She promised a dying father she would keep his daughter
safe.
She can't fail now.
The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she would never
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 life unravels.
With nowhere else to turn, Sylvie seeks help from her boarder and Rose's violin
instructor, Kristof Bartok. Fluent in several languages, his skills are vital
to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant and international communities where
their investigation 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?
My Thoughts:
Life somehow finds a way to move forward, even a big city like Chicago. In the first of the series of The Windy City Saga, sisters Meg and Sylvia along with their father and neighbors had just survived the Great Chicago fire, now some years later the city is putting on the World's Fair. I have read some other novels on the World's Fair which I found exciting and really what a fun thing to do. I had just never realized the timeline with the Great Fire.
Sylvia is still living in the city and still has her little bookshop. The only thing missing for her is a family. Yes she has her sister Meg and her brood, but Sylvia also longs to be a mother. Times are very tough for immigrants and one father gives Sylvia his little girl as he knows he cannot care for her. Sylvia's dreams of motherhood have come true as she takes little Rose to be her own.
But as most mothers know, as their children grow they get notions and ideas. Rose wants to locate her remaining family. Nothing wrong with that, I just felt that Rose was a bit unthankful toward Sylvia and how she perceived Sylvia suffocating her. Sylvia just cared for Rose, like any mother, and did not want to lose her seventeen year old daughter, especially in a city that pretends to offer everything.
Then the unthinkable happens and Rose disappears. My mama's heart hurt with Sylvia and I felt the desperation and her fear. However, in steps Kristof, her tenant who is secretly smitten with her and wants to do all in his power to protect and spare Sylvia. Kristof was a hero carrying a lot of familial hurt around inside, but he was a good man.
What they find is a nest of seedy underbelly dealings in the White City, but more than that both Sylvia and Kristof need to learn to let go of those they love the most. This was a beautiful story of learning to let go and watching how long ago dreams can still come true.
I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.
About the Author:
Jocelyn Green (www.jocelyngreen.com) inspires faith and courage as the award-winning and bestselling author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books, including The Mark of the King, Wedded to War, and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. Her books have garnered starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly, and have been honored with the Christy Award, the gold medal from the Military Writers Society of America, and the Golden Scroll Award from the Advanced Writers & Speakers Association. She graduated from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, with a BA in English, concentration in writing. Jocelyn lives with her husband, Rob, and two children in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Visit her at www.jocelyngreen.com.
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