Love Will Find A Wheel: A Victorian Cycling Club Romance

Tales of Chetzemoka #2

by Sarah A. Chrisman

"I'm sure he'll be glad you're here —once he gets used to it."
When Jacob Simmons arrives in Washington Territory in the summer of 1882 and receives a glacial reception from his uncle Silas, he appreciates Dr. Brown's encouraging prediction but doesn't have much faith in it. Jacob's not even sure Silas will have time to get used to his presence, let alone consider him welcome. If the young man can't meet the draconian requirements of a contract with his business investors, he'll face exile and financial ruin, thus fulfilling old Silas' prediction that he would be just as dismal a failure as his father. His whole future rests on finding a market for a remarkable new machine —and he'll need help selling them.
***
Addie Kellam is an incredibly lonely young woman. She's more comfortable with books than with other people, yet she longs for the sort of romance she reads about in stories. It's something she fears she'll never experience herself, since even friendship seems elusive. She envies the camaraderie her brother finds in his cycling club, but the only bicycles in the town of Chetzemoka are specifically designed for men. There aren't any wheels for women anywhere —are there?

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2016

About the author

Sarah A. Chrisman grew up in Renton, Washington, in the late twentieth-century, but always felt she should have been born in the 1800's. (When she was a young child, her mother took her to visit the Flavel House Victorian Museum in Astoria, Oregon, and Sarah begged to be left there.) Like any good Victorian lady, she has an advanced education in the humanities: she holds degrees in both International Studies and in French from the University of Washington (c/o 2002.) She has found a way to combine her interest in cultural studies with her lifelong love of history by helping people understand the culture and everyday details of the Victorian era. She has presented to groups at numerous museums, libraries, and schools. She wears Victorian clothing every day and her book, Victorian Secrets: What A Corset Taught Me About The Past, The Present, and Myself, chronicles her first year of wearing a Victorian-style corset twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. She lives with her husband in Port Townsend, Washington, a beautiful Victorian seaport northwest of Seattle.

Reviews

[Emily Donnelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can clearly tell the authors passion for the time period. I would say this is a definite improvement from the last book in terms of fleshing out the story and the characters. We get to see more of Dr. Brown and kitty, as well as the Goldstein’s, but we get the introduction of a few more characters in the crew of wheelmen and women. I look forward to the next.

[M G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. A bit slower then the first, but a great read nevertheless. Loved Jacob, Silas and Mccoy. Want to read more about Ken and Felix. Loved how Addie's inspiration for poems and imaginings were described, wished for more such descriptions as they were my favorite parts.

[Catharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

Enjoyable read, appendices are full of wonderful historical research, insights, and recipes. I love getting to know these characters and the town of Chetzemoka!

[Olene Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clean historical romance. The content is suitable for teen girls.

Jacob Simmons moves to the Pacific Northwest harbor town of Chetzemoka with big business plans which become all the more pressing when he quite literally sweeps local girl Addie Kellam off her feet.

This novel is a sweet, old-fashioned story with keen attention paid to historical details. It made me long to live somewhere safe enough to ride a high wheel bicycle of my own! I did wish that the central characters had a little more depth but they were kind people and their relationship was much more pleasant than what we typically get in the romances of today. I plan to continue this series.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful and charming book. I highly recommend others to read this series. This is the second book of her series. It’s fascinating to learn about some of the history of bicycles and tricycles. It’s an area that I don’t know too much about and I enjoy learning more about bicycles and tricycles. It is also wonderful to be introduced to Mrs. Chrisman’s characters in her fictional town of Chetzemoka. I also love the fact that she has chosen CDV’s of who her characters are. That way, as the reader, I know exactly what the author has imagined when she has created her characters. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series as they are published.