What a fantastic start to this series! I love the Irish characters, especially Patrick. The excellent plot of him representing the enemy of his love interest creates an excellent delima as he uncovers the truth of a cold case. On the other hand Gwen's passion about her brother's disappearance pulls at my heart strings because, I'm a sucker for sibling storylines. Author Elizabeth Camden always adds an element of suspense in her historical romance novels and she doesn't disappoint with this gem. Although her books have light humor interlaced, this one had me laughing more than her other books. Highly recommend this page turner!!!

I enjoy stories where cultures clash. This book dealt with prejudices of both the rich and poor as well as what it meant to be Irish in early 1900s New York. It's fascinating watching several people navigate their way through what others think of them and expect of them.

I thought the characterization was great. It gave a good taste of the Blackstone family dynamics and I can't wait to see who is the focus in the next book....Oscar, Natalia, Liam, Poppy?

There's always something to learn in a Camden book. This one touched on botany and reviving long dead seeds as well as the creation of the US Steel Company, and early medical research and vaccines. It's never too much detail and doesn't ever slow the pace of the story, which I appreciate.

I would highly recommend this book. Thank you to Bethany House for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

In 1900 New York City, wealthy Gwen Blackstone Kellerman, is the granddaughter of a steel magnate who is involved in the merger which will become US Steel. Before Gwen was even born, her three year old brother was kidnapped and never found. During a protest against the steel companies by their workers, Gwen happened to spot a man amongst the protestors who looked almost identical to her father. Thus begins a search for who he is and is he her missing brother. This, in turn, leads her to Irish lawyer, Patrick O'Neill, who understands the need for the lower classes to have someone to turn to for help with their legal problems. Will Patrick be the one to help her find and connect with the man she thinks might be her brother?

Camden does an amazing job of describing the life and times of both the upper and lower classes in New York City and the disparity between the two as well as their disdain for one another. Her focus throughout the story, even in the growing relationship between Patrick and Gwen, is to show the lack of understanding between the two classes as well as prejudice between ethnicities in New York City.
In many ways, it is still the same today with little change. Well written, beautifully developed with excellent main and secondary characters as well as a touch of suspense, I look forward to reading more about the Blackstone family.

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

Elizabeth Camden’s Carved in Stone is the story of heiress Gwen Blackstone Kellerman, who teaches a class and lives at her family’s college, and Patrick O'Neill, a lawyer who represents the man who is responsible for and has written a memoir about a horrible event in the Blackstone family's lives. A well-written, suspenseful book, Carved in Stone will keep you guessing until the end.

4.5 Stars

What do you get when you combine a pending steel conglomeration, a man who ekes out a living defending the poor of NYC, a woman whose wealthy family has a tarnished reputation, and Elizabeth Camden? You get Carved in Stone, the first book in Camden’s The Blackstone Legacy series.

And really, there’s a ton more going on than those few items I mentioned. Once again, Camden draws out some more obscure details of US history and combines it with a sizzling romance (with plenty of combustion of its own) to weave an engaging story that is also somewhat educational. Those are the best historical fiction books for me.

I love that Camden’s heroines are intelligent, tough, and speak their minds. They aren’t afraid to stand up for themselves, and their men aren’t intimidated by them. Gwen is no exception, and I’m already rooting for a supporting character to get her own book in this series.
If you haven’t picked up an Elizabeth Camden book, I highly encourage it. And what better time to do so than at the beginning of a new series?

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars ✨

Gilded Age, well-researched, incorporation of both scientific and medicinal advancement and little known historical facts - these descriptions all come to mind when I picture an Elizabeth Camden book. This one was no exception. I always feel like I've learned something even though I picked up a historical romance. The plot was a predictable, with a slower start, and Gwen's character seemed too generous to be realistic. However, Carved in Stone is still an enjoyable beginning to the Blackstone Legacy.

