Two women, separated by two coasts and almost ten decades, looking for love and independence.

During one of her romantic visits to New York, Anne McFarland comes upon a pair of rhinestone shoes in an antique shop. Mesmerized by the unique shoes, Anne unable to say no to a new purchase. Once at home, our leading young lady opens a box, and besides the beautiful and shiny shoes, she finds a few more interesting items in the box that draws her attention to its original owner.

And that's the part when Clair Deveraux makes her grand entrance to the story. The young debutant is about to make her official appearance to the wealthy New York society, after the successful event, she receives a marriage proposal, which she very much like to refuse. Clair sees a much different future in front of her, which includes further education instead of arranged marriage.

The future changes quickly, and Clair & Anne must very carefully choose the next steps that will lead them to their goals.

Loved Clair's story, her fight for freedom, and the future only she could build by being honest, determined, and open to all kinds of opportunities no matter how difficult those were. Great character, definitely someone to admire. On the other hand, I found Anne's character needy and whiny. Looked like all her focus was on getting a shiny ring on her finger to match her newfound rhinestone shoes.

I was totally taken in by the blurb for this book, because I love Beatriz Williams and this looked like it could be a similar style of book, and in a way it was.



Jill G. Hall writes a very fast paced novel from both sides of the story, both the present and the past. I just wish she would have done a little more research in some of the little details. The Big Bang Theory was referenced and Sheldon became Sherman...and Claire's father in 1929 bought A T & T stock. There was no A T & T until Ma Bell was split up in the 1980's. For me these were some big errors and it was hard to get past them.



Like most of the stories that are written in dueling time periods, I found myself more drawn to the past. Clair was definitely the more likable of the two heroines. She was also easier to relate to, even though I'm hardly a wealthy deb.



She was very spunky and really managed to break away from her controlling father. He was more than a bit much, and it was hard to believe that she didn't try to run away from him to start her own life.



Claire had the more interesting story, especially as the reader is allowed to see what happened to her mother and later with the despicable Farley.



I also loved Winnie and the other girls/women Clair met at the speakeasy and later burlesque house. They really made the story. The early scenes with Winnie were really great. She was really a fun good time girl. I also got a hankering for nonpareil candies back when Clair visited her at Macy's



Anne is a woman of thirty, but her actions put me in mind of a much younger and definitely less mature woman and from the very minute we were introduced to her boyfriend Sergio, I didn't like him. He was too snotty for me. No matter what he did, even though he wasn't a bad guy, I just couldn't like him.



Its a pair of silver shoes that tie both of the stories together and the contents of the box they came in.



This was an enjoyable read and I definitely will read more by Jill Hall.

This is the first book I've read by this author and the first time I've heard about this author. I found the book surprisingly well done. The characters are interesting and well written. The story is well done. I'd definitely give this a 4 star review over all.

I received this from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

San Francisco artist Anne McFarland has been distracted by a cross-country romance with sexy Sergio. Clair Deveraux, a sheltered 1929 New York debutante, tries to reside within the bounds of polite society and please her father.

The writing was readable and flowed well enough. I liked the idea of this story more than the actual execution. It was a cute story but I never connected with the main characters.

2.75

The Silver Shoes by Jill G. Hall is a book about the flapper era. I love hearing how her purchase of the silver shoes brought her back to the flapper era with her research.

The Silver Shoes by Jill G Hall was a fun read abut two women from different time periods (the twenties and modern day). Both characters co.e into possession of a beautiful pair of shoes, and the connection becomes clear by the end of the book. I loved the characters and different perspectives. Overall, a fun read.

