An Unlikely Suitor

Gilded Age #2

by Nancy Moser

Lucy Scarpelli, an Italian dressmaker from New York, befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's making her summer wardrobe. It's an unlikely friendship, but one that Rowena encourages by inviting Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating clothes that hide her physical injury, Rowena encourages Lucy to dream of a better future. One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what man will accept her family responsibilities? Rowena also deals with love as she faces a worrisome arranged marriage to a wealthy heir. And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, takes up with a man of dubious character. All three women struggle as their lives, and those of each unlikely suitor, become intertwined in a web of secrets and sacrifice. Will any of them find true happiness?  This book was named to Booklist's "Top 10 Romances of 2011"

Genres: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Romance, Christian, Fiction

391 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Nancy Moser is the author of over forty books. Her award-winning stories will inspire you to discover your unique God-given purpose. Her genres include both contemporary and historical stories, inspirational humor, and children's books.

Her newest release, "An Undiscovered Life" is about an elderly woman who wants her family to know about her "before" life—her life before them. It's inspired by Nancy's mother who died in 2020 at age 99. It's a poignant, inspiring family story.

Another newer release is "Eyes of Our Heart" which showcases a group of ordinary people who are called to discover where God is working in their lives--and join Him.

Another recent release is "The Shop Keepers", book #3 of the Pattern Artist series about a group of women designing fashion and opening their own store in 1911-19 New York City. The first book in the series, "The Pattern Artist", was a finalist for a Romantic Times award.

Other titles include the time-travel historicals, "Where Time Will Take Me", "Where Life Will Lead Me", and the Downton Abbey-inspired Manor House Series beginning with "Love of the Summerfields."

Her historical bio-novels allow real women-of-history to share their life stories: "Just Jane" (Jane Austen), "Mozart's Sister" (Nannerl Mozart),"Washington's Lady" (Martha Washington) and "How Do I Love Thee?" (Elizabeth Barrett Browning.)

"An Unlikely Suitor" was named to Booklist's Top 100 Romance Novels of the last decade. Nancy's time-travel novel, "Time Lottery", won a Christy Award, and "Washington's Lady" was a finalist. Her contemporary books are known for their big-casts and intricate plotting.

Some contemporary titles are "The Invitation", "John 3: 16", "The Sister Circle", and "The Seat Beside Me."

Nancy and her husband live in the Midwest. She's earned a degree in architecture, traveled extensively in Europe, and has performed in numerous theaters, symphonies, and choirs. She is a fan of anything antique--humans included.

Website: nancymoser.com

Reviews

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again Nancy Moser chooses a unique setting and characters for An Unlikely Suitor. She takes us to the Gilded Age NYC tenements and the grandeur of the summer cottages, really mansions on Newport Island. The author creates unforgettable and flawed characters; I appreciated that. The main character Lucy is especially convincing and engaging. I loved all the descriptions of the clothing, coaches, homes in the story. The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is that I had a hard time believing some of the endings of the three romances. This being said, the story of the mores and excesses of society at the time and Lucy's triumph over them made for an entertaining and intriguing read.

[Janna Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have decided that if the book is written by Nancy Moser then I need to read it. She never fails to write a unique story with fascinating perspectives and the best part... everything isn't always tied up in a neat bow at the end, but it is always satisfying. "Unlikely Suitor" doesn't fail. Here we delve into the lives of Lucy and her younger sister Sofia and then Lucy's unlikely friend Rowena. As their lives are intertwined we start to see love come to each of them in the most unusual ways. I loved seeing how everything unfolded and while I knew I was in for a twist I wasn't quite sure how Nancy Moser would pull it off, but she did. This book was enjoyable and quite the page turner, I read it in a day - fantastic!

[Joleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. That particular unlikely suitor will surprise you. That's all I'm going to say about that.

I'm not one for ridiculous praise and I don't personally know Nancy Moser, nor did I receive a free copy from the publisher, so this is an honest, from my heart review.

