CFBA Book Review: She Walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell

 

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell - Bethany House (April 2010)

ABOUT THE BOOK

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor.

Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries.

When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her marriage at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

If you would like to read the first chapter of She Walks in Beauty, go HERE.

MY REVIEW:

New York’s Gilded Age, the late 1800’s, is such a perfect setting for this book.  Amidst such high rollers as the Rockefellers we see and learn all the requirements of a debutante of that era.

When Clara learns that she will make her debut a year earlier than planned, preparations are kicked into high gear.  From corsets to get her waist down to an “acceptable” 18 inches to which of the dozens of forks and spoons to use she becomes more and more disillusioned.

But her family is counting on her to win the heart of the most eligible bachelor of the season, even if means she is up against her best friend for that honor.

I’ve always loved historical romances and am absolutely thrilled to find a Christian Historical Romance.  Ms. Mitchell’s writing is flawless and she creates a story that is such a good read that it is hard to put down.  I absolutely loved this book and would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Thank you to CFBA and Bethany House for sending a copy for me to review.  I assure you that this review is true and not slanted due to my receiving the book.

Review also posted on Amazon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.

But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.

Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.