Posts with the custom taxonomy term World's Fairs

Remember Me by Tracie Peterson

1 Comment on Remember Me by Tracie Peterson

GoodreadsRemember Me ~ Apple ~ B&N ~ Google Play ~ Kobo ~ Amazon

1909 – Washington

From the Yukon to Seattle, the hope of a new beginning waits just around the corner.

Addie Bryant is haunted by her past of heartbreak and betrayal. After her beau, Isaac Hanson, left the Yukon, she made a vow to wait for him. When she’s sold to a brothel owner after the death of her father, Addie manages to escape with the hope that she can forever hide her past and the belief that she will never have the future she’s always dreamed of.

Years later, Addie has found peace in her new life as a photographer, training Camera Girls to operate and sell the Brownie camera. During the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Expo in Seattle, Addie is reunited with Isaac, but after the path her life has taken, she’s afraid to expose the ugliness of her former life and to move toward the future they had pledged to each other.

When her past catches up with her, Addie must decide whether to run or to stay and face her wounds in order to embrace her life, her future, and her hope in God.

Count the Nights by Stars by Michelle Shocklee

No Comments on Count the Nights by Stars by Michelle Shocklee

Count the Nights by StarsGoodreads ~ Amazon

1897/1961 – Tennessee

Count your nights by stars, not shadows. Count your life with smiles, not tears.

1961. After a longtime resident at Nashville’s historic Maxwell House Hotel suffers a debilitating stroke, Audrey Whitfield is tasked with cleaning out the reclusive woman’s room. There, she discovers an elaborate scrapbook filled with memorabilia from the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Love notes on the backs of unmailed postcards inside capture Audrey’s imagination with hints of a forbidden romance . . . and troubling revelations about the disappearance of young women at the exposition. Audrey enlists the help of a handsome hotel guest as she tracks down clues and information about the mysterious “Peaches” and her regrets over one fateful day, nearly sixty-five years earlier.

1897. Outspoken and forward-thinking Priscilla Nichols isn’t willing to settle for just any man. She’s still holding out hope for love when she meets Luca Moretti on the eve of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Charmed by the Italian immigrant’s boldness, Priscilla spends time exploring the wonderous sights of the expo with Luca—until a darkness overshadows the months long event. Haunted by a terrible truth, Priscilla and Luca are sent down separate paths as the night’s stars fade into dawn.

With a Trusting Heart by Dawn Kinzer

No Comments on With a Trusting Heart by Dawn Kinzer

withatrustingheartGoodreads ~ Amazon

1909 – Washington

Will trust be the winning ticket to mending two wounded hearts? 

The 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition is taking place in Seattle with participants from all over the world when Lizzie Clark accepts a position at an orphanage in the city. After suffering heartbreak and loss, she is determined to make a life for herself independently.

Jack Butler’s mother abandoned their family when he was a young boy. Loyalty to his father cost him fulfilling his own aspirations, so Jack strives to take their family farm in a new direction.

A newborn is left at the orphanage with a note asking Lizzie to take care of him. Why did the woman abandon her child? And why is Jack, a handsome local farmer so interested in helping Lizzie search for the infant’s mother?

When shocking revelations disrupt their plans, Lizzie and Jack are faced with life-changing decisions. Will they open their hearts to trusting again? 

Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

No Comments on Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Illinois

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have–a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears–until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World’s Fair, and Sylvie’s world unravels.

Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose’s violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.

From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, they’re taken on a search that points to Rose’s long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong?

Miss Wylde in The White City by Grace Hitchcock

No Comments on Miss Wylde in The White City by Grace Hitchcock

Miss Wylde in The White CityGoodreads ~ Author Store ~ Amazon

1893 – Illinois

While attending the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, Winnifred Wylde believes she witnessed a woman being kidnapped. She tries to convince her father, an inspector with the Chicago police, to look into reports of mysterious disappearances around the White City. Inspector Wylde tries to dismiss her claims as exaggeration of an overactive imagination, but he eventually concedes to letting her go undercover as secretary to the man in question—if she takes her pistol for protection and Jude Thorpe, a policeman, for bodyguard.

Will she be able to expose H. H. Holmes’s illicit activity, or will Winnifred become his next victim?

Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelly Gray

No Comments on Whispers in the Reading Room by Shelly Gray

whispersinthereadingroomWhispers in the Reading Room

1890s – Illinois

Just months after the closure of the Chicago World’s Fair, librarian Lydia Bancroft finds herself fascinated by a mysterious dark-haired and dark-eyed patron. He has never given her his name; he actually never speaks to a single person. All she knows about him is that he loves books as much as she does.

Only when he rescues her in the lobby of the Hartman Hotel does she discover that his name is Sebastian Marks. She also discovers that he lives at the top of the prestigious hotel and that most everyone in Chicago is intrigued by him.

Lydia and Sebastian form a fragile friendship, but when she discovers that Mr. Marks isn’t merely a very wealthy gentleman, but also the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club, she is shocked.

