A Perfect Silhouette

by Judith McCoy Miller

CBA Bestselling Author Manchester, New Hampshire, 1850. Mill worker Mellie Blanchard takes work at a daguerreotype shop making silhouette portraits. But when romance blossoms with a charming customer, all is not as it seems.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Christian, Historical Romance, 19th Century

475 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2019

About the author

Judith McCoy Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas.

Reviews

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mellie left her home in Concord to help supplement her families income. Gambling debts and embezzlement have ruined her family leaving her sister a widow with young children. Mellie has such a strong sense of family and responsibility that she knows she must help them even if it means working in a mill.

Morgan is the son of the owner of the mill. He wants to work as a laborer to see what he can do to help out the workers and help the business run more efficiently. He knows he has a better chance of succeeding if he is seen as a fellow employee. He also has a strong sense of responsibility and family.

It only makes sense that the two would be attracted to each other and find things in common. I loved the simple part of their romance. The conflict comes when they realize that they haven't been completely honest with each other.

I found this story to be very sweet. I enjoyed reading their story. I was particularly interested in the art of paper cutting. I had to go and look up the technique. It is truly fascinating that someone could create delicate works art with a pair of scissors.

I wish that I could have know what happens to Mellie's sister and her children. I would have loved if the story could have taken them on a visit to her sister's home. This is a sweet story with a happily-ever-after.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, and although I thought I figured out the ending early on. While there is a bit of romance here, there are so many subplots going on, like real life, you will never get bored, and it will keep you page turning.
We get an up-close look at the mills that were an important part of the economy on the East Coast, and also see how unpleasant it was to work there. Wonder anyone had hearing left, or lungs, and the humidity and heat!
We get a glimpse of life as the workers living in a boarding house, gulping their meals and trudging back to work to do it again.
This is a story to get lost in, a great clean summer read!

I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's just something wonderful about the way Judith Miller pens her Historical Romance fiction stories. She has never failed to draw this reader into her books. She gives her readers an escape from the stress of today's world as they enter her world of fiction in the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. Her well researched stories seem so real and have a smooth flow to them.
In The Perfect Silhouette readers are introduced to a young lady named Millie Blanchard. She was raised in a wealthy family on the good side of town, but then her parents both died and due to her brother in law's poor management of her money and his embezzling of her inheritance she was forced to find work at a mill in a distant city. She had to transition from a privileged girl to a poor working girl very quickly. Her goal was to send as much money home as she could to her now widowed sister and her two children, from her meager paycheck of four dollars a week.
The mill work was hard and physically demanding and she worked in terrible conditions that we don't experience in this day and age. Long hours at the mill and due to the fact that she had to pay for her rent she took on a second job at a photography shop where she did paper cuttings or silhouette portraits for people who couldn't afford the price of an actual photo session. It was there she ment a young man who came into the shop to have a silhouette cutting done. The young man was smitten by Millie but she had little time for him. There was things she didn't know about Morgan Williams. He was not who he seemed to be for he was not truthful with her and kept a secret about his identity to Millie and his coworkers at the mill. Would Millie fall for this young man and be deceived by his charms?
Readers of Historical Romance or Christian Fiction will love this book. It's a stand alone book with over three hundred pages. I loved it and I highly recommend it.
I downloaded an ebook version from my library's Hoopla App. A review wasn't requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judith Miller finds the most intriguing tidbits to spice up her historical novels -- in this case, the heroine's unique talent for crafting silhouette portraits with paper and scissors in a matter of moments. I'm so fascinated by this technique that I actually had to google it. If you're interested in seeing a 'live action' shot of a silhouette portrait being made check out this link:

http://www.silhouettesbyhand.com/gall...

I've long been interested in the social justice issues surrounding 19th century textile mills -- ever since I read Lyddie by Katherine Paterson eons ago so I appreciated Miller's stunning research skills and the way she brought the aspects of mill work to life. From stringent boardinghouse rules to the horrid working conditions, the author does justice to the complicated issues facing mill owners and workers trying to keep pace with a changing work environment.

