This dual-timeline novel follows the stories of Sadie, a servant who works in the library at the Biltmore Estate, and Clara, Sadie's great-granddaughter who now owns and operates a bookstore in Asheville with her mother and cousin. A profound love for books carries this novel from beginning to end, and it's a sweet story of connecting with the past through writing and reading. The romantic heroes in both timelines perfect fit their partners, and it was heart-warming to read about their adoration.

That said, though this novel was certainly a feel-good read, it was a little too cheesy for my liking. The problems--Clara's legal battle with the incoming chain bookstore, Sadie's navigating social class boundaries--and the solutions, as well as the romances, were a bit too easy convenient, and the attempt to bring in a more serious message through Sadie's activism for unwed mothers was brief and out-of-place.

Ultimately, this was a sweet historical romance matched with a more contemporary love story that's an especially fun read for those who love to read. I was in the mood for something a bit more substantial when I picked this one up, and I didn't love it, but it was certainly wholesome and enjoyable enough.  

(Also, this is Christian fiction, published by a Christian publisher, which I failed to notice when requesting the title from NetGalley. Though I often enjoy Christian novels, this one was a bit more spiritual and scriptural than I like with a lot of reliance of faith to get the characters through. Lovely, but not for me.)

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley thanks to Barbour Publishing and author Pepper Basham. Opinions stated in this review are honest and my own.
Release Date: 1 April 2021