I'm not entirely sure what to say about this book. On one hand, it was a creative and honest "behind the scenes" imagining of the life behind the facts. The book was well written and contained some helpful relational wisdom. I found the overview of Carrie Strahorn's life fascinating. And yet, the book was easy to walk away from and in many ways it was a sad story of a woman who spent most of her life out of touch with her own desires and emotions. The main character's desire to live in the "happy lane" drove me a bit crazy as that kind of denial and diversion from real sorrow and grief isn't a healthy way to live, though many employ those type of strategies. Further, I found it nearly impossible to relate to the era, how men and women/husbands and wives related at that time, which again made it difficult to connect to the characters. Also, I found the book easy to put down as it was broken into unrelated sections and read like a journal rather than a narrative following a distinct plot arc (though the author clearly had things to communicate as she told the story of Carrie's life). All in all, I would recommend this book for those who like biographies, journals and historical documentaries. I wouldn't recommend necessarily recommend this book if you are looking for an engaging fictional narrative story line as it moves slowly and has a slightly disjointed (journal-like) feel.
I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is based upon the real life story of Carrie "Dell" Strahorn and her husband Robert. Robert is a a railroad promoter, investor, and writer. His main task is to develop towns so that the Union Pacific Railroad can continue to lay track. Robert is a very strong-willed man and is constantly on the move as he writes about the west trying to entice newcomers to build new towns. Carrie is an independent woman who ends up traveling beside Robert; but, in turn, she gives up some of her dreams and aspirations in order to be together.

This story incorporates the use of Carrie's memoirs written during the 25 years of accompanying her husband. Kirkpatrick includes bits and pieces of the memoir throughout the chapters, so the reader can get a glimpse into the feelings of Carrie during the specific events Kirkpatrick is writing about. I have read several of Kirkpatrick's earlier books and enjoyed her rich historical detail immensely, but feel that this book would have been better written as a novel rather than somewhat of a memoir. I could never emotionally connect with either Carrie or Robert and found the book rather dry overall.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I really liked this book. It took me a bit to get into the style the book was written in, but once I did, I couldn't put it down.

I requested this book from NetGalley because it intrigued me. It is a book written about memoir written by a woman who traveled with her husband as he promoted the railroad and wrote to entice others to Go West.

Carrie Strahorn chronicled her twenty fives years of traveling with her husband in a book titled ,Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage. Jane Kirkpatrick gives her version of the behind the scene feelings and lessons Carrie might have learned during those traveling years.

It is a very interesting take on the hardships they faced, but also more interesting to me, the reasons why she stayed with her husband through these hardships. Why she made the choice to always find her Happy Lane. It would have been so easy to stay behind in a hotel while he went galavanting around the country, but instead she insisted on being by his side and being his partner in every venture.

Like I said, I liked this book. If historical fiction is your genre, I think you'll enjoy this book too.

I requested to be able to read and review this book. My request was granted.

The story is interesting but it was not what I expected. The story is a fictionalization of Carried Adell Green Strahorn's memoirs. Carrie had a lot of exciting things in her life.

But, I thought the book was a Christian book. Not that there was anything bad in it. The language was clean and so was everything else. But, I was basically 2/3 done before God was truly mentioned. Even then, it seemed like it was more in passing than anything else.

I also found the book rather long and started skipping paragraphs here and there and it didn't seem to matter. I did mostly enjoy the book but it is not my favorite.

An interesting story based Carrie Strahorn during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Her unusual lifestyle of traveling with her husband as he worked is published in a journal referenced in this book. Lots of research put into this book makes this a worthwhile read. I had never heard of Carrie but felt that the author described her adventures quite well. The only thing I didn't care for is the format of the book.

This story is based on the life of Carrie Strahorn. This is a fictional work, Jane Kirkpatrick thoroughly researched and brought this piece of history to life. Each chapter begins with a snippet from Carrie Strahorn's memoir 'Fifteen Thousand Miles By Stage'.

I found this book interesting, and I love to learn about someone I had never heard of before. I did have a bit of a hard time connecting, as I felt I read a memoir in pieces but by skipping chapters in between. I am not certain if it was the way the book was formatted or if it was something else.
All in all it was an enjoyable read and worth checking out.

