Oh the conventions of the upper class in the 1800s! Business deals instead of a love match has socialite Sophia traveling way out west to be a Harvey Girl. At least that was a respectable vocation. And a lot of hard work that Sophia was not used to but found rewarding. She is running away from Prescott, a business partner of her father and a man twice her age. She is also running from the feelings she has for his stepson, Carver Ashton.
Danger follows her to New Mexico at a Harvey Restaurant. Her faith in God sustains her as she tries to figure out a way to honor God and marry the one she loves.
I liked the way Sophia befriended the other girls and did not let her wealth or station in life hold her back from helping others. It was interesting to see how the Harvey Girls worked and lived.
Carver was a caring hero who learned to stand up for himself and go after what he wanted. The villains were well drawn, a mixture of seeming kindness and selfishness. But their true colors came out, greed being their motivation.
This was a step back in history when life was not as simple as we might think. Ms. Hitchcock captures the atmosphere of 1899 perfectly.
*I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*4 stars and a medium faith thread
BackCover Blurb:
When an engagement of convenience becomes anything but convenient . . .
Forced into a betrothal with a widower twice her age, Charleston socialite, Sophia Fairfield is desperate for an escape. But, while her fiancé is away on business, he assigns his handsome stepson, Carver, the task of looking after his bride-to-be. Much to her dismay, Sophia finds herself falling in love with the wrong gentleman—a man society would never allow her to marry, given Sophia was supposed to be his new stepmother. The only way to save Carver from scandal and financial ruin is to run away, leaving him and all else behind to become a Harvey Girl waitress at the Castañeda Hotel in New Mexico.
Carver Ashton has had his life planned out for him since birth, but when he encounters Sophia Fairfield, he glimpses a new life—apart from his overbearing stepfather’s business. But, when the woman he loves disappears before he can express his devotion, Carver abandons all to find her. However, his stepfather has other intentions for Sophia and will stop at nothing until she is his bride . . . even if it is against her will.
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