My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York

Adele's Journey

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Pub Date 01 Jan 2018 | Archive Date 01 Apr 2018

Description

Journey now to Niagara Falls, New York, of 1870 where...
She avoids danger at all costs. He makes his living by rushing headlong into it.
 
Outwardly, Adele Linley’s trip to visit her American cousins is nothing more than a summer vacation. In reality, she’s the daughter of an English aristocrat with barely a penny to her name seeking a rich American husband. 

Having grown up in an overcrowded orphanage, Drew Dawson is determined to make a name for himself. He’ll take any honest job to provide for his sister—even crossing Niagara Falls by tightrope.
 
On a sightseeing trip to the Falls, Adele meets several eligible suitors. Incredibly wealthy and pompous, Franklin Conway takes an immediate fancy to her. But Adele would truly like to marry for love.  When she encounters the mysterious Drew in the garden, Adele is confused by her feelings for someone who is everything she is NOT looking for. Will they both stay the course they have chosen for themselves?

More from My Heart Belongs in Series...
My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss: Priscilla's Reveille by Erica Vetsch (January 2017)
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmella's Quandary by Susan Page Davis (March 2017)
My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca's Plight by Susanne Dietze (May 2017)
My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels (July 2017)
My Heart Belongs in the Shenandoah Valley: Lily's Dilemma by Andrea Boeshaar (September 2017)
My Heart Belongs in Castle Gate, Utah: Leanna's Choice by Angie Dicken (November 2017) 
Journey now to Niagara Falls, New York, of 1870 where...
She avoids danger at all costs. He makes his living by rushing headlong into it.
 
Outwardly, Adele Linley’s trip to visit her American cousins...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781683223412
PRICE $12.99 (USD)
PAGES 256

Average rating from 53 members


Featured Reviews

I am really enjoying all the "My Heart Belongs in" series! Niagara Falls, New Your: Adele's Journey was so good! Adele journeys to America to find a rich husband to save her home in England. She meets Drew on the Maid of the Mist and is intrigued. She also meets Franklin Conrad, a very rich man who is interested in her. Because of an incident in her past she stays from anyone with a dangerous profession and Drew is a funambulist (someone who walks a tightrope). He is contracted by Conrad to cross Niagara Falls. Things get out of hand and there is danger, betrayal, and romance. Great book, I enjoyed this author. Also, check out others in the series too.

I received this book from NetGalley for my review and honest opinion.

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My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele’s Journey (2018) by Amanda Barratt is a fantastic, highly-engaging installment in the My Heart Belongs series published by Barbour Books. Reading the previous stories in this series is not necessary as this book is very much a stand-alone story. With a full-time job and a very precocious and busy five-year old, this story took me five days to read. If you are noting the longer period of time it took me to read this book, fear not! It took me a while to read because it was finals week this week at school and I needed to grade like crazy. Please do not let my longer reading time deter you from this book. This book is AH-MAY-ZING!!! I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give this novel 5+++ STARS. This story is a Christian Historical Romance.

I had a tremendously arduous week this week with finals and needy students, so I had very limited reading time which was really disappointing because this book is so good I did not want to ever put it down. It’s easily one of those stories where you say to yourself, “One more chapter, I can do one more chapter!”

The main characters are Adele and Drew. Life for Adele and Drew is very difficult. Adele has struggled for the past four years to keep her family estate in England going after the reckless death of her father. Instead of having any help from her brother, a man more interested in spending money he doesn’t have on cards and alcohol, she is left to figure out how to manage her mother, home, and family finances alone. Almost destitute, Adele decides to leave England for America. She tells everyone it’s to visit estranged family, but in actuality, Adele has a plan — to catch a wealthy American husband. Once in New York, during a visit to the majestic Niagara Falls, Adele meets Drew Dawson. Drew and his sister, Hope, have been orphans as long as he can remember. Growing up in an orphanage, Drew single-handedly raised and protected Hope. Due to an accident that has left her unable to walk, Hope is an invalid and totally reliant on Drew. Drew’s goal in life is to work as hard as he legally can to make enough money so Hope can find a good doctor who will help her walk again. Well-paying jobs are hard to come by, so Drew utilizes his talents as a funambulist to help secure larger sums of money in order to grow his “Hope Savings.”

Two things stood out in this book for me. First, the tension. Oh my good gracious does this book have tension. Part of the reason why I had a difficult time putting this book down is because as every page passed, I could not figure out how Adele and Drew would get to their happily ever after. To call this book a page-turner would be an understatement! Tension because of circumstances. Tension because of mistakes the characters make. Tension between Drew and Adele. Tension between Adele and her American family. Tension between Drew and Franklin (the villain!). Tension between Adele and her brother. There are so many layers of tension going on in this story that at one point (around the 94%-read mark), I looked at my husband and declared, “I have no idea how this book is going to end!!!” It was FANTASTIC!!!