I received a complimentary ebook by the publisher via Netgallley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I believe that this has been one of my favorite books by this author that I have ever read. I loved both Gwen and Patrick and Liam. These characters gave me laughter and some tears. I loved how Patrick was often paid in eggs and other barter fir his work as an attorney. I enjoyed reading about some of the vaccines that were being developed during this time period. I am looking forward to finding out what the second book in this series will be about. I received a copy of this book from Bethany House for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I’ve been an Elizabeth Camden fan for several years and she is one of my top favorite authors. Everything I love about her books was present in her newest release, Carved in Stone. I can’t wait for the next books in the series! Gwen is a woman who has gone through several tragedies in her life, and yet, she treats those who’ve done her wrong with kindness and forgiveness. This book is all about not judging a book by its cover—facing prejudices against who you are based on your heritage or your family roots. As always, I love learning so much about the historical elements of the story, and in this case, it has to do with the sciences that go on in the university begun by Gwen’s father, and dearly beloved by Gwen herself.

Patrick struggles to better himself and to accept himself in a world that despises him simply because he’s Irish. I’m not catholic, so while I may disagree with some of the religious elements of the book, I felt it was authentic and realistic considering Patrick’s ethnicity.

I enjoyed the mystery that tied the entire story together. I had guessed so many suspects, and still I was surprised when the villain was truly revealed. I loved the twists and the engaging unraveling of a 30-year-old kidnapping.

If you enjoy reading historical fiction—especially ones that delve deep into the past and the lessons to be learned there—I highly recommend Carved in Stone!

A kidnapped heir presumed dead, a young widow trying to save her father's legacy, an older widow struck by a horrible disease, and an attorney striving to survive and succeed while serving New York's downtrodden people. All of these elements work together to create a compelling tale, but fans of Elizabeth Camden would expect nothing less. Once again she has used an important, historical social concern as a backdrop for a bit of suspense and romance. I highly recommend this new series, The Blackstone Legacy, as well as this author.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Carved in Stone from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Thoroughly engaging characters. You'll be completely invested in them, right to the end. Another beautiful blend of the supremely wealthy and the working poor. Attempted murder, kidnapping of a child. Saving a college from being defunded. A botany major and a lawyer who is devoted to the downtrodden Irish. Each has a truly good heart, and each is hurt in their own way. They both have to struggle with trust, in others and in God. Excellent read!
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#CarvedinStone #NetGalley

I found this book absolutely fascinating! The author had so many different complex storylines going on, and I was riveted to see how she could not only resolve them all but bring them all together somehow. She did not disappoint! I did find the pacing slightly odd. At times things were happening in every storyline and everything was moving so fast, but then I felt it kind of plodded a bit in the middle. But then things picked up to a fairly reasonable pace for the conclusion. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more in this series.

An impoverished, idealistic lawyer falls for a kindly, compassionate heiress but is unsure if their love can bridge the social and economic divide between them in Elizabeth Camden’s Carved in Stone.

Gwen Blackstone Kellerman has suffered plenty of heartache in her life. Her mother died when she was a child, and her father and husband died within days of each other just two short years earlier. But the tragedy that has haunted her the most was the kidnapping of her brother William three decades before, when he was just five years old. Her wealthy and powerful family, whose legacy of greed and corruption were the likely impetus for the crime, has never been able to find out what happened to him. A man named Mick Malone was charged and tried for the offence but was found innocent by a jury of his peers who felt the Blackstones were the real criminals in the situation. Now, Mick is publishing a tell-all memoir of how he was persecuted and railroaded into a trial by Gwen’s family.

Typically, this wouldn’t be something Gwen would involve herself with. She lives a quiet life on the campus of Blackstone College, the educational community her family founded and funds in order to help put a positive spin on the millions they have made off the backs of their workers. However, her uncle and grandfather make it clear that unless she can get Mick to stop the publication of his book, the funding for the university will be pulled. Gwen can’t bear to see the school her father gave his heart and soul to closed and agrees to speak with Patrick O’Neill, Mick’s attorney.

