What do you think?
Rate this book
In All Good Faith
“A well-researched and deftly written historical fiction novel…Highly recommended."-Booklist (starred review) A riveting new historical fiction novel, In All Good Faith continues the story of May Marshall, the captivating protagonist introduced in Taylor’s acclaimed 2020 debut, Etiquette for Runaways. In the summer of 1932, Americans are coming to realize that the financial crash of 1929 was only the beginning of hard times. May Marshall has returned from Paris to settle at her family home in rural Keswick, Virginia. She struggles to keep her family farm and market afloat through the economic downturn. May finds herself juggling her marriage with a tempting opportunity to revamp the family business to adapt to changing times. In a cold-water West End Boston tenement the fractured Sykes family scrapes by on an itinerant mechanic's wages and home sewing. Having recently lost her mother, sixteen-year-old Dorrit Sykes questions the religious doctrine she was raised in. Dorrit is reclusive, held back by the anxiety attacks that have plagued her since childhood. Attempting to understand what limits her, she seeks inspiration in Nancy Drew mysteries and finds solace at the Boston Public Library, writing fairy stories for children. The library holds answers to both Dorrit's exploration of faith and her quest to understand and manage her anxiety. When Dorrit accompanies her father to Washington, DC, in the summer of 1932 to camp out and march with twenty thousand veterans intending to petition President Hoover for early payment of war bonuses, she begins an odyssey that will both traumatize and strengthen her. Along the way she redefines her faith, learning both self-sufficiency and how to accept help. Dorrit and May's lives intersect, and their fates will intertwine in ways that neither could have imagined or expected. Set against a backdrop of true historical events, In All Good Faith tells a story of two women's unlikely success during the Great Depression.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2021
74 people are currently reading
2791 people want to read
About the author
Liza Nash Taylor
2 books96 followersThe farmhouse where Liza Nash Taylor lives in Keswick, Virginia, with her family and dogs was built in 1825, and it is a setting for both of her historical novels. She writes in the old bunkhouse, with the occasional black snake and a view of the Southwest Mountains. In 2018, Liza completed the MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Art and was named a Hawthornden International Fellow. She was the 2016 winner of the San Miguel Writers Conference Fiction Prize. Her short stories have appeared in Microchondria II, (an anthology by the Harvard Bookstore), Gargoyle Magazine, and others.
ETIQUETTE FOR RUNAWAYS was her first novel. Her second, a stand-alone sequel, IN ALL GOOD FAITH, was published on August 10, 2021, also from Blackstone Publishing.
ETIQUETTE FOR RUNAWAYS was her first novel. Her second, a stand-alone sequel, IN ALL GOOD FAITH, was published on August 10, 2021, also from Blackstone Publishing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
February 15, 2021
3.5 stars
This story alternates between two characters. May’s story is more of a family story. I wanted her character to stand out more. Dorrit goes through self-discovery, and usually I like those characters, but I wasn’t fully grasped by her character.
I got interested in this story because of the time period – the Great Depression. May’s family business since 1849 doesn’t bring any profits. They hardly break even. People who are their customers fall deeper into debt on their credit. Thus, the business can hardly operate.
And there are those wandering the paths in search of a job, which is hard to find. But hopefully a good-hearted person will still feed them even if they can’t offer a job. To let another traveler know where those good-hearted people are they use signs. And it is interesting to see those different signs (illustration provided) and what they mean.
Dorrit’s march to DC relates events happening in DC and what people are fighting for at the time.
The story gives a good depiction of the time period. However, I struggled to stay engaged with either heroine. I don’t know if it’s a personal thing or others feel it as well, but whenever I struggle to stay engaged with a character, the pace seems slow to me. I prefer stories moving a bit faster with a very strong female character.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story alternates between two characters. May’s story is more of a family story. I wanted her character to stand out more. Dorrit goes through self-discovery, and usually I like those characters, but I wasn’t fully grasped by her character.
I got interested in this story because of the time period – the Great Depression. May’s family business since 1849 doesn’t bring any profits. They hardly break even. People who are their customers fall deeper into debt on their credit. Thus, the business can hardly operate.
And there are those wandering the paths in search of a job, which is hard to find. But hopefully a good-hearted person will still feed them even if they can’t offer a job. To let another traveler know where those good-hearted people are they use signs. And it is interesting to see those different signs (illustration provided) and what they mean.
Dorrit’s march to DC relates events happening in DC and what people are fighting for at the time.
The story gives a good depiction of the time period. However, I struggled to stay engaged with either heroine. I don’t know if it’s a personal thing or others feel it as well, but whenever I struggle to stay engaged with a character, the pace seems slow to me. I prefer stories moving a bit faster with a very strong female character.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2021
May Marshall returns home to Keswick Virginia, with her new husband Byrd Craig and she’s traveled all the way to France and to end up marrying the boy she lived next door to as a ten year old girl. America is going through tough economic times, and May’s struggling to keep her father’s Keswick farm and business afloat. They grew fruit and vegetables, once they made and sold jams and bottled produce. May has two young children, with the help of Delphina her father’s maid, she juggles looking after her disabled father, caring for her children and she has a new idea to adapt her fathers failing business. Using the produce they grow on the farm, some of her father’s equipment and help from an employee Blue. She has a plan to make, and sell homemade candy and chocolates. Her husband Byrd works in Washington, he’s not keen on his wife’s idea, and May doesn’t listen to him.
The Syke's family live in Boston in a rundown tenement building, Roy resides with his son Walt, daughter Dorrit and his wife Augusta passed away four months ago. The Syke's follow the Christian Science Beliefs, and they don’t believe in medical treatment and sixteen year old Dorrit has never seen a doctor. Dorrit’s has a beautiful soul, she’s wonderful with young children, and she sews beautifully and loves to read Nancy Drew stories. Dorrit suffers from anxiety, she’s rather quiet, shy and spends her free time at the library.
Roy wants to travel to Washington DC, during the summer of 1932 to camp and march with over 20,000 war veterans who want president Hoover to pay their war bonuses early. He takes Dorrit with him, the plan's to go for ten days, and during the chaos Dorrit and her father are separated. Dorrit’s alone for the first time in her life, like many people at the time she starts traveling the rails, she has to have her wits about her and she has with her father’s tool box. Dorrit finds herself in Keswick Virginia, she’s sick, a kind May helps her and tries to find out what happened to her father. May can see what a wonderful person Dorrit is, together they make a winning team, and both have dreams and aspirations.
All In Good Faith is set during the American Depression, the story is about hope, kindness, compassion, helping others, finding joy in life and during the difficult times. An inspirational story, it's well written, uplifting and five big stars from me. Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss and Liza Nash Taylor for my copy and I highly recommend reading the book. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
The Syke's family live in Boston in a rundown tenement building, Roy resides with his son Walt, daughter Dorrit and his wife Augusta passed away four months ago. The Syke's follow the Christian Science Beliefs, and they don’t believe in medical treatment and sixteen year old Dorrit has never seen a doctor. Dorrit’s has a beautiful soul, she’s wonderful with young children, and she sews beautifully and loves to read Nancy Drew stories. Dorrit suffers from anxiety, she’s rather quiet, shy and spends her free time at the library.
Roy wants to travel to Washington DC, during the summer of 1932 to camp and march with over 20,000 war veterans who want president Hoover to pay their war bonuses early. He takes Dorrit with him, the plan's to go for ten days, and during the chaos Dorrit and her father are separated. Dorrit’s alone for the first time in her life, like many people at the time she starts traveling the rails, she has to have her wits about her and she has with her father’s tool box. Dorrit finds herself in Keswick Virginia, she’s sick, a kind May helps her and tries to find out what happened to her father. May can see what a wonderful person Dorrit is, together they make a winning team, and both have dreams and aspirations.