I enjoyed the characters a lot. Not all of them at first, but as time went on, well, they grew on me as they developed personally.

Being Italian myself, I know what my grandparents' relatives went through to reach beyond the "lower class" stigma and prejudices. I was delighted with the gumption and work ethic of the characters.

Great storylines, great writing. Yay Ms. Moser!!!

[benebean · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book started off ok, but as it continued I just became increasingly irritated with all the characters. A list of how I feel about the characters loosely in descending order of importance would be 1) dislike 2) hate - like I wish all parts of the book with her could be cut out and thrown away 3) irritated 4) meh

I really hated this book by the end. I'm just too tired to express it all right now.

[(Liene) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A truly entertaining story!

I listened to the audio book, and the narrator was good too!

Though, I must admit, I am highly disappointed with the Christian aspect of the book. First of all, God isn't a priority in any of the character's lives. But even worse, when God is mentioned, Bible is read, even then, none of it is about God. It's as if God exists to make sure our love lives go smoothly. Yes, God is interested in our lives and even knows the tiniest details about us and cares. But He doesn't live for us, we live for Him!

A few examples.

One girl prays for God to change her, she hates how she is. When she does notice some change, it isn't because of God, it is because she met a boy. She is finally able to be happy for others because she herself has something to make her happy. And that is what her big change is. She doesn't focus on God when asking Him to change her either. Just keeps being exactly the same til she meets a guy. I'd have understood her change if it came from relationship with God. Or if she had been able to not be jealous before she found something nice for herself. But this just seemed wrong to me. By it being the guy who makes her change, he becomes an idol. What if something goes wrong? She's relying on the guy, but when he fails, as all humans do, if she isn't relying on God, where will she be left?

One guy quotes this verse: Mark 8:36 "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"
And he does this to point out that a girl is marrying the wrong person, he is saying that by marrying someone she doesn't love, she is losing her soul while gaining a lot.
Now this is just not what the Bible means with this verse. It is a very powerful verse to show us how much eternal life is worth, to say that nothing on this earth is valuable enough to lose eternal life, to not be with God! It is not talking about our love lives. It is sad to see them talking about their marriages as if that's what their whole soul consisted of.

At another point, this verse is read: 1st Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
And again it is attributed to romantic relationships. To how this one person has faith in the other and hopes for the other and also loves the other. And yes, that person does seem to love the other person enough to sacrifice for them. And that's great, but even in that same chapter of the Bible it is pointed to that faith as being faith in God. That faith without love is nothing. God tells us what love is. It is not simply about romantic relationships. It is much bigger than that.
I'm sure these people all love each other, and it's all good, but every single time anything from the Bible is mentioned, it is made to point to our love lives. Not to Jesus. This really didn't sit well with me. I see this often in Christian fiction, yet usually when the Bible is mentioned, when god works, somehow it is still about God at least in those moments, but in this book, even those moments were stolen from God.

The story itself was very well done and I didn't even see the big twist coming. Though I should have, I didn't. Great job there!! But God's word being made to be about us instead of about Him and the other things I mentioned just don't sit well with me, at all.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY REVIEW

Lucy Scarpelli and her family lives in NY during America’s Gilded Age. Their family lived in a poverty section of NY and struggled to survive. That is until one day Lucy run into Mr. Standish, a wealthy businessman that owns a dress shop. Mr. Standish not only hires Lucy and her sister Sofia to help sew dresses for the wealthy he hires their mom to make hats to match the dresses. He also offers to rent the mom and 2 siblings an apartment over the dress shop. This is the beginning of a new life for the Scarpelli family. Lucy becomes friends with Rowena, a crippled young lady and the daughter of a wealthy couple. Join Lucy and the Scarpelli family on an unbelievable journey to a life they never thought possible.

