READ AS A STAND-ALONE OR IN SERIES ORDER! For every woman who’s had to choose between the secrets that protect her and the people she loves the most…1892—Des MoinesKatherine Arthur and her family are back and it’s time to collect the money Mrs. Mellet left them in her will. The tidy sum will allow the family peace of mind and a future that’s stable and fulfilling. But when things don’t go … things don’t go exactly as planned, Katherine steps up to do more than her share. Hired as a kitchen mistress, her intuition (with the help of a mysterious recipe book), cooking prowess, and work ethic make her the perfect partner for the enigmatic, wealthy woman next door. Then Aleksey Zurchenko arrives.
Violet Pendergrass is a well-heeled, progressive woman with half a fortune in one hand and a plan for enduring prosperity in the other. Resourceful, shrewd, and tough, Violet doesn’t realize her one and only weakness leaves her vulnerable as she attempts to solidify her independence. She sees unparalleled value in Katherine’s gifts and does her best to keep the girl close, to keep her true work secret from her mother and the world.
Katherine’s loyalties to her mother and Violet grow strained and soon her commitment to both frays even further as her feelings for Aleksey grow. Katherine must decide if pursuing her work with the formidable Violet and protecting her family are more important than following love. Can she do it all? Love, hope, joy, secrets buried in walls and hearts; all are threatened by those who claim to care about the Arthurs. Can Katherine separate what’s right and true from what it takes to survive? Are they even different things?
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Unusual story line here. It takes a while to unwind the threads to understand everything going on behind the scenes.
A great story, but very sad in some parts. This is the kind of story I like!
I won a copy of this book from a contest, I was not required to give a favorable review. This is the third book in the series, I wish I had read the other two before reading this one, I will try to get the other two and come back and read this a second time. This is a wonderfully written historical novel that show how people have to make choices in their lives. I will write more when I read it again after reading the other two. This is a very well written story.
Good read
Well written and easy to visualize listening on my kindle.
I love reading books that are based in the late 1800/ early 1900’s.
the characters in this book are often deeply disturbing in their depth. Violet gets many people to do her bidding under the guise of helping them and doing things they want, but in truth, she is only about herself. And so smoothly she weaves her plans and so many people become her puppet. Thankfully, Katherine has others in her life to help her see, that having a loving man and family is important and overshadows fame and fortune. You really see how each person thinks and feels and you see how they are influenced by Violet.
A very different read.
Enjoyed The Letter Series but I feel like I missed something. After reading all three in the series, there are so many gaps and unanswered questions. Kind of leaves you hanging.
This is book 3 in The Letter Series, by Kathleen Shoop and boy do I wish I had read the previous ones! There has obviously been a lot happening to Katherine and her family – and though it touched on and mentioned it, I really want to go back and read how it all came about, and understand it better.
In the Kitchen Mistress, Katherine is reunited with her mother, brother and sister back in their old hometown of Des Moines. It is clear that the family have fallen down the financial ladder and now they are desperate to get settled and start rebuilding their lives together. They are forced to go looking for rooms to rent after being left homeless and penniless after yet another blow to them comes their way, after several knock backs due the owners knowing the families past they eventually find room and board with Miss Violet Pendergrass.
She takes them all in and gives them jobs around the house with Katherine becoming the kitchen mistress whilst her mother Jeanie tending to the gardens. I have to admit I didn’t really like Violet, something was a little off with her and the more got engrossed with the story the more I disliked her. I felt she began to take advantage of Katherine, and poor Katherine not wanting her family to be homeless felt obliged to carry out Miss Violets wishes.
I will be honest I am not one to read a lot of historical fiction, but Shoop really sucked me in to this era and I got so caught up with the story I forgot I was reading a book set in the late 1800’s
I loved the characters and the effect they had on one another as they met and then reconnected in another time and place. It was interesting to see the dichotomy of the classes. You get a good idea of the every day happenings in households and businesses of the time.I really enjoyed reading this book.
Interesting
The story was well developed but to me left mainly unfinished. While I seldom read about ghosts and also avoid books so long in length, the story kept me involved. However, after 750 pages and many subplots, the story just ended abruptly without resolution–just a hint to one solution HEA to main characters leaving all of the other problems/challenges just hanging
Interesting. Loved the characters. Can’t wait to read next in series
Great story about Katherine, a great business woman, who worked for Viotet. So many things kept happening, I hated when the book ended!
Moved slowly to its conclusion. A good plot and interesting.
Thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining story!
Just couldn’t connect with this book on any level.
Reading the whole series and love them. Learned a thing or two while enjoying every page.
Great book – loved the characters – want MORE!