All In Good Faith is set during the American Depression, the story is about hope, kindness, compassion, helping others, finding joy in life and during the difficult times. An inspirational story, it's well written, uplifting and five big stars from me. Thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss and Liza Nash Taylor for my copy and I highly recommend reading the book. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
July 31, 2021
May has an idea for a candy bar that fuels your body for an entire day. Dorrit (named after the Dickens book) travels to Washington DC to protest for veterans. What year is it? It is 1932 and this book gives us a glimpse into the lives of two very different people during the Depressions. May is a Virginia wife and mother who is torn between keeping her family business alive and supporting the wishes of her husband. May's family was in the fruit and vegetable canning business. When the farms can't provide the crops, she turns to candy to make profits -- dreaming of a candy bar that will rival the Salted Nut Roll. Meanwhile, Dorrit's family is in Boston and mourning the loss of her mother. They are devotees to the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, but their loyalty wanes. When it looks like Congress is ready to vote on compensating veterans from the Great War, Dorrit and her dad Roy travel to Washington for the big event. They stay in a Hooverville there and as Dorrit's anxiety rises she channels her inner Nancy Drew as the books are a bright spot in her life. As you may imagine these women will cross paths. What I really liked about these characters was their authenticity. They make mistakes. Their circumstances are difficult and relationships are messy. Still they dust themselves off and try again. If you are looking for a unique perspective on WW II and female characters who are resilient and resourceful, this is the book for you.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2021
IN ALL GOOD FAITH
BY LIZA NASH TAYLOR
I absolutely loved this remarkable and beautifully written novel of historical fiction that after I read it for the first time I re-read it again! Perhaps this novel had so much to offer all at once. I had so enjoyed and was charmed by all of the character's even the secondary ones that I couldn't let them go. I loved learning so much of the rich historical events that happened during the early 1930's. When I got to the Author's Note at the end and I read that she had drawn inspiration from William Kennedy's great novel "Ironweed," that was a Pulitzer Prize Winner, I knew why this one had such an authentic feel. Yet, this novel depicts an uplifting cast of lovable character's told in two very different parallel narratives in age, both May Craig and Dorrit Sykes. May is a cheerful and kind mother of two very adorable young children and wife to lawyer Byrd Craig. Dorrit Sykes is a seventeen year old Dickensian girl who is wise beyond her years. Dorrit is named after Amy in "Little Dorrit." Her last name Sykes was also a nod to Charles Dickens in "Oliver Twist."
Dorrit Marie Sykes has just lost her mother tragically because her mom was a devout believer in praying instead of seeking help from a doctor or going to the hospital. She tragically dies from refusing medical care in an apartment in Boston. Dorrit, who is an avid reader discovers for herself that her mother's life could have been saved had she sought medical attention. She also learns to overcome her own fears which she called, "the fidgets," by reading the same medical book. Dorrit suffered from anxiety but she challenged herself to overcome it by raising her hand in school and sitting in the church her family attended or going to the movie theater. Dorrit, is brave and she immediately sets out to help her father earn money by using the sewing skills that her mother taught her. Her father, Roy works at the New England Confectionery Company fixing machines. This brought back fond memories for me as I remembered the Necco Wafers candy that I ate when I was a child. The descriptions of the Boston Public Library were spot on as well. Dorrit and her father and brother are poor but industrious. Dorrit wonders to herself just what kind of God takes a loved one for praying instead of going to the doctor. She is a hard worker and doesn't expect handouts but she will be tested for her survival skills when during the Bonus march in Washington DC her father leaves her penniless and to fend for herself when he gets arrested for throwing a rock at policemen.
The Bonus March was an event that I knew little about but found it fascinating. Thousands of Veterans from the First World War marched at the Capitol with expectations of receiving their pay for serving their Country. They expected one dollar per day serving their Country at home and one dollar and twenty-five cents from serving abroad per day. The Veteran's thought since the United States had fallen in rough financial times that President Hoover would pay them their bonuses early. Dorrit and her father travel by foot and get picked up by two nice Veteran's named Bert and Dynamite. She is left to travel hopping trains with them and their plan is to ride the rails hopping on an extra box car while trying to work in Georgia on a Peach farm earning wages. Things don't go according to plan and she gets separated from them in a skirmish when a man tries to take her father's toolbox from her.
May Craig lives in Keswick, Virginia on a farm and has just visited the bank with her father, Henry. They both went to try and obtain a loan for a candy business that May wants to start. Her husband. Byrd is a lawyer who travels to Washington, DC by train. Byrd, works for the Federal Trade Commission instead of his private practice dealing with foreclosures and bankruptcies. May and Byrd grew up next door to each other on adjoining farms before they were married. A tragedy happens and Byrd's family estate almost goes into foreclosure and almost gets sold by the same bank that wouldn't lend to May and her father. The community rallies together and basically bid cents for a 529 acre farm with a Brick house and several buildings. The good people from the area hand Byrd back his childhood home, land and farming equipment.
While Byrd is at work during the week May visits her wealthy best friend Elsie who hands May a check that is from her trust fund. Elsie wants May to use the money to turn her farmer's market into a candy manufacturing business. The descriptions of the candy that May and her partner Blue made sounded so delicious that it actually made me hungry. May wants to develop and invent a candy bar that nourishes a person for the better part of the day. She and Blue come up with their own recipes but she has not told Byrd because he thinks it could be too risky. May uses cherries, raisins, pecans, cocoa, eggs, butter and many more ingredients. She buys locally to support local farmers and takes the train to Richmond's biggest department store dropping off mouth watering samples in boxes tied in blue ribbons. She makes trips to drop samples off at fancy hotels and the fancy department stores and she has success with them ordering more.
This novel really is about adapting to create triumph over adversity. I really enjoyed the escape this historical novel gave me. It was fun and enchanting reading about both Dorrit and May's perseverance during a difficult time period for both of them and learning so much more historical details. It was very rewarding reading about wholesome and creative people finding ways to survive and overcome their obstacles. I highly, highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical fiction. This was a welcome respite for me to be entertained while being informed about details that were happening both to these two similar strong female protagonist's and others and how to adapt during
a very difficult time period. The plotting and characterizations were truly brilliant and stunning. I will be sharing this wonderful novel with friend's and family and am going to read this author's first novel.
Publication Date: August 10, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Liza Taylor Nash and Blackstone Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#InAllGoodFaith #LizaNashTaylor #BlackstonePublishing #NetGalley
BY LIZA NASH TAYLOR
I absolutely loved this remarkable and beautifully written novel of historical fiction that after I read it for the first time I re-read it again! Perhaps this novel had so much to offer all at once. I had so enjoyed and was charmed by all of the character's even the secondary ones that I couldn't let them go. I loved learning so much of the rich historical events that happened during the early 1930's. When I got to the Author's Note at the end and I read that she had drawn inspiration from William Kennedy's great novel "Ironweed," that was a Pulitzer Prize Winner, I knew why this one had such an authentic feel. Yet, this novel depicts an uplifting cast of lovable character's told in two very different parallel narratives in age, both May Craig and Dorrit Sykes. May is a cheerful and kind mother of two very adorable young children and wife to lawyer Byrd Craig. Dorrit Sykes is a seventeen year old Dickensian girl who is wise beyond her years. Dorrit is named after Amy in "Little Dorrit." Her last name Sykes was also a nod to Charles Dickens in "Oliver Twist."
Dorrit Marie Sykes has just lost her mother tragically because her mom was a devout believer in praying instead of seeking help from a doctor or going to the hospital. She tragically dies from refusing medical care in an apartment in Boston. Dorrit, who is an avid reader discovers for herself that her mother's life could have been saved had she sought medical attention. She also learns to overcome her own fears which she called, "the fidgets," by reading the same medical book. Dorrit suffered from anxiety but she challenged herself to overcome it by raising her hand in school and sitting in the church her family attended or going to the movie theater. Dorrit, is brave and she immediately sets out to help her father earn money by using the sewing skills that her mother taught her. Her father, Roy works at the New England Confectionery Company fixing machines. This brought back fond memories for me as I remembered the Necco Wafers candy that I ate when I was a child. The descriptions of the Boston Public Library were spot on as well. Dorrit and her father and brother are poor but industrious. Dorrit wonders to herself just what kind of God takes a loved one for praying instead of going to the doctor. She is a hard worker and doesn't expect handouts but she will be tested for her survival skills when during the Bonus march in Washington DC her father leaves her penniless and to fend for herself when he gets arrested for throwing a rock at policemen.
