Whittaker Family Reunion: My Review

I'd like to thank author Shirely Roe for sending me this charming book to review. I like historical fiction because it can give me a feel for an era that history books usually can't. This novel about a woman, who after her abusive husband dies, moves to St. Louis and opens what becomes "the" place to get clothes, is full of detail about the fashions of the day.

As the title implies, the characters in the story are all gathering for a family reunion. The year is 1881 and family members gather from England, Mississippi and St. Louis. Unfortunately, an uninvited guest is also present. His relationship to the family is revealed at the end. The book is full of romance, and most are happy at the end of the book, but not all.

The story concept is good. I cared about some of the characters. I enjoyed the historical detail. The cover is attractive, and sets the ominous mood that is maintained throughout the story. Unfortunately, the writing could have been tightened up a lot. There were grammatical errors. The first lines of paragraphs were indented seven spaces; which is more than generally seen in books and which I thought made it more difficult to read.

This is book two in a series. Book three will be published this summer. For more information, check the author's website: http://www.allbookreviews.com. An interview with her is at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Circle-Of-Seven/2008/11/20/Book-World-News