Heather B. MooreCritiques

Heather Moore always weaves an intriguing story that once you start reading you have to keep reading until the end. I loved this gentle, second chance romance with a twist. Told from two different time periods, this story takes the reader back to 1981 and 1919-1923, when times were a whole lot simpler.

Anita Gifford’s a single mom & artist who just found out her daughter Carly was suspended from high school and won’t be allowed back until she performs community service. Despite her exhaustion, she wants to find a way to reconnect with her daughter, so she accompanies Carly to the local assisted living center for her community service. There they meet Sam Davis, a delightful 83 year old who has an instant rapport with Carly. The unlikely friendships formed are a balm to them all. When Sam’s grandson Wyatt visits, they discover a mystery in Sam’s past that they all easily get caught up in concerning a lost love. As they search for Susan, unexpected answers and healing come to everyone involved.

I loved this story! I loved the idea of found family and second chances. I loved the connection between Carly & Sam. Carly’s struggling with friends in school and Sam knows just how to help her and boost her self esteem. In turn, Carly helps relieve some of Sam’s loneliness.

I enjoyed how the mystery of what happened with Susan in the 1920’s and 1981 was teased out throughout the story. The twist at the end was so good and just when you think things might go one way, there’s a surprising yet satisfying conclusion. I also enjoyed the budding romance between Anita and Wyatt and how their relationship grew as they worked together to help Sam. Carly’s definitely a matchmaker and I enjoyed how she’d find ways to invite Wyatt to dinner or to come over to their house, much to Anita’s surprise.

If you’re looking for a sweet, lovely, tender story, this is it. Though it’s part of a series, I easily read it as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy of this book but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. 4.5 stars raised to 5.½

*I was sent a copy of this book from the author. This does not affect my review. This review is voluntary.*

My teenage sister also read this one, and she loved it too, so well done! I've taught her to be a 'picky' reader, and to truly think about what she reads, and what she likes/dislikes about something. So she only reads books she truly enjoys, and she devoured this one!

I actually didn't get to read it until after she finished, and when I asked her she said she enjoyed it and thought I would too. As usual, she was right!

I had a vague idea of what to expect with this one. I knew some of my other reader friends also recently read and enjoyed it, so I was excited to read it as well. That said, I had no idea how much I would actually come to enjoy this story! Not only Tien Fu's story, but that of Dolly and many of the other girls who Tien Fu comes in contact with were so captivating! I loved reading about the hope they found after such a dark season in many of their lives, and about the positive relationships the girls were able to form after such struggles. It isn't easy, and it doesn't get easier even in today's culture, but there is hope, and there are people who care. But more than that, there's a loving God who cares, and who promises Justice and Mercy will prevail. Those how hope in HIM will be met with love and mercy, while the wicked and abuses will only see justice met out for the crimes committed against the innocent.

Tien Fu and Dolly's story is a reminder that people are resilient and that with time and love they can be restored. I enjoyed seeing this powerful reminder, and loved that is now also written in a way that younger readers can also learn from their stories without being exposed to many of the horrors and sins that the world tries so hard to expose them too earlier and earlier in today's world. This would be a great story for parents to discuss with their children and to teach them the value of caring for others and about standing up for what's right, without going into to too much detail too young or too soon. As children become teens and mature then this would also be a good place to start, then with parent's help allow them to research history and the people talked about in this story and other similar heroes who tried to save these poor girls, or those brave men and women in the Underground Railroad or the Holocaust and similar instances where people stood up for those who didn't have a voice.

This Cold War story is partly based on real events - Bob Inama was a real American soldier in West Germany, although the character of Luisa is fictional. Bob finds himself engaged in undercover work, taking photos of military sites, and has the misfortune to be in East Germany when the Berlin Wall is constructed overnight. Luisa dedicates herself to helping East Germans escape - first by providing Western passports and later by helping to build a tunnel under the wall. Considering the vast amount of WWII historical fiction, I was happy to find a story focused on Cold War-era Germany. An interesting read, and I hope to find more historical fiction about this era.

After passing by and admiring the lovely, tranquil book cover of this women's fiction novel several times over the past year or two, I finally picked it up.

As I got into the reading, I enjoyed watching Maggie and Jo's friendship grow. I also liked seeing how Jo gradually comes to grips with what happened in her marriage and how she has to reevaluate the way she deals with her former husband.