Amidst that tumultuous backdrop, Mellie and Morgan meet and fall in love. Well, of course, it isn't that simple. Secrets abound, all of them threatening hopes of any sort of happily ever after and all a reader can do is hunker down into a page-turning frenzy to see things put to right. Miller leaves a few dangling story threads which lead me to believe there might just be a sequel in the works, though I can't find anything online to confirm that. (Fingers crossed it is so.)

[Karen R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, gentle, well-written historical, with an interesting setting, good characters, and a tender romance. Clean with a little bit of mystery, underlined with a faith message. Mellie is a solid, hardworking young woman, loyal to family and friends. She was easy to get behind from the start.
A steady paced plot with not much action, but enough to keep the story going. It has an old fashioned feel, like a Grace Livingston, Jane Peart or older Christian book. Would have liked an epilogue to know more about what happened to her sister. A good read for teens and up. 4.5 stars

[Becky Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Perfect Silhouette by Judith Miller is the second Christian Historical I’ve read recently involving working in the mills. Set in 1850 New Hampshire, we view the mill town, boarding house, and mill itself through the eyes of one young woman, Mellie Blanchard. We see the deplorable conditions within the mill walls, sweating to near-fainting with Mellie and breathing in stifling lint-laden air. The undeniable monotony of watching the loom shuttles whiz back and forth may have threatened to put me to sleep!
I thought William Morgan was very brave to take on a role beneath his social class in order to discover more about the true workings of his family’s mills.
There were some details about the looms that were hard for me to follow, or I wanted to leave for business people like Morgan and his father.
Trust and forgiveness are themes that are addressed as are loving one’s enemies, plus standing for one’s convictions.
One part of the story I am still puzzling over- could it really have happened like that? I’m not quite convinced.
I have enjoyed reading Miller’s books as she has lately taken us through several different professions in America’s history.
Quotes:
« He’d stepped into this new identity thinking he could do good, yet each lie had required another. He was beginning to have trouble sifting the lies from the truth. »
« “Prayer is our best hope—in all circumstances... »
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions for which I am solely responsible.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars.

This was, of course, a predicable love story, but it was a cute predicable love story. Pretty cute.
I found the book to be a little slow at the beginning and a little rushed at the end. But I liked how Mellie stuck to her principles against lotteries and how forgiveness was an important topic. I did find it strange that Mellie and Morgan went off without a chaperone (because it is set in 1850) and I wasn’t a fan of how he kissed her (on the cheek and forehead) before they discussed how they felt about each other. Besides these things, it was a very clean book with a good amount of Spiritual Content.

{{Official Content Review to Come.}}

[Sherri Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The backdrop of this delightful novel is New Hampshire in 1850, and readers of historical fiction will love this Cinderella story emerged from a manufacturing company. The working and living conditions were particularly interesting to read about, as well as the developing love story.

The television show Undercover Boss has nothing on this book as the aristocratic company owner’s son decides to hide his identity in order to work on the ground floor of the mill. He’s hoping to find ways to improve working conditions. Will his web of lies cause him heartache and pain? You’ll have to read this wonderful story to find out. I highly recommend this new Judith Miller novel. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you Baker Publishing and Netgalley for providing this manuscript in return for my honest opinion and review.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dropped a star because of the disappointing ending. Mellie came from a rich family until her father dies and she finds out all the money is gone. Her sister is a widow with children so Mellie gives her, her job of tutoring children and goes to the city to work in a mill. The description of the dorms where the girls had to live, the rules of the dorms and the factory were bleak. Morgan is the son of one of the mill owners and he goes undercover at the mill to try and improve working conditions, of course they fall in love. Lots of tension because of their different social classes and the fact that Morgan didn't tell Mellie he was wealthy. The title comes from the paper Silhouette's Mellie cuts out and sells to make extra money. During the story Mellie talks about how worried she is about her sister and how she is hearing less and less from her but the story ends with no word on how her sister is. There is also no mention of what Morgan does to make factory work better.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Judith Miller is one of my favorite authors and I will grab her books to read, especially when I need some down-time. But when I read A Perfect Silhouette, I was thoroughly disappointed. There was so much Judith left unfinished. Maybe she was leaving room for a sequel to this book, or to make a series, but there were unresolved issues in the plot and I cannot give this book more than three stars.

