Loved it!!! In All Good Faith by Liza Nash Taylor is a great historical fiction novel that takes place during the depression era in the US.

I really enjoyed being taken back to the Depression era, not because of the down and out time, but because there seemed to be a wind of change that occurred at this pivotal time period. The excess of the 20s has abruptly ended, it is that lull of time that was present before the US was involved with WWII, and society was breaming with unrest and change. The book was rich in character development, the research impeccable. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Pub Day to Liza Nash Taylor and her novel, In All Good Faith.

May grew up in (rural) #Keswick, #Virginia. Hoping for a better life, she escaped the farms for #France 🇫🇷. But France did not pan out, and her childhood sweetheart, Byrd Craig, comes to her rescue, and the childhood sweethearts marry. May and Byrd grew up on the neighboring farm to Mae, but other then that, their lives could not be more different. Although her life after France was not exactly what she dreamed of for herself, May was grateful for everything, and always helped on the farm. By 1932 however, even the wealthy Craig family was feeling the effects of the #Depression.

Dorrit Marie Sykes,lives in a small apartment in #Boston, with her parents and one older brother. The family worked hard just to scrape by. Dorrit’s mother mended clothes, and she taught Dorrit to do the same. The family ascribed to the teachings of Marie Baker Eddy (which preached refusal to medical care). Although Dorrit suffers from anxiety, she finds solace in a few things: sewing with her mom, her visits to the Boston Public Library, and Nancy Drew 🕵️‍♀️ books. The Sykes family situation suddenly takes a turn for the worst, and Dorrit and her Dad decide to join “The Bonus March”, a march by thousands of veterans, on Washington DC, to get Hoover to pay out to the veterans the bonus payments they were promised but, had yet to receive. When Dorrit’s dad is arrested, Dorrit is left all alone,in #Washington (far from home), without a penny, and without a friend.

In All Good Faith is about these two incredibly strong women, May Craig and Dorrit Sykes, and how their lives come to intersect. Liza Nash Taylor does an incredible job bringing this period of history to life, with so many little details and a great cast of characters. (IMO), this is a 5 star read. I really loved ❤️ this 📕.

Thank you #netgalley, @blackstonepublishing and @lizanashtaylor for my complimentary copy of #inallgoodfaith in return for my honest review. #5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In All Good Faith personalizes The Great Depression through the experiences of two women facing the challenges of survival in 1932.

May is a married mother of two, her father’s caregiver, and a desperate head of her family’s market and cannery in Virginia. The depression has taken its toll on the family’s income and relationships. May’s husband Byrd is too proud to support May’s business idea, since he believes it is the husband’s responsibility to provide for the household. Will May continue to struggle in her traditional family role, or will she expand her role to include running a candy business?

Dorrit is a girl living with her father in Boston. Her family has fallen apart with the death of her mother and departure of her older brother. She sews to bring in money, while her inventor father is literally trying to build a better mousetrap. Veterans are marching to Washington, DC to lobby Congress and President Hoover to give them their pensions. How will Dorrit handle life on the road, and will she have the resourcefulness she needs to survive?

Through these two women, the reader sees the conflicts caused by the changing roles of women and men during these hard times. Taylor does an excellent job drawing in the reader to care about these women and those close to them. I felt like I was beside Dorrit throughout her travels, based on Tayior’s beautiful scene descriptions and smart use of Dorrit’s diary to help understand her. The main characters’ geographic differences made it hard to see the similarities of their experience at first, but as their worlds expanded beyond their homes, it was easier to feel the connection.

Anyone looking for a historical fiction novel looking at The Great Depression era would enjoy In All Good Faith. Anyone who enjoys stories driven by strong female characters would enjoy it too. If you enjoy a novel that pulls you into the characters’ lives and settings, this book is for you.

Liza Nash Taylor’s In All Good Faith focuses on a young mother and an unrelated teenage girl struggling to make the best of their difficult lives during the Great Depression. Although this is a sequel to Taylor’s 2018 Etiquette for Runaways, I did not realize that until I had finished the new book and begun looking for more author information. Readers who open All in Good Faith first have no need to worry. The author adeptly fills in the basic background needed. However, I now want to read Etiquette for Runaways to learn more about May Marshall’s escape from bootlegging charges, failed attempt to make her way as a fashion designer in New York City, and her mysterious time in Paris where In All Good Faith's prologue picks up and as May decides to return to rural Virginia to marry the boy next door, Byrd Craig.