The Bonus March was an event that I knew little about but found it fascinating. Thousands of Veterans from the First World War marched at the Capitol with expectations of receiving their pay for serving their Country. They expected one dollar per day serving their Country at home and one dollar and twenty-five cents from serving abroad per day. The Veteran's thought since the United States had fallen in rough financial times that President Hoover would pay them their bonuses early. Dorrit and her father travel by foot and get picked up by two nice Veteran's named Bert and Dynamite. She is left to travel hopping trains with them and their plan is to ride the rails hopping on an extra box car while trying to work in Georgia on a Peach farm earning wages. Things don't go according to plan and she gets separated from them in a skirmish when a man tries to take her father's toolbox from her.
May Craig lives in Keswick, Virginia on a farm and has just visited the bank with her father, Henry. They both went to try and obtain a loan for a candy business that May wants to start. Her husband. Byrd is a lawyer who travels to Washington, DC by train. Byrd, works for the Federal Trade Commission instead of his private practice dealing with foreclosures and bankruptcies. May and Byrd grew up next door to each other on adjoining farms before they were married. A tragedy happens and Byrd's family estate almost goes into foreclosure and almost gets sold by the same bank that wouldn't lend to May and her father. The community rallies together and basically bid cents for a 529 acre farm with a Brick house and several buildings. The good people from the area hand Byrd back his childhood home, land and farming equipment.
While Byrd is at work during the week May visits her wealthy best friend Elsie who hands May a check that is from her trust fund. Elsie wants May to use the money to turn her farmer's market into a candy manufacturing business. The descriptions of the candy that May and her partner Blue made sounded so delicious that it actually made me hungry. May wants to develop and invent a candy bar that nourishes a person for the better part of the day. She and Blue come up with their own recipes but she has not told Byrd because he thinks it could be too risky. May uses cherries, raisins, pecans, cocoa, eggs, butter and many more ingredients. She buys locally to support local farmers and takes the train to Richmond's biggest department store dropping off mouth watering samples in boxes tied in blue ribbons. She makes trips to drop samples off at fancy hotels and the fancy department stores and she has success with them ordering more.
This novel really is about adapting to create triumph over adversity. I really enjoyed the escape this historical novel gave me. It was fun and enchanting reading about both Dorrit and May's perseverance during a difficult time period for both of them and learning so much more historical details. It was very rewarding reading about wholesome and creative people finding ways to survive and overcome their obstacles. I highly, highly recommend this novel to lovers of historical fiction. This was a welcome respite for me to be entertained while being informed about details that were happening both to these two similar strong female protagonist's and others and how to adapt during
a very difficult time period. The plotting and characterizations were truly brilliant and stunning. I will be sharing this wonderful novel with friend's and family and am going to read this author's first novel.
Publication Date: August 10, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Liza Taylor Nash and Blackstone Publishing for generously providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#InAllGoodFaith #LizaNashTaylor #BlackstonePublishing #NetGalley
April 11, 2021
In All Good Faith takes a poignant and heartwarming look at the Great Depression through the eyes of two women fighting for survival. Written with a delicacy that gives the reader a realistic glimpse of the hardships, it is also told with such beauty and soul that one can't help but like it immensely. A story of friendship, struggle, family, and love, with a sweeping and vital historical backdrop, this book will have the reader eagerly awaiting the next story from Taylor.
July 12, 2021
Do not attempt to read this without a selection of candy in front of you!
I think I love learning while reading historical fiction novels as much as this author loves researching for her historical fiction novels!
This stand alone sequel follows ‘Etiquette For Runaways’ and continues May’s story.
May Marshall returns to rural Virginia and struggles during the Depression to keep the family farm and market running. It’s been three years since the financial crisis of 1929 and the hard times are still evident. Juggling a marriage with a husband who works far from home and a family business means adapting to change. Can May handle it?
Dorrit Sykes, 16, fascinated with Nancy Drew Books at the Boston Public Library, searches for ways to control her anxiety after the needless death of her mother and a traumatic experience where she has to rely on her intuition. When she accompanies her father on the Veterans’ Bonus March to Washington, DC in the summer of 1932, she finds the answers to dealing with her anxiety and strengthening her faith. The answers come at a cost.
Dorrit and May’s lives intersect and showcase the two women’s resourcefulness, resilience and unlikely success during the Great Depression.
After Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Four Winds’, I didn’t think I’d ever want to read another book about the Depression again. Taylor has changed my mind. I loved the dual narrative and learned equally from both timelines. I was reminded about (1) the resourcefulness of individuals who had a strong desire to succeed and (2) how times of diversity challenge our faith and have the potential to strengthen it if we’ll allow. Taylor was able to seamlessly stitch together the parallel timelines and entice me into the plot with her vivid descriptions and loveable characters. It’s amazing that two historical fiction novels which cover the same time in history can both intrigue and educate me. I added to my knowledge of Hooverville and the Depression with this compelling and authentic tale.
I was more endeared to Doritt’s story, but will go back and read the first in the series to help me better appreciate May and her story. Regardless, I think we could all learn from these two strong female protagonists about what it takes to overcome unprecedented circumstances with love and hope.
Publishes August 10, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Liza Nash Taylor, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I think I love learning while reading historical fiction novels as much as this author loves researching for her historical fiction novels!
This stand alone sequel follows ‘Etiquette For Runaways’ and continues May’s story.
May Marshall returns to rural Virginia and struggles during the Depression to keep the family farm and market running. It’s been three years since the financial crisis of 1929 and the hard times are still evident. Juggling a marriage with a husband who works far from home and a family business means adapting to change. Can May handle it?
Dorrit Sykes, 16, fascinated with Nancy Drew Books at the Boston Public Library, searches for ways to control her anxiety after the needless death of her mother and a traumatic experience where she has to rely on her intuition. When she accompanies her father on the Veterans’ Bonus March to Washington, DC in the summer of 1932, she finds the answers to dealing with her anxiety and strengthening her faith. The answers come at a cost.
Dorrit and May’s lives intersect and showcase the two women’s resourcefulness, resilience and unlikely success during the Great Depression.
After Kristin Hannah’s ‘The Four Winds’, I didn’t think I’d ever want to read another book about the Depression again. Taylor has changed my mind. I loved the dual narrative and learned equally from both timelines. I was reminded about (1) the resourcefulness of individuals who had a strong desire to succeed and (2) how times of diversity challenge our faith and have the potential to strengthen it if we’ll allow. Taylor was able to seamlessly stitch together the parallel timelines and entice me into the plot with her vivid descriptions and loveable characters. It’s amazing that two historical fiction novels which cover the same time in history can both intrigue and educate me. I added to my knowledge of Hooverville and the Depression with this compelling and authentic tale.
I was more endeared to Doritt’s story, but will go back and read the first in the series to help me better appreciate May and her story. Regardless, I think we could all learn from these two strong female protagonists about what it takes to overcome unprecedented circumstances with love and hope.
Publishes August 10, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Liza Nash Taylor, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 12, 2021
In All Good Faith by Liza Nash Taylor is a great historical fiction novel that takes place during the depression era in the US.
I really enjoyed being taken back to the Depression era, not because of the down and out time, but because there seemed to be a wind of change that occurred at this pivotal time period. The excess of the 20s has abruptly ended, it is that lull of time that was present before the US was involved with WWII, and society was breaming with unrest and change.
I really enjoyed the narrative, the descriptive language of the story, yet the author was able to not weight down the storyline and pace with too much, and the result was a nice balance between the two. With the inclusion of details, historic events, and fictional additions, the book was a nice addition to this genre of HF.
The author also had a nice balance alternating the story between the two main characters: Dorrit and May. The interweaving of their respective stories, and how they were able to be separate yet intersect, was enjoyable and impressive. This story added a unique perspective to this genre that helps it stand out from its peers. I enjoyed each of their stories and the progression leading to the finish.