Mellie has moved to Manchester, NH, to work in the textile mills so that she can help support her sister. As part of her job at the mill, she has to live in a boarding house run by someone employed by the mill to offer a bed to sleep in and three or four meals a day. There are a strict curfew and rules about church attendance and general conduct. That much doesn't bother Mellie so much, but she knows she needs to make more money than just her wages at the mill.

Shopping with the girls one night, Mellie sees a photography studio and goes into the store to see if the owner would like to have her do scherenschnitte silhouettes for customers who cannot afford photographic portraits. As a demonstration of her skill, she does a silhouette of the owner in just a few moments. They come to an agreement where she pays him two cents out of every silhouette she sells. It is absolutely a great boon for his business.

While working one night, she meets Morgan Stark, the son of the owner of the mill where Mellie works. He is working under an assumed name at the mill so that he can get a feel for the conditions the employees are working under. Because he is an engineer, he is included on a project for a circular loom that makes seamless fabric for feed bags.

Even though Morgan is falling in love with Mellie, he still has to keep his identity protected but his guilt over not telling Mellie the whole truth is eating him inside out. When she does find out, it is in the most awkward way possible and Morgan has a long row to hoe to win her back.

Like I said before, the book has an abrupt ending. Throughout the book, I got the feeling that something was wrong with Mellie's sister, but there is no resolution there. There are several other girls who have some unresolved issues as well, and the reuniting of Mellie and Morgan isn't as satisfying as it could have been. It is almost as if the author got to the point where she had enough pages and just tied a bow on it. I am hoping that there will be more novels to come out to make this a series and fill in some of the gaps.

My thanks go to Bethany House and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read and review this book. Three stars

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a Judith Miller fan and love the Historical aspects of her novels. It is so interesting to read of times that our history books never mention in school. While reading this I can imagine how humid and full of lint particles the mills were. You can hear the coughs of the workers and how rushed they were to get to the boarding house to eat and rush back to work. These people had to have a lot of stamina and a desire to work. I can’t imagine how hard it was for Mellie after having a more genteel upbringing and because of choices by her brother in law was forced to provide for her family. I was fascinated to read about her scherenschnitte in a novel as I have made Christmas ornaments using this technique and it was impressive that Mellie could do silhouettes to supplement her income. I love the authors unique writing style and her subplots. This book shows that choices by others affect others, that lying even for a good reason has consequences, & that forgiveness is paramount in a relationship. My only complaint is that I felt like there were unanswered questions where Mellie’s sister was concerned that I wish I knew more about. Maybe a sequel is in the making. I enjoyed this book immensely especially the unique plot line.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why does there have to be a mean person in our everyday lives? Do some do it for attention? Olive in this story sure does it the wrong way. But she is ok after awhile
Some of us can't help our positions in life. There things that draw us into whatever life throws at us. Things that are out if our control and some things we can. Life is all about the choices we make and how we make them. Sometimes when others make a wrong choice it's up to us to help them bail out or bail ourselves out.
Love can also find us in the most unusal places or circumstances.
The one thing that bothers me is when people lie to get what they want or steal want they want.
Most often people get into messes they don't want to.
I did learn some things from reading this novel. This is why I love reading Historical fiction.
Sometimes these bools can teach you things that you won't learn in the classroom
I loved Mellie and Morgan. I loved reading through their ups and downs that life threw at them.
I guess that is where you learn to have Faith in the ones you love and trust God for the rest.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley all opinions are my own!!

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story, but I didn't like the characters. The story is about two people from different social classes falling in love and the mill they both work at. He is the mill owner's son, and she is a worker that came in disgrace to help her sister. Both characters try to help people but in different ways. There is a happy ending, but some things were left open.

[Gerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars

[Kathy KS · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

A nice romance set in a mill town in New Hampshire in 1850. Mellie has been brought up in what appears to be an upper middle class life and educated; circumstances beyond her control lead her to this town to work in the mill. She also begins a second job using her skills in paper cutting to create silhouettes for customers (a cheaper alternative to photographs).

Both Mellie and her new "friend" Morgan are likeable people. This is a traditional romance, but we don't get the early conflicts between a couple usually associated with the genre. There is a hiccup in the relationship later in the book, but these two nice people resolve the issue fairly quickly.