Now, while I was definitely into Maggie's journey, there's a key "twist" I found to be unsurprising but also not that convincing for her character. Especially considering that Maggie is well-traveled and into serious art, it seems that somewhere over the course of seventy years, she would have thought of at least the possibility of that type of "twist" on her own.

As for Jo, though I see why there's romance in her storyline, I'll admit it isn't the kind that really moves me. For me to find a developing romantic relationship compelling, I need to find both parties to be compelling as romantic characters, and not just concerning their physical looks or inward feelings. I like both parties to be outwardly interesting contributors to the relationship—with both sides of their conversations, what each one does for the other, etc. showing that they're an equal match. Personally, I didn't get a good sense of that kind of chemistry in this case.

Style wise, I think the novel could have used fewer descriptions that are clichéd or rather on the nose. And the narrative details and characters' comments are sometimes repetitive.

Even so, the plot in general kept me reading. And the story handles some tough and even tragic parts of Maggie's and Jo's lives in a way that tugged on my heart without dragging me down. I think the book's length is a good match for the story it tells, and overall, its essence is one of hope.

I love being back in Everly Falls! This series is so relaxing and I adore all of the characters so much. In Just Add Friendship we focus on Stephenie and new character, Cal, an old high school crush that comes back into the picture during a high school reunion.

Cal seems too good to be true, to the point that even I questioned where his flaws were. Can a man really be this perfect outside of a Hallmark movie?? Stephenie seems to feel the same way, to the point that her actions show just how emotionally stunted she is. I found myself really struggling to connect with her character, but I love, love, love Gramps! That crotchety old man is what made this novel for me, as well as the rest of the side characters, many who are from previous novels in the series. Gramps keeps Steph on her toes and provides a nice counterbalance to Cal’s perfection. Plus, he reminds me of my departed grandfather, whom I miss every day, which I have to admit was also bittersweet.

Reading Just Add Friendship felt like I was coming home, with all the warm and fuzzy feels. There’s no real deep drama, so much so that I actually craved a little more conflict. Stephenie acts out of fear and though she does show some growth in this area it wasn’t enough for me. Over and over I kept thinking I needed more and sadly the more never came.

I love how close knit Everly Falls is and how each novel truly is a continuation of the previous in the series. These characters feel like family to me and I love seeing them all grow with each other and in the series as a whole. This novel has a wonderfully relaxed flow with flawed and (mostly) relatable characters, and was truly a joy to read.

This was a really fascinating read, based off of a true person accused of witchcraft in the author's family lineage. Susannah North Martin was accused of witchcraft in spring 1692 and this novel is the imagined retelling of what happened during her time in jail as well as her life leading up to this point. The Salem Witch Trials are still such a fascinating topic and little is still known really about how this got to be what it was during that time. Once accused, there was hardly anything anyone could do to prove their innocence and that title sadly became a death sentence. Unlike a few others accused, Susannah had lived most of her life already and had raised her children and welcomed some grandchildren as well but others were not so lucky. I highly recommend this read for anyone who is interested in the Salem Witch Trials as the author does add historical court records through out the novel. I loved the back and forth of the story of telling Susannah's life. Thank you to the author for the complementary novel. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

I really enjoyed reading about the occupation of Japan in the Dutch East Indies. I had never even known that Japan took over many of these islands. I loved Rita and her mom. I enjoyed learning about how Mary, Rita and George and many other people survived being in prison camps run by the Japanese. I laughed some but cried more while reading this book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I loved reading about the women and men that were accused of witchcraft in Salem. I felt it was so sad that most of these people were accused because they had something that someone else wanted. I loved how the story is seen through Susannah and what she saw and heard through much of her lifetime. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

World War II novels have flooded the Historical Fiction shelves for awhile, many of which blur from one horrific story to another. Then a novel like Under the Java Moon by Heather B. Moore comes on the scene and shows the war from a refreshingly different perspective.

Though heinous in its own right, and based on a true story, Under the Java Moon catalogs the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies through the eyes of the Vischer family. A powerful and painful novel that I fought to put down, feeling uplifted by the family’s resilience against such evil, and pain that these atrocities actually occurred.

