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Fiction. Romance. Christian Fiction. Historical Fiction. HTML: In age of elegance and excess, Lilly Westbrook longs for a love both true and eternal. Newport, Rhode Island, 1899, is a place of shimmering waves, sleek yachts, and ladies of leisure. Of opulent mansions that serve as summer cottages for the rich and famous. Home of railroad magnates and banking tycoonsâ??â??dashing young men and the women who aspire to marry them. But it's not the place for lady novelists. Especially not those who pen disreputable dime novels. This poses a problem for Lilly Westbrook, because that's exactly what she does. No one in Lilly's social set knows she pens fiction under the nom de plume Fannie Cole. Not her family or the wealthy young man about to propose to her. And especially not Jackson Grail, the longâ??lost beau who just bought her publishing company...and who stirs her heart more than she cares to admit. But Lilly must put aside her feelings and follow the path that will maintain her family's social stature and provide the financial security that everyone is depending on. Now Lilly faces a double dilemma. Can she continue to protect her secret identity? And will she have the courage to choose the man who will risk it all just to win her he… (more)
User reviews
6 years have passed and Lilly fills the void in her heart by writing dime romance novels under the pen name of Fanny Cole. Nobody knows except her good friend Miranda. It's not fashionable for a lady to do that sort of thing. While Lilly and her family are summering in Newport, Rhode Island she runs into Jack again. The feelings are strong but she won't make the mistake of trusting him again. A complication comes to light when she finds out that Jack has purchased the publishing company that prints the Fanny Cole novels. What will happen when Jack finds out Fanny Cole is really Lilly? Let's not forget The Colonel who threatens to expose Lilly if she doesn't pay him money. And what about her sister-in-law? Humm...
This was a fun story set in the gilded age. Where money was everything and if you didn't have it you weren't suitable. A women was a kind of ornament that a man would where on his arm to a party. She had a certain image to live up to. It was a time when one family member doing something wrong would disgrace the entire family. It was also a time when a father had the final say in who his daughter would marry. We see Lilly struggle with several of these issues. Although she wants to please, she is a very independent type girl. I liked the character of Lilly but there were times in the story when I just wanted to shake some sense into her. I enjoyed the character of Jack. He was very good for Lilly and patient in ways she needed it. The author does a great job with the underlying spiritual message of "Are you trusting the Lord or trying to do it on your own" and "Is this what the Lord wants or what you want"? Along the way we also see what real love is and what it is not. I recommend this story and look forward to reading Love on Assignment! Thank you to Thomas Nelson who provided me with this complimentary copy for review.
Lily is in Newport for the summer with her family, has a wealthy beau, and discovers her brother George has brought his longtime friend Jackson Grail to be part of the summer group. The problem is Lily and Jackson were once very much in love and Jackson was to ask for Lily's hand in marriage. But things didn't work out back then and Jackson left to get wealth and a name for himself so he had a chance to be "suitable" for Lily. Jackson also has bought out the publishing house that Lily has been selling her dime novels too. So there are alot of secrets, social expectations and long lost love feelings to deal with in this story. I enjoyed the way the author wrote this story, although at times I just wanted to scream at Lily to let go and let Jackson help you!!! She can be a very stubborn woman. I look forward to book two in this series. A special thanks to BookSneeze for sending me this book for review.
*Thanks to Thomas Nelson through FIRST Wild Card Tours for providing a copy for review.*