First of all, the beauty of the cover of this book captures your interest, making you want to see the story inside. The characters the author created were unique to the story, and blended so well it makes you feel as though you are living the story with them. The independence and determination of Lucy makes you want to strive to be like her. The Christian content was strong, which I enjoyed because it teaches us that we need to trust God with every detail of our lives and believe that he knows best.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical and romance Christian fiction. This is a wonderful summer read, a nice get-away from daily struggles for a while.

I was provided a copy of this book by Bethany House publishers. I was not required or expected to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are mine only.

[Maricatherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very much enjoying this book, until the last few chapters. It did take up the whole half the book, just to set up the story. It wanted more romance. But, it was very well written, and I enjoyed the characters. But it's when I found out the twist at the end that I didn't like it. I liked Sophia's ending, it seemed very fitting and her and her beau. They were perfect for each other. I didn't like the development between Lucy and Rowena and their beaus. It didn't seem fitting and I was left disappointed.

[Brooke796 ☼ · Rating 2 out of 5]

So if you are a teenager and read very little historical fiction, this book is for you. The writing was all tell and no show and so very, very contrived, although it did get better about 1/2 way through. However, I would never have gotten that far if I wasn't too ill with the flu to find something else to read. I picked it because I didn't want to have to think...as always be careful what you wish for.

[Vaughn Ohlman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading a series of 'romance novels' in an attempt to help me learn to write better about 'emotions'. Tough stuff, for a guy ;)

So I picked up this book (on Kindle, for free, from my library), along with 'Masquerade'. Interesting idea for a plot. Hard for a poor action/adventure kind of guy as there is very little, well, action/adventure :)

But what was really hard was...

***warning: spoilers***

The premise, plot, and action of this whole book, and others by the same author, seems to revolve around the premise found in one particular quote:

"Lucy did not agree. Love was not a noun, was not a thing: it was a verb, an action. A mode of being. It could not be forced, but rather forced itself into people's hearts, sometimes unawares."

Lucy is mistaken. But of course it is not Lucy's fault, Lucy is a character written by our authoress. So the question is, does our authoress believe this?

First of all, linguistically. Surely our authoress knows that love is, indeed, a noun- at times? That the word `love' (and its related forms) is sometimes a noun, sometimes a verb, sometimes an adjective, and sometimes an adverb?

"Love never fails": Love is a noun. It is a `thing' that never fails. Greek, English, German, French... they all have `love' as a noun here. "God is love" ditto.

"Husband's love your wives." Love is a verb. It is something husbands (and, elsewhere, wives, neighbors, disciples, etc.) are commanded to do.

"Her loving father." Love is an adjective. It can describe someone.

"Speak lovingly." Love is an adverb, or at least it can be. It can modify a verb.

But enough of Lucy's grammar lesson. Now to discuss theology with her. This book is published by Bethany House. It is, theoretically, a Christian book. Thus it should, theoretically, have a passing knowledge of Christian theology. So let us examine, from a theological standpoint, the question of whether `love', the verb, is "an action. A mode of being. It could not be forced, but rather forced itself into people's hearts, sometimes unawares."

`[Love] is an action.' This is very true. Love, the verb, is an `action' verb. Love the noun is a noun describing a type of action, a quality of action:

1Co 13:4 [Love] suffereth long, and is kind; [love] envieth not; [love] vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
1Co 13:8 [Love] never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, [love], these three; but the greatest of these is [love].

Love is an action which behaves in certain ways. It is not only an action, it is a commanded action:

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Someone needs to tell Lucy that she is `commanded' to love. She can quibble about the word `forced' if she wants (is Titus 2 `forcing' women to love their husbands and children?) but she needs to get rid of the `sometimes unaware' and `forces itself into' bits (unless she is talking irresistible grace, in which case she needs to be clearer. God does indeed love us despite ourselves.) and realize that her God commands her to love. To love (and obey) her parents, to love her husband, her children, her neighbor. Her unloving actions in this book are not covered by her supposed passivity to some `love' forced upon her. That is `lust' and should be resisted until she has a husband, in which case quite the reverse.

`[Love] is a state of being.'