A recommended read for insight into World War II from a perspective that is a lot less well known but a viewpoint that needs to be heard. May we never forget…

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

During WWII, Dutch Rita and her family live on the Java Islands. Her father is an engineer for the Dutch Navy. When the Japanese invade, his boat is torpedoed and he is left to drift in the sea. Rita, her little brother, and pregnant mother, are forced into a camp. They live in a house with many other families, little food, and no sanitation. The book alternates points of view between Rita, her Mom Mary, and father George.

Wow, this book was great1!. It was well written and the characters were dynamic. It also provides insight into WWI's affects on Indonesia and Japanese internment camps, which few books cover. The story was well paced, and the different points of view were interesting and added to the story. 5 out of 5 stars.

Emotional, heart wrenching, quietly triumphant. I love the way Heather Moore brings history to life. Based on the true story of Marie (Rita) Vischer Elliott, Under the Java Moon shares the gripping account of the Japanese invasion of Java Island through the eyes of five year old Rita, her mother Marie, & father George. It’s a WWII story that’s never been told & in a location rarely discussed. It’s a powerful story that’ll touch your heart & leave you hopeful.

Rita & her family moved to Java Island for her father’s naval work. At that time, Indonesia was occupied by the Dutch & known as the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). When the allies declared war on Japan, the NEI did too. As war comes to Indonesia, Rita experiences its terrible effects first hand as she witnesses bombings, the invasion, beatings, once friendly neighbors becoming enemies, & is eventually sent to Tjideng camp with her pregnant mother, her Oma, & brother. Her father George was on a mission to join the allies in Australia when his boat was torpedoed. He survived but endures the most awful circumstances until he’s eventually captured & sent to an internment camp.

Rita experiences fear, starvation, & the brutalities of war in the internment camp. Though at times hard to read, I appreciated the resilience of Rita & her family mainly due to her mother’s hopefulness. She’s a quiet strength through it all. What little Rita endured was unimaginable, yet the author takes care to never be overly graphic. Don’t miss Rita’s letter at the end. It brought me to tears. She never spoke of the war until now, & her story needs to be told. It’ll tug on your heartstrings & make you hope we learn from the past & never repeat it.

The audiobook version is fantastic! The narrator is brilliant and really brings this story to life.

Highest of recommendations for this book! It’s a must read and beautiful tribute to a remarkable woman. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

I have read a lot of books about WWII but this story gave new insight into a part of the world I knew little about- Indonesia and the Dutch who lived there. Truly this was a war that effected the whole world. The author took her research from many first hand accounts of the brave souls who endured the occupation by the Japanese. Every chapter starts with a quote from a survivor and then the fictional story commences. A heart rending compilation of the deprivations and harsh treatment suffered by Dutch citizens who were forced into camps by their captors. It reminded me of The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. At times it was almost unbearable to read but the resiliency of the Vischer family was something to behold. There is an afterword by the real Rita Vischer that tells that she never spoke of her time in the camps but made the decision to collaborate on this book. She recounts that hard times are faced by all, and that “happiness comes from within...That God is real, and I have learned to put my trust in Him.”
A difficult book but essential book to read. But I could not put it down and finished it in one day.
*A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Shadow Mountain Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

Another fantastic Timeless Romance anthology! I love these novella collections. A Wyoming Summer sweeps the reader back to the early 1900’s when the West was truly wild and untamed. With romance, some suspense, and endearing characters, these three compelling stories celebrate the strong women who endured all sorts of dangers and hardships in the rough Wyoming wilderness to persevere & find love.

Ellen Found by Carla Kelly details the building of the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone through the eyes of an ambitious, kind young woman. As an orphan, Ellen longs for family & acceptance. She leaves an awful waitressing job in Montana with her scraggly yet brave cat Plato in tow to become an assistant cook at the Inn. While there she forms deep friendships & finds her purpose. Though she faces imminent danger from a bear and other challenges, she finds the love & family she’s always dreamed of. Loved the journal entries, Ellen’s relationship with Charles and his sweet daughter, and the history behind the famous inn. I enjoyed how invested I became in these characters in such a few amount of pages.