Following the Prologue, set in April 1926 Paris, May’s story fast-forwards five years to December 1931 Keswick, Virginia, where May Marshall Craig is working at Keswick Market, filling in for her father unable to work due to injuries. Business is suffering, both for the Market and her lawyer. husband. Few people can pay their bills, and May compounds the financial problem by offering food to the homeless and extending credit to customers in need. Since many people seem to find a few cents to buy sweets, May hopes to take out a loan, unknown to Byrd, in order to expand a tiny candy operation at the market. Bird is forced to take work in Washington, D. C., leaving May and their five-year-old son on his family’s failing thoroughbred farm. Then tragedy strikes, leading to loss of the farm.

Teenage Dorrit Sykes’ story alternates with May’s although the two narrative threads eventually intersect. As Christian Scientists, Dorrit’s Boston family believes prayer will heal illness, and Dorrit is told to pray to overcome her almost debilitating “fidgets.” Dorrit would rather be reading a Nancy Drew mystery than attending church, for she regards the Carolyn Keene heroine as everything she, herself, isn’t—someone brave and well-off, with good friends and control over her life. When prayer fails to save Dorrit’s mother, her brother leaves home, and as the Depression worsens, Dorrit loses her babysitting and sewing work. She must find a way to turn life around.

Despite overwhelming difficulties faced by the main characters, their families, and their neighbors, and moments when they seem to have little hope, In All Good Faith is an uplifting story of two strong female characters determined not only to survive, but also to make good.

Liza Nash Taylor brings to life the rural Keswick, Virginia area where she and her husband live.

My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this heartwarming historical novel.

This is the first book I've read by Liza Nash Taylor, and I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel. I hadn't read the prequel, Etiquette for Runways, but I didn't find it a problem (at all) to read this one as a standalone. The story follows May and Dorrit in separate narratives as they navigate the difficult years of the Great Depression. May is struggling to be taken seriously as a woman who has a keen business sense at a time when that sort of thing just wasn't taken seriously. Dorrit is a 17-year-old girl simply struggling to survive after she suddenly finds herself completely alone for the first time in her life. The writing is stellar, and I felt every emotion as both women went through frustration, uncertainty, and tragedy. The twist and turns meet you at every corner, and you will marvel at the resilience and perseverance, and even the sheer bravery, these women reveal through utmost adversity. The characters were richly developed, and the historical facts were accurate. Loose ends were tied up, but I could still see some room for another book about these ladies. I hope it happens. I will be first in line to get it. But first, I need to catch up on the first book in this duo. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my copy.

This remarkable debut novel by Liza Nash Taylor is based on true life events set during the Great Depression period. The story alternates between May and Dorrit until their paths cross. I enjoyed the character build up and the journey of these beautiful ladies and how along the way their paths cross.

I learned a very important event in the American history, The Bonus March and found it very fascinating. Thousands of veterans from The World War 1, marched at the capitol to earn their pay for serving the country!

Thank you @getredprbooks, @lizanashtaylor and @blackstonepublishing for including me in the book tour!

In All Good Faith is a sweeping historical novel that really captures the reader—perfect for totally immersing yourself in the lives and world of the characters, something I need if I’m going to enjoy historical fiction. Liza Nash Taylor’s extensive research was on clear display throughout the book and I really enjoyed learning as I read. May and Dorrit are such different women, but I was drawn to them both. I really enjoyed this book and I think it’s perfect for historical fiction lovers.

My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advance reader’s copy.

In All Good Faith is a heartfelt story of two women doing anything they can to help their families survive during the Depression. Set in 1932, May is a wife and mother in Virginia, and Dorrit is a teenager in Boston. Their backgrounds and stories were diverse, but they each had strength and determination to survive hard times. The author does a good job placing readers on that time and place, and I love when I learn something while reading historical fiction. I didn’t realize until I finished the book that May’s story had begun in another book, and I think I would have understood her story a little better with that background. That being said, this book is an excellent standalone.

Review of In All Good Faith by Liza Nash Taylor

This beautiful novel takes place in the summer of 1932 and tells the tale of two ladies (one and adult and one a teenager)as they struggle to prosper during The Great Depression.