The second aspect to this book that really struck me was the intense and powerful message to place our trust in God. Drew is strong in his faith, even when the going gets really rough. But Adele has very little faith in God. The men in her life who were supposed to love and protect her let her down badly. Naturally, she has transferred her distrust of men to God. Adele wants to fix everything on her own. She cannot trust that anyone will come to her aid. So she constantly comes up with plans, but her plans never work out. I can relate to Adele so much. I, too, have had a very difficult time with trust. I, too, want to fix everything. But, my plans are rarely successful if I don’t include God. I appreciate Adele’s spiritual struggles because it made her all the more real a character. She endeared herself to me, and when she came to a full understanding of God and His love for her, I almost burst into happy, happy tears!

I truly loved this story, and I am a little sad that my time with Drew and Adele has come to an end. I am so blessed to have read this wonderfully engaging story, and I cannot recommend it enough. I highly suggest purchasing this book. You will not be disappointed with this read!

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With a spectacular backdrop of Niagara Falls, the most death defying act was soon to astound the audience. Oh my I was hooked as I read what Drew was about to do. Who in their right mind would walk across Niagara Falls on a flimsy pole? I can hear Drew’s heart as the first step was taken. The author draws readers in with the heartpounding adventure of a man who is willing to risk his life . Drew isn’t out to be famous, but to help his sister who he adores. They are desperate for money and he is willing to walk on water for her. I loved Drew so much because he was a humble person who put others before himself.

Adele is a wonderful young lady who had it all; well until her family fell on hard times. The family name was once upon a time worth riches and they had outlandish places to live. That all changed when the family becomes almost penniless. I liked the journey Adele took to America. Her hopes were high as she sought after a husband who could save her family from ruins. What really caught my attention in the story was the faith that Drew had as he became a victim of a terrible accident. He never complained, but became more dependent on what God said. As his feelings become more clear towards Adele, she fights to keep hers under wraps.

The story is a reminder that God loves each of us and sees the beauty in us. Adele needed to trust that God would be with her and help her in her time of need. The scriptures used in the story were so beautiful to read. I love being reminded that if we wait upon the Lord, He will give us strength. Patience is a hard thing for many of us. We try to hurry things along when God is telling us to wait and trust Him. The author also touches on feeling like you are a failure in God’s eyes. One character will learn just how important they are to Him and be free from the guilt and shame they have carried for so long. This is one story that I savored every word and felt every emotion as the characters faced pain, disappointment and redemption.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk , and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31.

I received a copy of this book from the author . The review is my own opinion.

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My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls is a well written book. A wonderful story of faith, family, hope, courage and love. The characters are very well developed. You truly feel like you know them. I got drawn into this book and did not want it to end although I rarely read historical romance. It keeps you on the edge of your seat; definitely a page turner. Throughout this story the author weaves God's wondrous words and love along with lessons about trusting God while navigating through life and love.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This is my honest opinion.

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A glimpse into a time long past that is filled with intrigue and romance.
The beautiful heroine Adele seeks a wealthy man to marry as she takes a voyage overseas from London to New York. Her faith is foundering as much as her bank account and she fervently hopes to able to save her family from ruin as a result of this trip. While in New York she encounters an impoverished, yet kind tightrope walker and a wealthy, dapper man .Both capture her attention for completely opposite reasons. Through a series of tumultuous events, Adele changes the direction of her thoughts and gains a stronger faith in the process. Once she opens her heart she soon finds love with the perfect man.
Author Amanda Barratt pens a beautiful novel that transports you back into time. It is a clean read and one which I also found to be a quick read. The strong story line and cast of characters are both captivating and enchanting.

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" 'A man would have to be an idiot to do something like that again without it being a sure thing.'

It only took a few minutes, more bills coming from Conway's pocketbook and ending up in Drew's hands, some preliminary conversation, for Drew to become exactly that.

An idiot."

"My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele's Journey" (2018, Barbour) by Amanda Barratt, is a Christian historical romance mostly set in 1870 Niagara Falls, New York. This book is seventh in the "My Heart Belongs" series, in which the stories are linked thematically, not by any shared characters or plot. Thus each book is a standalone story. I chose this book as my NetGalley selection for December 2017 because I visit Niagara Falls annually, albeit on the Canadian side, and thought it would be fun to read a book set in a place I'm pretty familiar with. It didn't hurt that I previously enjoyed "My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains" and "My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island" by other authors in this series.