I won't divulge anything more as to help avoid spoiling the book for future readers, but that it was an enjoyable and addictive story of the Depression-era involving a dual narrative with strong, complex female characters that kept me interested throughout.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Blackstone Publishing for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
I really enjoyed being taken back to the Depression era, not because of the down and out time, but because there seemed to be a wind of change that occurred at this pivotal time period. The excess of the 20s has abruptly ended, it is that lull of time that was present before the US was involved with WWII, and society was breaming with unrest and change.
I really enjoyed the narrative, the descriptive language of the story, yet the author was able to not weight down the storyline and pace with too much, and the result was a nice balance between the two. With the inclusion of details, historic events, and fictional additions, the book was a nice addition to this genre of HF.
The author also had a nice balance alternating the story between the two main characters: Dorrit and May. The interweaving of their respective stories, and how they were able to be separate yet intersect, was enjoyable and impressive. This story added a unique perspective to this genre that helps it stand out from its peers. I enjoyed each of their stories and the progression leading to the finish.
I won't divulge anything more as to help avoid spoiling the book for future readers, but that it was an enjoyable and addictive story of the Depression-era involving a dual narrative with strong, complex female characters that kept me interested throughout.
5/5 stars
Thank you EW and Blackstone Publishing for this arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.
August 14, 2021
Set during the Great Depression of the early 30’s, this story of resilience and survival was both heart wrenching and heart breaking. In a delicate and masterful intertwining story of two women, May and Dorrit’s lives were changed despite the country’s unimaginable financial crisis and hardship.
Historical fiction readers will enjoy reading about the not so well known Bonus March in Washington, DC, where over twenty thousand veterans marched to petition President Hoover for early payment of war bonuses. But more than that, at the heart of this deftly written story is about friendship, strength, and hope in this uplifting story.
Enjoyed this one!
Historical fiction readers will enjoy reading about the not so well known Bonus March in Washington, DC, where over twenty thousand veterans marched to petition President Hoover for early payment of war bonuses. But more than that, at the heart of this deftly written story is about friendship, strength, and hope in this uplifting story.
Enjoyed this one!
September 9, 2021
Brilliant, evocative, and entertaining.
Loved reconnecting with May.
I’ll read anything Ms. Taylor writes.
Loved reconnecting with May.
I’ll read anything Ms. Taylor writes.
September 2, 2022
This is set during the depression. Dorrit and her Father are struggling to make ends meet. He is an inventor, and she is a seamstress. They decide to join the march with all the veterans in DC, hoping to get a federal stipend. Once there, they are surviving with all the other unfortunate soldiers who are turned away.
May is a business woman who makes candy. Her husband feels that he should be able to support his family on his income alone.
The two women become friends. This is a heartwarming tale of overcoming through difficulty, and helping each other.
May is a business woman who makes candy. Her husband feels that he should be able to support his family on his income alone.
The two women become friends. This is a heartwarming tale of overcoming through difficulty, and helping each other.
June 11, 2024
Having had my fill of WW2-set novels, I'm now exploring ones about The Great Depression, a tragic event of another kind . With millions out of work and the Dust Bowl raging in the Great Plains , many people had to deal w/losses of finance and pride; going from having a comfortable lifestyle to queue úp for a bowl of soup or sell apples on street corners. The people in this book don't find themselves in those exact situations but they still deal w/the changes resulting from those desperate times. ..
The main characters are May Craig( whose backstory is depicted in "Etiquette For Runaways")a middle class young wife and mother in Virginia who has an interesting (this book is in fact a sequel of sorts) and working-class Bostonian teenager Dorrit Sykes. After Dorrit's mother passes away from complications of an ectopic miscarriage after refusing to go to the hospital due to her being a devout Christian Scientist ;Dorrit,who suffers from "The Jitters" which only become worse after her mother's death; starts to question the Church's dogma about praying away pain and illness. She learns from a library book about her problem & that it has a medical term: Anxiety. So she decides to try & cure herself of it. After her dad loses his job and her brother runs off to join the merchant Marines , he makes the decision to head to Washington DC to try and persuade congress to give him and other veterans of the Great War(now known as WW1) their pensions early as they so desperately need them. Dorrit -partly due to the fact that she wants an adventure much like her fictional idol Nancy Drew to help her overcome her anxiety -travels w/him. What happens next is a series of Dickensian -style events for Dorrit ( not surprising since she's named after two characters from from the author's novels..) in which she ends up homeless and riding the rails, much like the so-called "Hobos" of the era..
After contracting Typhoid from a dog bite, a boy her age who she ends up traveling with brings her to the Craig's front porch. The family takes her to the hospital and while Dorrit is recovering, May gets to know the quietly resilient girl and sees a bit of her younger self in her. May is trying to start up a business making candy, especially a candy bar that fills one up for most the day. Her husband,Byrd, disapproves of her working(this IS 1932) but May still goes ahead w/her plans, especially since times are so difficult. Once Dorrit gets better,she helps w/the couple's two young children and May notices her talent for story-telling and comes up w/an idea for her..
I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about the Bonus March that Dorrit's dad participates in. That and the Hobo life, complete w/the different signs that homeowners put up to let them know if they'll receive any food or a day's work( or not) I just felt that Dorrit got over her anxiety issues v. fast( though having to learn to survive might've been the reason) and that everything was wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end. Still, while not "The Grapes Of Wrath" or the more recent "The Four Winds" this book is definitely worth reading, especially for YA readers..
The main characters are May Craig( whose backstory is depicted in "Etiquette For Runaways")a middle class young wife and mother in Virginia who has an interesting (this book is in fact a sequel of sorts) and working-class Bostonian teenager Dorrit Sykes. After Dorrit's mother passes away from complications of an ectopic miscarriage after refusing to go to the hospital due to her being a devout Christian Scientist ;Dorrit,who suffers from "The Jitters" which only become worse after her mother's death; starts to question the Church's dogma about praying away pain and illness. She learns from a library book about her problem & that it has a medical term: Anxiety. So she decides to try & cure herself of it. After her dad loses his job and her brother runs off to join the merchant Marines , he makes the decision to head to Washington DC to try and persuade congress to give him and other veterans of the Great War(now known as WW1) their pensions early as they so desperately need them. Dorrit -partly due to the fact that she wants an adventure much like her fictional idol Nancy Drew to help her overcome her anxiety -travels w/him. What happens next is a series of Dickensian -style events for Dorrit ( not surprising since she's named after two characters from from the author's novels..) in which she ends up homeless and riding the rails, much like the so-called "Hobos" of the era..
After contracting Typhoid from a dog bite, a boy her age who she ends up traveling with brings her to the Craig's front porch. The family takes her to the hospital and while Dorrit is recovering, May gets to know the quietly resilient girl and sees a bit of her younger self in her. May is trying to start up a business making candy, especially a candy bar that fills one up for most the day. Her husband,Byrd, disapproves of her working(this IS 1932) but May still goes ahead w/her plans, especially since times are so difficult. Once Dorrit gets better,she helps w/the couple's two young children and May notices her talent for story-telling and comes up w/an idea for her..
I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about the Bonus March that Dorrit's dad participates in. That and the Hobo life, complete w/the different signs that homeowners put up to let them know if they'll receive any food or a day's work( or not) I just felt that Dorrit got over her anxiety issues v. fast( though having to learn to survive might've been the reason) and that everything was wrapped up a bit too neatly at the end. Still, while not "The Grapes Of Wrath" or the more recent "The Four Winds" this book is definitely worth reading, especially for YA readers..
August 10, 2021
In All Good Faith personalizes The Great Depression through the experiences of two women facing the challenges of survival in 1932.
May is a married mother of two, her father’s caregiver, and a desperate head of her family’s market and cannery in Virginia. The depression has taken its toll on the family’s income and relationships. May’s husband Byrd is too proud to support May’s business idea, since he believes it is the husband’s responsibility to provide for the household. Will May continue to struggle in her traditional family role, or will she expand her role to include running a candy business?
Dorrit is a girl living with her father in Boston. Her family has fallen apart with the death of her mother and departure of her older brother. She sews to bring in money, while her inventor father is literally trying to build a better mousetrap. Veterans are marching to Washington, DC to lobby Congress and President Hoover to give them their pensions. How will Dorrit handle life on the road, and will she have the resourcefulness she needs to survive?
