Veiled in Smoke (The Windy City Saga #1) by Jocelyn Green

Title: Veiled in Smoke (The Windy City Saga #1)

Author: Jocelyn Green

Pages: 416

Year: 2020

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

     Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago’s business district, they lose much more than just their store.

     The sisters become separated from their father, and after Meg burns her hands in an attempt to save a family heirloom, they make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend not only died during the fire—he was murdered. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum.

     Though homeless, injured, and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father’s innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.

My review:

     This is a gripping historical novel!

     There is definitely a large element of romance in this story but the history is much more important in my mind. I love the four main characters. Meg, Stephen, Sylvie, and Nate are incredibly well developed. Watching the emotional growth of each of them was fantastic. As they grew I enjoyed seeing the changes in how they interacted with each other.

     I had read about the Great Chicago Fire in history class. It never really seemed real to me before reading this book. The fear and other emotions the people dealt with in the aftermath was palpable. My heart broke especially for Stephen as he was not only trying to deal with the current situation but also all of his memories and fears from his service in the Civil War.

     I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how they learned to depend on God to help them. The fact that multiple characters were able to bring scriptures to mind was a great reminder to me about the need to memorize scripture.

     I was completely captivated by this book. I’m giving it a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I have done. All thoughts and opinions 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.*