Lydia insists on visiting the club one fateful night and suddenly is a suspect to a murder. She must determine who she can trust, who is innocent, and if Sebastian Marks—the man so many people fear—is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

A Fair to Remember by Suzie Johnson

No Comments on A Fair to Remember by Suzie Johnson

afairtorememberA Fair to Remember

1901 – New York

A fair that will never be forgotten…

Clara Lambert attended the Pan-American Exposition as a Kodak girl, never dreaming that she would end up photographing the attempted assassination of President McKinley.

James Brinton, a disgraced police officer now working security at the Expo, wants only to redeem his good name…and perhaps earn a new position with the president’s security.

When Clara is accused of being involved in the assassination attempt, James has to put aside his own ambitions to try to prove the innocence of the young woman who has captured his heart as surely as her camera captures the world before its lens.

But in the face of investigations, arrests, and mounting danger, they must do the hardest thing that could be asked: forgive.

Tiffany Girl by Deeanne Gist

No Comments on Tiffany Girl by Deeanne Gist

tiffanygirlTiffany Girl

1893 – Illinois

As preparations for the 1893 World’s Fair set Chicago and the nation on fire, Louis Tiffany—heir to the exclusive Fifth Avenue jewelry empire—seizes the opportunity to unveil his state-of-the-art, stained glass, mosaic chapel, the likes of which the world has never seen.

But when Louis’s dream is threatened by a glassworkers’ strike months before the Fair opens, he turns to an unforeseen source for help: the female students at the Art Students League of New York. Eager for adventure, the young women pick up their skirts, move to boarding houses, take up steel cutters, and assume new identities as the “Tiffany Girls.”

Tiffany Girl is the heartwarming story of the impetuous Flossie Jayne, a beautiful, budding artist who is handpicked by Louis to help complete the Tiffany chapel. Though excited to live in a boarding house when most women stayed home, she quickly finds the world is less welcoming than anticipated. From a Casanova male, to an unconventional married couple, and a condescending singing master, she takes on a colorful cast of characters to transform the boarding house into a home while racing to complete the Tiffany chapel and make a name for herself in the art world.

As challenges mount, her ambitions become threatened from an unexpected quarter: her own heart. Who will claim victory? Her dreams or the captivating boarder next door?

Deception on Sable Hill by Shelley Gray

1 Comment on Deception on Sable Hill by Shelley Gray

deceptionofsablehillDeception on Sable Hill

1893 – Illinois

The World’s Fair has introduced many new ideas to Chicago society—but can two individuals from very different backgrounds find love together?

It’s mid-September 1893 and Eloisa Carstairs is the reigning debutant of Gilded Age Chicago society. To outsiders she appears to have it all. But Eloisa is living with a dark secret. Several months ago, she endured a horrible assault at the hands of Douglass Sloane, heir to one of Chicago’s wealthiest families. Fearing the loss of her reputation, Eloisa confided in only one friend. That is, until she meets Detective Sean Ryan at a high-society ball.

Sean is on the fringes of the Chicago elite. Born into a poor Irish family, becoming a policeman was his best chance to ensure security. Despite social boundaries, he is enamored with Eloisa Carstairs. Sean will do anything to keep her safe—even if he can never earn her affections.

Eloisa longs to feel normal again, but a killer is on the loose. In the last month, three debutants have been accosted by an assailant wielding a knife, and Eloisa fears for her safety at every event she attends. As the danger in the city increases, and as the romance between Eloisa and Sean blossoms, they both realize they want to be seen as more than how the world views them. But will they catch the killer before all their hopes come crashing down?

Secrets of Sloane House by Shelley Shephard Gray

No Comments on Secrets of Sloane House by Shelley Shephard Gray

Secrets of Sloane Housesecretsofsloanehouse

1893 – Illinois

Rosalind Perry has left her family’s rural farm in Wisconsin to work as a housemaid at Sloane House, one of the most elegant mansions in Gilded Age Chicago. However, Rosalind is not there just to earn a living and support her family—she’s at Sloane House determined to discover the truth about her sister’s mysterious disappearance. Reid Armstrong is the handsome heir to a silver fortune. However, his family is on the periphery of Chicago’s elite because their wealth comes from “new money” obtained from successful mining. Marriage to Veronica Sloane would secure his family’s position in society—the lifelong dream of his ailing father. When Reid begins to realize that Rosalind’s life may be in danger, he stops thinking of marriage prospects and concentrates on helping Rosalind. Dark things are afoot in Chicago and, he fears, in Sloane House. If he’s not vigilant, Rosalind could pay the price.

Fair Game by Carol Cox

No Comments on Fair Game by Carol Cox

 Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Illinois

Danger lurks amid the bright lights of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair–

Dinah Mayhew takes on more than just a new job at the Chicago World’s Fair…

Bent on reconnecting with her long-estranged father, Dinah sets off on the adventure of a lifetime when she begins working in the great exposition’s Administration Building.