Readers learn some history, some sociology (class issues), and get to enjoy a feel-good story. This is marketed as Christian fiction, but is definitely not preachy, so the book should appeal to an even wider audience.

[BlueJeansAndTeacups · Rating 3 out of 5]

JUST OK – DID NOT ENJOY
Manchester, New Hampshire 1850
This book was not my cup of tea. I generally read a book in 1 or 2 days. I read this one over 5 days because I was not into it. The story is told in third person. It took 9 or 10 chapters before I could even begin to somewhat enjoy the story. I read A LOT of historical fiction and this author’s writing style feels unpolished to me in comparison. She uses the word bucolic often, so it stands out. Her antagonists do a 180 turn very quickly. Simply point out their flaws and WHAM they are new people, apologizing and ready to behave. That seemed unrealistic. We are told repeatedly how Mellie’s sister is doing worse and worse through her letters, yet in the end there is no resolution to that problem. That was disappointing to me. It’s a nice love story between the 2 main characters, centered around the hardships of a cotton mill factory and the mandatory boarding houses (with strict rules) that the workers must live in; sharing quarters (beds) with other workers. Sadly, I was actually glad when it was over and I had met my obligation to finish the book.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a digital edition. My opinion is my own and given freely.

[Miranda Atchley · Rating 4 out of 5]

With nods to North and South, Judith Miller’s A Perfect Silhouette is a sweet historical romance. Being a fan of Gaskell’s classic novel, I loved reading about a factory worker who falls in love with the mill owner. I liked both our hero, Morgan, and our heroine, Mellie, and enjoyed reading about their romance as it gently unfolded. Mellie’s riches-to-rags story and the secret of Morgan’s identity gave a deft nod to the Cinderella story, which I appreciated, while adding more depth to the plot and kept the reader guessing as to how things would unfold. A well rounded cast of supporting characters as well as a quaint New England setting provided a cozy backdrop for this endearing story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Fans of sweet, inspirational historical romance will love A Perfect Silhouette.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Emmanuelle Works · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, the good, the characters are all sweet, and the parts about working at the mills was well-researched, interesting and reasonably enlightening if you've never read anything about the Industrial Revolution. However, it felt like being "regaled" with a morality tale by a Sunday school teacher expecting an audience of middle schoolers.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed A Perfect Silhouette. I could not help to think about my grandparents while reading this. The conditions they had to endure to live and to even make a living to live. I loved Mellie in this book. I give her story four stars.

[E]

I remember seeing the shop on Main Street in Disneyland. The shop that had a lady cutting silhouettes for other tourists. I have always thought that it looked like such a fun thing to buy for a souvenir but also to learn to do myself. It looks like such a neat craft! And then, I saw a book about a silhouette cutter, so of course I had to read it! But there was so much more to this book than just silhouette cutting, so here you go. The five things I loved most about A Perfect Silhouette by Judith Miller.

The historical details. If you’ve read any other reviews I’ve done for other books, you know that I love history and get super excited when I find a book that has so many historical details. This book is packed with them. I read it in ebook form, but I’m pretty sure if I had a paperback copy, the cover would be bulging from the historical details it’s containing inside! Details about mills, looms, inventions, and
Scherenschnitte. You’re given a history lesson without even realizing it!
The sermons. There are sermons given in the book that are given in such a way that you don’t even realize it’s a sermon. Yet, you leave reflecting on what was said, and feeling convicted or encouraged. Lessons are given on forgiveness and pride, and trusting in God. Lessons that we should all hear and learn from.
The romance. The romance is sweet and fun and leaves you feeling happy and content.
The descriptions. Whether it’s descriptions about the cold weather, the humidity in the weaving room, or the smells of the tea shop, you can feel, taste, smell, see, and hear what is happening because the descriptions are so clear. And yet, the descriptions are not so overdone that you’re bogged down with them.
The Scherenschnitte. Yes, I had to mention this again. Because, you see, I think that it is a really cool word for a really cool art. And words that are that cool need to be mentioned as many times as possible.
So there you go, five reasons that made this book very enjoyable for me. I’m sure you can find even more reasons to love this book.