No, it isn't. Here is a contradiction. Linguistically an `action' verb and a `state of being' verb are contradictory. A verb can, semantically, be either a state of being or an action, not both. A state of being is passive. It can be an intrinsic quality: `I am the son of James Ohlman': this is something I was born with. `He is blind': this is either something that he was born with or a result of something that happened to him (or even something he did to himself).

Or a state of being can also be a current circumstance: `You are unemployed': the unemployed person is not unemployed because he runs around doing `unemployed' things, but he is unemployed because he can't, or won't, do `employed' things: he has no job, no profession, no occupation. `She is unmarried': she has no covenantal and physical ties with a young man... right now.

But a state of being is not an action. To say `God is Love' is to attribute a character quality to God of being a `loving being', a being who acts in ways entitled `love'. It is not to say that He has been forced, involuntarily, into the state of `love'. That would be to put the verb in the passive; where it can go. We `are loved' by God. We are acted on by His love. We are the passive recipients of His gracious actions in love. God is even `loved', by those who keep His commandments (although in God's case this is not a passive but a circular love, He it is who enables and motivates us to love Him).

But the sense of `God is Love' is neither passive nor a state of being: it is a description of the kinds of actions that God engages in: He acts in loving ways. The essence of His character is to do loving things. Indeed the very definition of a `loving thing' comes from His actions.

So we are left with a contradiction in the quote: either love is an action, or love is a state of being. Let us resolve this conflict. Our love is an action: our 'being loved' is a state of being. Our loving someone else is the result of a decision on our part: our `being loved' is the result of a decision, and actions, on their part.

But neither of these loves is the `falling in love' of the romance novel, even this `Christian' romance novel. I presume that this Christian writer understands and teaches that a husband is to love his wife, and the wife her husband, with a love that is to continue despite difficult circumstances; a love that despises adultery and unfaithfulness. And yet this same writer has their main characters act in profoundly unloving ways to their `beau' or `suitor' or even (in other books) their `fiance'. Then, to add insult to injury, she asks us, the audience (and all of the other characters) to forgive all because that character is `in love'. Indeed, not even to `forgive'. Being `in love' covers a multitude of sins; not in the Biblical sense but in the `I just couldn't help myself' sense. We are actually asked to believe that they aren't sins, that they are somehow OK because the character was `in love'.

Let us be very clear. Being `in love' covers nothing. As the murderous man is not excused his murder because of his `anger'; no more is the unfaithful `fiancee' excused her infidelities because of her lust.

What is love? Love is an action. An action that we can perform only when filled with the Spirit of God, covered by the Grace of God, and empowered by the Power of God. It is not a chemically and emotionally driven series of immoral and lustful actions. It is not a blatant disregard to all of one's commitments, all of one's other relationships, all of one's authorities in pursuit of the one lustful attachment that one `cannot live without'.

Pro 2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Pro 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
Pro 2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
Pro 2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

[April · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh! Expected to like this, but about apx. 5 chapters before the end I realized the whole love triangle was going to go down-badly!- and I threw in the towel! A guy who leads a woman on and secretly courts her best friend does not deserve to get back in the good graces of either woman OR of the reader. That ruined it for me and I had no desire to continue.

[Marguerite Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three women think they know the ways of the world within their classes. One toe over the line sends them into unknown territory. Follow these brave souls from New York city to Newport. What a journey!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this book. It was really slow. I was interested enough to keep reading, but was easily distracted while reading most of the time. I liked the overall story, but it was just ok most of the way.

The description on the back of the book really only encompasses the last 3rd of the book. The first third of the book is set in New York. The story revolves around Lucy and her family getting settled in their new apartment above the Fashion Emporium where they work, their efforts in getting the creepy guy that works in the back room fired, and a little about the budding friendship between Lucy and Rowena. The next third of the book is when Rowena devises a way to bring Lucy to Newport (by destroying clothing to create work for her - gee, thanks, Friend!)... and a little more about their friendship (which never really comes across as particularly deep). Finally, things ramp up during the last third. Finally the "unlikely suitor" enters the picture? Only in the last 75 pages or so did it get crazy as I was pleasantly surprised by the twist.

