The Editor's Daughter

The Editor's Daughter is a historical fiction novel set in 1814 Washington, featuring Ella Rutherford. Ella is a secret editorial writer who must navigate political upheaval, romance, and the British invasion. I received a free copy of this book from Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. This 411 page novel was published on May 26, 2026.

The publisher's summary:  

A war. A fire. A bond written in ash and ink. And a voice that refused to be extinguished.

In Washington, 1814, Ella Rutherford grew up amid the noise of the printing press and the uproar of congressional halls as the secret protégé of her father. Skirting society's demands, she authors editorials under a false name while waging a rivalry with cynical war correspondent Grant Dashwood and avoiding every attempt at a match.

When British troops march on the capital in a night of fire and smoke, Ella loses everything. With no inheritance and even fewer options, Ella must wed—but the cost of marriage is more than she can afford. Through ruin, conspiracy, and a love written between the lines, she must choose between the people she loves and who she was meant to be.

I always enjoy historical fiction stories about feminists in earlier eras. Ella Rutherford is one such woman. She is in the fourth season of the marriage market but continues to reject every suitor. All of them wanted to stifle her intellectual curiosity and talents. Ella has no intention of being obedient to a man so she believes she cannot marry. Female obedience is expected on marriage. That said, Ella has an attraction to Grant Dashwood who has liberal ideas concerning women.

Since the backdrop to the story is the War of 1812, Dashwood tries to warn the Rutherford's that the British were soon to be in the new city of Washington where the Rutherfords reside. Ella's father decides to ignore the warning and when the British knock on his door they immediately shoot him dead. Ella flees with Dashwood and later learns that her mother and younger sister have taken refuge with their Montgomery cousins. She is now destitute and must live with them also. The British troops burned the entire city of Washington. If memory serves me correctly, Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Bangled Banner during this siege.

The story is a historical romance. Dashwood and Ella exchange letters while Dashwood is serving as a war correspondent with the American troops. Both are trying to avoid their feelings for each other. In the meantime Ella's mother has foumd another suitor for her. Thomas Gray is wealthy and Ella's family is pressuring her to marry him. Ella is concerned about his weak view of women but knows she must make a match soon.

I don't want to gave any further summary of the plot. It's best to read the book for yourselves to find out what happens to Ella. I loved her character though. She was such a strong woman for the era. Her mother, however, was the stereotypical wealthy wife bent on fitting into society at any cost. I was surprised that Ella's father gave in to her mother regarding her prospective suitors. In the beginning of the novel he always sided with Ella and let her write news stories for his paper. Grant Dashwood was, of course, dashing. 

I enjoyed this book. It gives alot of detail about the War of 1812 and I learned alot. The story was somewhat slow in parts so I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Singapore Secret

The Singapore Secret is a new release from Clair Willis. The narrative alternates between 1942 Singapore and present-day England. A young woman named Dorothy makes a promise during the evacuation of Singapore. Years later, her granddaughter Annabel finds a photo of her with an unknown man and Anabel begins to research the photo. 

The publisher's summary: 

Singapore 1942: With the war drawing ever closer, Dorothy faces a heart-rending choice to leave the country she has come to call home and the people she loves most. As she boards a boat full of evacuees with warplanes advancing across the ocean, a tiny baby is pressed into her arms. In that moment, Dorothy makes a promise that will echo through the years...

England, 2019: When Annabel's grandmother, Dotty, passes away aged one hundred she discovers a bundle of letters and photographs hidden in her desk that document her life in Singapore during the 1930s. But Dotty had always said she never travelled further than their small village in Cornwall. What could have made Dotty conceal this past life? Who is the man standing next to her in a wedding dress who is not Annabel's grandfather?

Determined to uncover the truth, is Annabel prepared for what she will find?