This author always does such meticulous research while writing her books. Jane's newest book, Everything She Didn't say is based upon the life of Carrie Strahorn, a woman who travels around with her husband as he writes articles in hope of bringing people out west to the towns he builds up by way of the Union Pacific Railroad. You'll read about the things, Carrie can never share with her husband, her inner most thoughts,her hopes,dreams,the highs and lows. It's not easy to not have a permanent home always moving around with her husband's work but she did it, just like she gave up her dreams to make him happy. Kirkpatrick is one of my favorite historical authors, I've read many of her books and love all the research she has gathered for her historical book journeys.
Pub Date 04 Sep 2018
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishers through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Everything She Didn't Say is the newest release by Jane Kirkpatrick. I love historicals and love them more when they were based on real people. However, the style this story was written was not one I enjoy as much as others I have read in the past. I did not feel connected to Carrie as I would have liked. I enjoyed reading about the travelling her and Robert did and what they experienced. I like reading the author's note and learn more about them.
Everything She Didn't Say is worth the read, but unfortunately not my favorite read by this author. I give it three stars.
I received this book from the publisher, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.

My rule of thumb is to give a book at least 50 pages to capture my attention and draw me into the story. This book focuses on the life of Carrie Strahorn, a woman who braved the new country to stay with her husband while he wrote propaganda in hopes of bringing people out west via the Union Pacific Railroad. Unfortunately for me (I was really looking forward to reading this) the writing doesn't do the woman or her life justice. Not only is the story bland but the writing style (this was my first Kirkpatrick) was lackluster. Sentence structure was long, and similes were grasping at straws. The end of her sentences didn't always match up with the beginning because the simile was so long and elaborate. More than once I'd have to go back and read the sentence again to try and remind myself what was going on. Also, entire paragraphs were repeated. This happened more than once. I'd read an entire page just to flip to the next page to read it all again (ultimately skipping ahead to new story).
The bottom line is, I was unable to finish this book. I understand that this is not the finished work that made it to shelves, but if an author wants a relatively positive review, the free copy should be a little polished and at the very least, interesting to read.

I started off really liking this book. I liked the main character, Carrie seemed like a person I would be friends with if I had lived back in the Old West. And I really enjoyed reading about the adventures Carrie had, knowing they were based on real-life experiences.

However- from the beginning I didn't like 'Pard'. The fact that he wouldn't call Carrie by her first name because his former fiancé was also named Carrie was a huge red flag for me. And it went downhill from there. I don't know if I could have been so accepting of all the things Carrie was asked to do time and time again.

The story became a broken record of Carrie pining for children. Carrie wanting to settle. Carrie wanting to be with her family. And every time Pard was too busy, or too selfish, or too sick to give Carrie ANY of the things she really wanted. Diamonds are nice, but they aren't a baby. And I was furious that he kept his medical issue a secret from Carrie, when that affected her future.

I am a big fan of Jane Kirkpatrick's style, and I will definitely read more of her books, but this one was just depressing.

I was surprised at all the positive reviews for this book. I just couldn't get into it. I'm very sorry to Jane Kirkpatrick, but this book just didn't appeal to me. I put it off, choosing to read other books. Normally, I love historical fiction. Especially when it is connected to true facts.I felt the story moved very slowly and couldn't feel any connection with the characters.

Plus my digital copy wasn't working properly. As I read along, it seemed to be missing pages, as the sentences didn't go together.

I'm sorry to leave a bad review, but I'm glad others enjoyed it.

Jane Kirkpatrick never disappoints. Her research is meticulous. Many of her books tell the story of real life pioneer women, women who had a lasting impact. Everything She Didn't Say tells the story of Cassie (Dell) Strahorn, the wife of writer, railroad investor, and town-builder, Robert Strahorn. While Cassie never had the children she longed for, she managed to keep a positive outlook on life, and eventually found avenues for her creative and nurturing instincts. Her life reached physical, emotional and spiritual mountain tops as well as plunged into deep valleys and caverns. With the help of her faith she lived beyond both the heights and depths. Like Paul, she eventually learned to be content in all circumstances.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. They will appreciate how diligently Kirkpatrick works to give an honest interpretation of the life and times of her characters. The author's note contains interesting information and she clarifies fact from fiction. Kirkpatrick's writing style encourages the reader to slow down and take time with the story; it is something to be savored. I thank NetGalley and Revell for providing me with a copy of Everything She Didn't Say in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

“This book is lovingly dedicated to my dear husband Robert E. Strahorn whose constant chum and companion it has been my greatest joy to be for more than thirty years in the conquering of the wilderness. ~ Carrie Adell Strahorn (dedication page from Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage, volume 1.)”

“A memoir is no place to whine but rather give us wisdom we can all share without having to go through the pain ourselves.”

