Happy happy Sunday!
Excited to share with you today my review for what might be my favorite book so far in 2021! And it’s historical fiction, who am I?💐
My Thoughts
ALL. THE. STARS. Susan Meissner completely swept me up with her exceptional storytelling, transporting me to San Francisco 1906 and into the lives of these characters. Sophie is an Irish immigrant who travels to San Francisco as a mail order bride. When Sophie meets Martin she is attracted to his luxe but not certain about his personality. His daughter Cat however completely captures Sophie‘s heart. As the bond between Sophie and Cat grows martin becomes more and more shady. Then one night a young pregnant woman shows up at Sophie‘s door and confirms Sophie‘s suspicions that she doesn’t know the man she married at all. The next day the earthquake strikes and the women find their lives even more deeply intwined. What follows is such a captivating tale of survival, family, Secrets, and love.
This is a historical fiction book that will appeal to absolutely everyone. It was the perfect blend of historical fiction, mystery, and family drama. I absolutely fell in love with all these characters and was sad to say goodbye to them at the end of the story. The earthquake was so vividly described I almost thought I felt the earth shake. As a Californian I was surprised at how little I really knew about this historical Quake. It also made me realize how much better our infrastructure is now than it was then. I truly cannot say enough good things about this book! I strongly encourage everyone to read it!
This book in emojis 🚂 💍 👩👧 ⛺️ 🍑
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
About the Book
April 18, 1906: A massive earthquake rocks San Francisco just before daybreak, igniting a devouring inferno. Lives are lost, lives are shattered, but some rise from the ashes forever changed. Sophie Whalen is a young Irish immigrant so desperate to get out of a New York tenement that she answers a mail-order bride ad and agrees to marry a man she knows nothing about. San Francisco widower Martin Hocking proves to be as aloof as he is mesmerizingly handsome. Sophie quickly develops deep affection for Kat, Martin’s silent five-year-old daughter, but Martin’s odd behavior leaves her with the uneasy feeling that something about her newfound situation isn’t right. Then one early-spring evening, a stranger at the door sets in motion a transforming chain of events. Sophie discovers hidden ties to two other women. The first, pretty and pregnant, is standing on her doorstep. The second is hundreds of miles away in the American Southwest, grieving the loss of everything she once loved. The fates of these three women intertwine on the eve of the devastating earthquake, thrusting them onto a perilous journey that will test their resiliency and resolve and, ultimately, their belief that love can overcome fear. From the acclaimed author of The Last Year of the War and As Bright as Heaven comes a gripping novel about the bonds of friendship and mother love, and the power of female solidarity.
Berit Talks Books 