Serving Up Love: A Four-in-One Harvey House Brides Collection

The Characters: Tracie Peterson's "A Flood of Love" gives us a no-nonsense heroine who has worked her way up the chain of command among the Harvey Girls. The hero is a tall, dashing railroad man of mixed Hispanic and Caucasian heritage, and his little daughter is an unforgettable personality. "More Than a Pretty Face," follows the life which Rosalind, from Karen's novel More Than Words Can Say, built for herself after she left Abby and Zach and headed west. The hero, Caleb Durringon is the son of an affluent cattleman, but Caleb has followed his own calling as a western lawyer. Regina Jennings' "Intrigue a la Mode": the heroine is from a large country family in Kansas, and the hero is the confident and determined son of a self-made railroad-baron. Expert dialogue and unique personalities makes these characters very hard to forget. "Grand Encounters" by Jen Turano gives us a quiet-but-rugged businessman who is head-over-heels for a socialite-in-hiding who serves him lunch at the El Tovar Harvey House on the rim of the Grand Canyon. The hero's hilarious motor-mouth brother and the heroine's textured collection of friends provided plenty of giggles. I will mention the taciturn hero, who is now wealthy and well-traveled despite a country upbringing and limited education, did wax a little too flowery in speech for my suspension of disbelief to hold up very long during his conversations. The Spiritual Thread: AFOL: Prayer is mentioned and the heroine prays about a life-altering decision. MTAPF: Forgiveness and moving into a future that is not defined by another person’s opinion but by God’s calling on a person’s life. These truths are portrayed with grace in a way easily translated into our modern world. IALM: I don't recall any religious references in this story. GE: Don't remember any religious references in the story. *I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and have provided my honest opinion in this review.

Just when I think I know pretty much all about American History, I read a book about the Harvey Girls and realize there is SO much more to learn about our great country! This book has four novellas about 4 women who were Harvey Girls working in Harvey Houses in the American West based on the real Harvey Houses (essentially restaurants) that populated the country at a time when train travel was the "thing"! It offered women a chance to gain independence and see our great country. Harvey Girls weren't "just waitresses", they were so much more! This book was so fascinating to me and I enjoyed each story set in a different city, but the Harvey House was real. Each author did such an amazing job of blending the history of the Harvey House with the area it was set in and the characters in the story. I highly recommend this book! A FLOOD OF LOVE - Tracie Peterson - A precocious young girl brings two former sweethearts together in New Mexico after a big misunderstanding that tore them apart a decade earlier but will they all survive the big flood? MORE THAN A PRETTY FACE - Karen Witemeyer - Rosalind Kemp wants desperately to one day move on to California so she can outrun the past and her youthful mistake but her past finds her and will Caleb make a stand and fight for her? INTRIGUE A LA MODE - Regina Jennings - Strange things are happening at this Harvey House and when Willow is warned by her cousin to stay away from things, she doesn't know what to think! But, a handsome new busboy needs her help in cracking the case and she just can't seem to stay away! A GRAND ENCOUNTER - Jen Turano Myrtle flees high society in New York after an embarrassing situation for a quiet life at the Grand Canyon until a frequent guest makes her "independent life" vow difficult to sustain.

This is four novellas in one book. All are stand alone novellas yet all four focus on the Harvey House Servers. A Flood of Love by Tracie Peterson - Dirk and Gretchen are not expecting to run into each other, when they do the sparks fly. More than a Pretty Face by Karren Witemeyer - Rosalind is trying to run from a mistake, Caleb is wanting something more than an arranged marriage. When the past comes crashing in will forgiveness and love make away? Intrigue A La Mode by Regina Jennings - I love the connections between Willow and Graham. As she tries to understand Graham and he tries to solve a mystery. A Grand Encounter by Jen Turano - I loved Myrtles personality and once Jack really started showing his true self I loved his too. Jack and Myrtle have some misconceptions to overcome and family and friends who help them along.