Through these two women, the reader sees the conflicts caused by the changing roles of women and men during these hard times. Taylor does an excellent job drawing in the reader to care about these women and those close to them. I felt like I was beside Dorrit throughout her travels, based on Tayior’s beautiful scene descriptions and smart use of Dorrit’s diary to help understand her. The main characters’ geographic differences made it hard to see the similarities of their experience at first, but as their worlds expanded beyond their homes, it was easier to feel the connection.
Anyone looking for a historical fiction novel looking at The Great Depression era would enjoy In All Good Faith. Anyone who enjoys stories driven by strong female characters would enjoy it too. If you enjoy a novel that pulls you into the characters’ lives and settings, this book is for you.
May is a married mother of two, her father’s caregiver, and a desperate head of her family’s market and cannery in Virginia. The depression has taken its toll on the family’s income and relationships. May’s husband Byrd is too proud to support May’s business idea, since he believes it is the husband’s responsibility to provide for the household. Will May continue to struggle in her traditional family role, or will she expand her role to include running a candy business?
Dorrit is a girl living with her father in Boston. Her family has fallen apart with the death of her mother and departure of her older brother. She sews to bring in money, while her inventor father is literally trying to build a better mousetrap. Veterans are marching to Washington, DC to lobby Congress and President Hoover to give them their pensions. How will Dorrit handle life on the road, and will she have the resourcefulness she needs to survive?
Through these two women, the reader sees the conflicts caused by the changing roles of women and men during these hard times. Taylor does an excellent job drawing in the reader to care about these women and those close to them. I felt like I was beside Dorrit throughout her travels, based on Tayior’s beautiful scene descriptions and smart use of Dorrit’s diary to help understand her. The main characters’ geographic differences made it hard to see the similarities of their experience at first, but as their worlds expanded beyond their homes, it was easier to feel the connection.
Anyone looking for a historical fiction novel looking at The Great Depression era would enjoy In All Good Faith. Anyone who enjoys stories driven by strong female characters would enjoy it too. If you enjoy a novel that pulls you into the characters’ lives and settings, this book is for you.
February 24, 2021
In All Good Faith
By Liza Nash Taylor
Blackstone Publishing (August 10, 2021)
I loved this book so much and could not put it down. Well, I did put it down because I had to go to work, but I didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to read every word right away and skim nothing.
In All Good Faith is the story of May and Dorrit, both trying to survive the Great Depression. Sixteen-year-old Dorrit lives in Boston and takes in sewing to help feed her family. Her mother has recently died and her father is barely able to be a parent. Dorrit begins to questions her faith, wondering why it did not save her mother and why her “nervous spells” haven’t been cured.
When Dorrit’s father decides to attend the Veterans’ Bonus March in Washington, D.C. in June 1932, she decides to go with him, thinking it might be a good way to overcome her lifelong anxiety. It does not go well for either of them. Dorrit ends up alone, penniless, and terrified. She relates her subsequent adventures to those of her book hero, Nancy Drew, and wonders how Nancy would react to similar circumstances. Eventually she realizes that “real life was much messier…than a Nancy Drew book.”
Meanwhile, in Virginia, May, her husband Byrd, and their two children, are trying to hang on to what’s left of their livelihood. Byrd has to take a job out of town and May gets the opportunity to start a candy business, but only if Byrd will agree. Secrets threaten to come between them and May wonders if she is “operating in good faith.”
Through several harrowing events, Dorrit lands at May’s doorstep. May also lost her mother and she can’t help but see a bit of herself in young Dorrit. May wants to help her and is able, in a small way, to become a surrogate parent.
This is a sequel to Etiquette for Runaways, though I didn’t know that until the end when I read the afterward and it didn’t matter to my understanding or enjoyment of the book. The author is great at description. I loved the characters of May and Dorrit and the secondary characters were also well developed. In All Good Faith is a story of hardship, hope, love, and forgiveness. It’s also a story of never giving up on yourself, your future, or your family. This book rates five stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
By Liza Nash Taylor
Blackstone Publishing (August 10, 2021)
I loved this book so much and could not put it down. Well, I did put it down because I had to go to work, but I didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to read every word right away and skim nothing.
In All Good Faith is the story of May and Dorrit, both trying to survive the Great Depression. Sixteen-year-old Dorrit lives in Boston and takes in sewing to help feed her family. Her mother has recently died and her father is barely able to be a parent. Dorrit begins to questions her faith, wondering why it did not save her mother and why her “nervous spells” haven’t been cured.
When Dorrit’s father decides to attend the Veterans’ Bonus March in Washington, D.C. in June 1932, she decides to go with him, thinking it might be a good way to overcome her lifelong anxiety. It does not go well for either of them. Dorrit ends up alone, penniless, and terrified. She relates her subsequent adventures to those of her book hero, Nancy Drew, and wonders how Nancy would react to similar circumstances. Eventually she realizes that “real life was much messier…than a Nancy Drew book.”
Meanwhile, in Virginia, May, her husband Byrd, and their two children, are trying to hang on to what’s left of their livelihood. Byrd has to take a job out of town and May gets the opportunity to start a candy business, but only if Byrd will agree. Secrets threaten to come between them and May wonders if she is “operating in good faith.”
Through several harrowing events, Dorrit lands at May’s doorstep. May also lost her mother and she can’t help but see a bit of herself in young Dorrit. May wants to help her and is able, in a small way, to become a surrogate parent.
This is a sequel to Etiquette for Runaways, though I didn’t know that until the end when I read the afterward and it didn’t matter to my understanding or enjoyment of the book. The author is great at description. I loved the characters of May and Dorrit and the secondary characters were also well developed. In All Good Faith is a story of hardship, hope, love, and forgiveness. It’s also a story of never giving up on yourself, your future, or your family. This book rates five stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2021
It was a bit slow reading for me at first but after a few chapters I did find myself starting to engage with the story and May and Dorrit. The book is broken out into parts.
As the story progressed, I feel more into a rhythm with May and Dorrit. Of the two ladies, I tended to migrate more towards Dorrit. She still had a innocence about her that spilled off the pages as a bubbly personality. In addition, she had me with her love for Nancy Drew. I grew up on Nancy. She is one of the reasons I have my love for reading and mysteries.
The author did a lovely job with this story and the time period. I was transported back in time. It was like I could see the story playing out in my head. While, I did like this book and the ladies; the slowness in the beginning and the fact that I could never find myself fully embracing the characters was why I "liked" this book but not "loved". However, I would read another book by this author.
As the story progressed, I feel more into a rhythm with May and Dorrit. Of the two ladies, I tended to migrate more towards Dorrit. She still had a innocence about her that spilled off the pages as a bubbly personality. In addition, she had me with her love for Nancy Drew. I grew up on Nancy. She is one of the reasons I have my love for reading and mysteries.
The author did a lovely job with this story and the time period. I was transported back in time. It was like I could see the story playing out in my head. While, I did like this book and the ladies; the slowness in the beginning and the fact that I could never find myself fully embracing the characters was why I "liked" this book but not "loved". However, I would read another book by this author.
January 24, 2021
In All Good Faith
Liza Nash Taylor
What a good story! The characters were well developed, the historical aspect was interesting, and the plot was not predictable.
I immediately liked Dorrit and May, two women of different ages, who are living in the Great Depression Era.
The author gave just enough detail that you could see Hooverville, begin to understand homelessness, smell it, feel the depression struggle, without getting the feeling that the details were to fill a word quota. I respect this talent, and look forward to reading more by Liza Nash Taylor.
Liza Nash Taylor
What a good story! The characters were well developed, the historical aspect was interesting, and the plot was not predictable.
I immediately liked Dorrit and May, two women of different ages, who are living in the Great Depression Era.
The author gave just enough detail that you could see Hooverville, begin to understand homelessness, smell it, feel the depression struggle, without getting the feeling that the details were to fill a word quota. I respect this talent, and look forward to reading more by Liza Nash Taylor.
