Book Review: Serving Up Love, Bethany House Publishers
My Thoughts:
I have always loved Harvey Girl stories and this novella collection is a wonderful addition with its witty tone and entertaining storylines from Tracie Peterson, Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings and Jen Turano.
With these fast paced novellas, you will get a taste of Harvey Girl history while enjoying sweet romances with a side of mystery in Jenning’s Intrigue a la Mode and humor in Turano’s A Grand Encounter.
Who were the Harvey Girls??
In the 1890’s, there were not a whole lot of respectable jobs for women in the West, so when Fred Harvey created his chain of fine dining restaurants, single women without an education or in need of earning their own way were given a chance to earn an honest wage without the speculation that they offered anything but food as a service. These ladies were not just ordinary waitresses. They became known as the Harvey Girls, the ladies who tamed the Wild West with fine china, good pie and exceptional service with complete propriety along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroads.
What set them apart? As Harvey Girls, the young ladies were expected to follow a rigid code of conduct set by Fred Harvey himself. They were to live in the Harvey House and to respect curfew. If they were caught out and about after curfew, they could be dismissed.
Fred Harvey designed a uniform to dress them as modestly as possible in austere black dresses from toe to high collar, giant white aprons and large white hair bows. The Harvey Girls were not allowed to wear make up or jewelry and could only wear the approved Harvey uniform. All of this was done to protect the most important thing that a woman had, her reputation. Now, isn’t that a recipe for delightful, sweet romances? Yes, please!
My Rating:
4.5 Stars! Easy-to-read! Witty! Happily-Ever-After! Entertaining! Wonderful characters! Romantic! Funny! Informative!
About the Book:
Bestselling novelist Tracie Peterson joins Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, and Jen Turano in this collection of four novellas, each featuring a Harvey Girl heroine. From Kansas to Texas, the Grand Canyon to New Mexico, the stories cross the country with tales of sweet romance and entertaining history.
In Karen Witemeyer’s “More Than a Pretty Face,” a young woman works her hardest to escape poor choices from her youth. Tracie Peterson offers “A Flood of Love,” where reuniting with an old flame after more than a decade offers unexpected results. Regina Jennings’s “Intrigue a la Mode” delights with a tale of a young woman determined to help support her family, despite warnings of danger nearby. And Jen Turano’s “Grand Encounters” heads to the Grand Canyon with a tale of a society belle intent on finding a new life for herself.
About the Authors:
Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Visit Tracie’s website at TraciePeterson.com
For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Recently voted #1 Readers’ Favorite Christian Romance Author by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a two-time winner of the ACFW Carol Award and three-time RITA® finalist. Karen is a firm believer in the power of happy endings. . . and ice cream. She is an avid cross-stitcher, and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. Visit Karen’s website at KarenWitemeyer.com.
Historical romance author Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history. She’s the winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, a two-time Golden Quill finalist and a finalist for the Oklahoma Book of the Year Award. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at the Oklahoma National Stockyards. Her latest book, The Major’s Daughter, is set in Oklahoma Territory, at Historic Fort Reno. She lives outside of Oklahoma City with her husband and four children and can be found online at ReginaJennings.com.
Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at JenTurano.com.
