I have not been to the Grand Canyon but now I have had a glimpse of it through the eyes of Emma Grace. Ms. Woodhouse has described breathtaking scenes and makes me want to add a trip to my bucket list.
This intriguing story captured my interest. An heiress shunning her wealth and the machinations of her grasping father, comes to a remote place to make her own way in the world as a Harvey Girl. The author writes a determined heroine, Emma Grace McMurray, as she uses her wits to fit in with the working class. Ray Watkins has a new-found faith and although he is in training to take over the business from his wealthy father, he longs to put his money to a higher use, helping the less fortunate. Ray visits El Tovar Hotel where Emma Grace is a Harvey Girl. There is interest there but Emma Grace wants nothing to do with the rich men who seem to be about nothing but amassing more money and power.
Mystery arrives in the form of threatening notes and troubling inquiries. Someone is looking for Emma Grace,
Lots of interesting details about El Tovar and Hopi House, an attraction that houses an expensive art collection.
The blossoming romance is sweet and Emma learns to trust and make friends among her fellow workers. Emma learns to put her trust in God as she relies on the verse: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
The secondary characters are notable as some support and some thwart the hero and heroine.
I am anxious to see what is next in Secrets Of The Canyon.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.* 5 stars and a strong faith thread
Set mainly in the Grand Canyon area in the early 1900s, A Deep Divide by Kimberley Woodhouse is a beautifully written story vividly capturing the beauty and majesty of this spectacular place. Emma Grace McMurray escapes her wealthy past by disguising herself and becoming a Harvey Girl waitress at El Tovar Hotel. She wants nothing to do with rich society people. When she meets Ray Watkins, who comes from a wealthy background, it takes her a while to warm up to him and get to know him as someone who would like to use his money in philanthropic ways. Through Ray and her friends at El Tovar, Emma Grace wants to conquer her fears and overcome her past.
“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
“Fear had become her way of life for too long, and she’d had enough.”
With intrigue, suspense, a touch of romance, and lots of inspiration, this story has a little of everything. Themes of overcoming fears, trusting in God, and having hope for the future give the reader many things to ponder on. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy inspirational historical fiction.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers. All opinions are my own.
BackCover Blurb:
With her past behind her, she has nothing--and everything--to lose.
After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it. When she discovers her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden, even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.
When Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits.
Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though an attraction begins to form, she can't let go of the deep-rooted fear that he's just like every other wealthy man she's known. When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.
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