2019 Donora, Pennsylvania Ninety-one-year-old Patryk Rusek hides in his attic, hoping the searchers think he’s escaped. When Lucy finally bursts in, she discovers her beloved grandfather clutching a fat, hand-illustrated, antique book. In it is the story of Donora, the town that shaped America, its people and Patryk himself. Before long, Lucy and her son Owen lose track of their goal to get … get Grandpa Patryk somewhere “safe” as they’re drawn into the book, back in time, into stories that read like real-life fairytales born of purpose, hard-work, and chance.
1910 Donora, Pennsylvania
In the early dawn of Donora, Pennsylvania, the mills make and shape the steel that builds America. Mary Lancos lives in a home on the hill overlooking town and its mighty Monongahela River. That tiny house bursts with her siblings and boarders. Wind whipping through the walls and windows makes Mary determined to marry well and create a better life.
Shy Pole, Lukasz Musial, arrives in Donora seeking the clear blue skies, green lawns, and better life he’d seen pictured on a postcard. Settled in Donora’s Polish community, Lukasz secures a coveted job in the wire mill. Life is set on course to achieve the American Dream. All he needs is a wife who believes in him, in his mighty, quiet, strength.
After a series of casual, friendly meetings, fate brings Mary and Lukasz to the river under a snowy, pink moonlit sky and everything changes. Their attraction is sudden and consuming, turning the pair onto an unexpected path. With mounting disapproval from Mary’s parents she and Lukasz must decide if love is enough to risk losing everything else that matters.
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I really wasn’t thinking I was going to get interested in this one, but I was so wrong. The characters evoked strong emotion on my part. I wanted to keep picking this book up and read way past my bedtime a few nights. I think it could have done without the looking back aspect, but maybe the author’s earlier book had something to do with the way this story was told. I know there is another book in this series to follow. Perhaps starting with the first book would be a better choice but there was nothing left out that would make it impossible to read as a stand alone. If it is historically accurate a lot of readers will be glad they were not living in a Pennsylvania mill town at the turn of the 20th century.
This story was written in a book which was hidden in the attic of a relative. His grandchildren were trying to get him some where safe but he was having none of it. The story had them so interested that they forgot about taking him–smart great grandpa!!
Donora, Pennsylvania where the hopes and dreams of the European immigrants worked and slaved to find the American Dream for themselves. If not for themselves then for their children-that they might have a better life. This was the town steel was made–and where the mills polluted the air night and day, eventually leading to the killing smog referred to in Book 1 of this series.
Life was extremely hard for those like Mary Lancos-the oldest in a family that was forever looking to pay the mortgage and pay taxes. Mary had been forced to work since a very young age but in her head she was going to find and marry someone rich enough to have a home that smelled of lemons and not grime and soot. Her mother and father matched her with a storekeeper who she did not want to marry!
Lukasz Musial who lived in Poland wanted so badly to get to America where he could be free–build a house, marry and build a family. He was a very strong man and with luck managed to somehow win a ticket to Donora from his arch enemy. There was a sponsor family waiting for him–well not exactly him–but it all worked out! He was matched with a Polish woman –but that did not work out!
Mary and Lukasz kept bumping into each other but never did anything about it.
Lukasz had always dreamed of a mermaid and as strong as he was was also able to form many items with his hands using thin wire. He got a job the first try tossing bails of wire up onto a platform. At age 14 Mary got a job at the same factory as a “nail girl”.
This was almost a Romeo and Juliet tale–but love conquers all–including a disapproving Papa!
Fair warning-this book starts out as a slow read–but keep going–it will suddenly catch you unaware as you find yourself unable to stop reading!
I am not really one to read historical fiction but after reading Shoop’s The Kitchen Mistress she has opened my eyes to a whole new (or rather old world) and I was lucky enough to have read the first book in this series After The Fog, I don’t think you really need to have read it first before reading this one though, it was quite ok as a stand alone. The title made me think it may have something to do with a Circus or Freak Show, even though I knew it wasn’t, but it was a very fitting title for this book and characters.
