Today’s book review features
A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham.
Book Blurb
Five years in a New York state reformatory have left a blemish on Hazel’s real name. So when she takes a job as Doctor Gilbert Watts’s lady in attendance in 1898, she does so under an alias. In the presence of her quiet and pious employer, Hazel finds more than an income. She finds a friend and a hope that if she can set her tarnished past in order, she might have a future after all.
As Gilbert becomes accustomed to the pleasant chatter of his new dental assistant, he can’t help but sense something secretive about her. Perhaps there is more to this woman than meets the eye. Can the questions that loom between them ever be answered? Or will the deeds of days gone by forever rob the future of its possibilities?
Rachel Fordham pens a tender tale of a soft-spoken man, a hardened woman, and the friends that stand by them as they work toward a common purpose–to expunge the record of someone society deemed beyond saving–and perhaps find love along the way.
From Goodreads
Author Information
Rachel Fordham has long been fascinated by all things historical or in the words of her children “old stuff”. Often the historical trivia she discovers is woven into her children’s bedtime tales. Despite her love for good stories she didn’t attempt writing a novel until her husband challenged her to do so (and now she’s so glad he did). Since that time she’s often been found typing or researching while her youngest child naps or frantically writing plot twists while she waits in the school pick-up line. In addition to her passion for storytelling she enjoys reading, being outdoors and seeing new places. Rachel lives with her husband and children on an island in Washington state.
Learn more about current projects at rachelfordham.com
From Goodreads
Danielle’s Review
A Lady in Attendance by Rachel Fordham has a wonderful mix of sweet romance and intriguing danger. Hazel has spent five years in a women’s reformatory and now she needs a job. The only one she can find is working for a dentist.
Dr. Gilbert Watts has no experience around women and no interest in romance, so he is skeptical about hiring a woman in attendance. However, as it seems to be the way of dentistry and also potentially beneficial, he begins his search. He hires Hazel since she seems the least romance-mind woman who comes to his office.
The rest, as they say, is history.
This was such a lovely story. I enjoyed the slow unraveling of Hazel’s past. Gilbert is the sweetest of gentlemen and it’s fun to watch his character arc throughout the story. And the corn husking scene! It’s the sweetest scene in the book.
If you’re looking for a sweet historical romance, grab a copy of A Lady in Attendance. It’ll melt your heart.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.
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