The Widow of Daybreak by Christine Sterling involves a small Wyoming town terrorized by a group of outlaws. Doris Whistler’s husband was killed by the vicious gang & she and her daughters are now threatened by their leader Rufus. Buck Montgomery retired from the military to become a lawman. When he hears the plight of his friend’s sister Doris, he decides to visit the town to save them from the gang. Loved the whirlwind romance between Dory & Buck. Though she’s still hurting from the loss of her husband, she finds comfort & love again with Buck. This was a true Western complete with a shootout & plenty of action. The dangerous gang’s antics kept me turning the pages. I also enjoyed Dory’s friend Violet & would love to get her story.

May I Kiss the Bride? By Heather B. Moore started off with a train holdup! Viola Delany is traveling from San Francisco to her aunt’s home in Wyoming to assist her in her bakery. Along the way, she meets a handsome sheriff & feels an instant connection. Surviving a train robbery together, they soon find that their destination is one & the same. Despite a failed engagement, Viola can’t help but be attracted to the cowboy lawman & enjoys his too-wise-for-her-young-age daughter. Will she give love a second chance? I loved Viola’s aunt & the townspeople. I loved how all the young men were clamoring to get a look at Viola. I loved the friendship & romance between Viola & Rey and how he supported her with her desire to become a nurse.

All three of these novellas were fabulous & can easily be enjoyed in a day. Highly recommend this collection to Western & historical romance fans. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through AustenProse PR. All opinions are my own & voluntarily given.

Another sad chapter in our country's history - but a beautifully written story. I highly recommend this book.

It is always a pleasure to come back to Prosperity Ranch and the Prosper family! Take a Chance focuses on Lane, the youngest of the clan, who has just graduated from college, and is planning on going back home to Texas when his plans take a slight detour thanks to a piano prodigy.

I don’t normally enjoy instant love stories but there is something truly special about Lane and Ava’s story. Maybe because it’s more ‘love at first listen’ instead of love at first sight, as Lane falls for the girl playing the piano before he even sees her. It is this musical bond that carries these two throughout the story, and speaks to my own musical heart. Though they are quite opposite it is music that brings them together and bonds them on a deeper level.

Though each novel in this series can be read as a standalone, I feel like you benefit so much more by reading the series in its entirety, as it really makes you appreciate what has brought these characters to where they are now. I loved getting to check in with past characters and seeing how their lives are progressing.

Take a Chance is a quick, charming read that fits perfectly into this series and is the perfect short and sweet read that is easy to pick up on a lazy afternoon. I really hope we get to see more of Lane and Ava. Their chemistry is intoxicating and though their relationship is a whirlwind it is also not out of the realm of possibility, adding that special spark. Just when I thought I couldn’t love this series any more this novel captures my heart and imagination. I love it!

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.

Powerful, romantic and tragic. The Salem Witch Trials have fascinated me for years. It’s so hard to imagine how so many innocent people were condemned to die solely on the faulty testimony of mainly unscrupulous young women. Condemn Me Not is based on the engaging true story of Susannah North Martin, the author’s 10th great grandmother who was falsely accused of witchcraft.

I loved the way the author approached this story. It’s told from two different time periods: the romantic courtship of Susannah and George beginning in 1646, and Susannah’s imprisonment and trial in 1692. It switches back and forth between Susannah’s & George’s passionate love story, and the horrendous prison conditions and trial of Susannah and her fellow inmates as they await their fate. Interspersed between the two narratives are excerpts from the actual transcripts of the Salem Witch Trials.

The audiobook version was fantastic. Nancy Peterson did an amazing job distinguishing between the young, vibrant Susannah and her elderly 70 year old self. The narration was so well done that at first, I thought there were two separate narrators because the voices were so different. I loved the way she voiced all the characters giving them each a unique personality and really bringing the story to life. The story was even more powerful as an audiobook.

I loved George, the handsome, roguish widower who captures Susannah’s heart. His charming, teasing personality completely won me over. I also enjoyed getting to know Susannah as a young, hopeful woman experiencing the first throws of love and marriage and the mature woman going through the horrors of false accusations, degradations, starvation, and awaiting death. Even though I knew the outcome, I was hoping somehow there was an alternate ending and Susannah could be saved. Despite the bleak circumstances, the author delivers a heart wrenchingly, beautiful ending.

This is definitely a must listen/must read book that will captivate historical fiction and historical romance fans alike. I received an advanced complimentary audiobook from the author but also purchased the ebook version. All opinions are completely my own and voluntarily given.