May has to return to her family farm in Virginia (moving back from Paris) due to the dire financial times snd also to try to save it. Her husband is then forced to take a job away from the family and she has to stay strong to keep the family business afloat.

Dorrit is a 16 year old girl from Boston who travels with her father to DC protesting for early war bonuses for the veterans. As expected the two women’s lives intersect.

I really enjoyed this amazing historical fiction tale. It was so well written and I was extremely invested in the characters.
This one is out august 10. A big thank you to getredPR and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

In All Good Faith by Liza Nash Taylor

A sweet story for a preteen or early teen interested in historical fiction about America’s Great Depression in the early 1930s. There are many references to the Christian Science religion, so there’s something to be learned there as well.

Dorrit is a teen who fancies her life as a Nancy Drew story. Fate takes her on an adventure like she has never known before. She learns self-reliance and quite a bit about herself.

May is married with children and has struggles of her own. With a kind heart, May wants to help all who ask for food or work. Determined to better her family’s financial position, May becomes a female entrepreneur, uncommon for that day in time.

May and Dorrit’s lives cross with a beautiful outcome for everyone in this story.

Thanks to #BlackstonePublishing and #NetGalley for an ARC for my review.

Set in the early 1930s in Virginia, North America is in the grips of the Great Depression. Few have much money and at times it is meaningless, anyway. Desperate people do what they can in order to provide food and shelter for their families, things they would never have otherwise even contemplated. This book took me all on a psychological rollercoaster with themes of determination, faith, forgiveness, gratitude and hope, all of which were written and described beautifully. Life must have been abject misery during this time but the grit and determination of people are stunning.

This stellar book is told from two different perspectives, those of May and Dorrit. Though their life circumstances are very different they also have much in common. May is married to her childhood sweetheart, Byrd, and they have two small rambunctious children (oh, how I love them!). May is ambitious and strongly desires her business idea to work which is tough during a time when women entrepreneurs aren't common. She must make difficult decisions. Meanwhile, teenager Dorrit and her father are on their own and in dire circumstances. Dorrit is temporarily forced to fend for herself and must barter and trade for food. She is bright and skilled at writing and sewing but opportunities are unthinkably slim. She learns about marks on fences in front of homes and scrapes the bottom of the barrel for survival. The two women eventually meet and wow! What a terrific story. Lots of interest and bumps along the way.

Historical details are wonderful...the author clearly researched meticulously. This story was a multi-sensory experience for me. I could almost feel and taste the dusty desperation hanging in thick sheets in the air. For some inexplicable reason I felt the urge to make a batch of salted caramels! The nostalgic candy descriptions are impactful because as a child I made pull taffy with my family. Maybe we should do that again this Christmas!

All Historical Fiction readers ought to read this, especially if you crave something special and different. To me it has that something extra. The author clearly was not content with ordinary. Do read the author's notes as she describes her inspirations for the setting and characters.

My sincere thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this beautiful and memorable book. I am so glad to have read it!

Although the plot was sometimes somewhat bleak because of the time period, I felt incredibly connected to both May and Dorris and was glad to have gone along with them through their journeys.

It took over 60% of the story for their paths to cross, but I appreciated the buildup to the story and the anticipation of how their lives would intersect. I feel this is a great companion novel to THE GRAPES OF WRATH or THE FOUR WINDS as it teaches the reader of other events in the country occurring during this time and how other areas of the country were affected by The Great Depression. Comparatively this is more uplifting so it may be a more enjoyable story for some.

A special thank you to the publisher and Get Red PR for the gifted eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Do not attempt to read this without a selection of candy in front of you!

I think I love learning while reading historical fiction novels as much as this author loves researching for her historical fiction novels!

This stand alone sequel follows ‘Etiquette For Runaways’ and continues May’s story.

May Marshall returns to rural Virginia and struggles during the Depression to keep the family farm and market running. It’s been three years since the financial crisis of 1929 and the hard times are still evident. Juggling a marriage with a husband who works far from home and a family business means adapting to change. Can May handle it?

Dorrit Sykes, 16, fascinated with Nancy Drew Books at the Boston Public Library, searches for ways to control her anxiety after the needless death of her mother and a traumatic experience where she has to rely on her intuition. When she accompanies her father on the Veterans’ Bonus March to Washington, DC in the summer of 1932, she finds the answers to dealing with her anxiety and strengthening her faith. The answers come at a cost.