I think it's worth noting that this is Ms. Barratt's first published full-length novel, though she has published novella-length stories in several of Barbour's popular collections to date. Congratulations to her for that!

Rating: 4 stars

The heroine: Adele Linley, from Derbyshire, England, is trying to rescue her family's impoverished estate and finances by looking for a wealthy suitor in New York.

The hero: Former street kid Drew Dawson is a funambulist (tightrope walker) undertaking the daring stunt of crossing Niagara Falls. His sister is an invalid, and they are trying to make ends (just barely) meet. Drew is also trying to save up for a doctor to help his sister regain her mobility, but is making almost no headway.

The daredevils of Niagara Falls

When my family visits Niagara Falls in Canada each year, I am always fascinated by a small gallery of pictures in one of the hotels which feature some of the historical daredevils of the Falls.

Goodness. I have absolutely no understanding of such behavior. But it's fascinating. It may surprise some to learn that more than one of the daredevils was a woman! If interested, a search online will reveal the identities of the daredevils, what they did, and the aftermath of their stunts.



Funambulist Charles Blondin, who was referenced in Ms. Barratt's book several times, crossed the Falls on tightrope several times, always varying his act. My jaw dropped several times at an online article I read about his feats. Wow.

Christian elements:

*I'm always happy to see a Christian author dedicate a book to Jesus/God, which gives credit where it is due right off the bat!

*"Did the God who created such a wondrous sight actually care twopence about the problems of one simple girl like herself? Somehow, Adele doubted it." Drew has the stronger faith in the story.

Is it clean/chaste? Yes. There is a mention of a bar that has ladies of the night in it. The reader meets the head lady.

What I liked:

*My favorite character may have been Delany, the butler with the Texan drawl. He was just wonderful! I was pretty curious about him.

*The first meeting between Drew and Adele was unique and atypical! In fact, several characteristics and events of this story were definitely unconventional for a romance novel, which is fun. I made several predictions which turned out to be untrue.

What I didn’t like:

*I didn't really enjoy some poor choices on the part of both the hero and the heroine - particularly the heroine. They felt potentially realistic, but it made me unhappy. I know I'm not one for an angsty read and many people are. However, when I am reading a romance, I want to love the hero and heroine.

*Ironically (in view of my tastes), with the realism of the book, I really think there should have been more despair. There certainly was some angst to go with the grit in this story, but it felt too light.

*For those in the anti-love-triangle camp, there is one in this story. However, it's not what I consider a true love triangle, so it didn't bother me as much as it would have otherwise.

***********

The bottom line: This Christian romance with flawed characters is definitely not a piece of fluff. It's a well-written tale with the ambiance of Niagara Falls. I recommend this book to fans of historical Christian fiction with some grit. It made me think of Nancy Moser's "The Pattern Artist." I look forward to reading another novella by this author, and plan to read "The Most Eligible Bachelor Romance Collection." I have to admit to being a bit wary of reading another full-length novel by Ms. Barratt because I like a fluffier read.

I received this book for free from NetGalley and the publisher, and am offering my unbiased opinion.

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A great debut novel from Amanda Barratt!
I loved the hero Drew Dawson. A good, honest, hardworking man. He loves his sister and will do anything to take care of her, even becoming a gentleman daredevil. I grew to love Adele but she gave me fits with the decisions she made. She learns the hard way that sometimes stiff consequences are the result of those decisions.
The villain is an incredibly rude, two-faced, slimy man. He is very well written as are all the characters in this book.
Filled with twists, turns and an unpredictable outcome, I highly recommend My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls.

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I love the authors description of this book on her Facebook page, I think it perfectly summarizes this story! It says “Love walks a tightrope between wealth and poverty at Niagara Falls”; and that’s what it takes to weave two lives together.

Adele Linley can’t and won’t understand anyone who deliberately risks their lives just for a thrill, like her father did and lost his life. Drew Dawson happens to be that kind of man, but he doesn’t do it for the adrenaline rush. He walks the tightrope across Niagara Falls for the money he can provide for his sister confined to a wheelchair. Both seek wealth for different reasons and it causes many clashes between the two! One relies on God for his provision while the other relies on her own strength to make it. God has a plan for both of them and it plays out in this story in many ways!