February 4, 2021
This was an exceptional novel. It was one of those books that you pick up and forget to put down, yet was so easy to follow. The author drew you in with her words, and made you feel like you were there with the characters, her descriptions were so vivid. She seamlessly linked important historical events with the two heroines of the story; May and Dorritt. These characters come from two different worlds, but the parallels drawn between them make the reader really reflect on their life too.
This was a delight to read!
This was a delight to read!
August 11, 2021
The 1930s are known for their hard times and the Great Depression. In All Good Faith explores the struggles of May and Dorrit during these trying times. Though it has some of the characters from Etiquette for Runaways, it can be read as a stand-alone.
This is a slower-paced historical fiction read that is very character driven. May is adjusting to being married, a home to manage, and fighting an uphill battle to pursue her dreams of building a candy business. I was really inspired by May because her back was against the wall and she kept pushing back to pursue her passion. On the other hand, we have Dorrit whose family has fallen apart since her mother’s recent passing. The book explores her growth into early womanhood, questioning her true beliefs and learning to stand on her own two feet.
This book had similar vibes to some of Beatriz William’s books so if you’re into her stuff, definitely check out In All Good Faith! It’s out now!
This is a slower-paced historical fiction read that is very character driven. May is adjusting to being married, a home to manage, and fighting an uphill battle to pursue her dreams of building a candy business. I was really inspired by May because her back was against the wall and she kept pushing back to pursue her passion. On the other hand, we have Dorrit whose family has fallen apart since her mother’s recent passing. The book explores her growth into early womanhood, questioning her true beliefs and learning to stand on her own two feet.
This book had similar vibes to some of Beatriz William’s books so if you’re into her stuff, definitely check out In All Good Faith! It’s out now!
December 26, 2021
Five things about In All Good Faith by Liza Nash Taylor 5/5⭐️s
1. Brilliant and absorbing historical fiction!
2. Fascinating and detailed research on Taylor’s part - incorporated seamlessly into the storyline created a rich and vivid reading experience and also left me down many a research rabbit trail as I kept exclaiming while reading, “What? I never knew that!”
3. The story is told through two narrative perspective - both of which have fresh, unique, personal, endearing voices. Both characters are fully developed and as the reader you wonder in anticipation for over half the book how and when their engrossing paths would finally cross.
4. Taylor is a masterful storyteller. This book was a multi sensory experience that enveloped and swept me up.
5. I look forward to reading more from Taylor and recommend this book to everyone!
1. Brilliant and absorbing historical fiction!
2. Fascinating and detailed research on Taylor’s part - incorporated seamlessly into the storyline created a rich and vivid reading experience and also left me down many a research rabbit trail as I kept exclaiming while reading, “What? I never knew that!”
3. The story is told through two narrative perspective - both of which have fresh, unique, personal, endearing voices. Both characters are fully developed and as the reader you wonder in anticipation for over half the book how and when their engrossing paths would finally cross.
4. Taylor is a masterful storyteller. This book was a multi sensory experience that enveloped and swept me up.
5. I look forward to reading more from Taylor and recommend this book to everyone!
August 4, 2021
In All Good Faith is a heartfelt story of two women doing anything they can to help their families survive during the Depression. Set in 1932, May is a wife and mother in Virginia, and Dorrit is a teenager in Boston. Their backgrounds and stories were diverse, but they each had strength and determination to survive hard times. The author does a good job placing readers on that time and place, and I love when I learn something while reading historical fiction. I didn’t realize until I finished the book that May’s story had begun in another book, and I think I would have understood her story a little better with that background. That being said, this book is an excellent standalone.
August 11, 2021
This remarkable novel by Liza Nash Taylor is based on true life events set during the Great Depression period. The story alternates between May and Dorrit until their paths cross. I enjoyed the character build up and the journey of these beautiful ladies and how along the way their paths cross.
I learned a very important event in the American history, The Bonus March and found it very fascinating. Thousands of veterans from The World War 1, marched at the capitol to earn their pay for serving the country!
Thank you @getredprbooks, @lizanashtaylor and @blackstonepublishing for including me in the book tour!
I learned a very important event in the American history, The Bonus March and found it very fascinating. Thousands of veterans from The World War 1, marched at the capitol to earn their pay for serving the country!
Thank you @getredprbooks, @lizanashtaylor and @blackstonepublishing for including me in the book tour!
January 9, 2022
Once again, I learned another piece of our history through reading historical fiction. In 1932, the veterans of WWI marched in Washington DC because our government wouldn’t pay the vets the bonus they were promised when they signed up. This was during the Great Depression. Fascinating.
December 31, 2022
In beautiful and descriptive language, Liza Nash Taylor weaves a captivating story that transports the reader back to the early 20th century. The details make you believe you're there, and the dual storylines are fascinating. I highly recommend this book.
July 7, 2021
Wow! This book is incredible. It is heart-wrenching, yet filled with hope, and so much more. Whenever I picked up "In All Good Faith", I was whisked back in time to the early 1930s, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.
I can only imagine the amount of research that Liza Nash Taylor must have done for this book, as each detail feels incredibly authentic to the time period. The past truly came to life before my eyes. This book is very rich in historical details, and the way the author mixes history and fiction is seamless. I learned so much from reading this book, and was hooked from the very first page to the last.
Set during the Great Depression in the United States, this book centers around two women, May and Dorrit. Both women must endure various struggles along with many of those around them in order to survive. May is a mother to young children, who wants to help support her family in any way she can. Dorrit is a sixteen year old girl whose mother has recently passed away, and she wants to support her family as well. Both women hold on to hope, and it really pushes them forward. How do these two women's lives, who seemingly are so different, intertwine and affect each other? Do they have more in common than is originally seen? You will just have to read to find out.
If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and I can't wait to read what Liza Nash Taylor writes next!
Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of this book, it is incredible. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I can only imagine the amount of research that Liza Nash Taylor must have done for this book, as each detail feels incredibly authentic to the time period. The past truly came to life before my eyes. This book is very rich in historical details, and the way the author mixes history and fiction is seamless. I learned so much from reading this book, and was hooked from the very first page to the last.
Set during the Great Depression in the United States, this book centers around two women, May and Dorrit. Both women must endure various struggles along with many of those around them in order to survive. May is a mother to young children, who wants to help support her family in any way she can. Dorrit is a sixteen year old girl whose mother has recently passed away, and she wants to support her family as well. Both women hold on to hope, and it really pushes them forward. How do these two women's lives, who seemingly are so different, intertwine and affect each other? Do they have more in common than is originally seen? You will just have to read to find out.
If you enjoy historical fiction, I highly recommend this book! It kept me turning the pages into the early hours of the morning to see what would happen next, and I can't wait to read what Liza Nash Taylor writes next!
Thank you so much to Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of this book, it is incredible. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
August 10, 2021
Liza Nash Taylor’s In All Good Faith focuses on a young mother and an unrelated teenage girl struggling to make the best of their difficult lives during the Great Depression. Although this is a sequel to Taylor’s 2018 Etiquette for Runaways, I did not realize that until I had finished the new book and begun looking for more author information. Readers who open All in Good Faith first have no need to worry. The author adeptly fills in the basic background needed. However, I now want to read Etiquette for Runaways to learn more about May Marshall’s escape from bootlegging charges, failed attempt to make her way as a fashion designer in New York City, and her mysterious time in Paris where In All Good Faith's prologue picks up and as May decides to return to rural Virginia to marry the boy next door, Byrd Craig.
Following the Prologue, set in April 1926 Paris, May’s story fast-forwards five years to December 1931 Keswick, Virginia, where May Marshall Craig is working at Keswick Market, filling in for her father unable to work due to injuries. Business is suffering, both for the Market and her lawyer. husband. Few people can pay their bills, and May compounds the financial problem by offering food to the homeless and extending credit to customers in need. Since many people seem to find a few cents to buy sweets, May hopes to take out a loan, unknown to Byrd, in order to expand a tiny candy operation at the market. Bird is forced to take work in Washington, D. C., leaving May and their five-year-old son on his family’s failing thoroughbred farm. Then tragedy strikes, leading to loss of the farm.