What a great story! I was hooked from the first chapter. Dorothy's story is extraordinary. She suffered so much during her eight years living in Singapore but ended up with a long and happy life in Cornwall. The book is written in a dual timeline which is a format that I enjoy. The chapters alternated between Dorothy's perspective and Annabel's perspective. I enjoyed Dorothy's story more because she had unusual life experiences. 

The story opened with Annabel Penrose deciding to spend the Easter holiday with her beloved grandmother, Dotty, in Cornwall. She needs to get away for awhile from her cheating boyfriend. When she arrives, she finds Dotty has suffered a fall and is in the hospital. Scans reveal Dotty has a tumor and could not have ever had children. Annabel is shocked because her father Noel has always been known to be Dotty’s son. Dotty soon passes away and Annabel finds herself traveling to Singapore to find out more about her grandmother. 

The story is set in Singapore during WWII. I didn't know much about the Japanese occupation of the island before reading the book but it was horrific. I don’t know how anyone could possibly have survived. Many died but many also forced themselves to survive on a day to day basis. The people living in Singapore at that time had harsh existences; too awful to describe. Reading how the war affected them was certainly eye-opening. 

The Singapore Secret was an engrossing read. I think it offers a unique perspective on the WWII historical fiction sub-genre. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Porcelain Maker's Daughter

The Porcelain Maker’s Daughter is a historical romance novel that is based on a true story about a sunken ship. The Tec Sing (True Star) was a large three mast Chinese junk that sank in 1822. It contained a massive cargo of porcelain and 2,000 people. Only 200 survived.

The publisher's summary:

Southern China, 1822. Looking to marry her off to a wealthy Indonesian merchant, Cheng Yafang’sfather arranges for her voyage aboard the Tek Sing—the largest trading vessel ever to sail the South China Sea. For Yafang, the second daughter in a family of master porcelain artists, there is no greater honor: a way to safeguard her family business and secure her future. But as she boards the mighty ship containing hundreds of thousands of her family’s finest porcelain, her heart—and the ship itself—harbors a secret that defies generations of tradition.

From a young age, He Zuyao was raised to hate the Chengs. After decades of rivalry rooted in their mastery of the art of porcelain-making, their disdain had grown into a bitter feud. But when he sees Yafang accosted by robbers on her way home, Zuyao doesn’t think twice before risking his life to defend her. Despite their heritage, Zuyao and Yafang vow to marry each other—a love that blossoms in the most unexpected of places.

But after Zuyao discovers her arranged marriage, their vow is pushed to a breaking point. When disaster strikes the He household and a legendary Guanyin statue is stolen, Zuyao follows its trail to the Tek Sing. Hoping to find the lost family heirloom and reunite with the woman he loves, Zuyao stows away on the ship. As the Tek Sing departs, a tragedy unfolds in the shadows of its bow. And even if they make it to the new land—can they really sacrifice their families’ honor for something as lowly as love?

Based on the true story of the “Oriental Titanic,” The Porcelain Maker’s Daughter is a moving, unputdownable saga. An immersive historical experience surrounding one of the greatest tragedies of 19th-century China.

While the book was enchanting, it was a slow read. I can't put my finger on what was the problem. I only know that I could only read it in small doses and then I started reading other books, always returning to this one. The story has a Romeo and Juliet plot. Yafang is the main character. She was born into a family of master artisans and carried both the weight of expectation and the burning desire to only marry if she was in love. She was normally quiet, respectful and reserved but could scream at her father when he discussed her future marriage to a wealthy man that she never met. Yafang was known in her community as trustworthy. I found her to be very sympathetic. Her boyfriend He Zuyao had a similar personality. They made a great couple but the He family was not rich. Also, the He and Cheng families had a long standing feud that could not be disrupted. It would anger the ancestors so the plot is definitely the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet. 

The backdrop of their families being master porcelain artists was interesting to read about. I wish that there had been more of it. The descriptions of clay, firing, painting, and the translucent glazes are outstanding. These details serve not just as setting but also symbolically reflect Yafang's own internal transformation. She is fired by life challenges, shaped by relationships, and finally emerges as something beautiful.