There were a couple of things that I really didn't like about the story - Lucy's sister Sofia, and all the Italian sayings and idioms throughout. Sofia was the most immature, selfish, unpleasant person. Misunderstood, maybe, but still insufferable. And all the idioms. It really seemed like every other page someone (usually one of the Scarpelli clan) would say, "It's like Papa always says asjhfd klshjfl khjsdf kjhasklfjh,. If you want something done, you have to do it yourself!" But really, I'm pretty sure that Italian doesn't read like English (oh, and there's also French, which really doesn't read like English), and I don't know those languages, so to me it came across like Dora the Explorer. "Vamonos! Come on, let's go!" I don't want a language lesson in my novels. And, seriously, who knows/says THAT many idioms?

There was also the little discontinuity issue of Rowena and her leg, which caused her to have to have clothing specially altered to fit her correctly - alterations which made the dress look crooked "on a hanger." Yet, half way through the story Lucy and Sofia are borrowing clothes from her to appear more high class... Hrmmm.

I didn't realize in checking this out that it's considered Christian Fiction. So now I've officially finished a Christian historical romance. I was happy with that aspect of it and felt it was well done without being over the top. The other danger would be for the author to randomly stick God references in where they seem awkward and out of place, but I thought this book had a decent balance.

[Valerie (Val's Vicinity) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a real conundrum for me. Initially I was quite intrigued by the story and most of the characters...I liked Lucy and enjoyed seeing her provide for her mother and sister, scoring them jobs at a high-class dress shop and finding better living accommodations. Lucy's idea to help Rowena, a client at the dress shop, hide her physical limitations through specially made dresses was really a neat idea and quite interesting to read about. Though they're limited to secretive conversations held in whispers in the back of the dress shop (due to the extreme differences in their social standing), Lucy and Rowena form a quiet friendship that I found rather charming... until about the half-way point in the story, when the whole setting of the book suddenly changes.

For various reasons most of the characters end up leaving New York to spend a few weeks in Newport. This not only changes the setting, but also the personal dynamics between the characters. Rowena tries to pull Lucy further into her high-class world, but in my opinion this just accentuated even more the differences between their social classes, resulting in awkward and strange situations that simply didn't match the tone or feeling of the first half of the story.

I generally don't like to give 3 star or lower ratings, but in this case I just can't help it. Ideally the Newport setting should've been the best part of the book, as it's where the main characters meet their romantic matches, but oddly I found it rather bland. Towards the end there is a twist involving one of the girls' suitors, which no doubt was meant to be "shocking", but several chapters prior I had started to get an inkling of what was coming... when it turned out my hunch was right, ultimately I found that I didn't really care how the situation would be resolved. The character in question behaved in questionable ways, yet everyone seemed to just brush it off as if it were a matter of little consequence, which I found troubling and somewhat strange.

I don't want to steer anyone away from "An Unlikely Suitor", yet at the same time I can't really recommend it either. As I said previously, it started out well, but various factors combined to drag the story down and into the realm of unbelievability. I do intend to give the author another try at some point, so hopefully my next venture into her work will resonate with me a bit more.

