Biltmore Girl (Historic Hotels Collection)

Biltmore Girl is third in the Historic Hotels series by Dawn Klinge and covers a period of history I don’t often see in Christian fiction. Admittedly, I didn’t read the blurb for it too carefully. I grabbed the book because firstly, I’d read the previous title in the trilogy and, second, it was on sale. So, before anyone else does the same let me point out that this is NOT connected to the famed Biltmore Estate in North Carolina built by one of the scions of the Gilded Age. This was the New York City hotel opened in 1913 and in existence until 1981 when it was gutted and turned into offices.Nineteen sixty-eight was a difficult year in American history. Biltmore Girl starts with a pivotal event in the NYC Civil Rights and anti-war movements: the protest over planned Columbia University construction, and the consequent occupation of one of the buildings on campus. The shadow of the Draft looms over everything, including Jacob’s decision making regarding his post-graduation future. Readers experience the protest and Robert Kennedy’s assassination through the eyes of Elka and Jacob. The book also touches briefly on the plight of runaway and abused children in New York City when Elka becomes a mentor to a teenage girl.Despite these heavy subjects, however, I found Biltmore Girl to be an easy read. My first thought upon finishing it was that it was “very cute.” It is the third title in a series but can be read as a standalone. Having read two books in the trilogy, I can now tell that this is a family saga, but I don’t think I lost anything in not having read the first book of the series. I do, however, want to read about Jacob’s parents since they appear to be the focus of that.

A different type of book than I normally read. Enjoyed it. It incorporates issues of the time into the storyline, that make you sense what it would have been like. Like the main characters and how they resolve the issues facing their future. A good ending.

Loving this book! It's so nice to sit down at the end of a busy day and dive into a story you are interested in but don't have to think hard...LOL. This book delivers just that! Can wait for more!!!

What a wonderfully engaging story! Characters you want to know, a plot line that keeps you turning pages, and descriptions of the setting that make you feel like you’re there! Bravo!

I really enjoy Dawn’s writing style and her attention to historical details. She has a good story line.