Hattie's Place

by Katherine P. Stillerman

A letter from Will Kendrick breaks Hattie Robinson’s heart one week before her 1907 graduation from Greenville Female College. He’s ended their engagement, making mysterious references to events preventing him from committing to their relationship.

Alone and confused by Will’s cryptic letter, Hattie takes a position as an elementary school teacher in Calhoun, South Carolina, and tries to put her life back together. She moves in with prominent attorney Charles Barton, his wife Elizabeth, and their four sons.

Hattie’s attempts to start a new life are continually interrupted. A visit from Will shakes her to her core, while a tragedy in the Barton family throws her new home into turmoil.

Work offers little solace. With no legislation regulating child labor laws, South Carolina provides little help for teachers concerned with their charges’ welfare. But when an abusive father forces his ten-year-old daughter to quit school and take a back-breaking job at the local textile mill, Hattie knows she has to act, even if doing so puts her job at risk.

A tale of one woman’s determination to overcome the restraints of South Carolina society in the 1900s, Hattie’s’ Place tears at the heartstrings even as it inspires.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance

271 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 3, 2015

About the author

Author of Hattie’s Place and two other historical novels in the Barton Family series, In the Fullness of Time and Over the Mountain. Stillerman has also published a memoir, Retirement: A Journey not a Destination.

Reviews

[Gerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first ¾ of this book. As the book opens, the heroine - Hattie - is jilted by her fiancé. She's also just graduated from teachers' college, and starts her first job. So this part of the book deals with Hattie trying to deal with a broken heart, and her first year as a teacher with all its growing pains. The author tells a very interesting story, writes well, and creates interesting and engaging characters. The author also writes about child labor and education in South Carolina in the early 20th Century, and fits these issues perfectly into the story. Hattie spends a lot of time trying to persuade some of her students parents not to send their young children to work in factories.

When Hattie goes to the new town to teach, she stays with the wealthy Barton family. Elizabeth Barton is a friend of Hattie's aunt, and Hattie comes to dearly love Elizabeth. Charles, Elizabeth's husband, is a remote figure to Hattie, although Charles adores his wife. Hattie also falls in love with the Bartons' four sons. All of this made for a very compelling story. But I had real problems with the last quarter of the book, and that's why I'm giving it 3 rather than 4 stars. Elizabeth dies. Charles completely withdraws into his grief as a result, totally ignores his sons, and leaves them in the care of his tyrannical, controlling sister, who treats them badly. Although Hattie continues to live in the Barton house, she and Charles have no interaction whatsoever. But Hattie can no longer keep quiet about the treatment of the boys, and Hattie finally calls Charles out on his ignoring his sons. At that point - suddenly - he starts kissing her and asks her to marry him. She accepts. I just found that very weird. Here, they've had no interaction, even before Elizabeth died. Also, Charles is 23 years older than Hattie, who is only 19 or 20. While it certainly wasn't uncommon, even in the early 1900's, for young girls to marry much older men, this just felt forced to me. And, to be honest, pretty icky. Although Hattie had little interaction with Charles, he and Elizabeth were depicted as in loco parentis to her.

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sceptical about this book. It is romance and well, I really do not enjoy the usual romances written these days. Even under the bracket of a 'Historical Romance'.
I was so wrong.
This book is more about a teacher and her life. It tells you about a teacher's trials, hopes, thinking, inspiration. I am sure, everyone will be reminded of some dear teacher they had while growing up, when reading this book. You will see and miss the favourite teacher in Hattie Robinson.
Although, romance does exist in the background, it is not the main theme as such of this book. Its more of a character sketch or a fictional biography.
Very well written, the language is just right, the narrative is good. The pace is good too. I can't pin point anything here that was not up to the mark.
Really enjoyed this book.

[Boyko Ovcharov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long time ago in a relaxing atmosphere!

Wonderful and immersive prose, set more than a century ago in the South. Reminding in a way of Bronte. The issue of teaching as a profession and vocation is central. Soothing and enjoyable!

[Donna Skinner Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice quiet read. Easily coasted along until chapter 22 when I had to slam on the breaks. Seriously? What? The rest of the book was nonsensical. I've removed the next book, In The Fullness of Time, from my to read list.

[marvin shults · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hatties Place

This was a wonderful story about loving families who had to suffer loss but were able to grow and carry on thru their support of each other. Submitted by Mrs. M Shults