The Catholic church paid for Patrick’s education but a last-minute change of heart (caused by a rendezvous with a pretty neighbor) kept Patrick from becoming a priest. He still views his law degree as a mission and works primarily among the exploited and impoverished Irish immigrants of the community he grew up in. He doesn’t like Mick Malone, a man known for his thieving, drinking and general immorality, but he likes people like the Blackstone family even less. Patrick feels defending the Irish scapegoat the family blamed the kidnapping on is a righteous cause and so he has agreed to defend Mick in the libel case the Blackstones have filed to prevent the publication of Mick’s book. When Gwen comes, offering money in exchange for their silence, he consults with his client and then politely but firmly shows her the door.

But when Patrick sees Gwen and her grandfather displaying genuine sorrow over the lost William during the court case, he comes to the realization that the past crime is causing present day heartache. Now that the thirty-year old mystery is once more in the public eye, he wonders just what information he and Gwen can shake loose if they again research what happened to her brother. Naturally, they fall in love along the way. But is love enough to bridge the gulf between them caused by their class disparity?

One of the greatest strengths of any Camden romance is the amazingly detailed historical content and this story is no exception. From the dangerous world of the Irish tenements and burgeoning labor unions to the important scientific research being done on university campuses, the author brings 1900s New York alive. The history never feels like a lesson; instead she immerses you so perfectly in the setting you’ll feel like you’ve been swept back in time.

Ms. Camden writes inspirational romance, a genre typically equated with American protestant evangelicals, but in keeping with her meticulous historicity Patrick is very much a Catholic. He prays the rosary, attends mass, talks about confession and has frequent interactions with various priests throughout the text. Gwen’s faith is mentioned in a far more generic manner. Most will be able to read this story without being made uncomfortable by the level of religiosity.

This is book one in The Blackstone Legacy series and something that rarely happens with a first installment happened here – I found myself liking the secondary characters far more than the primary couple and I am anxiously awaiting their books. Gruff Liam, with his volatile temper and pugnacious personality totally won me over and Natalia, with her righteous cause regarding the bank shares, her charm and her cleverness is another favorite. I can’t wait to read their love stories in the future.

Unfortunately, I struggled with Patrick and Gwen. Gwen is a gooey mess of a human being, with a heart of gold and a mind full of mush. She makes decisions based on how she feels at any given moment. Gwen believes that money and things don’t matter to her, but that is an ideal she holds only because of her unearned prodigious wealth. When she wants something, she simply buys it without worry. When she feels like generously giving something away, she does the same thing. Gwen’s inability to see her own sense of privilege and her tendency to make emotional decisions kept me from loving her.

In some ways, Patrick suffers from the same problem. His feelings, especially pride, tend to motivate him more than reason or any sense of loyalty or love. He isn’t fickle only about the priesthood but as his relationship with Gwen progresses, he becomes fickle about that (the relationship) as well. I couldn’t root for their romance because I wondered if either of them really had the wherewithal to stay together when the going got tougher than just dealing with her family looking down on his roots (even that was a big struggle for them).

This is the second Camden novel in a row to deal with a cheating spouse and what is owed by the family of the philanderer to the children of those extra-marital unions. I disagreed with how the issue was handled in the last book, although the subject itself made sense in the context of that particular plot. In this tale, the inclusion of the characters involved in the cheating storyline didn’t in any way add to the narrative and I think in some ways amplified the problems I had with Gwen. Gwen ultimately responds thoughtlessly, following her he heart rather than her head.

Ultimately, I found myself torn between the love I felt for many of the secondary characters and my adoration of the historical aspects of the novel, and the lackluster love story. A mild recommendation is my way of compromising. Carved in Stone is a must read for Camden fans eager to for the start of her new series, just don’t expect to be wowed by the romance.

