sense of having lost myself. I became my daughter’s mother and my husband’s wife. Jessica sort of disappeared. That’s a hard pill to swallow no matter what the circumstances.

And that’s where Josi’s novel excels.

I did not expect myself to become so emotionally involved in All That Makes Life Bright. As I read, it was as if Josi had somehow accessed some of my deepest feelings. The mom guilt. Feelings of failure over the littlest things. Trying to balance it all. This is where All That Makes Life Bright rings true.

I’ve read a number of Josi’s novels, but All That Makes Life Bright is by far the best. There’s an authenticity to her writing here that will resonate with readers long after they finish reading.

I'm one of those readers out there that knew very little about Harriet Beecher Stowe.  I knew she was an early American author, but that was it.  So I began this book with no expectations, other than I expect good things from author Josi S. Kilpack.
This book is one of Shadow Mountain's A Proper Romance, and I was delighted to be allowed to receive an ARC.
One of the things I enjoyed about this fictional account of Harriet's early married life as that she was very real. All those feelings of inadequacy, of being overwhelmed with domestic duties, of being a wife, of motherhood--all those are real.  As well as the very real need to write, and to create.

When Harriet marries widower Calvin Stowe, she embarks on a new chapter in her life. Both of them have to find the intricate balance on this path of life.   And Harriet could not have made the difference she did had her role been different, and this book does a wonderful job on showing the wisdom God has in who he calls to the task.

As a side note, at the end of the book, Ms. Kilpack shares info on what parts were real, and which were fictionalized.

I knew nothing about Harriet Beecher Stowe before I read this book, although the name was familiar. It was fascinating to learn about who the real woman was- most known for authoring Uncle Tom's Cabin, while also enjoying a fictionalized account of a portion of her early married life. (In the afterword the author tells chapter by chapter what is based off research, accounts, and letters, which I appreciated). I had many feelings while reading this book! The author does a skillful job of showing the perspective of both Harriet and her new husband Calvin, and making the reader sympathetic to both sides. It made me remember the first year of my marriage and the transition from being centered on one's self to being required to care for another's desires as well. Harriet's circumstance is more extreme of course, with the role of a wife still strongly traditional, not being raised to keep house but rather pursue intellectual edification, and becoming pregnant quickly and giving birth. Although they love each other, Harriet and Calvin are opposite in nature and the frustrations that build ebb and flow until a breaking point is reached (which was surprisingly emotional for me and I had to wipe away a few tears). I loved Harriet's strong desire to keep a hold of herself and continue what she and many viewed as her God-given talent and purpose of writing, especially to persuade her readers to a new opinion or viewpoint. Her struggles with keeping a balance in her life are all too real, and the pressure from several people whose opinion she values add to her burden. It shows how important it is for a couple to take each other into consideration and be compassionate while still feeling heard and respected. Sometimes it seems impossible, but as Harriet and Calvin each turn to God in prayer their hearts are softened and the answers that they seek begin to come, along with the blessing of peace. I loved that this story was based on a real woman who had a major influence on our country's history, and it showed that she like so many struggled with, learned to manage, and found joy in the balance of self and home.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

I'll have to admit even though I had heard of Harriet Beecher Stowe I didn't know much about her. Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, Harriet Beecher was the seventh child of the Reverend Lyman Beecher, a Congregational minister and moral reformer, and Roxanna Foote Beecher.She was an American abolitionist and author.In 1836, she married Calvin Ellis Stowe, professor of biblical literature at Lane. This fictional tale was fascinating to read as some of it is based on fact. The story focuses on her and Calvin's early married life. They had 3 children in 2 years and ending up having a total of seven. In this story,Hattie,as she is called since she also has a daughter named Harriet is frustrated and insecure. She would rather write than do her duties of caring for the house . When the babies come along she is even more overwhelmed with child rearing duties and doesn't know how to manage her time properly. Calvin brings his mother in to teach her how to manage the house and children which while giving her help it also makes her feel as a failure. At the point of exhaustion she collapses and is sent way to recuperate. Missing her children and husband dreadfully she does recover and her husband is more understanding of her needs once she returns home. Harriet Beecher's most famous work is Uncle Tom's Cabin,she was one of the best-selling authors of the 19th century. I love historical fiction books like this that are steeped in facts as I am always willing to learn more!
Pub Date 05 Sep 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Romance, period, clean, mild Christian faith elements
This was a lovely, tender, heart wrenching, real story of the early married life of Harriet Beecher Stowe. A very real, cracks, hurts, drudgery, reality filled moments life based on her actual life and accomplishments. Lovely portrait of women's lives in that time period, and how they faced such physical, emotional, and intellectual challenges as they had to face every day existence. Harriet and Calvin's married life, and how they fit together made for a poignant portrait of the life they were building together, and the challenges they faced. While this is a period novel, and based on actual events the challenges they faced as a couple and their learning to cherish each other, and work together, while facing the difficulties and chaos of early family life with children was beautifully written, and a pleasure to read.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. My opinions are my own.