The Silver Shoes by Jill G Hall is a really fun and light hearted feel good historical and contemporary read. With a dual timeline of 1929 and present day, the reader is in for a real treat.
Subtle overlaps of the stories entice the reader to believe that the past is not dead but alive and breaking through every now and again.
Both time periods have strong female characters that get caught up in the conventions of the day. A woman's role in 1929 was subservient to her father or husband. "I'll take care of you until you get married then it will be your husband's responsibility." Trying to break out of the traditional roles required guts and determination.
Present day sees marriage as the fulfilment but what will you do if convention silences your muse?
Both heroines have different artistic flares. They are gifts that cannot be constrained.
1929 naturally sees the Wall Street crash that affects all of society.
There was a wonderful warm atmosphere pervading the novel. Camaraderie comes from unlikely places as huge hearts come together and a generosity of spirit prevails.
The Silver Shoes is a marvellous read that enables the reader to glimpse a bygone age of speakeasies and flappers. In contrast the modern female is a breath of fresh air with her outlook on life and a love of outdoors. Both characters are very likable.
I cannot wait to read more from Jill Hall. I love it when I 'discover' a new author.
I received this book for free from Net Galley. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

The Silver Shoes by Jill G. Hall 6/19/18

This a book involving two different women from two different eras in New York City, seeking their happiness. The device used to introduce the characters and the eras is a pair of Silver shoes..
The discovery of the Siver shoes in an antique store by Anne, an artistic woman, with a non-conformist style. Annehandkes and admires the shoes in the stire. The shoes seem to brighten and warm in her hand. This sparks her curiosity to find out about the previous owner, Claire, a 1920's debutante.
The story toggles back and forth between the two women giving insight into the differences and similarities between the women across time.
I highly recommend this book. It is very good.

I loved, loved, loved this beautiful book. From the moment that I started reading I couldn't put it down and neither will you so pick this up today and prepare to be enchanted by this well told story. Happy reading!

The Silver Shoes is as entertaining as it is pleasing to read.
The cover alone was distinct in that it took me immediately to the sights and sounds of the Flapper and/or Vaudeville Age before I even started to read.
A dual timeline meshes well between 1929 and the present in a way that the reader doesn't feel lost.
Clair and Anne are well rounded characters who share a commonality and a yearning for purpose that only time stands between. 90 years to be exact.
This is a lively, fact paced read that will keep you wanting more from its storyline and characters, and Jill G. Hall does not disappoint.
Thank you Jill G. Hall and NetGalley for this wonderful story that thoroughly entertained and charmed me.

Two women in two different eras sets the stage for this story, told in alternating sequences. Claire Deveraux in New York in 1929 and Anne McFarland in modern day San Francisco. Both tied together by a pair of silver shoes. Anne purchases the shoes in a "bargain store" with a promise to keep the shoes in the original box. Inside the box she finds a pearl necklace and an old photo of a couple of flappers. Thus begins Anne's curiosity to find the story behind her purchases.

This was a wonderful book, in particular because I enjoy reading about the 1920's and the "flapper" era. I know I will enjoy Ms. Hall's other book "The Black Velvet Coat" as I already have that marked as a "favorite" to read at another time. My thanks to NetGalley for providing this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This novel centers on two women, one from 1929 and the other from present day who are connected through a pair of rhinestone covered shoes and a strand of pearls.
Told in alternating time periods, both women are seeking more from life (excitement, a commitment in an ongoing long distance relationship, escape from societal and/or familial demands, etc.).
This author is new for me. This is a charming story that leans more towards a romance novel than historical fiction.
I received an Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

Writing Style
Hall's writing style for The Silver Shoes took a lot of getting used to for me. The best way I can describe it is quick. It was very fast paced, almost to the point where I felt like I was missing details on the plot, the characters, even the dialogue.

Plot
I really enjoyed the plot. Having the connection between the two different generations be the shoes was a clever idea. I will say I enjoyed Clair's storyline a little better than Anne's. I liked Clair's setting of New York City in 1929. I think it was done better than present day San Francisco.

Recommendation
I think this book will be great for readers who want to read more historical fiction but feel intimidated by the genre. This book is approachable, understandable, quick and cute. It doesn't get bogged down in historical details that aren't relevant to the storyline. It's also got a good mix of history and present day, so it's great for readers who appreciate historical fiction but may not want a full book that's all historical.

Overall, it was cute story with a good setting unfortunately it just didn't resonate with me as it has for other readers. I wanted more details about everything, but mainly about the main characters. I felt like after reading, I still don't have a connection to either of them, and I won't remember them in a week or two.