As in real life, the Tec Sing sank in the novel, killing 1800 people. The number of people who died was 300 more than those who died on the Titanic. Most of the characters in the beginning of the story were on the ship. Some were saved, others weren't. If you want to know if your favorite character survived, read the book.  

It's nice to read a story about characters who pursue goodness and kindness. I enjoyed the story tremendously and am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

Darjeeling Inheritance

From award-winning author of The Linford Series, Liz Harris, comes this intriguing tale of love and malice, set in the shadow of the Himalayas. I love reading fiction set in India so I was immediately drawn to the book. The book was published on April 23, 2021. With 404 pages, it's almost a chunkster.

The publisher's summary:

Darjeeling, 1930

After eleven years in school in England, Charlotte Lawrence returns to Sundar, the tea plantation owned by her family, and finds an empty house. She learns that her beloved father died a couple of days earlier and that he left her his estate. She learns also that it was his wish that she marry Andrew McAllister, the good-looking younger son from a neighbouring plantation.

Unwilling to commit to a wedding for which she doesn't feel ready, Charlotte pleads with Dan Fitzgerald, the assistant manager of Sundar, to teach her how to run the plantation while she gets to know Andrew. Although reluctant as he knew that a woman would never be accepted as manager by the local merchants and workers, Dan agrees.

Charlotte's chaperone on the journey from England, Ada Eastman, who during the long voyage, has become a friend, has journeyed to Darjeeling to marry Harry Banning, the owner of a neighbouring tea garden.

When Ada marries Harry, she's determined to be a loyal and faithful wife. And to be a good friend to Charlotte. And nothing, but nothing, was going to stand in the way of that.

The story begins with a bang. When Charlotte returns home she is immediately told that her beloved father died two days earlier. In addition, she is the heir to the tea plantation. About an hour later her mother tells Charlotte that she is to marry Andrew McAllister. Charlotte has not seen Andrew since she was a young child and does not wish to marry any time soon. This is alot for her to absorb in the first few minutes at home. Charlotte, though, plans to learn everything about the tea business before she marries.

As a tea aficionado I appreciated all the information on what makes a great tea leaf. From the age and height of the tea bushes to the lack of moisture coming from the Himalayas, I learned alot about my favorite tea. Darjeeling has been my go to tea for years. There are, of course, unpleasant jobs that tea planters have to do. Manuring sections of the terraces (yes, I made up that word), lopping and shaping the leaves must be done on a regular basis. The leaves are then plucked every five to seven days, thirty or forty times a year. No wonder it is expensive.

Charlotte continued to learn a new aspect of tea planting every week. Each week's lessons were fully described. While I enjoyed this, readers who are not into tea might find all this information boring. Charlotte had other lessons from her mother on how to run a household as well as knowing how to mix drinks for her future husband. 

The setting is a dream. . . for the wealthy. The oppressive heat was difficult for manual laborers in the tea fields. The wealthy, however, had beautiful homes with servants who catered to their every need and desire. Also, India has plenty of private clubs for the English to join that bar Indians. The English certainly set up a fine social network for themselves. Unfortunately, their Indian employees worked long hours with little pay. When I say the setting is a dream, I am imagining that I am a wealthy Englishwoman living in a plantation home. 

The romance among the characters was messed up. New bride Ada is attracted to Andrew. Andrew feels the same for Ada even though he plans to marry Charlotte. Dan develops feelings for Charlotte during their educational sessions which eventually are reciprocated. While Charlotte is the main character, the story heavily features Ada and her new husband Harry. I did not understand Ada's prominence until the midway point when these attractions became physical. 

