The Lady of Tarpon Springs by Judith Miller - A Book Review

 

     I was excited to see this title because I love Tarpon Springs, Florida: the history, the close community feel, the absolutely amazing food, and the culture. Judith Miller captured it all in The Lady of Tarpon Springs. About a quarter of the way into the story I turned to the Author's Note in the back in order to get an idea of which characters were fictional and which weren't. It turns out they are all fictional, but the story gives the flavor of the time and place quite well, giving a down-sized version of the arrival of Greek sponge divers, an industry that continues to play an important role in the small town as it also sustains tourism in the area.

     Attorney Zanna Krykos and physician Lucy Penrose are taking on new roles for women in the early 1900's, not only in their chosen professions, but also in the ownership and management of a sponge company that fell into their hands with the death of Lucy's father. While Lucy owned the company,it was Greek-speaking Zanna who managed day-to-day operations along with Nico Kalos, the leader of the fifty Greek sponge divers. Lucy's father had left them ill-prepared, but Zanna proved herself up to the task. Once the daunting challenge of housing and feeding such a large group was met, other challenges continued to arise. While relying on Nico to help meet them, Zanna realized she was losing her heart to the seafaring man, something that would not set well with her own father.

     I have some other books by Judith Miller loaded on my Kindle. After reading The Lady of Tarpon Springs I am anxious to read those as well. I thank Net Galley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review and received no monetary compensation.

A Daring Venture by Elizabeth Camden - A Book Review

     Who would have ever thought a lawsuit, The Aldermen of Jersey City vs. the Jersey City Water Supply Company, from the early 1900s would make such an interesting backdrop for an historical romance novel? Once again Elizabeth Camden has developed an original plot embedded in a story with historical accuracy and importance. Today we are accustomed to advances in all areas related to public health, and even young children understand the idea of germs and bacteria too small for the naked eye to see. For the most part we do not question what is in our water (although there are times we probably should). In the early 1900s city water in the United States was filtered, but chemical purification was quite controversial. Deaths from cholera, typhoid, and other waterborne diseases were still an issue, but so was adding chemicals to kill the bacteria that caused those deaths. Camden places the heroine of this story on a team with other scientists working to insure water purification through chlorination while placing her romantic interest in the opposition. As if that did not create enough tension to keep the story moving, she added a character bent on vengeance and just a tad of scandal. The result is a compelling read that will grasp the reader's attention from start to finish.
     I thank NetGalley and Bethany House for providing me with a copy of A Daring Venture in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation and was under no obligation to write a positive review.

As Love Blooms by Lorna Seilstad - A Book Review