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Fiction. Romance. Suspense. Christian Fiction. HTML: Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily's senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house. Austin, Texas�??1904: Abandoned by the love of her life and still mourning the loss of her mother, Lily Donaldson has turned her back on the pain and come to Austin for a fresh start, working for the Marshall family as a kitchen maid in their luxurious mansion, the Butterfly Palace. The tasks before her are legion, and her mistress less than pleasant, but at least Lily's new life will be, if nothing else, distracting. But one night, while serving at a dinner party, Lily recognizes the man who abandoned her, Andy, her liaison from the livery stable, the blacksmith's son . . . sitting among the distinguished guests. Though he recognizes her, Andy does not acknowledge her aloud, and Lily is left reeling, flabbergasted, and irate. But before she can get an explanation, the path of the Servant Girl Killer swerves very close to the Butterfly Palace, sowing terror among the maids. Having come to Austin to start anew, Lily suddenly feels trapped in a spider web. How can she know who to trust in a house where lies come dressed in fine suits and deceit in silk gowns the colors of butterfly wings? "This story about the importance of having faith, especially in your darkest hour, is recommended for fans of Amanda Quick and Sandra Brown and for readers who enjoy romantic suspense and historical fiction." �??Library Journal… (more)
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This novel is so well written, the imagery so vivid that I
I hurt with Lily as life seems to hurl its worst at her, and thrilled as she grows and learns to draw closer to God. A beautiful romance with all the twists and turns of Colleens unique suspense throughout. Is Andy, or Drew as she must learn to call the man she thought she knew in Larson Texas, still one she can trust? Or has Austin changed everyone?
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their Booksneeze program in exchange for an honest review. A positive critique was not required. The opinions stated are my own.
Another key character was Belle, the niece of the owner of Butterfly Palace. She was rather spoiled and looked down on the help. She was so hungry for a higher social status that she was willing to marry a man she could barely tolerate. I did not like her at all in the beginning but by the end I think she matured and liked her a little better.
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing me an ebook to review.
Colleen Coble
Book Summary:Elegance and wealth. Privilege and politics. The extravagance of the Butterfly Palace overwhelmed Lily’s senses and nearly smothered her painful memories. She pushed away her misgivings . . . She was perfectly safe in this huge house. Austin,
Review: This was a thrilling read!! I loved the premise and all the characters. They were well written and enjoyable. Lily was a great hero. She cared about everyone. Belle who had started off with a heart but arrogance due to her class turned into a great woman. Drew exciting and dashing. I loved that the secret passage in the house. It was sad when victims were killed and well written. It was the last 20 pages when the events intensified that I slowed down. So much was happening so fast in 20 pages it made it difficult to keep going. I just loved the entire story. The position of Lily as a maid was the gem in this story. Someone with so little power, yet she was able to be helpful and a sleuth.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Thomas Nelson -ficton for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone.
The author manages to weave many
A few negative comments – There was a large cast of characters with complex issues. I became confused at times. The dialogue was sometimes hard to follow – it seemed disjointed – going in too many directions. I found the story to be implausible, failing to convince me.
I’ve read some excellent books by this author, but this one fell a bit flat for me. It was just lukewarm and not one I would enthusiastically recommend. 3/5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions shared are solely my responsibility