It's the height of the Gilded Age, but Elena Bissette's family has lost most of its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionable Mackinac Island, and they spend summers there in hopes of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor. Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls at the Grand Hotel, she spends her days walking along the island's rugged coastline. There she meets Chase, a young fisherman who invites her to watch the ships from an abandoned lighthouse. The two begin to meet there in secret, hoping to solve a decades-old mystery. Meanwhile, Elena's mother contrives introductions between Elena and the island's most eligible bachelor, an elusive millionaire named Chester Darrington. When Elena's two worlds unexpectedly collide, she will be in for the surprise of her life.
My thoughts:
My favorite genre of historical fiction is quickly becoming Guilded Age fiction, and Melanie Dobson has easily earned a spot among some of the best authors currently writing about this glorious era. Her writing in this novel is wonderfully descriptive without being overdone, and with the backdrop of Mackinac Island, the combination is perfect. The romantic angle is a little far-fetched in my opinion, and the conflict between Elena and Chase drags a little long, but all in all, the entire story really is quite sweet. Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, Michigan is a great addition to the ever-growing series, and I sincerely hope that Melanie will find another occasion soon to take me back to the Guilded Era. :o)
And as a side note... I have always wanted to read a novel set on Mackinac Island since I've about worn out my DVD of Somewhere in Time. :o) I honestly have never known that cars are not allowed on the island, and that the slow pace is the norm. It's time to plan a trip, if you ask me. *wink*
4 Stars
**Many thanks to Litfuse Publicity and Summerside Press for providing a copy for review.
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