I would recommend this book for those who enjoy historical fiction and romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

1850, New Hampshire
The world of antebellum North looks very different from that of the South. It is the world of factories, industries, new technology, mechanics, and paid workers rather than slaves.

Mellie Blanchard has made a choice to become part of this world after a tragedy in her family forces her to give up her tutoring position and seek employment as a simple mill worker in Manchaster, NH. She is able to put her talent as a paper silhouette artist into a good use earning additional wages at a local photography shop.

And it is here she meets a nice young man who catches her attention and becomes her good friend. Morgan Stark, introduces himself to Millie as William Morgan. He has a reason to hide his true identity as the mill owner's son. Although an engineer by profession, Morgan has joined the humble ranks of mechanics because he wants to get the real and true picture of the working conditions in the mills and to help launch a new top-secret loom design.

Sooner or later, however, all this deception can lead only to more problems and heart ache.

I think, the strength of the story here lies in the history lessons weaved in throughout the length of the book. I feel adequately informed about the build of the looms and other mill equipment, also the working and living conditions of women workers. There is also mention of a couple of historical figures and their contribution to the US history.

But there are many things in this book that I felt dissatisfied with. For instance, the antagonists (Mellie's fellow boarder, Olive; also Mrs. Stark) who are portrayed as thoroughly mean or snobbish have a deep and complete about-face in a span of one sentence. This I found hard to comprehend or believe. In addition, there's enough religion included to consider the book a Christian novel, but the actions of the characters barely ever demonstrate their Christian values; too much deception, secrets, exclusion of God in decision making does not inspire faith.

Despite these and many other shortcomings in this book, I read it to the end, because it is in its own way charming and a clean read both in content and language; a simply told story and simple characters with a little depth to both.

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully constructed story of a lady raised in wealth whose family has a reversal in fortune. She leaves her home town to find work in the Stark Cotton Mills.

She is fortunate to get a position as a weaver working 12 hours a day and living in a local boarding house near the mill. The boarding houses are under the direction of the local mills whose owners give them rules and regulations for their workers to abide by. The rules are both rigid and fair. How can they be both, well some of the rules are fair while others are rigid and strict. The owners must keep records that are turned in weekly to the mill owners or their liaison. Any deviance from these can result in losing ones job.

Mellie finds that her work wage for the week is less than quoted her before she left home for the mill. Thus she looks for an additional source of revenue in cutting silhouettes for people. She sends most of her wages home to help support her sister and niece and nephew.

Morgan Crane is the son of William Crane, a mill owner. He goes to work as a mechanic in the mill hoping to discover ways to better working conditions for the employees. Instead he is added to the crew developing a new type of spinning wheel, one making circular bags without side seams. This new invention has yet to be given funding and must be kept secret from other owners and their own workers who may speak of its development out of turn.

The story develops as each peruses their own lives and aims but they do cross over. In this book you will see the hardships of working in the mills, the living conditions, poor pay, poverty and the difference in living standards between mill owner wealth and worker poverty.

It is wonderfully descriptive to the point you can feel the humidity, cough at flying lint and hear the loudness of the running looms. Hidden in all of this are personal conflicts, hidden agendas and motives as well as caring, compassion and finding joy in small events.

I look forward to reading another book by this author as this book held my attention from cover to cover.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Perfect Silhouette
By Judith Miller
Have you read or watched North and South? As I read about the cotton mills and owners verses the workers, I could not help but relate and compare stories. I will say as many similarities as there may seem to be this story was different and quite enjoyable.
Mellies life circumstances have changed and rather then feel stuck in the past she dutifully joins the working class to provide for herself and sisters family. Her soft hands and leisure life did not prepare her for the long hard days of the weaver’s room where she now works. Mellie is positive and has put Gods Word in her heart and lives it. Although things started off difficult the relationships, she makes with her fellow workers encourages and changes her. As Mellie adjusts to her changing life, she discovers she can use a skill from her past to make some added income. While working Mellie attracts the attention of a fellow mill worker. Soon Mellie finds herself walking home with Morgan Stark and forging a friendship. Relationships are never simple however and there is more to both Mellie and Morgan’s life that could change everything. Mellie and Morgan learn that God uses regular people to carry out his will. If we are only willing to step forward and live out Gods Word.
I really enjoyed this book and found it easy to devour on my recent vacation. Family vacations are not always relaxing but being able to open a good book and be swept away in someone else’s stories made my trip a bit less crazy.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion which I’ve shared here. For more book reviews check out: https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com