This book was fine. It's not you, book, it's me.

However, it doesn't pretend to be something it's not. It says right there in the title: The life and love of... I was hoping that this novel would cover more of Stowe's classic Uncle Tom's Cabin, but the bulk of it was Harriet marrying Calvin (Hattie was his second wife) and the children she subsequently bore. Thank God for modern-day birth control!!

It was mentioned a couple of times in the story that Hattie and Calvin's first wife, Eliza, were friends, and I was expecting Hattie to maybe reminisce of spending time with her friend, maybe missing her. Nope. Eliza could have been any old girl off the street -- I didn't see any relationship between her and Hattie at all.

At the beginning of the book Hattie came across as wild and spoiled and I didn't like the way she neglected housework to try and prove a point to her husband. I don't like some chores, either, but I get them done. You don't get to pick and choose what to do. If I let the sweeping and vaccuming and dishes stack up, our apartment would be a pigsty.

Overall, this book was written well, I just didn't like the main character and it's not what I expected. If you're wanting, say, the origins of Uncle Tom's Cabin, you won't find it here... give this book a hard pass. But, if you're wanting a sweet historical romance of a man and a woman trying to find themselves as they juggle a new marriage and new babies, then that's exactly what you're getting here.

This novel recounts the early years of Harriet Beecher Stowe's marriage to Calvin Stowe and their struggle to maintain a harmonious marriage relationship. They wrestle with common marital problems: finances, selfishness, unrealistic expectations, in-laws, children, and work- life balance. Will Harriet be able to maintain her writing pursuits when there is so much work to be done? Will Calvin have his needs met? Will they ever be able to understand each other?
When I began reading this novel, I didn't realize how potent it was going to be. Figuratively speaking, it grabbed on to me and wouldn't let go, then it socked me in the gut and left me speechless. One moment I was very angry, and the next I was sad as I read through this book. I sympathized so much with Harriet and Calvin (mostly Harriet), that I became emotionally invested in their struggles. Josi Kilpack has such a way with words in all of her novels, but she outdid herself this time. The character's emotions are so raw and real that I was instantly transported to their world. This book addresses relationship issues so well that it should be required reading for marriage counseling sessions. It brought up deep questions people still struggle with today: How should people really be treated (especially women and African Americans)? When do expectations become unrealistic and selfish? What are each spouse's roles in the marriage union? Should a wife and mother be allowed to pursue her own interests? I found myself thinking about those and other questions even when I wasn't reading the book.
I love that Kilpack shows both Calvin and Harriet compromising and becoming more attentive to each other's needs. Marriage is about loving your spouse and caring for his or her needs more than for yourself. There must be a balance in all things, which unfortunately is difficult to obtain in relationships.
I loved this novel and won't forget its life-changing lessons. Please read this book! You won't regret it!
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I am loving these proper romance books that Josi S. Kilpack is writing. It has been so fun reading about the different people and their love stories. I followed Josi S. Kilpack's culinary mystery series and am totally in awe that she can write romance just as well as mystery. Not many writers can do that.

I have a greater appreciation of Harriet Beecher Stowe now. What an amazing woman.

Josi S. Kilpack has a way of bringing history alive. She is a very talented author and has written a very intriguing book about Harriet Beecher Stowe. This book resonates with me as a wife and a mother and I could relate to the troubles and trials that Harriet Beecher Stowe went through and I think that other mother's would be able to also. Marriage is not a fairy tale, but is hard work. Enjoy this tale. I did.
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Have you ever thought of Harriet Beecher Stowe as a romantic heroine? No, me neither, but Josi S. Kilpack has. I have read and enjoyed some of her other books and was intrigued enough by the author to read her new novel All That Makes Life Bright: The Life and Love of Harriet Beecher Stowe (a Historical Proper Romance). (Also, I live on a Beecher Street named after Harriet Beecher Stowe's brother Edward, who was a pastor in the historical town I live in, but unfortunately he was only mentioned once.)

I admire Kilpack's attempt to write a novel about a strong historical woman's challenge to find work-life balance. I appreciate her desire to make Harriet Beecher Stowe relevant and interesting. It was also nice to read a romantic novel about a long-standing relationship and its day-to-day problems, rather than about a courtship and the honeymoon stage. However, I did not enjoy the preachy message of "Hattie, you must submit to your God, your husband, and your father." I've read a number of Proper Romance titles and this is the preachiest by far. Three quarters of the way in, Harriet is besieged on all sides and considered an inferior mother, wife, and housekeeper by pretty much everyone.

Eventually Harriet arrives at a better place with her life, her marriage, and her motherhood, but I did not. I was very disappointed by this book and did not find it an easy book to read.

I very much appreciated the information from the author at the end about what information was factual and what was fiction. She does seem to have done her proper research. I wish every author of historical fiction would include as much info about fact v. fiction.

I read an advance reader copy of All That Makes Life Bright.