We start the story meeting a cantankerous old man called Patryk clutching for dear life to a book whilst his granddaughter and her son try to coax him to leave the house. The book he hold is the story of Mary and Lukasz – two very different people who are unknowingly destined for each other but yet find themselves on very different paths until they cross and the connection between them leads them down an very unexpected path!
I loved hearing the story from both Mary and Lulasz point of view, we journeyed with Lukasz as he tried to get to American and what happens to him when he arrives and Mary who is sure she is going to be with Sebastian but discovers that life has a different plan for her. Kathleen Shoop really has a knack of transporting you back in time to Donora with sights, sounds and smells, I could vividly imagine life in this era perfectly whilst reading.
‘Strongman And The Mermaid’ is the first book I have read by Kathleen Shoop, and I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review, so here it goes…
Firstly, the book title made me think this was going to a story about something entirely different to what it actually was about, but when I found it was an historical romance I was absolutely thrilled. I absolutely love reading this type of book, and it was exactly the type of story I look for.
Secondly, it was incredibly well-written, a clever concept and felt unique to me as a story.
You learn the story through the narration/perspective of Patryk, an elderly man who is discovered hiding in his attic protecting a book. When he is discovered by his granddaughter Lucy and her son Owen, they notice the book which enables you to learn the plot as Patryk reiterates the story to them. He tells them the story of Donora, and the main characters Mary and Lucasz.
The book makes a compelling read and has me hooked. I love that it was a story within a story for me and it had a very ‘old fairytale’/ ‘tale as old as time’ for me.
I personally have not read a book set in this era, or like this story, so it felt very unique and refreshing which I cannot praise enough as sometimes romances can feel very generic.
I love that Lucasz is a Polish man who has travelled to Denora in the hopes of forging a successful career and to ‘live out the dream’, and I was rooting for the characters to obtain their happily ever after.
The book is believable, beautifully written and poses the question as to whether ‘love is enough?’. Mary and Lucasz meeting is fate and their romance is utterly swoon worthy and sweet.
After reading this book, I am very much looking forward to reading more of Shoop’s work, and would happily recommend this book to other fellow historical romance lovers, or romance readers. It makes for a good read and you will not be disappointed.
All I knew of Stan Musial was as famous ballplayer. This book tells the story of his parents. I was fascinated in their history.
Couldn’t put this one down until it was finished!
This was an entertaining read. I was disappointed to find that it was part of an ongoing series, so it has no real conclusion, but it does resolve to a satisfying end.
This book was poorly written – felt like I was reading “see spot run”. The era was the 1930, but there were many things done and said that belonged in a more current era. I get the idea of an ending that makes you buy the next book, but the ending just made me mad and I will never buy another book by this author.
I just couldn’t get into this story. I tried to read several chapters and then I gave up.
An interesting insight into immigrant families and hard it truly was.
Expected more from the main characters. By the time they got together the book was over. It was looooong and I found myself wanting it to be over. It’s ok. Won’t by another from this author.
It was a book I didn’t want to put down…had to ration my reading time or I would’ve gotten anything done
So easy to read, it was a world my grandparents lived in, great history lesson to understand what they went through, and I actually had an Uncle that had a bakery in this town.
This book sucked me in from the very beginning all the to the end. Love the way the writer starts in year 2019 and goes back in history.
I grew up in PA. I enjoyed reading about the steel mills. My family were coal miners from eastern PA.
Enjoyable read. Kept me reading all day. Had a sex scene but, thankfully, not too descriptive. Yes, I’d recommend it to friends. Loved the cultural descriptions and exposure to a different language.
Very nice and realistic story of life of immigrants in the early 1900s.
A little slow moving, but interesting.
I thought this book was well researched and well written . It included folklore and very real situations.
This book surprised me, for sure. I’ve read a lot of books based on WWII. This came from a totally different direction. The story is riveting, you can’t wait to see what’s next. I kept trying to figure out how the storyteller was involved, where did he come into the story. It keeps you interested, with each character and their part in the story. If you like this period in history, you will enjoy reading this book.