While this is a true account of Robert and Carrie “Dell” Strahorns' life, it is also written with the literary license to bring these two people to life. Following along their many years of traveling to birth towns and rail lines from 1877 to 1925. Kirkpatrick has the wondrous ability to spotlight figures in history that you would not otherwise read about. From various research sources she gleans fact and turns it into fiction. It's mostly from Dell's point of view and her inner musings as she travels along with her husband. There are things she would never speak aloud to him and the title of the book is a perfect fit. You'll glimpse her disappointment, heartache, broken dreams, and most inner desires of her heart. But you'll also see her courageous and adventurous spirit and the unconditional support of her husband. Their love is strong and can cushion anything life throws at them. I loved following along with them and learning how their vast influence formed the various railroads around the country. Making history in our own modern world! I also loved how the author incorporated snippets from Dell's memoir before each chapter. You got a feel for what she was like and how she felt. This makes me want to search it out to read myself! In short, Kirkpatrick is one of my top favorite historical writers and I've never read a book I didn't like by her. She always breathes life into dusty books, diaries or memoirs for me!

*I received a copy of this book from Revell and Netgalley and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *

Everything She Didn't Say reimagines Carrie Adell "Dell" Strahorn's life before the publication of her 1911 autobiography. Carrie chronicles life from her marriage to Robert Strahorn, a journalist turned railway developer and their lives across America. Through Carrie, Jane Kirkpatrick shows a side of women in the reconstruction and industrialization era that seems to be rarely shared.

Everything that She Didn't Say reads like a journal and will have readers Dell. She recognises her husband's flaws and still chooses to support him through it all. Despite all the challenges that she faced, Carrie is resolute in reclaiming herself and her life's purpose.

The book is well-researched and Kirkpatrick shares in great detail the challenges faced by pioneer women who accompanied their husbands into the nascent towns based on the recommendations of authors like Robert Strahorn. Despite the heavy Christian undertones, this book can be comfortably be read by non-believers who would like some more insight into life in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Welcome to the travel adventures of Carrie Strahorn, based on a true story from the early 1900’s. I always enjoy Jane Kirkpatrick’s use of well researched history and Everything She Didn’t Say didn’t disappoint. Short journal entries from Carrie are included in each chapter as well as small sections of Carrie’s published memoirs which helps add validity to the fictional story. I found the first part of the book to be a little slow-moving but I became more interested and involved in the life of Carrie and her rather narcissistic husband as the pages went by. I was especially interested in reading about some of the towns they “birthed” having visited them in the Northwest. I am reviewing this book through Revell and Netgalley.

4 stars

Everything She Didn’t Say by Jane Kirkpatrick is a fascinating book. It imagines the life of Carrie Strahorn and what she didn’t include (say) in her memoir “Fifteen Thousand Miles by Stage”.

I had to keep reminding myself I was reading historical fiction. I kept wanting Dell to stand up for herself as most women would do now. However, considering this book is set in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, her reactions to her husband were perfectly reasonable while thoroughly frustrating.

I was sucked into the life of Dell and her “pard” from page one. Jane Kirkpatrick deftly expanded on her memoir in such a way that it was hard to forget this was a fictionalized tale of a true story.

I highly recommend this book to all women, as it shows what life was like for a woman over 100 years ago. I identified with and deeply felt for Dell and the other pioneering women in this book; for they broke a great many barriers for women and paid a very heavy price for it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Everythingshedidn’tsay #NetGalley

Everything She Didn’t Say

by Jane Kirkpatrick

Revell

Christian

Pub Date 04 Sep 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Everything She Didn’t Say through Revell and Netgalley:

In this book we will be transported back to 1911 when Carrie Strahorn wrote a memoir titled Fifteen Thousand Miles By Stage sharing in some of the most exciting adventures while traveling to and shaping The American West with her husband Robert Strahorn, a railroad promoter, investor and writer. These are the facts but the book takes you ten years after the book was published when she decides to write down what was really in her mind those years of travel.

Carrie is certain her husband will not read what she is writing and that in fact the Manuscript won’t be found until after she does allows Carrie to learn from the lessons she learned on that hard journey and the danger a woman faces when she entirely looses herself to a man who is strong willed and the courage it takes for her to discover the worth she has apart from him. She learns too that wealth does not mean you won’t experience pain and disappointment. She learns to that family is essential and pioneering is a challenge and that the West is demanding as well as nourishing. Finally and most importantly she discovers that home can be found even when your life is rootless.

I give Everything She Didn’t Say five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Carrie’s friend, was also her fiancé first engagement, when she died, there forth her name Carrie also, he will call me Dell. I was twenty three, educated, not many now to marry, the year of 1911. Feeling marriage was of little sacrifices. Robert was a writer, of books and pamphlets, seeing the potential in the places, and of train travel, bringing them out west. The traveling was a part of him, my mention of home and family surprised him. With pen comes her writings of 25 years of traveling, in the west, her thoughts and feelings, the facts, are given. A life of sacrifices.of many to a strong willed man. Reclaiming herself, in part by putting down to paper those years. History in the making ,a story of truth given to us to read. Given ARC by Net Galley and Revell for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.