My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island by Carrie Fancett Pagels - A Book Review

 

     This is the first book I’ve read by Carrie Fancett Pagels, but it definitely will not be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Maude Welling and Friedrich König set on Mackinac Island in the late 1800s. I look forward to one day visiting the Grand Hotel, and I feel sure these characters will be with me as I explore the resort and the island. I respect both Maude’s and Friedrich’s integrity, and the drive to be both true to themselves and true to their Lord, not allowing the desires for success in their careers to sidetrack them, well at least not for long. This is a lesson that is timeless.

     Chivalry certainly lived in the character of Friedrich König, always putting the safety and best interest of others before his own, even risking exposure of his working under a pseudonym, exposure that could cost him his job.  Maude’s character exemplified grace born out of a relationship with her Savior and from her great ability to empathize, an ability that grew as she worked to prove herself while serving incognito at the Grand Hotel. Will these two strong people be able to get past their misunderstandings and find common ground that will make them a couple? Well, we all know how these kinds of stories work out, don’t we, but you will have to read for yourself to discover the path these two follow.

     As I read My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island, the thought occurred to me several times that fans of Lorna Seilstad’s The Gregory Sisters series, would love this book as well. Each is a book with a strong female character that is at peace with her strengths and abilities, and who also understands that God’s role for women is not to be confused with keeping women in their place. I thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing this book for my honest opinion. I received no monetary compensation for this review.