Book Description
About the Author
Alison Atlee spent her childhood re-enacting Little Women and trying to fashion nineteenth century wardrobes for her Barbie dolls. Happily, these activities turned out to be good preparation for writing historical novels. She now lives in Kentucky.
SOURCE: PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT
Betsey works at an insurance company as a TypeWriter Girl, typing endlessly and monotonously day after day. She dreams of a better life and more independence, something women have little hope of during the nineteenth century. Moving against convention, Betsey take a chance when she is offered a job in Idensea on the ocean, booking tours for day trippers. She has no experience but enough gumption to try anything to get out of her rut and no chance for advancement. The problem Betsey really faces is that in order to get the job, she must have letters of reference and those cannot be obtained since she has been caught forging them at work.
As she quits her job and takes a chance, traveling to Idensea and convincing John Jones that she is the perfect person to do the job. Once installed, Betsey does succeed but not without a few roadblocks and falling for Mr. Jones. There is a wide cast of characters and minor details wound around Betsey's drive to an independent life, most of which conspire against her as a young woman with liberated mind. I felt so angry at how she was treated by the patriarchal males but heartened by the fact that she never gave up even when she really had no hope. Not that Betsey was very innocent either, she would lie, cheat and steal to get ahead although she was more a victim than victor.
While I though at first, there was no happy every after for Betsey, but she still stuck to her convictions, even though I think I would have been crushed by everything that happened to her. It seems no matter how much she tried to connive and outsmart the males, they just dominated over her with shear will and legal right. John Jones seemed to be truly in love with her but in the end, he himself, succumbed to convention and dumped her to marry for money. One point though, the girl he is marrying, ends up pregnant by another man, so in fact she is marrying down. BUT, true love does finally win at the end when John realizes his mistake before it is all to late and they do get their HEA. This should appeal to fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
SOURCE: PUBLISHER
MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT
Betsey works at an insurance company as a TypeWriter Girl, typing endlessly and monotonously day after day. She dreams of a better life and more independence, something women have little hope of during the nineteenth century. Moving against convention, Betsey take a chance when she is offered a job in Idensea on the ocean, booking tours for day trippers. She has no experience but enough gumption to try anything to get out of her rut and no chance for advancement. The problem Betsey really faces is that in order to get the job, she must have letters of reference and those cannot be obtained since she has been caught forging them at work.
As she quits her job and takes a chance, traveling to Idensea and convincing John Jones that she is the perfect person to do the job. Once installed, Betsey does succeed but not without a few roadblocks and falling for Mr. Jones. There is a wide cast of characters and minor details wound around Betsey's drive to an independent life, most of which conspire against her as a young woman with liberated mind. I felt so angry at how she was treated by the patriarchal males but heartened by the fact that she never gave up even when she really had no hope. Not that Betsey was very innocent either, she would lie, cheat and steal to get ahead although she was more a victim than victor.
While I though at first, there was no happy every after for Betsey, but she still stuck to her convictions, even though I think I would have been crushed by everything that happened to her. It seems no matter how much she tried to connive and outsmart the males, they just dominated over her with shear will and legal right. John Jones seemed to be truly in love with her but in the end, he himself, succumbed to convention and dumped her to marry for money. One point though, the girl he is marrying, ends up pregnant by another man, so in fact she is marrying down. BUT, true love does finally win at the end when John realizes his mistake before it is all to late and they do get their HEA. This should appeal to fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey.
1. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?
My first grade reader. I got in trouble for reading ahead and not knowing the place when it was my turn to read aloud.
2. What are you reading right now?
I always have several books going at once, but for my serious, sink-in, cup-of-tea, it’s-all-about-the-reading reading, I just started The Sisters by Nancy Jensen.
3. How does your garden grow?
From daydream wells and typewriter bells, and jumbly words all at a row.4. What is the last thing you Googled?
Something to rhyme with “infernal.”
5. What makes you cringe?
Raw mushrooms.
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Extra Entries for Alison Atlee
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I would LOVE to win this book since I am a retired TYPING teacher.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS for the opportunity to win.
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
Daily entry...
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mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Thank you for the chance to win this book.
ReplyDeleteI have posted on twitter - https://twitter.com/griperang/status/296390842933997569
Posted on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/angela.holland.359/posts/551316551546690
Alison - I look forward to checking out your books
griperang at embarqmail dot com
Looks like a good historical story, thanks for the chance to win!
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I shared on Google+
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Thanks for the chance to win!!!
This sounds really good! I love historical fiction!
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I shared on twitter: https://twitter.com/candc320/status/296628511605669888.
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Daiy entry 1/30/2013
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This sounds like a wonderful book. I would really enjoy reading it. Thanks for having this giveaway.
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1-31-2013
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Thank you for the giveaway! The book sounds very interesting.
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