An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing An Unlikely Suitor Bethany House (May 1, 2011) by Nancy Moser



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Moser is the award-winning author of over twenty inspirational novels. Her genres include contemporary stories including John 3:16 and Time Lottery a Christy Award winner, and historical novels of real women-of-history including Just Jane (Jane Austen) and Washington's Lady (Martha Washington). Her newest historical novels are Masquerade and An Unlikely Suitor. Nancy and her husband Mark live in the

Midwest. She’s earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She gives Sister Circle Seminars around the country, helping women identify their gifts as they celebrate their sisterhood. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. Find out more at www.nancymoser.com and www.sistercircles.com and her historical blog: http://footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com/





ABOUT THE BOOK

New York dressmaker Lucy Scarpelli befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's designing her 1895 summer wardrobe. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating fashions that hide her physical injury, Rowena invites Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, encouraging the unusual friendship.

One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what Newport man would want to marry an Italian dressmaker working to support her family?

Rowena faces an arranged marriage to a wealthy heir she doesn't love, but dare a crippled girl hope for anything better?

And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, falls for a man well above her social class--but is he willing to give up everything to marry a woman below his station?

As the lives of three young woman--and their unlikely suitors--become entangled in a web of secrets and sacrifice, will the season end with any of them finding true happiness?

If you would like to read the first chapter of An Unlikely Suitor, go HERE.

I have definitely found an author to add to my list of favorites! Okay, so I didn't put two and two together and realize that Nancy Moser wrote Masquerade, too. I loved that novel. It was just a few days ago as I started to think about this review that I realized it. Yay!

Not only does Ms. Moser write about The Gilded Age in New York City... which I LOVE!!... but she writes about both the "upper" class and the "working" class. In both novels, women from both classes are the main characters. Of course, their stories parallel but how each reacts is very indicative of the class to which they were born. The common thread that holds the women together is their faith in God.

As perfect as this story was and it really was (it had The Gilded Age, NYC, a little bit of mystery and... FASHION!!), my favorite part was after the novel ended. No, I'm not spoiling the ending but there is a wealth of information that just enhances the book! I would encourage you to actually read it as you read the book. There is a section titled "Fact or Fiction" in which Ms. Moser explains things that you may or may not know about the era. Although, I know quite a bit about The Gilded Age, I did learn a few things that really enhanced the story. There are also illustrations that show what fashionable ladies wore. Yes, Ms. Moser describes the fashions perfectly but to have the illustrations just increased my enjoyment of the story.

I have become one of Ms. Moser's blog followers. You can find it here... http://footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com/. She writes of historical topics that parallel her novels.