Cw: clean with some passionate kissing and intimate touches (non graphic), fade to black scenes between a married couple, historically accurate portrayal of prisoners stripped naked and private parts discussed (non graphic)

Compelling, tragic, and inspiring. The Paper Daughters of Chinatown for young readers is an adaptation from the original historical fiction novel. I was curious to see how the authors would be able to take the difficult subjects of human trafficking and slavery and create an appropriate version for young readers. Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill have definitely done it. They’ve taken the real life stories of Tien Fu Wu and Donaldina “Dolly” Cameron and expertly brought them to life for younger readers.

In the late 1800’s a loophole in the law allowed young women and children to be trafficked from China to America. Six year old Tai Choi thinks she’s traveling to visit her grandmother. Instead, she’s been sold by her father to fulfill a gambling debt. Tai Choi finds herself on a boat to America where she’s given the new name Tien Fu Wu and told to lie about why she’s coming to San Francisco. She’s soon forced into servitude where she’s beaten and punished if the child she cares for cries or if she doesn’t perform her chores satisfactorily. When she’s rescued and taken to the Occidental Mission Home for Girls, she has a difficult time trusting. She’s rightly suspicious of her new circumstances and frequently acts up.

Dolly Cameron wants to do something important. She accepts a position at the Occidental Mission teaching sewing. As she learns the girls’ tragic stories, she’s filled with compassion. When she’s asked to help perform dangerous rescue missions, she readily agrees. Dolly has a complicated relationship with Tien Fu Wu and it takes a while for her to gain her trust. But, these two form a powerful friendship as both grow throughout the story and work to rescue other young women.

Tien Fu Wu is such a great character who helps the reader understand the painful experiences she endured after being separated from her family. Dolly’s character is inspiring and I sympathized with her compassion for the girls she rescues. I especially enjoyed how she tried to gently inspire Tien Fu Wu to do better when she discovers she’s stolen a crate of apples. Dolly also serves to shine a light on the evil practices of human trafficking, unfortunately still going on today.

I appreciated how this difficult yet little spoken of time in history was portrayed for young readers. While there are a few mentions of prostitution, opium dens, and gangs, it serves to help the reader understand the situation these children and young women were forced into. It’s sensitively handled and tastefully done with just enough detail to accomplish this task. The things these young girls went through were heartbreaking, yet they’re tempered with the kindness and love shown to them by Dolly and others. Dolly was so beloved that many called her “mother.” It’s a fantastic introduction to this tragic time in America’s history. I would recommend it to middle grade (5th & 6th grade) readers and up. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily. 4 1/2 stars out of 5.½

This is an adult read that has been adapted for younger readers, but think a parent would need to judge the maturity age of their own child.
Sadly, this story is based on fact and real people, and love the answers to questions at the end by the author.
A story of a great love for the unfortunate, and those that will to do whatever to help! The author has us follow Tai Choi among others and Dolly Cameron, a young woman unaware when she begins the part she is going to play in these young girls lives.
This is historical read and I did do some separate research and found pictures, also of the home!
The author did a great job of bring this read alive, without making it graphic!
I received this book through the Publisher Shadow Mountain, and was not required to give a positive review.

I needed a sweet escape to get out of my sad situation (I’m fighting a pretty nasty sinus infection) and I picked up the latest novel from one of my favorite authors!

The first thing I fell in love with in this novel was the setting. The atmosphere is picturesque and calming, making me wish I had a similar place to escape to! The whole situation with Ian and Brandy is electric from the beginning, and I could see this scenario actually happening in real life. Ian feels almost too good to be true, even if he did start out as the typical grump bachelor. Brandy is the ray of positive sunshine that Ian needs and they both rely on one another’s strength to get them through a difficult time. Though they both have their issues that they’re trying to work through they are the perfect pair that found one another at just the right time.

The touch of tension and suspense at the end was great and I honestly wish there could’ve been a little more, even if it did bring back some unsavory memories of my own of a similar situation I found myself in once upon a time. If abusive ex’s or stalker behavior is triggering for you consider yourself warned. It’s not a huge piece, and over almost as soon as it starts, but for some that’s enough. Also, Brandy’s mom is a real piece of work. I get she loves her daughter and wants to protect her but good gosh! Cut the cord already!