This was a better than OK book. It was a beautifully written tale about two women from different time periods sharing a pair of shoes.

My thanks to netgalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for this advanced readers copy.

"Anne and Clair—two very different women living in very different eras—attain true fulfillment . . . with some help from their silver shoes". I was enchanted by this story, my first book by this author. The Clair and Winnie characters were a pleasure to discover. I did not feel the other characters (including Ann) projected quite as successfully. 95% of the book was very good and kept my interest as it describes 1920's American attitudes and events well. My main disappointment was the end. I did not think Clair's mother's story was convicing and Ann's story ended so abruptly I had to check I wasn't missing a final paragraph. I know that sounds quite heavy criticism but I did enjoy this book and I would read other work by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I am very much in the minority here when I say that I did not enjoy this book.

**Spoilers ahead**

What was the point of the dual stories? Did I miss a connection somewhere? Yes, Anne bought the shoes that Clair had worn in 1929. I kept waiting for the big 'reveal'; the one huge part of the story that connected the two women. Was she Anne's long lost great-grandmother? Aunt? Third-cousin twice removed?

This just did not work for me. I lacked any kind of connection to either woman. Both were weak characters. Anne with her Italian boyfriend saying 'pick me, choose me, love me" (plagiarism, I know), in essence begging Sergio for an engagement ring. Then Clair, defying her father (it was 1929 after all) and then after the stock market crash, discovering that her mother was alive and living on a farm all these years and not dead (really? Sisters named April and June?).

For me, there was not a single redeeming storyline in this book. Especially the ending. Another 'oops, reached word count so let's end this book... the end!"-type ending.

The Silver Shoes is an entertaining story with a dual timeline. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of Clair in the late 1920’s and Anne in present day!

Anne is a thirty-something artist who has made a bit of a name for herself in San Francisco. She travels to New York as often as she can in an attempt to make her long distance relationship with her Italian-American boyfriend, Sergio, work. The two of them come from vastly different backgrounds and are polar opposites. Yet, after being together for over two years, they seem to have fallen into a comfortable pattern.

During one of her visits to New York, Anne stumbles upon a secondhand shop and discovers silver rhinestone shoes that she is drawn to. It turns out these shoes belonged to a woman, Clair, in the late 1920s. Clair’s past and Anne’s present stories alternate for the rest of the book.

I liked the idea of this book more than the actual execution. The main characters seemed flat and I just didn’t connect with them. Surprisingly, the secondary characters were much more interesting than the main characters. I loved Winnie and Rudy in particular. The setting for Clair’s story is one of my favorites. I love reading about New York in the 1920s. I also appreciated the contrast between Sergio’s life in New York with Anne’s life in San Francisco, as well as their visit to Michigan to meet Anne’s family with their visit to Italy.

I also appreciated how both of the protagonists, Clair and Anne respectively, had a deep compulsion to engage in a creative act. Clair was destined to dance and Anne to create art.

All in all this was a sweet book, but just wasn’t intriguing or vivid enough to hook me. I gave this 2.5 stars.

This is the story of a pair of Silver shoes and a strand of pearls that connect 2 women decades apart. The book alternates between present time and 1929!
Claire in 1929 is trying to be more than the society wife , her dad wants her to be and Anne in present time is trying to make her way and get her boyfriend to commit !
Beautifuly written and alternating between decades , I found I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would !

I love books that alternate between two eras and this book was no exception! Part of the story focuses on Anne McFarland, an aspiring artist (during the present time period) who is yearning to take the next step with her boyfriend, Sergio, who lives on the other side of the country. The other part of the story takes place in the late 1920s and follows Clair Deveraux – a young debutante with a controlling father. Clair longs to be more than just a society wife (which is what her father envisions for her)– she dreams of independence and desperately wants to attend Julliard. And of course, the silver shoes are the thread that tie the two eras (and Anne and Clair) together. I thought this book was very well written and would definitely read more books by this author. I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley - my opinions are my own.