Victory Garden

by Meredith Allard

It's 1917, and while Rose Scofield does her part to make woman suffrage a reality, she falls in love with Adam Bell, a vaudeville actor who travels the country with his brothers gathering laughs and hard knocks. When Rose is arrested for her suffragist activities, she’s kept in solitary confinement and violently force fed. After her release she must come to terms with her dreams for the future.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks

ebook

First published July 9, 2012

About the author

Meredith Allard is the author of the beloved bestselling paranormal historical Loving Husband Trilogy. Her sweet Victorian romance, When It Rained at Hembry Castle, was named a best historical novel by IndieReader. Down Salem Way, the prequel to the Loving Husband Trilogy set around the Salem Witch Trials, won the B.R.A.G. Medallion and was a semi-finalist for the Chaucer Award in Early Historical Fiction. Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction was named a #1 new release in creativity self-help on Amazon. She has taught writing to students ages five to 75, and she loves books, cats, and coffee, not always in that order. She lives in the hills of Southern Nevada. Visit Meredith at www.meredithallard.com.

Reviews

[AℳY♔Queen of Fat cats♔Ain't no lie Baby Byebyebye]

I don't even know what this one is about, and it doesn't have any reviews from my lovely friends yet, but Amy Harmon sensei made me a fan of historical so I just borrowed and I'll peruse through it just to see what it's about.
*kisses Kindle unlimited app*
And if wanted to purchase it's only $.99!! Nice!!
*throws to TBR pile*

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victory Garden was a welcome relief from the rather average books I've been reading lately. Early 1900's America is a period I've not been well acquainted with. If Meredith Allard's portrayal of events in Rose Scofield's life is historically accurate, then this was a sad time for the United States. The lack of due process for the women arrested while protesting the inaction of President Wilson on women's suffrage issues was appalling as was the treatment of pacifists during the Great War. Allard made all these issues come alive in a very engaging manner. My only real complaint about the book was the ending. Don't misunderstand me, I was happy with the way things turned out, but it was just a bit too predictable. You'll see what I mean if you read the book, and you should definitely read it if you appreciate historical fiction.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very enlightening about the plight of women around the turn of the century. How lucky we are that so many women gave so much to get women the vote.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read about a young woman in early 1900's who is involved with the suffragettes as she searches for what is truly important to her,

[Jan Chiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story

Rose was raised by her Father, after the death of her Mother. He taught her to think for herself and to stand up for right. She grows exponentially during this book. We see her stand up for Women's Suffrage and every day dignity. Very engrossing and very satisfying!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative historical novel, Meredith Allard has managed to write a story that is far to familiar to today. Covering intense "Patriotism" and its effects, and the violence against protesters, Rose represents the modern woman in a world at war. Our heroine stands up against antiquated ideals for women, as well as new forms of oppression. In one of the later chapters, she ends up in jail. After this point, the character becomes disassociated (obviously suffering PTSD from rough treatments)and depressed. While the book ends on an up note, it still has the strained undertones of suffering and struggles.

This is the essence of feminism - the women's movement was to obtain common rights, much like the Black movement in the 60's, and the current decade of LGBT rights. What is horrifying is that when I read this book, I was having flashbacks to current day when the protesters were struck down. The characters with German heritage were being discriminated, much like the modern discrimination of Americans from Middle Eastern descent.

I implore you should read this book and share it. Include it in your book clubs, discussion groups, your classrooms. This is an important read that is worth your money and your time.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book, a historical novel about a young woman who took part in the women's suffrage movement in the early 1900s. I'm not sure, but I think the author, Meredith Allard, had offered the book for free (or at a reduced rate) one day and I decided to check it out. A lot of times I get burned when I download a free book, but I'm glad I downloaded this one.

[Susan Kiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this freebie - learned while I flew back in time.

[Barbara Woldoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book that described life during the WWI era and the suffrage movement. It was amazing to realize how far American society has come in the last 100 years.

[Bonnye Reed]

TheFussyLibrarian

[Rosemary Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's almost a hundred years since American woman won the right to vote. A right that many take for granted. It wasn't just the vote, but the recognition that woman were capable and intelligent individuals, not solely reliant on a male to make their decisions for them.
Yes, this is a hard book in places, to read and accept what someone is prepared to go through, for what they believe is right.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Days Gone By

I loved this book. You're taken back to the days of WWI, women's suffrage, vaudeville, and the wonderful time of black and white movies. The free-thinking voice of the heroine has been written beautifully.
Thank You Meredith *****

[Selby Dorgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

I am thankful for the women who have fought for women's rights over the centuries. I really enjoyed increasing my understanding of their journey.

[Donna Spezzano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun

A fun, almost light, book depicting some of the hardest moments in our history and the movement for women’s vote.

[Anna Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should have been a memoir!