This was a novel that I breezed through within hours and truly enjoyed and appreciated the escape while I was battling this illness. I loved being back in Everly Falls and can’t wait for the next installment!

There are many dark stains in our American history, things that cannot be taken back or pushed under a rug no matter how much we wish they could be. From the first time I read The Crucible in school the Salem Witch Trials have haunted me. I could not understand why so many people would turn on innocent people, accuse them of things they did not do, and kill them. It wasn't until many years later that those that died because of these accusations were acquitted of all the charges against them, but it was too late.

I have read several of Heather B. Moore's books and was intrigued to find out that she is the 10th great granddaughter of one such accused woman. Susannah North Martin was her name. Condemn Me Not is her story.

Knowing what I know about the Salem Witch Trials, I was instantly intrigued. The author did a wonderful job of weaving the story of the 70-year-old condemned woman wasting away in a abominable jail cell, surrounded by others who are accused of the same crime, and awaiting trail and the 25-year-old spinster Susannah meeting and falling love with the man next door.

My emotions felt like they were on a rollercoaster as the book went on and you knew Susannah was getting closer to her trial. Your heart breaks as she tells about the other women and the humiliation they endured during the trials. The examinations, the inhumane living conditions, and why? The only thing I can say from the research that I have done myself is that it was all fueled by fear and hatred and is a sad time in our American history.

As many of you know, Susannah Martin was one of four women hung for the crime of witchcraft on July 19, 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts. The way the author wrote the final breaths that Susannah Martin took made me catch my own breath. It was beautifully heartbreaking.

Out of all the books that I have read by Heather B. Moore I believe this one is my favorite. You can feel the kinship that she shares with this woman and it is fascinating. I highly recommend this book!

This book follows the life of Princess Louise, one of Queen Victoria's middle children. The book starts shortly before her father's death and follows her through art school and the marriage market. A strong willed and creative woman, Princess Louise forges her own path through a multitude of situations.

I struggled a bit with this book. I thought the first half was extremely slow moving. I also found it hard to get a feel for everyone's personalities. The characters weren't exactly stereotypical, but they seemed distant and flat. Overall, 2 out of 5 stars.

You meet many people throughout your life time. I would have liked very much to have met Bob. His grace and are amazing. I wish you a good, long life Bob.

In this book, the reader is introduced to the life of Princess Louise, the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, during her teens and early twenties. The early death of her father, the beloved Prince Albert, and the perpetual mourning of her mother had a lasting influence on her upbringing. As she grows into womanhood and marries, this look at her life explores the mores of the time, the machinations involved in selecting a suitable match for a royal princess, and the stalwartness yet repressed mindset of the queen. Louise had a mind of her own pursuing sculpting and embracing women’s rights and charitable causes, yet her early life was tightly controlled by her mother.

This is an engrossing, pleasant read. I’m not a huge fan of historical fiction based a a real person’s life, as I am always skeptical as to how much is fact and how much is fiction. However, this work is well researched and documented. While certainly the dialog is imagined, it embellishes authenticated events and observations.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m glad I took the time to read it.

Thanks to #netgalley and @shadowmountainpub for the ARC

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's love story is quite well known among those who have a fascination with historic British royalty. Victoria's long mourning after the early death of the love of her life, the father of her nine children, is looked at as the pinnacle of devotion and love. But that's in the abstract. On a more personal level, Albert's death changed not only the happy life of his wife and sovereign, but also those of his children, especially the children still living at home. Heather B. Moore's historical novel about Princess Louise, the fourth daughter and sixth child of Victoria and Albert, takes readers from a year prior to Albert's death to the years afterwards as the princess and her siblings grow up and take their places in royal families across Europe and in the Queen's service.

Princess Louise, called Loosy by her family, was a free-spirited, artistic young girl. She is close to several older siblings, including the Prince of Wales, her older brother Albert, and to her younger siblings. She is doted on, admired for her beauty and her artistic talents. Her life is one of great privilege but also great constraints as a royal child. At 12, when the novel opens, she is young enough to be just on the cusp of understanding what is swirling around her in her family's private life and also on the larger stage of world politics, not that a well-bred princess concerns herself with the latter. When she is 13 and her father dies, much about the happy family changes. Victoria plunges into mourning that she will maintain for the rest of her life, retreating from public life for a prolonged time. Without her beloved Albert to advise her, she presses her oldest unmarried daughter into the role of her secretary, a role that eventually becomes Loosy's as her older sisters marry and leave the palace. This gives the unconventional young woman an even greater interest in politics and the causes of her time. Although forbidden by her mother to act on her feelings, Loosy is a suffragette at heart and longs to break other boundaries as well, not least in her art (sculpting is not for women, and definitely not for gently bred young women) and in her marriage (she has no interest in marrying any of the available royals presented to her).