[Rachel Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have entirely mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, it had a very slow start and I didn't really get invested in the characters' lives until halfway through the book. On the other, I loved that Nancy decided to write about Italian immigrants and the struggles they had, which is not something I've come across in books from this period. I enjoyed the details about dressmaking and while I wasn't so fussed about the mystery aspect of the book, I loved the conclusion. The plot suddenly got a lot more interested in the last 10% of this book, when the truth about Lucy's beau and Rowena's secret friend was revealed. I did not expect either of these, and this definitely made me root for their prospective love interests. Sophia was more difficult to like, especially because of her immaturity, but bravo to Nancy for writing a character who wasn't particularly likeable! I liked the way Sophia's storyline ended in the epilogue, not totally happily-ever-after, but with hints of something good to come. As other reviewers have said, it's a but unrealistic that all of the main characters ended up with men of a different class, and I'm not entirely sure that Rowena's parents would allow her to make such a lifestyle choice, even with her infirmity. That was another quirk about this novel - I don't often read books in which the heroine is disabled in some way, and I liked how the implications Rowena's infirmity impacted on her life and how she had to over come this. Rowena was probably my favourite character, just because Lucy seemed a bit too perfect at times, almost verging on self-righteous. The book definitely got more interesting once it relocated to Newport, but this wasn't until halfway through the book. Likewise, the romance aspect doesn't really appear until this point in the novel, and even later for Rowena. This definitely isn't like any other historical romance I've read and I'm still not entirely sure what I think of how Nancy approached certain aspects of this story! If it weren't for the twists towards the end of the novel, I think I'd give this 3*, but as I did not expect the truth about Lucy's beau or the identity of the childhood friend that Rowena was always talking about, I'll give the book 3.5* as these aspects of the story definitely improved my opinion of it.

[Becki]

Synopsis from Borders.com: Secrets abound in this tale of three unlikely romances set in New York's Gilded Age--an uplifting story of true devotion and sacrificial love. Lucy Scarpelli, an Italian dressmaker from New York, befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's making her summer wardrobe. It's an unlikely friendship, but one that Rowena encourages by inviting Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating clothes that hide her physical injury, Rowena encourages Lucy to dream of a better future. One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what man will accept her family responsibilities? Rowena also deals with love as she faces a worrisome arranged marriage to a wealthy heir. And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, takes up with a man of dubious character. All three women struggle as their lives, and those of each unlikely suitor, become intertwined in a web of secrets and sacrifice. Will any of them find true happiness?\nI don�t know that �secrets� necessarily �abound� in this novel. But I did really enjoy the reading of it.\nParts of it were certainly predictable, but that made it cozy to read. I enjoyed Lucy�s character and the growth shown in both her and Rowena through their friendship and life circumstances. \nI wanted to slap Lucy�s sister many times throughout the novel. Her character annoyed me with her childish ways and selfishness. Then again, I know many teenagers with similar attitudes. So Ms. Moser probably hit the mark with that character.\nI didn�t like the end being so rushed (through the epilogue) and would have liked a little more �meat� near the end. And what happened to Sofia at the end? I don�t want to spoil it, but we know that Mrs. Scarpelli moves but we have no idea what Sofia does.\nA pleasant book overall.

[Britni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy Scarpelli wakes up one morning to find out her family is being evicted from the only home she's ever know in New York in just one week. How will they ever find somewhere they can afford in that time? Where there's a will there's a way, and Lucy has more will than most. Determined to protect her family, Lucy searches the city for a place to live without realizing that the place she finds will also be the key to a new life.

An Unlikely Suitor is the story of three women - Lucy, Lucy's new socialite friend Rowena, and Lucy's younger sister Sophia - who are all trying to find their place in a world filled with rules, challenges, and romance. The three are all very different from each other while all longing for the same thing, to be accepted and loved by someone. Unfortunately that love comes for each of them from a place that is against all of those rules that define how society should work. So each woman will need to decide what to follow - their family advice, society's rules, or their heart.

The story that plays out is an enjoyable, although fairly predictable, one. The writing was good and easy to read but I did find that while I liked each of the women somewhat, they all seemed one-dimensional to me. They were defined as characters by their main flaw, which didn't add to their appeal or really make me want to side with any of them. So good but not great. 3 stars.

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy Scarpelli and her family obtain new jobs at a high society dress shop in NYC, where only the wealthiest women shop. When Lucy designs Rowena Langdon’s wardrobe, Rowena and Lucy become very close friends. Even though friendship between a seamstress and a person of higher class is unusual, Rowena invites Lucy to come venture Newport with her as her personal designer. Later on Lucy’s sister Sofia and her mother also come along the trip. There at Newport is where the three girls will change forever, Rowena , Lucy and Sofia’s lives will never be the same.