Dorrit and May’s lives intersect and showcase the two women’s resourcefulness, resilience and unlikely success during the Great Depression.

After Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Four Winds’, I didn’t think I’d ever want to read another book about the Depression again. Taylor has changed my mind. I loved the dual narrative and learned equally from both timelines. I was reminded about (1) the resourcefulness of individuals who had a strong desire to succeed and (2) how times of diversity challenge our faith and have the potential to strengthen it if we’ll allow. Taylor was able to seamlessly stitch together the parallel timelines and entice me into the plot with her vivid descriptions and loveable characters. It’s amazing that two historical fiction novels which cover the same time in history can both intrigue and educate me. I added to my knowledge of Hooverville and the Depression with this compelling and authentic tale.

I was more endeared to Doritt’s story, but will go back and read the first in the series to help me better appreciate May and her story. Regardless, I think we could all learn from these two strong female protagonists about what it takes to overcome unprecedented circumstances with love and hope.

Publishes August 10, 2021.

I was gifted this advance copy by Liza Nash Taylor, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Great Depression left an indelible mark on the United States. I still marvel how people loved through it, destitute, down and out. Taylor captures the myriad of emotions felt by her characters, especially May and Doritt. Two different perspectives-a teenage girl and a married woman with two children. How their lives intersect was cleverly written. I loved how Doritt read Nancy Drew, a new series in the early 30s, when it was still pristine and not diluted as it is now. Nancy Drew sparked my love of mysteries. I loved how everything ended up in this book. It’s a feel good story for a very dark era.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Set in 1932, Dorrit and May’s lives intersect, and their fates will intertwine in ways that neither could have imagined.

An okay read. I found the history interesting but the characters didn't jump off the page.

2.75☆

A very interesting read. Love the heartwarming information about the history of the depression through the two strong female characters. Realistic portrayal of the hardships and how women worked hard to make sure their families survived. Strong friendships, family and love. Would definitely recommend.

In All Good Faith is another great Historical Fiction book. Told from two different women’s perspectives, May and Dorrit. I really enjoyed reading about the Great Depression and learning how people managed during that time. Unfortunately, I struggled with the characters. I just never fully engaged with either May or Dorrit. Loved the history and the story! Would have enjoyed more character development. Still a good read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review!

While I enjoyed reading about the Depression and the struggles people endured during this time period, I never really became fully engaged with the characters. The author did a great job with her historical research. I had never heard of the veteran’s march on Washington which led me to seeking out some photos from this time. Good writing by the author allows us to experience the pain and the determination of those who lived through these years. The two storylines seemed to jump around a little not letting the characters fully come to life. May and Dorrit were both strong females especially for that time period which I enjoyed.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
#InAllGoodFaith #NetGalley #LizaNashTaylor

What an incredible story! Another amazing historical fiction novel. This is actually a sequel to the authors first novel, Etiquette for Runaways, which I didn’t know until the authors note at the end but this didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book, I’m just now super curious to read the other novel.

What I loved:
- It is beautifully written and very descriptive
- The characterisation! I loved all the characters and felt truly invested in their stories and I really appreciated the strong female leads
- The interconnectedness of the stories
- Exploration of themes of religion, family, patriarchy, the Great Depression, perseverance
- A wonderfully engaging plot
- Great historical context and you can tell that it’s incredibly well researched

This is one to add to your TBR if you liked The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Thanks to Net Galley, Liza Taylor Nash and Blackstone Publishing for generously providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

IN ALL GOOD FAITH
BY LIZA NASH TAYLOR

I absolutely loved this remarkable and beautifully written novel of historical fiction that after I read it for the first time I re-read it again! Perhaps this novel had so much to offer all at once. I had so enjoyed and was charmed by all of the character's even the secondary ones that I couldn't let them go. I loved learning so much of the rich historical events that happened during the early 1930's. When I got to the Author's Note at the end and I read that she had drawn inspiration from William Kennedy's great novel "Ironweed," that was a Pulitzer Prize Winner, I knew why this one had such an authentic feel. Yet, this novel depicts an uplifting cast of lovable character's told in two very different parallel narratives in age, both May Craig and Dorrit Sykes. May is a cheerful and kind mother of two very adorable young children and wife to lawyer Byrd Craig. Dorrit Sykes is a seventeen year old Dickensian girl who is wise beyond her years. Dorrit is named after Amy in "Little Dorrit." Her last name Sykes was also a nod to Charles Dickens in "Oliver Twist."

