Friday Book Pick: The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow by Olivia Newport

If you follow me on Facebook, you already know I am a hopeless Downton Abbey fan (read why in this blog post from 2012). I was excited to crack open this new novel by Olivia Newport and discover a story that felt like an  American version of Downton.

The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow is set in Chicago, during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, and the heroine is a servant in the home of one of Chicago’s elite families. As Charlotte Farrow walks the fine line between the lower and the upper classes, she struggles to keep her past a secret–even when evidence shows up on the doorstep and throws the entire household into chaos.

Here is the information about the novel, courtesy of the author’s website:

The whole world is coming to Chicago. Charlotte’s whole world is coming down around her. 

While the rest of Chicago focuses on the enormous spectacle of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Charlotte Farrow’s attentions are entirely on one small boy—her boy—whom she has kept a secret from her wealthy employers for nearly a year.

When the woman who has been caring for her son abruptly returns him to the opulent Banning home, Charlotte must decide whether to come clean and face dismissal or keep her secret while the Bannings decide the child’s fate. Can she face the truth of her past and open her heart to a future of her own? Or will life’s struggles determine her path?

This compelling story of courage, strength, and tender romance captures the tension between the glittering wealthy class and the hardworking servants who made their lives comfortable.

I was fascinated by Newport’s portrayal of the servants, the hierarchy they maintained, and the way the staff members interacted with the family. The Dilemma of Charlotte Farrow is the second novel in the Avenue of Dreams series. I didn’t feel lost not having read book one (The Pursuit of Lucy Banning), but I feel it may have given this story an even richer backdrop.

The success of shows like Downton Abbey has been noticed by the publishing world and they’re scrambling to feed readers’ appetites for these types of stories. Keep an eye on the shelves at your local bookstores and libraries–many more titles are on their way!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Revell for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”  

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