Moore captures well the dichotomy of a woman who is not just a daughter, but a daughter of the queen, owing her mother filial duty and also the duty of a subject. Princess Louise fully knew her responsibilities but also knew how to get many concessions from her mother in order to live out her dreams, even if they were occasionally modified a bit. She was a fascinating historical figure. The story is well researched and the chapter epigraphs from actual royal letters and diaries help give a flavor of the real people behind Moore's fictionalization. Spanning just over a decade of Loosy's life, from the year before losing her father to the early days of her marriage, the novel is an intriguing look at the forces that shaped this most unconventional of Queen Victoria's daughters. The imagined family scenes feel true to the people we know historically and the contrast of life in the royal household prior to Albert's death and after is beautifully rendered. Louise's interest in politics and suffrage, although not encouraged by the Queen, is easy to understand, surrounded as she was by the daily knowledge of the realm and the wider world, despite the very sheltered way that the royal children were raised socially. That Loosy became such a force, advocate, and founding support for so many artistic and educational organizations speaks to the strength of her personality as does her drive to improve her natural artistic talent and make beautiful sculptures that survive today. Some of this very impressiveness is subsumed during the lengthy search for a husband and while the search itself is important, and groundbreaking in the fact that she was being allowed to marry outside of her class but also to choose her own husband (within reason), it did detract from the otherwise intriguing young woman. Over all, the book was a tantalizing glimpse into the life of a woman, a princess, who broke the mold in so many ways and is so rarely remembered today.

More and more, I love learning about history and Heather Moore is brilliant at bringing the past to life in a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting way. Her meticulous research captures the fascinating life of the talented Princess Louise, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria in this latest book. I fell in love with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert watching the PBS series and couldn’t wait to read this story. It did not disappoint! It has that same delightful feel and was so hard to put down. When I finished, I wanted to know even more.

The book begins with Louise at age twelve and follows her through her young adult years up to her first years of marriage. Each chapter begins with a quote from Queen Victoria’s journals or letters, or those of family members and friends. They were so fun to read and insightful into the close relationships they all had with each other.

Louise is a beautiful, caring, talented young woman who endures heartache especially with the loss of her beloved father, trials with her own health and that of her younger brother Leo, and the scrutiny of being a princess with its lack of privacy, endless rules and protocol, and catering to her mother’s demands. It’s clear Queen Victoria had a fierce love for her children that at times could be smothering, yet Louise learns to honor her mother’s wishes without losing her own spark and opinions. She has a genuine talent for sculpting and while she begs for lessons and school, her royal duties unfortunately preclude her from the serious study she desires. When it comes time for her to marry, none of the eligible royalty are acceptable, so despite protestations from her other children, the Queen breaks with tradition and allows Louise to marry a commoner.

Historical romance fans will enjoy Princess Louise and John Campbell’s love story. At first, John’s parents aren’t enamored with him marrying a princess. As a Scottish Marquess and future Duke of Argyll, John has his own responsibilities. His and Louise’s first meeting doesn’t quite go as planned with Louise feeling immense pressure and not ready for marriage. Their second meeting happens a year later at an informal luncheon and the two quickly develop a friendship and attraction. John has a poet’s heart that wooed me right along with Louise. With seven sisters, he’s also a champion of a woman’s right to be educated and vote. Though Louise can’t openly support women’s suffrage, she’s delighted with her husband’s views and is in full agreement. Their courtship is beautifully portrayed and it’s clear they had a loving relationship.

I loved learning more about Princess Louise and her family. I had to look up her sculptures after reading this and was amazed at her talent. The author takes great pains to honor Louise’s life in a compelling, heartwarming, well-researched way. It’s a must read for historical fiction fans, especially those interested in Queen Victoria and British royalty. I can’t wait to see what this author’s next historical fiction book will be about. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.