[Kristen Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Perfect Silhouette by Judith Miller tells the story of Mellie Blanchard as she begins a new life in Manchester, New Hampshire working in a cloth mill. Her family has fallen upon hard times and she must send money back to her widowed sister and her children. The work is long and difficult, but she’s determined to do right by her sister and provide for her as best she can. To make a few extra cents, she also starts working at a local photography shop making sillhouettes. And it’s there that a chance meeting will change her world.

Morgan Stark is the only heir of the Stark Mills fortune. But he will not be content to simply sit behind a desk. He wants to investigate what changes could be made to the mill to improve production and conditions for all the workers. The best way he can do that is by not coming in as the bosses son, but undercover as a regular mill worker named William Morgan. When he meets a sweet young woman in a photography shop who does the most beautiful sillhouettes, he can’t help but lose his heart. But what will she think of him when he reveals his true?

I enjoyed this book. The characters are sweet and the plot uncomplicated so it’s the perfect read for a lazy afternoon where you simply want a good story to fill your time. I enjoyed the twin sisters at the boardinghouse immensely, and Mr. Harrison was a delight. Things came a little too easily for Mellie, and she didn’t have to work through much conflict, but it was an enjoyable story nonetheless.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions are my own.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of really interesting historical elements in this story. The lives of the workers in the mills, their strict schedules, and their lives at the boardinghouses was shaped and detailed so well it was like stepping into a different life. Mellie's talent with paper cutting added another layer of interest to the story. Additionally, Morgan's plotline with the interworking of designing new machinery, secrets, patents, and mill operations made for another angle of development. There was also an exploration of the differences of the classes at the time and the ignorance of the upper classes to how the lower classes lived. All of these layers made for a story that was able to hold my interest throughout. The drama between the girls, secrets, and romance was well done, keeping you drawn into the story. Everything seemed to come together rather easily at the end. The resolutions to the issues seemed rather simple, and the characters' turn arounds were fairly easily accomplished. I didn't feel as much push back or struggle through the problems in the tale. There were hardships, but the resolution seemed to follow along fairly quickly. Also, at the end I wish we would have learned more about what was going on with Mellie's sister. Her sister is a big part of the story, and we are left with knowledge that her sister has withdrawn in her letters and maybe isn't doing so well. However, we never get to see what happens when Mellie visits at Christmas. The characters just get engaged and the story ends. There are plot points that still need to be resolved. The storyline with the sister needed resolution. Otherwise, I enjoyed this story with unique historical elements.

[Vibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars) - a cotton mill cinderella story

Those familiar with Elizabeth Gaskell's description of England's developing cotton industry in "North and South" will find this book particularly interesting. In this book, we get to see some of the similarities and differences of the industry as compared to America. And we get to see it from the perspective of characters who are working there.

It's a little surprising to see how the workers lived then. Their lives were essentially owned & controlled by the company even on their time off to an extent. So patronizing.

Like "North and South", this story also has a swoony romance, though our hero and heroine are not conflicted towards each other, nor are they as class conscious as Gaskell's characters. However, they do each have some secrets to deal with.

I loved the idea of the heroine's being gifted at paper cutting. I have seen some of it done by a master & it's truly amazing, as well as beautiful.

I was bothered just a bit by how quickly, easily & patly their problems were solved. It's not that I want "real life" where mean girls stay mean & interfering mothers alienate their son & his intended, etc, but at times it made the story a little too much fairytale & a little less believable that things were resolved with relatively little resistance or complication.

Then again, sometimes that's exactly what we want in our escapist fare.

The happily-ever-after was quite sweet. I actually read it twice, lol.