This new Elizabeth Camden series begins with an engaging story that is rich in history, romance and mystery. I found myself rooting for the main characters because I liked each of them from the start. Their story had twists and turns and obstacles in every direction. Some of these “obstacles” involved the supporting characters. Camden has creatively added family members on both sides of this couple. All these struggles and relationships provided opportunities for lessons in faith, belonging and family. As this engaging story unfolded, I thoroughly appreciated all the research and history revealed. The most important thing that I can say about this book is that it makes me want to read the second book in the series as soon as it releases! I was given a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I always love Camden's novels and I eagerly look forward to the next one!
Her books are so interesting and I love her extensive research to make a grand read!
This one I believe will be my favorite so far.
I love the mystery that was sneaked into the story.
I also felt that she did an awesome job of letting us look into the life of an aristocratic family and how they lived.
To me, money isn't everything. It doesn't make you happy. Yes it can make life easier but even then not always.
In my opinion Gwen really didn't fit in with the rest of her family. I think it was because she wore her heart on her sleeve and wants to see the good in everything and everyone. ( just like me).
Another thing I like about her books is that I learn something new. Something that I never knew about or heard of.
I love history especially American history. Elizabeth Camden is my go to for this.
Another great book to add to my list of favorites for 2021.
Highly recommend! 5 stars!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Bestselling author Elizabeth Camden kicks off a new historical fiction series set in the 1900s, the Gilded Age of America.

In Carved in Stone, heiress Gwen Blackstone Kellerman lives a quiet life as a botanist at a New York college founded by her father. Patrick O’Neill is a lawyer for local Irish immigrants. Brought together by a thirty-year old mystery, neither of them expect to face danger as the mystery unfolds, and it stirs up the Blackstone legacy of family secrets caused by greed and corruption.

Camden’s novels are filled with well-researched historical details, while weaving a suspenseful mystery. The faith element is minimal but evident, and the storytelling is excellent with strong, flawed characters and descriptive narratives. Patrick and Gwen are very different -- Patrick is a proud Irishman, while Gwen is a woman from a wealthy family. Despite this, they are able to eventually look past that. Theirs is a clean romance,

Camden is a master at taking a period of time that is not well-known to readers and crafting an engaging story. In this case, the story teaches the reader about the clashing of social classes, the unions, the tetanus vaccine, and the merger of steel companies.

Recommended for school libraries and public libraries. Fans of Camden’s earlier books will look forward to the other books in this series. Book 2, Written on the Wind, will be available in 2022.

Disclaimer: Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write reviews, nor to even post positive reviews.

Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is the first book in a new series about the Blackstone family, a very rich but very complicated family haunted by scandal. Gwen is an heiress and widow, she lives her live quite happy in a house near the college the Blackstones founded, and she loves botany and holding weekly informal gatherings with the professors, which makes her a bit of an outcast in the family, as she is quite modern. However, her life gets shaken up quite a bit when the supposed abducter of her baby brother wants to publish a memoir about the scandals of the Blackstone family, and about her brother. She was born after he disappeared, and this book might just give a clue what happened to him, but a handsome lawyer stands in her way… or maybe not.

Patrick almost took vows into priesthood, but found God’s calling by helping those in need with legal councelling. He is quite poor as his clients often pay in eggs and favors. But when he meets Gwen, he falls head over heels and decided to help her where he can, and that feeling is mutual, but will their life styles match even slightly or is this relationship doomed from the beginning?

I always love the level of authenticity Elizabeth Camden has in her novel. Never before did I wonder how international business deals were done in this era or how publishing worked, but Elizabeth just throws it in and makes it entertaining, she sneaks in some information and I love it! Ok, this is probably not the best way to start a review, but I honestly like how offhandedly new information is brought up, you get really emerged in the story! Not only that, the characters are outstanding, each with their own personality and dreams and fears, and I love how realistic they feel too. And the plot kept me guessing, and the mystery of the abduction that happened long ago made me want to read on, as more unfolded. Gwen and Patrick fit perfectly together, but their problems about their background were very founded and real. Especially when Patrick is confronted with her family, everything gets very intense. I loved all the interesting characters in the Blackstone family, especially grandpa. I hope we get to see more of him in the next novel as he’s quite a character. The contrast between rich and poor was done very well, too. And I can’t even talk about the best part as that would be a huge spoiler!