A highly enjoyable story...written so well it almost sounded like a memoir.
I am driven to research and read more about that period in our nations history

[Temperance · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dad recommended this book to me. I did like it, however I didn't love it. It was a little hard for me to pick up and get into for the first half of the book, that's common, but nothing grabbed me and made me want to read every minute like some books. I respect Rose, who fought for woman's suffrage. However, I think she was extreme as well and had some very stubborn mental blocks that prevented her from experiencing happiness that she should have been able to in some situations. I do have to say that I am grateful for those people who fight for causes and play a part in making big changes in government, or attitudes, stereo types, etc. For some reason I do not want to do anything like Rose did in this book. Perhaps I am just not that passionate about something, or perhaps I just don't feel anything is unjust in my life or the rules by which I live by law or religion. It is unimaginable to me that in the early 1900's people actually thought womens brains were smaller and incapable of understanding complex ideas and that only men were capable of voting or making significant decisions. I almost don't believe it, how could people be so ignorant to believe this to be true? I admired Rose for her desire to help women get the vote and to encourage them to use thier brains and become educated and experience life for themselves. However, I felt like she was extreme when she went to jail and then starved herself. I don't think she even knew what she was doing. Did that really help? I don't know. I didn't really respect that decision and thought it was foolish. I admire those who stand up for what they believe and educate others on why they believe it, but to picket or march or starve yourself because you aren't getting things changed yet is extreme in my opinion. I also think that part of why she was so adimant in fighting for women's rights was because she simply didn't follow the norm and in an attempt to justify why she didn't she made some poor decisions. One of which was not allowing Adam Bell to love her. She had some issues. I thought it was sad that she felt she had to defend why she wasn't married or why she would rather teach school, or why she wanted women to vote. Maybe I just don't understand because times are so different today and we have the luxury of being very different people without criticism.

[Ken Brimhall · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read Victory Garden, it was hard to visualize when women didn’t have the right to vote, when they were unequal despite all the decent and reasonable knowledge to the contrary. Police arrested women for demonstrating and force fed them in prison. The Anti-Suffrage Movement led the charge against women voting, headed by, you guessed it, other women, just as whenever a male sexist guilty of a hate crime today wants off, he hires a woman. World War 1, the war to end all wars, gets mixed up in all this, as does a victory garden, where the protagonist, Rose Scofield, tends flowers rather than vegetables. She’s her own person, as is her father, who’s against the war and loses his job, as does Rose because she fights for women’s rights. The love story with Adam Bell develops, despite Rose’s stubbornness, the highlight being a visit to New York City’s east side slum, Adam’s home. All in all, the book probably attempts too much, but if you set a book in 1918, how could you not? Oh yes, the Spanish flu hits. The book cries out for better formatting

[Sharon Heaverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really thought this book would be dull and boring at times, but I found it quite interesting. I had really never thought about how difficult it was to obtain the woman's vote. The women of the WW I era had real guts and pride in the suffrage movement. They have my strong admiration. The author made a real history movement come to life for me. Her detail throughout made it seem like she had truly lived that life. The characters were very interesting and likeable. I would highly recommend this book to women of the USA. It was not a dull read at all.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always taken the right to vote somewhat for granted. It was a right that opened up many other rights for women and therefore, children. The author does a nice job of portraying the women of my grandmother's era in light of their culture and motives for the suffrage movement. Our generation and our daughters would do well to educated ourselves about these brave women to whom we owe so much.

[Izabela Zalas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a story about Clarissa, a very strong young girl, and her engagement in the women's suffrage movement , in 1917. The President Wilson claimed that women could not vote because their brains were too small. Clarissa was convinced that in America people were free to express themselves..They have their rights written in Constitution. Women had the rights to make their own choices. It fine, well - written story.

[Cathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was going to give this 3 stars until I finished it. It got me thinking of everything women had to go through to get us where we are today and of my own ancestors. And of my own life. I've had nothing to fight for and I think I miss that. I like a book that makes me think.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I never really have read anything in detail related to suffrage. This book was a real eye opener. I would be very interested to read other works by this author. She wrote about history in a way that made you want to keep turning the page.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic journey through time to a place I'll never know; a place where I wouldn't be welcomed to speak my mind, have an opinion or a voice. Rose's fight for women's rights is inspiring, but it's her journey of self discovery that we can all relate to, no matter what era we are present.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Very interesting history.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never take the right to vote as a woman for granted again . I will forever think of this story each time I cast a vote ....

Loved the way Allard brought history to life !

[Diane Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book!

[Michele Reise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical novel focusing on the American woman suffrage movement. Some spots in the book were a little slow but I still enjoyed it and the powerful message that it contained for all women.

[Tiffany Tinkham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its World War I and she has to make some decisions about her beliefs of women's rights and in the process sort out her feelings for a traveling entertainer. It's a captivating tale.

[Sue Getman · Rating 3 out of 5]

women's suffrage in USA