The Invention of Sarah Cummings by Olivia Newport

I have been so interested in this series because I have learned so much history about Chicago.  I know it's just the tip of the iceberg in the amount of Chicago history, but it has really made me interested in learning more about Chicago's past.  So many things happened there and much of it are things that I never knew.

This is the third book in the Avenue of Dreams series.  The main character, Sarah, was actually a carry-over from the second book.  I struggled some with liking Sarah.  I don't think I ever really had a true attachment to her, except maybe towards the end.  There were several choices that she made that I really wanted her to know the consequences from making those decisions.  I liked the old Sarah from the second book!

Sarah grew up in the orphanage and is now a maid for the Bannings.  She's also a good seamstress and has been given the opportunity to do something with sewing.  Her dreams start to come true when she meets someone in the upper circle of society.  However, in order for Sarah to be accepted, she comes up with a fake story of her past, as well as a fake name.  Since I really dislike lying, I wanted her to be found out!

Olivia Newport has been one of the authors that I've started seeking out.  I have yet to be disappointed by one of her books and I really like her story lines.  She puts so much research into her books and it is just fun to read and learn!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport

I liked everything about this book.  I had read the first book and forgotten some of it, but as soon as I saw the Ferris wheel on the the cover, I immediately remembered the story from the first book in this series.  You don't have to have read the first book in the series to understand this one because this book focuses on a totally different character.  Charlotte, who is Lucy Banning's house maid and mostly tends to the needs of Lucy, has a baby and only Lucy knows about this baby, Henry.  The story highlights Charlotte and Henry and her husband, along with a coachman, Archie, who has eyes for Charlotte.

With the setting of Chicago, you get to have a glimpse into the higher society life, but that glimpse is coming now through the eyes of the maids and servants.  The first book in the series tended to focus on Lucy and the life of the higher society. 

I love that the World's Columbian exposition of 1893 is brought into the story again.  I found it fascinating to hear the different opinions of the Ferris wheel and it made me think about how much faith it took to get on that ride.  We just jump on it now without even thinking about it, but at that time, it was a major deal.  I appreciated the history behind this book and the exposition.

I really look forward to seeing what the next book in this series is going to be in this series, The Avenue of Dreams.  I'm having a hard time guessing who the story will focus on, but I know it will be just as well-written as all of her books are.

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport

I loved everything about this book, from the cover to the pages within.  I think the cover is absolutely beautiful and captures Lucy Banning quite well and gives you a picture of Lucy and her culture to better relate to her in the book.

Now, onto the story!  I had a hard time tearing myself away from the story.  It captivated me from the beginning and I found myself whisked away to 1893, Chicago, and the World's Fair.  I found it very interesting to read about Mr. Ferris, who invented the Ferris wheel and imagining all of the speculation that people would have about this wheel that goes around and around.  I could see that it would possibly be considered to be unsafe by some and actually quite impossible to carry out!  I loved the story ending, although I did feel bad for Daniel and all that he went through.  I really hope the next book talks about Charlotte.  I'm anxious to know if she gets her baby back.  I can't imagine the pain that she has gone through of boarding her baby.  I'm also curious about her past.  I know it talked about it a little in this book, but I want more information!  So, please continue with these same characters and tell us more!

It was interesting how Lucy was a girl, going to college, but had to keep it a secret because at that time, it wasn't a becoming thing to do.  Who would have thought that so many years later it would be a becoming thing for most women to go to college.  I loved how she stood up for herself, befriended those less fortunate than her, but never really acted the role of a wealthy person.  In fact, she wanted to be someone where the expectations were less. 

If you like historical fiction, grab this book.  It was a wonderful book to read and I think you will absolutely enjoy reading about the World's Fair and all the preparations they had to do for it.  Lots of history, but a wonderful romance story weaved within so you hardly notice that you're learning something along the way!

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I received this book free from Revell Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.