Search - Courting Miss Adelaide (Heart Series, Bk 1) (Love Inspired Historical, No 16)

I was surprised by this story. And appreciated the reminder of the plight of the woman
who endured through time and the sufferage to bring us the right to vote. Although the story is fictional, it definately rings true on some level. As an unmarried woman tries to gain favor, to obtain custody of orphaned children, from a panel of men in charge of choosing the placement of them. Through unexpected twist and turns she is given half ownership in the local paper. When she writes a column encourageing woman to speak up it creates a mixture of postive and negative reaction. Although the outcome is predictable it was still and enjoyable read.

Title: COURTING MISS ADELAIDE
Author: Janet Dean
Publisher: Love Inspired Historical
September 2008
ISBN: 978-0-373-82796-3
Genre: Inspirational/historical

Adelaide Crum is a spinster. And while she’ll never marry, she’d still love to have children. A darling little girl, one she could teach to sew… so when Adelaide hears of an orphan train coming to her town, she hurries to meet with the committee so she can be approved for a child.

Unfortunately, the committee doesn’t exactly see things her way. They insist that a child needs a mother and a father and they refuse to even consider her pleas for a little girl. Still, Adelaide can’t help but go when the orphan train arrives and pick out the child she wants…only to have that child go to a man and a woman.

When Adelaide struggles to heal from this newest rejection, she starts writing fashion articles for the newspaper editor, Charles Graves. She soon finds a friend in Charles, but for whatever reason, he refuses to support her quest to declare the home that the little girl went to unfit. Not even when the little girl is dropped off in town. Not even when evidence suggests otherwise… What can Adelaide do to make Charles see the truth?

COURTING MISS ADELAIDE is Ms. Dean’s debut novel, and it is a winner. Full of life, laughter, and unexpected twists and turns, COURTING MISS ADELAIDE is a novel that needs to have reviews written about it, so people will know what a treasure is lurking in stores waiting to be discovered.

Adelaide is a realistic heroine, feisty and caring, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. I also cared for Charles and felt for him as he battled his demons. A secondary character, Fannie, also won my heart and I hope to see more about this character sometime. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $5.50. 279 pages.

Adelaide Crum wants to have a family to love, so the orphan train that comes to town seems to be her chance. However the town committee turns her down because she is single, despite the fact that she runs her own millinery shop, is a church goer, has a trade to teach a little girl, and has a comfortable living.

Charles Graves, who runs the local newspaper, is on the committee that rejects Adelaide’s application, and the decision he was part of haunts him. Charles believes his past proves he cannot love anyone, but he is drawn to Addie. When one of the orphans needs a temporary home, Charles convinces the committee to let Addie help. Circumstances continue to bring Adelaide and Charles together, and they must come to grips with their feelings for each other. Their wounded hearts and pride keep them pushing each other away.

Adelaide is independent and headstrong at a time when men ruled their women with an iron fist. Adelaide and Charles both suffered different forms of child abuse, and those wounds influence their thoughts, actions, and interactions with each other. Having the orphan to care for changes Addie and Charles and begins to soften them. The story took a very unexpected suspenseful twist but had a satisfying ending. This author’s first book kept me up late into the night to find out what happens next, and drew me into small-town life at the turn of the 20th century.