This story grabbed me from the beginning and by the end I was quite satisfied! It’s not what I call a fluffy (romantic) read, it has all the depth I love and the characters were well developed. I love each one for various reasons, even one I didn’t like, but he was the villain after all! Adele struggles with many things in her life and watching her made me value the Lord in my own life. That is to say, I don’t see how people make it in life without His strength and guidance! There was a time when I didn’t follow Him and I made a mess of it. For me today, even in the mess, He’s there and I have His peace that passes all understanding. Something Adele learned and I related to her so much through this. Really opened my eyes to how much God has done for me, I love those reminders in fiction! It also made me want to visit Niagara Falls one day. Just from the author’s descriptions, I could picture not only its majesty, but also its danger! A really great story that I recommend to anyone who loves historical fiction, characters that become real in your mind, vivid descriptions of a National tourist site and reminders of how God plays a role in each of our lives. Amanda Barratt hit it out of the ballpark for me with this one!

Favorite line from page 216: (Drew speaking) ” Why must there always be sorrow and poverty and heartache? I don’t know, Lord. But I’ll do all I can to trust You. I guess trust is really a choice, like Reverend Darfield says. It’s not always easy, but it’s the path we have to take, regardless of how difficult.”

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4.5 stars

Amanda Barratt’s debut novel is a sweet romance as well as being a powerful story of trusting God – and, what happens when we take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on Him.

I can totally relate to Adele Linley & her need to fix what’s wrong and be in the one in charge. In fact, I think most woman can appreciate that aspect of Adele’s character, though perhaps (hopefully) not to the extremes that she takes it. She is sincere and her heart is good; it’s just the execution of her plans that gets her (and others) into trouble. Part of this stems from her belief that God is uncaring and disengaged and, when viewed from that foggy lens, no wonder she thinks it’s all up to her. Misguided though she may be, Adele is a genuinely likable heroine with some tough lessons to learn.

And then there’s Drew, who is swoony and heroic…. and also has some tough lessons to learn. His sacrificial love for his sister brought tears to my eyes more than once, and his faith in Jesus warmed my heart as it rubbed off on Adele. Did he make all the right choices? Nope. And I love that. Because those of us who love Jesus still aren’t perfect, and we so often forget that we don’t have to do this life on our own. While Adele reflects the mindset of people we might encounter in the everyday, Drew is a realistic reflection of our own hearts and actions.

Now, I have to give both Adele and Drew some credit here: They don’t sit idly by and wait for someone else to solve their problems. They jump in with both feet and do what needs doing, no matter the cost to themselves. And while this is certainly admirable, they both miss out at first on the blessing of letting God take over – of letting His far-and-above dreams for us play out in His timing. As the consequences for their actions play out on the page, the love story that God – and the author – weaves in their life is tender and uplifting.

Bottom Line: My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York by Amanda Barratt is touching and romantic, and it depicts an intriguing time in the history of the Falls. Additionally, the juxtaposition of poverty and wealth – both materially and emotionally – is a very compelling contrast, one that Barratt writes beautifully. Adele and Drew are layered and intriguing, separately as well as together, and their story is one that will hit you in all the feels. Death-defying acts, sacrificial love, gentle romance and well-researched history… This is a great debut, and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

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I really enjoyed My Heart Belongs in Niagara Fall, New York: Adele's Journey. Any time I read a My Heart Belongs book, I feel so encouraged and so blessed and this book is no exception to that.

Adele's father has died and left an estate that is financially strapped. Her mother is not strong and her brother spends more time in the bar than at home. The weight of getting the family estate out of financial trouble lies on Adele. She has decided to venture to America to marry into money so that she can save her family estate. When she arrives in America, she stays with extended family. They are very socially motivated and Adele found a rich suitor, Franklin Conway, quickly. But she also found a friend, Drew Dawson.

Drew Dawson is a daredevil who plans to cross Niagara Falls on a tightrope. Growing up in his orphanage, he learned the skill. Drew is also caring for his sister who is wheelchair bound. He is crossing the Falls on a tightrope to score a big payday and the sponsor of the feat is Conway. Drew sees Adele and is captured by her immediately. He befriends he when she needs a friend. The two begin to develop feelings for one another but Drew has no means to support Adele and Adele feels stuck in her duty to find a rich husband.

Adele comes up with a plan to see that Drew does not walk across that fall, but the plan backfires terribly and Adele has to deal with the consequences of her poor plan. But in the end, Adele finds more than she ever dreamed. Once she surrenders her life to the One who controls all things, she gets to experience love like she never dreamed.

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Adele travels to America with only one goal in mind: to get herself a husband. A rich husband. Despite all her efforts in keeping her family's estate afloat, she still needs a significant amount of money to get debtors off their backs. Her good-for-nothing brother does not help. She travels to Niagara Falls with the hope that she will be able to charm a generous American tycoon, who will love her enough to alleviate her family's problems. Life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Drew... Drew is caught between a rock and a hard place, being a tightrope walker is the only means of survival for himself and his paralyzed sister. But his world shifts when he meets Adele a beautiful foreign socialite and he knows that he might have to make some drastic decisions in order to woo him.