I absolutely LOVED this book! The plot was certainly unlike any other, the characters were captivating and there were twists in the book that I truly did not see coming. It was a very entertaining read, definitely a page turner, one book you won’t regret reading. I was hooked from the start and I loved that there was so much detail, you could actually picture the dresses and places that are mentioned. The whole story was interesting ; just the ending, in my opinion, wasn’t as good as it could have been. Overall I rate this book four stars.

[Cinnabug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes it’s just refreshing to read a book where everything comes out right in the end. I read some reviews that complained about the number of coincidences in the lives of these characters, but I say, “Nay, Matey, there is no such thing as coincidence when God’s hand is in it!” Okay, so maybe those wouldn’t be my exact words, but if you read the book you’ll get it. The truth is, God makes things happen and I would be more likely to believe a story that shows God opening doors and making things happen for His faithful people than one that does not.

Yes, the youngest daughter was annoying, but honestly, who hasn’t known someone like that? I really wanted to reach into the book and give her a word, or a stern look, or a time-out, but... I guess that just shows how realistic her character was. If an author can make you get that involved in her characters doesn’t that show she has succeeded in telling a good story?

In the end, God works everything out for good. Maybe it wasn’t the kind of good people expected, but God’s plan is always so much better than people expect, so again, I am buying it! God is good and so was this book :)

[Cassandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me preface this review by saying that I love Nancy Moser's Ladies of History series, which is based on real women in history. However, I am not so fond of Moser's original fiction. An Unlikely Suitor is just not on par with the Ladies of History series. Moser makes history come alive, as she's excellent at making the reader feel as if they are experiencing the settings while reading. The original plots just aren't on par with the historical details and settings. I'm afraid I'd have to rate this book in the same category as most other Christian fiction: a quick read but forgettable. Please, Ms. Moser, add to your Ladies of History series!

Thank you, Bethany House, for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Monkeyface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to An Unlikely Suitorby Nancy Moser. Lucy Scarpelli, an Italian dressmaker from New York, befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's making her summer wardrobe. It's an unlikely friendship, but one that Rowena encourages by inviting Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating clothes that hide her physical injury, Rowena encourages Lucy to dream of a better future. One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what man will accept her family responsibilities? Rowena also deals with love as she faces a worrisome arranged marriage to a wealthy heir. And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, takes up with a man of dubious character. All three women struggle as their lives, and those of each unlikely suitor, become intertwined in a web of secrets and sacrifice. Will any of them find true happiness? I found this book entertaining and a little confusing. I did enjoy the story so I give this book 4 stars and a 8. An entertaining book.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Moser certainly makes you feel immersed in the social life and societal expectations of the late 1800's. You can almost sense what the lives of both upper and lower class families were like. The characters were likeable, and they had both strengths and weaknesses. My interest in history was delightfully enhanced by the afterwards at the end of the book in which Ms. Moser explains in detail what was true and what was fictional in the story, and she also includes wonderful illustrations of garments of the times that are described in the story. The only drawbacks were that I found it pretty predictable. (I knew who Lucy's secret suitor was going to be right away, long before it was revealed who he was, and also guessed many other twists and turns that the story took), and I found it slightly hard to believe toward the end that some of the circumstances would all occur at one time. I do recommend this novel, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.

[Hana (the bookish banana) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start out by saying that late 1800s-early 1900s romances have always been a guilty pleasure of mine. So I knew right off the bat that this was going to be my kind of book. (I mean look at that beautiful cover!) But I was even surprised by how much I enjoyed & loved this book.

First off, I loved all of the characters, especially the three main women. I loved how real, honest, and flawed each of them were at times. I also enjoyed that romance wasn't the only theme. Friendships and relationships with family played an important role, and even learning to do what you want in life. We get to know the main characters early on in the story before the romance even starts, so you're able to get to really get to know each of them.