Teenage Dorrit Sykes’ story alternates with May’s although the two narrative threads eventually intersect. As Christian Scientists, Dorrit’s Boston family believes prayer will heal illness, and Dorrit is told to pray to overcome her almost debilitating “fidgets.” Dorrit would rather be reading a Nancy Drew mystery than attending church, for she regards the Carolyn Keene heroine as everything she, herself, isn’t—someone brave and well-off, with good friends and control over her life. When prayer fails to save Dorrit’s mother, her brother leaves home, and as the Depression worsens, Dorrit loses her babysitting and sewing work. She must find a way to turn life around.
Despite overwhelming difficulties faced by the main characters, their families, and their neighbors, and moments when they seem to have little hope, In All Good Faith is an uplifting story of two strong female characters determined not only to survive, but also to make good.
Liza Nash Taylor brings to life the rural Keswick, Virginia area where she and her husband live.
My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this heartwarming historical novel.
Following the Prologue, set in April 1926 Paris, May’s story fast-forwards five years to December 1931 Keswick, Virginia, where May Marshall Craig is working at Keswick Market, filling in for her father unable to work due to injuries. Business is suffering, both for the Market and her lawyer. husband. Few people can pay their bills, and May compounds the financial problem by offering food to the homeless and extending credit to customers in need. Since many people seem to find a few cents to buy sweets, May hopes to take out a loan, unknown to Byrd, in order to expand a tiny candy operation at the market. Bird is forced to take work in Washington, D. C., leaving May and their five-year-old son on his family’s failing thoroughbred farm. Then tragedy strikes, leading to loss of the farm.
Teenage Dorrit Sykes’ story alternates with May’s although the two narrative threads eventually intersect. As Christian Scientists, Dorrit’s Boston family believes prayer will heal illness, and Dorrit is told to pray to overcome her almost debilitating “fidgets.” Dorrit would rather be reading a Nancy Drew mystery than attending church, for she regards the Carolyn Keene heroine as everything she, herself, isn’t—someone brave and well-off, with good friends and control over her life. When prayer fails to save Dorrit’s mother, her brother leaves home, and as the Depression worsens, Dorrit loses her babysitting and sewing work. She must find a way to turn life around.
Despite overwhelming difficulties faced by the main characters, their families, and their neighbors, and moments when they seem to have little hope, In All Good Faith is an uplifting story of two strong female characters determined not only to survive, but also to make good.
Liza Nash Taylor brings to life the rural Keswick, Virginia area where she and her husband live.
My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for this heartwarming historical novel.
February 11, 2021
In all Good Faith is a stand alone sequel to Etiquette for Runaways, Liza Nash Taylor’s debut novel. I have not read the first novel and I don’t feel like I needed to read it in order to fully understand and enjoy this story.
This was a story illustrating the difficult times many people suffered through during the Great Depression. It is told through the POV of two different women, May and young Dorrit. “Now, in the winter of 1931, shame and destitution seemed to dominate the national news. Heartbreaking stories of lost savings, evictions, unemployment, and unrest were everywhere, not just in the cities, but here at home, in small, rural towns like Keswick, Virginia. And there were no signs that things were getting any better.” (p. 144)
The writing of this novel is very descriptive. Beautifully worded descriptions. Dorrit’s anxiety and panic in the beginning chapters are palpable.. “ Sometimes it was an invisible feather, a wisp skimming the back of her neck. Sometimes it was a spindle, winding tight inside her chest until she breathed like a cornered rabbit. And sometimes—the worst times—fear was a thing with teeth and claws. It rode on streetcars and hid in movie theaters. It came to church and sat down beside her.” (p. 148) Also, the author did an amazing job at incorporating real life events and news headlines of that time period into her story. Often, it was just quick mentions, but it made the story feel authentic and it seemed as if the book was actually written during the early 1930’s. It was very well researched.
The story did take a while for me to get in to. I found the perspective of May to be very slow. There just wasn’t too much happening there. The story of Dorrit, however, was wonderful. After the first few chapters of set-up, Dorrit’s story was interesting and filled with adventure. Dorrit showed a lot of personal growth as she learned about herself and the world. I loved this character. She had some spunk, worked hard at bettering herself, and although she was always scared and suffered from anxiety, she was so brave.
Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#InAllGoodFaith # NetGalley
This was a story illustrating the difficult times many people suffered through during the Great Depression. It is told through the POV of two different women, May and young Dorrit. “Now, in the winter of 1931, shame and destitution seemed to dominate the national news. Heartbreaking stories of lost savings, evictions, unemployment, and unrest were everywhere, not just in the cities, but here at home, in small, rural towns like Keswick, Virginia. And there were no signs that things were getting any better.” (p. 144)
The writing of this novel is very descriptive. Beautifully worded descriptions. Dorrit’s anxiety and panic in the beginning chapters are palpable.. “ Sometimes it was an invisible feather, a wisp skimming the back of her neck. Sometimes it was a spindle, winding tight inside her chest until she breathed like a cornered rabbit. And sometimes—the worst times—fear was a thing with teeth and claws. It rode on streetcars and hid in movie theaters. It came to church and sat down beside her.” (p. 148) Also, the author did an amazing job at incorporating real life events and news headlines of that time period into her story. Often, it was just quick mentions, but it made the story feel authentic and it seemed as if the book was actually written during the early 1930’s. It was very well researched.
The story did take a while for me to get in to. I found the perspective of May to be very slow. There just wasn’t too much happening there. The story of Dorrit, however, was wonderful. After the first few chapters of set-up, Dorrit’s story was interesting and filled with adventure. Dorrit showed a lot of personal growth as she learned about herself and the world. I loved this character. She had some spunk, worked hard at bettering herself, and although she was always scared and suffered from anxiety, she was so brave.
Thank you Net Galley and the publishers for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#InAllGoodFaith # NetGalley
August 23, 2021
I read Liza Nash Taylor's book Etiquette for Runaways and loved it, and I did not catch that In All Good Faith is a sequel to that book until reading a review. I can honestly say that In All Good Faith is a standalone novel. I was completely wrapped up in May Marshall's life in Etiquette for Runaways, but In All Good Faith didn't capture my attention in the same way.
The excesses that May enjoys in Etiquette for Runaways abruptly evaporate with the stock market crash and resultant depression. It is a time of desperation and unrest. Told in dual POV by Dorrit and May, readers feel the fortitude these women had and the resilience needed to survive during the Great Depression. May continues to be a character who is wise and ingenious beyond believable expectations given her upbringing and education. May's fortitude continues to be inspiring. If only we all had her perseverance! Dorrit gives the author a conduit to preset an interesting and perhaps little known history regarding the veterans of WWI. Again, Ms. Taylor's research is highly evident in her storytelling.
I enjoyed the setting and time period as well as the story arc. Ms. Taylor's research and writing are deserving of praise. In general, I enjoy her storytelling, but I just didn't feel the same connection to the characters that I did in her prior book. That said, overall, In All Good Faith is an excellent character-driven Depression Era historical fiction with strong female characters.
3.5-4 stars
I received an advance copy of this book from Blackstone Audio in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
The excesses that May enjoys in Etiquette for Runaways abruptly evaporate with the stock market crash and resultant depression. It is a time of desperation and unrest. Told in dual POV by Dorrit and May, readers feel the fortitude these women had and the resilience needed to survive during the Great Depression. May continues to be a character who is wise and ingenious beyond believable expectations given her upbringing and education. May's fortitude continues to be inspiring. If only we all had her perseverance! Dorrit gives the author a conduit to preset an interesting and perhaps little known history regarding the veterans of WWI. Again, Ms. Taylor's research is highly evident in her storytelling.
I enjoyed the setting and time period as well as the story arc. Ms. Taylor's research and writing are deserving of praise. In general, I enjoy her storytelling, but I just didn't feel the same connection to the characters that I did in her prior book. That said, overall, In All Good Faith is an excellent character-driven Depression Era historical fiction with strong female characters.
3.5-4 stars
I received an advance copy of this book from Blackstone Audio in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
November 22, 2021
I read this book soon after I was able to get it from my local library. I had not read any other book by this author and I learned after reading this that it is a continuing story of one of the main characters, May.
