This book helped me realize that I like historical fiction more than I thought I did! Liberty Island is a dual timeline story with plots set in 1900 and the 1920s. I loved learning more about the womens' suffrage and womens' rights movements through the eyes of Julia (1920) and her aunt Anne (1900). It is a gentle, hopeful novel where you realize that women are the backbone of society and are quietly working behind the scenes, even when they appear meek and mild. I loved it!

A touching story of mothers and daughters finding their own way on the island. Can they come to terms with their differences?

We are transported into the lives of several families beginning in the late 1890s and moving along with the same cast of characters into the 1920s. The time shifts back and forth so we see the characters as young girls grow into womanhood, with all the challenges of that time period laid bare. The time shifts are a bit annoying, as I tried to keep everyone in mind. The main protagonist, to speak, is Liberty Island itself, a small piece of land off the coast of Maine where the girls initially are given free roam and run wild, or as wild as they could be given the restrictions of the era. I found the novel both sad and funny at different times as Hume does a fine job of drawing out her characters (this is her second novel that uses the same setting and longish time scale (it takes place much later) but the two can be read independently. Highly recommended.

A dual timeline novel that takes place on the rocky cliffs towns of Maine. It is a look at women's rights and the suffragette movement
I found it thoroughly interesting with great historical detail added throughout. This one would satisfy any historical fiction reader.

This was a delightful book. It is historical fiction but also involves well- developed characters. I enjoyed the story and Anna and Julia. This book is for fans of The Gilded Age and society in New York, Virginia, and New England in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is a fascinating account of how women started getting more rights and had more choices. I highly recommend this book.

A beautifully told story with a time period that flirts between the early 1900’s and the 1920’s. Suffrage for women, WW1 and a new political tone in this country is the background for this heartwarming novel. The world of Elizabeth and Anna 2 sisters brought up in Boston in the early 1900’s is not to be missed. Told with humor, truth and reality this time period becomes alive as these 2 women seek different paths to maturity. Elizabeth weds early and we meet and love her 2 children who we see into their adulthood too. Anna is determined to remain single as her life takes many turns. But it is Julia Elizabeth’s daughter who carries a large part of the book. You cannot help but cheer her, cry with her and hope she will make the best decisions for her life.
I enjoyed the story so much. Written with a tone of Kristin Hannah and Beatriz Williams, I’m now going back to read Virginia Hume’s first novel, Haven Point. I read this book over a weekend and found myself lost in its writing and wonderful story. A must read. Thank you Net Galley!