This is the second book I have tried by this author. I enjoyed it much more than the first one. It had a lot of real strong elements. It had a setting and time which are different than normal in historical romances, the Chicago fire of 1871. The story of a woman who catches a baby tosses from a burning building and raises her as her own was very interesting. The heroine, Lucy, is a suffragette. She was well written. Many times in romance novels the women are supposedly all about being modern women but they turn out to be just silly girls spouting feminist lines until the right man comes along. Here Lucy was really a suffragette and had the courage of her convictions.

The part of the story where she discovers her daughter's father is still alive is very poignant and well written. The story for me went down hill after the girl went to live with her father. Then the hero and heroine marry to give their daughter a family. There was a lot of potential in this part of the story but there was so little of the book left by that point that they fell in love at the blink of an eye. It was just too rushed and hurried. Feelings made brief appearances but there just wasn't enough development. I just didn't feel the love.

I liked this one well enough that I think I will try the other two in the series though. ( )

Last in series - brought previous characters into the story. I like how the author let you know what was going on in their lives. Yet this story could have been enjoyed on its own. ( )

Lucy Hathaway is a forward, thinking debutante who doesn't believe she will marry because she is too opinionated and not even close to beautiful. She meets Rand Higgins on a fateful night that changes both their lives.

I enjoyed this story about the Women's Rights Movement the Great Chicago Fire. The romance was good and the history was presented in such away that it was a part of the story rather than taking over it as something detached which interrupts the story. ( )

rabck from eponine38; a lot of liberties with Chicago fire events, but a good story. Lucy, a zealous gal for women's rights, finds an orphan toddler during the Chicago. When no one claims her, she cares for her, as well as for her displaces family and extended friends, opening a moderately successful bookshop. But 5 years after the fire, she finds Maggie's father - he's the banker in charge of her loan. Now what? ( )