Dorrit Marie Sykes has just lost her mother tragically because her mom was a devout believer in praying instead of seeking help from a doctor or going to the hospital. She tragically dies from refusing medical care in an apartment in Boston. Dorrit, who is an avid reader discovers for herself that her mother's life could have been saved had she sought medical attention. She also learns to overcome her own fears which she called, "the fidgets," by reading the same medical book. Dorrit suffered from anxiety but she challenged herself to overcome it by raising her hand in school and sitting in the church her family attended or going to the movie theater. Dorrit, is brave and she immediately sets out to help her father earn money by using the sewing skills that her mother taught her. Her father, Roy works at the New England Confectionery Company fixing machines. This brought back fond memories for me as I remembered the Necco Wafers candy that I ate when I was a child. The descriptions of the Boston Public Library were spot on as well. Dorrit and her father and brother are poor but industrious. Dorrit wonders to herself just what kind of God takes a loved one for praying instead of going to the doctor. She is a hard worker and doesn't expect handouts but she will be tested for her survival skills when during the Bonus march in Washington DC her father leaves her penniless and to fend for herself when he gets arrested for throwing a rock at policemen.

The Bonus March was an event that I knew little about but found it fascinating. Thousands of Veterans from the First World War marched at the Capitol with expectations of receiving their pay for serving their Country. They expected one dollar per day serving their Country at home and one dollar and twenty-five cents from serving abroad per day. The Veteran's thought since the United States had fallen in rough financial times that President Hoover would pay them their bonuses early. Dorrit and her father travel by foot and get picked up by two nice Veteran's named Bert and Dynamite. She is left to travel hopping trains with them and their plan is to ride the rails hopping on an extra box car while trying to work in Georgia on a Peach farm earning wages. Things don't go according to plan and she gets separated from them in a skirmish when a man tries to take her father's toolbox from her.

May Craig lives in Keswick, Virginia on a farm and has just visited the bank with her father, Henry. They both went to try and obtain a loan for a candy business that May wants to start. Her husband. Byrd is a lawyer who travels to Washington, DC by train. Byrd, works for the Federal Trade Commission instead of his private practice dealing with foreclosures and bankruptcies. May and Byrd grew up next door to each other on adjoining farms before they were married. A tragedy happens and Byrd's family estate almost goes into foreclosure and almost gets sold by the same bank that wouldn't lend to May and her father. The community rallies together and basically bid cents for a 529 acre farm with a Brick house and several buildings. The good people from the area hand Byrd back his childhood home, land and farming equipment.

While Byrd is at work during the week May visits her wealthy best friend Elsie who hands May a check that is from her trust fund. Elsie wants May to use the money to turn her farmer's market into a candy manufacturing business. The descriptions of the candy that May and her partner Blue made sounded so delicious that it actually made me hungry. May wants to develop and invent a candy bar that nourishes a person for the better part of the day. She and Blue come up with their own recipes but she has not told Byrd because he thinks it could be too risky. May uses cherries, raisins, pecans, cocoa, eggs, butter and many more ingredients. She buys locally to support local farmers and takes the train to Richmond's biggest department store dropping off mouth watering samples in boxes tied in blue ribbons. She makes trips to drop samples off at fancy hotels and the fancy department stores and she has success with them ordering more.

This novel really is about adapting to create triumph over adversity. I really enjoyed the escape this historical novel gave me. It was fun and enchanting reading about both Dorrit and May's perseverance during a difficult time period for both of them and learning so much more historical details. It was very rewarding reading about wholesome and creative people finding ways to survive and overcome their obstacles. I highly, highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical fiction. This was a welcome respite for me to be entertained while being informed about details that were happening both to these two similar strong female protagonist's and others and how to adapt during
a very difficult time period. The plotting and characterizations were truly brilliant and stunning. I will be sharing this wonderful novel with friend's and family and am going to read this author's first novel.

Publication Date: August 10, 2021

Thank you to Net Galley, Liza Taylor Nash and Blackstone Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#InAllGoodFaith #LizaNashTaylor #BlackstonePublishing #NetGalley