After settling into her room at Mrs. Purvis’s boarding house, one of the first people she meets is Seth Howell, an intriguing young pastor with a ministry to Chicago’s poor.

When Dinah volunteers to help in his work, Seth isn’t convinced of her motives and resolves to keep his distance…but he finds Dinah’s dedication to the Bible study she teaches and her exuberant personality increasingly hard to ignore.

Dinah’s reunion with her father doesn’t go at all the way she planned. And things get even worse when her obnoxious cousin, Gladys, finds work in Chicago. At least Dinah has her work with Seth to give her a sense of purpose…as well as a good excuse to spend time away from her overbearing relative.

Matters take a sinister turn when Cousin Gladys starts looking for love in all the wrong places…and then suddenly disappears.

With Seth’s help, Dinah takes it upon herself to probe Gladys’s disappearance, finding herself drawn ever deeper into a cruel man’s dark secrets and putting their budding romance–and their very lives–at stake.

It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist

No Comments on It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist

It Happened at the Fairithappenedatthefair

1893 – Illinois

A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair’s Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

Tempest in the White City by Deeanne Gist

No Comments on Tempest in the White City by Deeanne Gist

Tempest in the White Citytempestinthewhitecity

1893 – Illinois

When a World’s Fair Guard and the woman doctor assigned to treat him square off in the White City, a storm is brewing…
 Hunter Scott is one of the elite. An 1893 Chicago World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character, and ability to serve and protect. When he is overcome with debilitating abdominal pain, Hunter stumbles to the Fair’s infirmary only to discover the doctor is female—who ever heard of a female doctor? But even worse, she has the nerve to diagnose him, the toughest man west of any place east, with constipation—an unspeakable ailment in mixed company. What will happen when this tough Texan and attractive doctor face off? Either way, a tempest is brewing…

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport

No Comments on The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport

thedilemmaofcharlottefarrowThe Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow: (Avenue of Dreams)

1893 – Illinois

Charlotte Farrow, maid in the wealthy Banning household on Chicago’s opulent Prairie Avenue, has kept her baby boy a secret from her employers for nearly a year. But when the woman who has been caring for her son abruptly returns him, Charlotte must decide whether to come clean and face dismissal or keep her secret while the Bannings decide the child’s fate. Can she face the truth of her own past and open her heart to a future of her own? Or will life’s tragedies determine the future for her?

A Bride So Fair by Carol Cox

No Comments on A Bride So Fair by Carol Cox

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Illinois

Things aren’t always what they seem at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair–

Emily Ralston finds more than she bargained for when she joins the crowds of young women making their way to Chicago in search of independence and adventure…

Working at the Children’s Building of the Chicago World’s Fair, Emily spends her days caring for children while their parents tour the great exposition.

Stephen Bridger, one of the fair’s Columbian Guards, brings a lost little boy to the building. Emily assures the handsome guard that the child will be well looked after until he can be reunited with his mother.

But at the end of the day, no one comes to claim little Adam. Rather than turn him over to the authorities, Emily decides to take care of Adam herself–with the help of her landlady, Mrs. Purvis–while she tries to locate the boy’s family.

Against his better judgment, Stephen is persuaded to join her in the search, but their quest isn’t as simple as they’d hoped. Each layer of Adam’s story unfolds to reveal still more layers beneath. And eventually, their intended good deed winds up threatening the safety of all three of them.

As the historic fair draws to a close, Emily and Stephen must find a way to solve a deadly mystery–and discover who Adam really is–before time runs out.

The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport

No Comments on The Pursuit of Lucy Banning by Olivia Newport

The Pursuit of Lucy Banningthepursuitoflucybanning

1893 – Illinois

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago’s rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work–and the classes she is secretly taking at the newly opened University of Chicago. When she meets an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World’s Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family’s expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is?

Ticket to Tomorrow by Carol Cox

No Comments on Ticket to Tomorrow by Carol Cox

Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Sample

1893 – Illinois

Romance and intrigue collide at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair–

Annie Trenton has two goals when she travels to the dazzling White City…

First and foremost, she is determined to see her late husband Will’s genius recognized by displaying his last invention, a horseless carriage, at the great exposition. She arrives in Chicago with Will’s absent-minded partner, Silas Crockett, thrilled at the idea that millions of fairgoers will be able to see and admire their innovative creation.

Secondly, she hopes to heal the breach between herself and her in-laws. Sorrow over being the reason for the estrangement between Will and his parents has haunted her ever since his death.

Her plans never included feeling an attraction to Nick Rutherford–Silas’s handsome nephew who is a performer with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show…

…or learning that her in-laws are scheming to steal the rights to Will’s invention…

…or an innocent mix-up at the station that will throw her, Nick, and Silas into a world of deceptions, conspiracies, and danger.

When Annie’s keen powers of observation threaten to expose a devious international plot to gain Cuba’s independence, more than her exhibition plans hang in the balance. Will Annie be able to uncover the truth before disaster strikes ?