REVIEW: All My Secrets by Lynn Austin

During the Gilded Age in New York City, follow the stories of Stanhope women Juniata (grandmother), Sylvia (mother) and nineteen-year-old Adelaide (daughter). Juniata and Sylvia married into the Stanhope family though not due to love. The women have lost their income when Sylvia’s husband dies because the patriarch, Juniata’s father-in-law, deeded the family business only back to a male heir. The women must decide what comes next and how they will survive. Over the course of the story, we learn the secrets of Juniata and Sylvia. Those stories shape their guidance to Addie who is of marrying age.
Thanks to Baker Book House for providing me an ARC in exchange for a review in my own words.

REVIEW: The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel

The Joy of Falling
by Lindsay Harrel

Sisters-in-law who are recently widowed take the stage in this story with a Ruth and Naomi theme. Yes, the mother-in-law is also prominent in the story. Eva and Angela grieve in their own ways and they are not real friends when the story begins. They are together by marriage. Angela is struggling financially and has 3 children to raise. Repeated appeals to her husband to stop the “adventures” with his brother fell on deaf ears. And, she is angry and now widowed. Eva is childless as her husband’s adventures had them postponing a family. She is sad as the love her life left her all alone. The mother-in-law provides care for the grandchildren and structure for the extended family.
A few months into their grief, Eva finds out the two deceased brothers won a lottery spot in a famous walk/run in New Zealand. The women decide to take the spot and the story continues as they literally walk/run through their grief.
This was a unique way to tell the Ruth and Naomi story and I really enjoyed it. Though I do not have a runner’s background, I felt the author gave me enough description of the process that I could easily follow the struggles of the team.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing me an ARC for a review in my own words.