Even though this book was really predictable (who didn't see that "twist" coming?) and there are parts at are extremely unrealistic, I still had so much fun reading it. If you're a fan of stories such as Downton Abbey, then I highly recommend this to you!

[Jenny GB · Rating 3 out of 5]

I prefer Nancy Moser's historical women to her fictional ones because the fictional ones have such unlikely stories. This is a nice little romance novel, but largely unrealistic. I really enjoyed all the details about sewing dresses and the beautiful Newport setting. The characters are well written and the story moves quickly. However, the plot is lacking. The romances are fairly predictable and over the top. They are compared to Romeo and Juliet or Pride and Prejudice and I only wish they were that good. You basically know who will like whom. The only twist is finding out the Edward is really Dante and even that wasn't really much of a surprise for me. The end result of both poor sisters marrying rich men and the rich woman marrying the poor man seemed like a bit of a gimmick. It was an enjoyable summer read, but easily forgettable.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed reading An Unlikely Suitor. The time period has always intrigued me and having spent sometime living in New England, this book really caught my eye.

I enjoyed getting to see the world through three different characters eyes, however, I found myself getting quite annoyed with Lucy at times. Maybe because I can see a little of me in her! I found Sofia's story to be the most interesting and wish she had a bigger role in the novel.

Like many others, I wish the novel had been longer. I feel as though there was so much left to be explored. It leaves much to the imagination, which maybe that is what the author intended.

An Unlikely Suitor was a fun and refreshing read, with romances that keep you wanting to read more. I also found myself learning valuable lessons along with the characters.


I would recommend!

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read. I wasn't sure what to think after reading the other reviews but decided to take a chance as it was a clean read.

I enjoyed the main character Lucy but her sister Sofia really got on my nerves. Enough so that I wanted to reach through the pages and shake her or tell her to grow up NOW! Rowena was a wonderful character too.

I actually had a whole review written up but as I went to save it my phone went crazy and it didn't save....ugggg! Anyway now you get the condensed version.

I would definitely recommend reading this novel and I am wanting to try her ladies of history series, most reviewers commented liking them better than this novel.

Hope you enjoy if you end up reading it!

Happy Reading!!!

[Alexia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good book and I read it within 3 days. I think I'm just not that crazy about Moser's writing style. The book remind me of Tracie Peterson's Broadmoor Series with Fanny, Sophie, and Amanda. I feel it was a lot better than , which this is a side story of that one but doesn't have Lottie at all in it.

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slower-paced but very satisfying read. The three different POVs were well balanced, and Sofia's voice was particularly distinct. Of course, everyone got the happy-ever-after, but not in the cliche ways one might initially expect with these kinds of rags-to-riches storylines. And there was at least one good surprise that caught me off guard. But my favorite part of the book just might be the "Fact vs. Fiction" section at the end, where Moser reveals the depth of research that went into bringing this era, setting, and characters to life. Well done all around.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the best "Christian inspirationals" that I have read and I look forward to reading (well, listening to) more by this author. I liked the characters and liked that there was more going on than just the romance. I also liked that this was not the interminable 30-chapter books that often plague the Christian inspirational genre, with all that dead space in the middle where the story goes basically no where. I also liked that whatever "inspiration" there was was subtle. What a breath of fresh air.
Audio book.

[Lynne Tull · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt like I was reading a "Young Adult" book. Now I know why...it is a BethanyHouse novel; therefore, Christian based...not to say that is a bad thing. It is just not what I normally read. I am usually reading about England in the early 1800's and not America in the late 1800's. I did not find it as challenging, entertaining, and educating as the novels by authors who write about the Regency Period. After this book, I think I will stick to the Regency Period.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book but didn't love the book. Sophie drove me insane the majority of the novel which made me a little angry with Lea for letting her daughter act so. The book did drag some with extra information. The 3 relationships were good I just wish more time of the book would have been focused on building these relationships. I just always have a problem with the meet three times and then propose type of philosophy.