This was written in the popular style of alternating between the 2 main characters and their lives. Unlike some similar style books in this book the time line is parallels stories on the same time.
First we meet Dorrit who lives in Boston in tenement housing with her parents and brother. Dorrit is a young teen with a Christian Scientist religious background and some moderately heavy anxiety. Life changes for her and she does a lot of growing up quickly. She finds herself at the Veterans March on Washington in 1932. This brings a lot of growth in her.
The parallel story is with May in northern Virginia. She is a married woman with 2 children. ( I have learned she is the main character of L N Taylor's first book.) The depression has affected her and her family also. Her husband is having to live and work in Washington weekdays which leaves the home front to May. She is trying to aid in the family income needs and care for her family. The two lives/stories intersect in ways neither could imagine.
You will need to read the book to learn the rest.
The book is good and enjoyable to read. The development of the two women shows growth in each. I can easily recommend this book. At times I did find it a bit hard to believe, both the dependence of the women and the independence of each woman (calling a 16-17 yr old a woman seems a bit of a stretch but she does develop as the story proceeds. And there is no bad relationships that develop in this book, for which I was grateful.
This was written in the popular style of alternating between the 2 main characters and their lives. Unlike some similar style books in this book the time line is parallels stories on the same time.
First we meet Dorrit who lives in Boston in tenement housing with her parents and brother. Dorrit is a young teen with a Christian Scientist religious background and some moderately heavy anxiety. Life changes for her and she does a lot of growing up quickly. She finds herself at the Veterans March on Washington in 1932. This brings a lot of growth in her.
The parallel story is with May in northern Virginia. She is a married woman with 2 children. ( I have learned she is the main character of L N Taylor's first book.) The depression has affected her and her family also. Her husband is having to live and work in Washington weekdays which leaves the home front to May. She is trying to aid in the family income needs and care for her family. The two lives/stories intersect in ways neither could imagine.
You will need to read the book to learn the rest.
The book is good and enjoyable to read. The development of the two women shows growth in each. I can easily recommend this book. At times I did find it a bit hard to believe, both the dependence of the women and the independence of each woman (calling a 16-17 yr old a woman seems a bit of a stretch but she does develop as the story proceeds. And there is no bad relationships that develop in this book, for which I was grateful.
September 1, 2021
I generally like/love historical fiction only if the female characters are strong and forward-thinking, which both May and Dorrit capture differently but equally.
May struggles to keep her family business afloat during The Great Depression. May’s family business in Virginia has been around since 1849. She offers ideas and strategies for adapting to the times that both her father and husband dismiss. As her husband leaves for a new job in Washington D.C., May forges ahead without his approval.
Dorrit Sykes, a teen from Boston, loses her mother after the Sykes family won’t seek medical treatment for her. Her family are active members of Christian Science and believe pray over medicine will heal all ailments and struggles. Now, Dorrit must continue her mother’s seamstress business to put food on the table. After work, she hides in the library, reading everything from Nancy Drew to medical journals - where she now questions her religious beliefs. Desperate for money, Dorrit’s father decides to march in the Bonus Army March in Washington DC, where they accidentally get separated. Dorrit’s father is jailed, and Dorrit must survive on her own.
Eventually, May and Dorrit cross paths, where these two independent, strong women root for each other.
Taylor vividly describes the pain and anguish during The Great Depression, and the lengths people went to survive. She equally captured the sense of “we are in this together” along with personal survival. The Bonus Army March and Hooverville Camps is a great history lesson, one which I did not know. And the life of May and Dorrit is inspirational - a story of hope, survival, and women can be the solution when given a chance.
May struggles to keep her family business afloat during The Great Depression. May’s family business in Virginia has been around since 1849. She offers ideas and strategies for adapting to the times that both her father and husband dismiss. As her husband leaves for a new job in Washington D.C., May forges ahead without his approval.
Dorrit Sykes, a teen from Boston, loses her mother after the Sykes family won’t seek medical treatment for her. Her family are active members of Christian Science and believe pray over medicine will heal all ailments and struggles. Now, Dorrit must continue her mother’s seamstress business to put food on the table. After work, she hides in the library, reading everything from Nancy Drew to medical journals - where she now questions her religious beliefs. Desperate for money, Dorrit’s father decides to march in the Bonus Army March in Washington DC, where they accidentally get separated. Dorrit’s father is jailed, and Dorrit must survive on her own.
Eventually, May and Dorrit cross paths, where these two independent, strong women root for each other.
Taylor vividly describes the pain and anguish during The Great Depression, and the lengths people went to survive. She equally captured the sense of “we are in this together” along with personal survival. The Bonus Army March and Hooverville Camps is a great history lesson, one which I did not know. And the life of May and Dorrit is inspirational - a story of hope, survival, and women can be the solution when given a chance.
September 5, 2021
In All Good Faith
by: Liza Nash Taylor
Blackstone Publishing
During the economically despairing days of The Great Depression, endurance, innovation, and resiliency shine as Nash connects rural wife and mother May with anxiety-ridden sixteen-year-old Dorrit. In 1931, May lives on the struggling Keswick Farm in Virginia, and Dorrit resides in Boston in a home environment steeped in religious doctrine and without a mother.
Through Taylor's lyrical and stylish writing, readers are welcomed into May and Dorrit's individual worlds and led through events leading to their connection. The two have very diverse backgrounds of home, lifestyle, class, family background, and talents. The unfortunate happenings during this historical time of financial disaster impacted each uniquely, yet in profound life changing ways for both.
As candy making is described in the book, Taylor points out that the mixture of molasses and cocoa can lead to unlimited possibilities. I felt that the combination of strengths of these two women could as well.
Taylor excels in portraying place, and her plot and pacing are mesmerizing. Her research into this time period, setting, events, and language are phenomenal, even including studying medical history. I will add anything written by this author to my reading list.
Thank you to Net Galey and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to provide my unbiased review for this outstanding novel.
#InAllGoodFaith #NetGalley.
by: Liza Nash Taylor
Blackstone Publishing
During the economically despairing days of The Great Depression, endurance, innovation, and resiliency shine as Nash connects rural wife and mother May with anxiety-ridden sixteen-year-old Dorrit. In 1931, May lives on the struggling Keswick Farm in Virginia, and Dorrit resides in Boston in a home environment steeped in religious doctrine and without a mother.
Through Taylor's lyrical and stylish writing, readers are welcomed into May and Dorrit's individual worlds and led through events leading to their connection. The two have very diverse backgrounds of home, lifestyle, class, family background, and talents. The unfortunate happenings during this historical time of financial disaster impacted each uniquely, yet in profound life changing ways for both.
As candy making is described in the book, Taylor points out that the mixture of molasses and cocoa can lead to unlimited possibilities. I felt that the combination of strengths of these two women could as well.
Taylor excels in portraying place, and her plot and pacing are mesmerizing. Her research into this time period, setting, events, and language are phenomenal, even including studying medical history. I will add anything written by this author to my reading list.
Thank you to Net Galey and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to provide my unbiased review for this outstanding novel.
#InAllGoodFaith #NetGalley.
August 10, 2021
This is the first book I've read by Liza Nash Taylor, and I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction novel. I hadn't read the prequel, Etiquette for Runways, but I didn't find it a problem (at all) to read this one as a standalone. The story follows May and Dorrit in separate narratives as they navigate the difficult years of the Great Depression. May is struggling to be taken seriously as a woman who has a keen business sense at a time when that sort of thing just wasn't taken seriously. Dorrit is a 17-year-old girl simply struggling to survive after she suddenly finds herself completely alone for the first time in her life. The writing is stellar, and I felt every emotion as both women went through frustration, uncertainty, and tragedy. The twists and turns meet you at every corner, and you will marvel at the resilience and perseverance, and even the sheer bravery, these women reveal through utmost adversity. The characters were richly developed, and the historical facts were accurate. Loose ends were tied up, but I could still see some room for another book about these ladies. I hope it happens. I will be first in line to get it. But first, I need to catch up on the first book in this duo. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for my copy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews