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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This story gets off to a slow start and seems boring. I wondered what the focal point was. But then it got better although slow moving.
This story was a joy to read. It really brought to mind how difficult life was in that era, especially for women. Definitely required strength and ingenuity.
A well written book based on the hard life this family is forced to live after losing everything. Have to admire and respect their tenacity but it wasn’t easy and without a struggle.
This only gets a 3star because it starts off so stilted that it was difficult to get into. Once I did, however, I came to love the characters, even though I wanted stones smack them upside the head every once in a while. a bit of paranormal mixed with late western expansion history is a pretty good read overall.
Enjoyed reading more stories about the characters from the first two books.
Loved this book!
I very much enjoy the story line and the characters. An excellent read.
Makes you want to read the whole series.
Excellent
A lot of stories happening as t one time
I didn’t care for it. It didn’t hold my interest.
I cannot recommend this book enough… wonderful characters!
This book is the part of a series of which I have read intermittently and is a bit difficult to follow, but has been worth sticking with in my opinion.
I read this book without knowing there is a “back story” in its predecessors. It stands alone fairly well. Except:
I wanted so much for Winnie to get a voice and for Palmer to benefit from hearing it. Did Olivia know about Violet’s money stash, and did she steal any of it? Or was the cleaning scene just to set up Katherine’s discovery of the ledger? And why would Violet leave it behind? What, exactly, is between Calder and Mama? Does Mama believe that Katherine’s exploitation by Violet included sexual prostitution? Because I cannot believe that Calder didn’t suggest that to her. Will we witness her insights in reading the ledger? And how did Winnie’s two volumes get separated?
I never liked Violet, even with the descriptions of her hard knock youth and abandonment. I wanted her to fall harder than she did and do not look forward to hearing any more about her in the next books. Supposedly she’s an investment wizard; however all I could fathom for her wealth was fees from male clients for “services rendered” that were of the flesh, plus admission fees for Dreama’s show.
Katherine is fascinating until her naiveté wears all too thin.
Very realistic and inspirational. It was a time when grit and determination weren’t enough and yet people fought through difficulties and found optimism. Well written series
I liked it at times. Got a little slow sometimes. I wanted to have a happy ending so sometimes I almost felt like quitting reading. But I’m glad I didn’t. I think it should make women appreciate the times we live in now even though they are not perfect.
Loved it
gripping and terrifying. uncertainties in some peoples’ lives
Could not get into it
I really liked this book – until I didn’t. Then I began to like it again – then I didn’t. The whole book was a wild roller coaster ride for me. Same with the characters populating this book. I would like them and then they would do something to make me not like them so much. The ending was on the verge of being happy…… but I was afraid to buy the next book for fear it would be unhappy again. I’m good with the way this one ended.