This is an uplifting, female-dominated narrative set during the Great Depression. While I loved each of May and Dorrit’s stories, I felt the happenstance meeting was implausible and the overly positive narrative did not match the depression-era setting and realities happening in the book. I have not read Liza Nash Taylor’s first novel about May in the early 20s, but I’m curious to see if reading that brings more to light in this story, although it certainly was not necessary to follow this narrative. I love that Nash writes so eloquently about female heroines and business creators, especially during this time in history when women were not usually breadwinners.

I really enjoyed reading In All Good Faith by Liza Taylor. The story is easy to read and the experience has twists that I wasn't expecting. The great depression has some similarities with our current times and brought some perspective with it. I find Historical Fiction is so fun to read; you get some nuggets of real experiences and historical data wrapped in a fun fictional story. I like to tell myself I'm learning something from it!
This is a story of Dorrit finding her voice and finding her way in a tumultuous time in history when she is literally left with nothing. About Amy and her family fulfilling her dream of being a successful business owner and being able to help provide for her family during a time when money is scarce, and livelihoods are being ripped away. It’s a beautiful story of marriage and the sordid ways we survive during very hard times; how to be true to yourself but also be true to the vows and promises you make to each other. And a story about the family you are born with, the family you choose and the friends who support you and become family as well. How these relationships can help or hurt you during difficult times and how important they are.
All that being said it took me awhile to get into the book but once I was settled in I was entranced with the story of Dorrit and May; give yourself time to get into it while the background and foundation is being laid because it’s worth it. Thank you Liz and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

In All Good Faith
By Liza Nash Taylor
Blackstone Publishing (August 10, 2021)

I loved this book so much and could not put it down. Well, I did put it down because I had to go to work, but I didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to read every word right away and skim nothing.

In All Good Faith is the story of May and Dorrit, both trying to survive the Great Depression. Sixteen-year-old Dorrit lives in Boston and takes in sewing to help feed her family. Her mother has recently died and her father is barely able to be a parent. Dorrit begins to questions her faith, wondering why it did not save her mother and why her “nervous spells” haven’t been cured.

When Dorrit’s father decides to attend the Veterans’ Bonus March in Washington, D.C. in June 1932, she decides to go with him, thinking it might be a good way to overcome her lifelong anxiety. It does not go well for either of them. Dorrit ends up alone, penniless, and terrified. She relates her subsequent adventures to those of her book hero, Nancy Drew, and wonders how Nancy would react to similar circumstances. Eventually she realizes that “real life was much messier…than a Nancy Drew book.”

Meanwhile, in Virginia, May, her husband Byrd, and their two children, are trying to hang on to what’s left of their livelihood. Byrd has to take a job out of town and May gets the opportunity to start a candy business, but only if Byrd will agree. Secrets threaten to come between them and May wonders if she is “operating in good faith.”

Through several harrowing events, Dorrit lands at May’s doorstep. May also lost her mother and she can’t help but see a bit of herself in young Dorrit. May wants to help her and is able, in a small way, to become a surrogate parent.

This is a sequel to Etiquette for Runaways, though I didn’t know that until the end when I read the afterward and it didn’t matter to my understanding or enjoyment of the book. The author is great at description. I loved the characters of May and Dorrit and the secondary characters were also well developed. In All Good Faith is a story of hardship, hope, love, and forgiveness. It's a story of family bonds and of never giving up on yourself, your future, or your family. This book rates five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This story alternates between two characters. May’s story is more of a family story. I wanted her character to stand out more. Dorrit goes through self-discovery, and usually I like those characters, but I wasn’t fully grasped by her character.

I got interested in this story because of the time period – the Great Depression. May’s family business since 1849 doesn’t bring any profits. They hardly break even. People who are their customers fall deeper into debt on their credit. Thus, the business can hardly operate.

And there are those wandering the paths in search of a job, which is hard to find. But hopefully a good-hearted person will still feed them even if they can’t offer a job. To let another traveler know where those good-hearted people are they use signs. And it is interesting to see those different signs (illustration provided) and what they mean.

Dorrit’s march to DC relates events happening in DC and what people are fighting for at the time.

The story gives a good depiction of the time period. However, I struggled to stay engaged with either heroine. I don’t know if it’s a personal thing or others feel it as well, but whenever I struggle to stay engaged with a character, the pace seems slow to me. I prefer stories moving a bit faster with a very strong female character.

In all Good Faith is a stand alone sequel to Etiquette for Runaways, Liza Nash Taylor’s debut novel. I have not read the first novel and I don’t feel like I needed to read it in order to fully understand and enjoy this story.

This was a story illustrating the difficult times many people suffered through during the Great Depression. It is told through the POV of two different women, May and young Dorrit. “Now, in the winter of 1931, shame and destitution seemed to dominate the national news. Heartbreaking stories of lost savings, evictions, unemployment, and unrest were everywhere, not just in the cities, but here at home, in small, rural towns like Keswick, Virginia. And there were no signs that things were getting any better.” (p. 144)

The writing of this novel is very descriptive. Beautifully worded descriptions. Dorrit’s anxiety and panic in the beginning chapters are palpable.. “ Sometimes it was an invisible feather, a wisp skimming the back of her neck. Sometimes it was a spindle, winding tight inside her chest until she breathed like a cornered rabbit. And sometimes—the worst times—fear was a thing with teeth and claws. It rode on streetcars and hid in movie theaters. It came to church and sat down beside her.” (p. 148) Also, the author did an amazing job at incorporating real life events and news headlines of that time period into her story. Often, it was just quick mentions, but it made the story feel authentic and it seemed as if the book was actually written during the early 1930’s. It was very well researched.

The story did take a while for me to get in to. I found the perspective of May to be very slow. There just wasn’t too much happening there. The story of Dorrit, however, was wonderful. After the first few chapters of set-up, Dorrit’s story was interesting and filled with adventure. Dorrit showed a lot of personal growth as she learned about herself and the world. I loved this character. She had some spunk, worked hard at bettering herself, and although she was always scared and suffered from anxiety, she was so brave.

Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#InAllGoodFaith # NetGalley

In All Good Faith
Liza Nash Taylor
What a good story! The characters were well developed, the historical aspect was interesting, and the plot was not predictable.
I immediately liked Dorrit and May, two women of different ages, who are living in the Great Depression Era.
The author gave just enough detail that you could see Hooverville, begin to understand homelessness, smell it, feel the depression struggle, without getting the feeling that the details were to fill a word quota. I respect this talent, and look forward to reading more by Liza Nash Taylor.