The author did a good job of creating the atmosphere and I was transported back to 1880s. I could empathize with Adele's predicament especially at a time in history when women's choices were limited and yet some were faced with huge family responsibilities. However, at some point, I found myself not caring for some of the characters as much as I thought I would. But that may have been due to my own external circumstances that kept on distracting me from the book.

Nonetheless, I  appreciated some of the quotable quotes that were sprinkled within the book like this one:

...God doesn't want us to float languidly through life, not working or doing a thing to change our lot. But ultimately, He is our help and our only hope is in Him...

Overall, I am glad that I took my time to read this book because I got to know more about the Niagara Falls and New York. My knowledge of New York was limited to the city and not the state. I had only heard about the waterfalls from the Canadian side and funambulists but never from the American side. I will definitely have my eye out for more of Ms Barratt's work.

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My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele's Journey by Amanda Barratt is another engaging book in the My Heart Belongs series. Adele travels from England to New York, hoping to find a wealthy husband to help ease the financial burden of her family. The journey not only takes her to dangerous places but also to a place of peace as she learns to trust God to direct her ways. Can she save her family home? Will she find the man she is searching for? What lessons will she have to learn on her journey? The story moves along quickly with evocative characters and a few twists to the plot. A couple of the twists are 'I did not see that coming' kinds! Continuing to enjoy this series and am looking forward to reading more books by this particular author too.
I won a copy of this book in a contest and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

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Isn’t it funny how we go about life looking for things to be done our way and then God totally changes our course of action? Then He goes a step further and turns it into something more beautiful and wonderful then we ever dreamed? That is exactly what happened to Adele and Drew in the latest in the My Heart Belong series. Both characters had a plan, what they thought was a good one, until God intervened and brought them something even better.

My Heart Belongs Meme

The thing I loved most about these characters is they way they handled the curveballs that life threw at them. They didn’t really take too much time to wallow in self pity. Instead, they both devised plans, maybe not the best ones but plans nonetheless, that would help their families in their time of need. They were strong, courageous, and everything I wanted them to be. It was so easy to like Adele and Drew, so easy to admire their bravery, and even easier to love them as their relationship grew.

Ms. Barratt easily weaves the story of Jesus throughout the pages of this book. Several times I found myself wondering what a non-believer might think if reading this book. Would they catch the little subtleties that Ms. Barratt has placed so delicately in the storyline, or would they understand when bold statements were made? If nothing else, they will definitely know who God is by the end of the book, and I just pray it speaks to their hearts!

I encourage you to take a trip to 1870’s Niagara Falls. Open a book that will show you love, romance, fun, and even daredevil activities. You won’t be sorry! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Adele Louise Linley has headed to an aunt and uncle in New York to try and find a rich husband to save her family's estate in England. Drew Dawson has become a funambulist (tight rope walker) in order to cross Niagara Falls and make a lot of money to enable his sister to get the surgery she needed so she would no longer be confined to a wheelchair. But things don't always go as they think they will.

I found the plot line in this particular My Heart Belongs book was more complex and interesting than some of the others. The characters were definitely unique. Adele often made me angry as some of her decisions were so self-serving whereas Drew was always focused on other people especially his sister. He was hardworking, trustworthy, and caring. I did admire when Adele realized how badly one of her decisions went awry that she gave up her plans and stepped out to take care of Drew and his sister taking on tasks that she had never done before.

The fully developed characters, wonderful descriptions of Niagara Falls, and the surprises that took place made this a good read.

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All of these “My Heart Belongs in… “ books get you with the cover and blesses you with the read of them. My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls New York by Amanda Barrett is a wonderful read of the power of God at work through hearts and lives of people that He draws to Himself. There are cringing moments of tightrope walking and there are moments of defeat and despair but they are so nicely packaged in this story of redemption and hope in God. Without God comes the meaningless pursuit of life and all the empty problems and with God comes the eternal future purpose-filled life.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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This is a wonderful historical romance.

I love the main characters. Both Adele and Drew have extreme financial difficulties that are causing them to make hard decisions to earn money to handle them. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how they made their decisions. It really shone a light on the fact that money shortages can lead anyone to make questionable choices. It also points out that we can never truly understand another person’s choices.

I really liked that they became friends to begin with. Then their relationship grew from there.

I was fascinated by the way society looked at different people. The biggest divide was between old money and new money. But it didn’t end there.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

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