I think this is a very original story, and I loved everything about it, and just wanted to keep on reading!

I received a free e-arc thanks to the publisher, but it hasn’t influenced my opinions.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Camden once again draws from history to create a compelling historical romance. This time, her inspiration is JP Morgan and the influence he and men like him had on the economy during the turn of the century in the US. Having read several books, both fictional and nonfiction, set around this time period, I was fascinated and impressed with Camden’s immersive historical detail.

Her two leads this time around are rather layered, and while I wasn’t sure what to think of them at times, I ultimately found a lot to like about them. Gwen comes from an upper-crust background, but has largely shunned her family’s scandals after they impacted her, choosing a quiet life. She’s compassionate and has a willingness to do what needs to be done, but also, while she is a bit out-of-touch with the reality of what some people go through, she comes to an awareness of her own privilege over the course of the book. Patrick, by contrast, has built himself up into a success from a youth of struggle. I did find his pride regarding her money a bit much at times, but I appreciated the way it was handled, showing both his good intent and the fact that he might be a bit too proud and short-sighted in his own way, with Gwen even remarking on his brand of snobbery at one point.

The mystery element took a bit to get into, but I felt it was ultimately satisfying. There are some great revelations about Gwen’s missing brother, kidnapped as a child, and a scandal surrounding a libelous book about the kidnapping that Gwen and the rest of the family are trying to suppress.

This is a great first installment in a new series, and it’s perfect for fans of sweet historical romance with a generous helping of mystery.

This book took me by surprise, as it totally kept me on my toes with the twists and turns. It felt different somehow, then other books by this author, but once I got into the flow of the story, I enjoyed it completely. What I especially enjoy about this authors books, is her talent to weave history into every part of the story. It is almost as if the characters become secondary to the history without feeling like you read a history book. This book was no different in that regard. You can feel the pain of the Irish immigrants, but at the same time the plight of being trapped by society in the wealthy circles.

Carved in Stone is the first book in Elizabeth Camden's new Blackstone Legacy series. This book is historical fiction with touch of romance. Elizabeth Camden is awesome at highlight points of history that no one else I'm reading writes about. This book dapples in the development of the vaccine for tetanus. Fascinating! As usual her plot lines was intriguing with clashes between societal classes, intricacies of business mergers, powerful families and family dynamics. Everthing that mades a story a real page turner! I am looking forward to reading what happens in the subsequent books of the series. The Blackstones are a very large family, this series has so much opportunity! Themes of love, sacrifice and forgiveness and overcoming prejudice run throughout.

There were a couple of aspects that didn't work as well for me, but just personal opinion. They did not detract from my enjoyment of the story, but I feel like if these elements were stronger then I would have loved it even more. Sometimes, I feel like I'm just reading the facts of the story and missing details that would immerse me or draw me closer to the main characters. Like for instance....a character in this book is injured. Ok...what did it feel like to be that character. Did the wound burn? Did the pain stay localized or did it travel to other parts of the body? Did a character's skin prickle? Now don't get me wrong...there was some of that, but I like to read more descriptive narrative like that. It makes me feel more connected and like the characters are relatable or more life-like.

Thank you Bethany House and Net Galley for the free ARC of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

A great start to a new series from Elizabeth Camden! Once again she masterfully and flawlessly entwines history and romance into a breathtaking story that is sure to leave readers longing for more. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the banking world at the turn of the century and the mystery elements kept me turning pages long into the night! I will always pick up any novel written by this author and her latest certainly did not disappoint!