Clean romance level: sweet kisses
Religion: overtly Christian, some will find it preachy

[Sherri Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story that I would qualify as a very sweet, wholesome story. It reminded me of the essence of Grace Livingston Hill books in which everyone is just good. There are characters who aren’t so perfect, but once Mellie shows them where they have gone wrong, they are quick to find their true path.

Mellie has moved to town to become a mill girl for one of three mills in this town. She finds herself in a boarding house sharing the attic room with several girls. One of the girls on the first day discovered Mellie’s secrets in her journal and threatened to tell all, unless Mellie met her demands.

For me, the book was just too sweet. I used to read Grace Livingston books religiously, owning quite a few from her collection. There were some books I have held on to over the years, but they all held the same wholesome theme. I enjoyed learning about the silhouette’s, although the way she would describe them to Morgan and anyone else, it just felt like it was a bit of prissyness. So while the story and plot overall was good, there just wasn’t enough to keep me interested. The story just seemed too pat. Easily solved and finished.

Would I read this book again? Probably not. I know many will love it, but I just felt it lacked some depth of character and issues. I do appreciate the end of the story, but just felt like it ended just a bit too soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Karen Palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judith Miller's newest novel, A Perfect Silhouette, reflects her love of history. In this book, Miller explores what life would have been like in a mill town. Mellie is seeking a job to help support her widowed sister and her family, while.s also running from disgrace. Coming from a privileged background, Mellie finds that she needs to adjust to an entirely different way of life, in addition to learning the skills necessary to succeed at the mills.

Morgan Stark, on the other hand, is hoping to prove his worth and the value of his education to his father, who owns three of the mills in town. In order to do so, he disguises himself as an employee. Despite his father's wealth and his own true identity, Morgan finds himself attracted to Mellie, and the two soon find themselves in a relationship.

The title of the story comes from the side job that Mellie takes on to help earn more money for her sister--she cuts silhouettes of people in the town's photography studio.

Throughout the book, Mellie and Morgan must learn to trust one another and to trust God, in addition to gaining the strength to stand up for what is right. I really enjoyed the storyline here, though I didn't quite buy the reasoning behind Mellie working in the mills. As a woman from a privileged family whose only prior job had been as a governess, it seems unlikely to me that she would travel so far from home to get a notoriously dangerous and difficult job.  Nevertheless, the story was an interesting peek into history. I highly enjoyed it.

[Aurelia Mast-glick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mellie has gone to work in a textile mill in order that she might make some money to help support her sister and niece and nephew. In order to make some extra income, she works in the evenings cutting silhouettes for people using a practice called Scherenschnitte. While there, she meets Morgan and I don't need to say anything else there.

I was fascinated by this paper cutting technique. I cannot draw anything and so the idea of cutting true-to-life images of people using scissors is just amazing to me. I would like to watch this and see how it is done.

As far as the story, it was a fun read, interesting to see how all the events would unfold. It seemed a bit hurried toward the end, where the one character makes a complete turn around in their personality and character and ideas all within a 24 hour period. That seemed a little unrealistic to me, but it made the story interesting anyway.

I was also appalled at the hours these ladies were forced to work in the mills and the rather strict rules they needed to observe at their boardinghouses as well. It seemed a bit slave-like. I am assuming the story was based on real-life practices from that era, though I didn't research it myself and there was no note from the author either.

All-in-all I enjoyed the story and would read more books by Judith Miller.

I received this book from Bethany House via NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review.

[Robin Willson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Christian Historical Romance. Mellie is from a well to do family whose reputation and finances suffered thanks to her brother in law. So that she could make more money, she gave up her job as a tutor to work in the mills to help support her sister and her family. While in school, she had learned a talent for Scherenschnitte, paper silhouette cutting. Since additional income was needed, she found a shop in town where she earned extra money doing Scherenschnitte.
Morgan is the mill owners son. Returning home from being away at school, he wants to learn ways to improve the mills and put his engineering degree to work. To be more efficient, he went to work there under an assumed name. This is an intricate story involving likable characters, and you'll find yourself rooting for them. Lessons of forgiveness and God's love throughout the story. As is typical for Judith Miller, this is well researched and she brings to life what it must have been like to work in the mills at that time. It was an important business for our country, but working conditions were terrible. Such a good story I didn't want it to end. I'm hoping for a sequel!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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