All in all Darjeeling Inheritance was an enjoyable read. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Sound of a Thousand Stars

I was immediately drawn into this story from the first chapter. The story is about two young Jewish physicists who work at Los Alamos under Dr. Robert Oppenheimer during WWII. The book has an alternating plot that alternates between the perspectives of our heroine Alice in the 1940s and Haruki in the 1960s. Haruki is an old man who survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Alice is a physicist who is working toward a Ph.d Both plots were entertaining. This novel will be published on October 8, 2024 

The publisher's summary:  

Alice Katz is a young Jewish physicist, one of the only female doctoral students at her university, studying with the famed Dr. Oppenheimer. Her well-to-do family wants her to marry a man of her class and settle down. Instead, Alice answers her country’s call to come to an unnamed city in the desert to work on a government project shrouded in secrecy.

At Los Alamos, Alice meets Caleb Blum, a poor Orthodox Jew who has been assigned to the explosives division. Around them are other young scientists and engineers who have quietly left their university posts to come live in the desert.

No one seems to know exactly what they are working on—what they do know is that it is a race and that they must beat the Nazis in developing an unspeakable weapon. In this atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, and despite their many differences, Alice and Caleb find themselves drawn to one another.

The book was inspired by the author’s grandparents and is her debut novel. I was expecting a story where the main character's Jewish faith was either prominent or a problem for her. After all, the book summary discusses two Jewish characters. However, just about every character working at Los Alamos was Jewish. The faith didn't have much part in the story other than in the character descriptions. The book is basically a historical romance although Alice wasn't the romantic type. Caleb more than made up for her. He could not stop dreaming about Alice all day and night. Caleb felt inferior to her both because of her family's wealth and her physicist work at the ranch. 

The work of the scientists was not developed. I guess that since the work among them was secret that the author did not write much about their experiments into the plot. It's possible that the actual history of the research they were doing is still confidential and that the author did not find anything specific about it in her research for the book. The reader is only allowed to see the parties the scientists attended and whatever they did in their off hours.

I am rating  novel 4 out of 5 stars. Please note that I received an advanced review copy of this book from Librarything's Early Reviewer's Club in exchange for an honest review.

The Apple Creek Announcement

 

The Apple Creek Announcement is the third book in Wanda Brunstetter's Creektown Discoveries trilogy.  It is light reading and hit the spot for me as I was reading while recovering from a COVID-19 vaccine. Yes, vaccine. In this installment of the series piano teacher and artist, Andrea Wagner, has a fascination with painting the rural Amish landscapes around her home. She has made it to her thirties feeling like she has had a charmed life and finally has fallen in love with Brandon Prentice, a local veterinarian. But then she discovers she was adopted and all she thought she knew about herself has crumbled. She does not know why her adoptive parents kept the adoption a secret. Andrea becomes so fixated on finding her birth mother that she puts her wedding plans on hold and writes to the "Dear Caroline" column in the newspaper for romance advice. 

Why Apple Creek in the title? The story takes place in Apple Creek, Ohio where Andrea and her family reside. A nearby town, Walnut Creek, is where two additional characters, Orley and Lois Troyer, live and run an antique shop called Memory Keepers. The couple enjoys mentoring others and frequently pray for God to bring people into their lives that need help. In addition, Lois writes the "Dear Caroline" newspaper column. I loved these characters who led lives of simple pleasure. It takes me back to a time in my life that seemed easier. It probably wasn't, but today I look back on my life and see simplicity. Without the presence of modern conveniences, the characters' lifestyles helped them focus more on God and their faith. However they are still challenged by their circumstances. 

I also love that the story is clean romance. The subplot of Andrea's search for her birth mother added some drama that you don't normally see in Amish fiction. With a surprise twist at the end, the novel read more like a mystery than the typical Amish story. It was fantastic.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Secret Messenger

The Secret Messenger takes place in Venice during WWII. It is the story of the Resistance in Venice and begins in 1934 with Stella Jilani and her grandfather's presence at a rally where Hitler appeared with Mussolini. The book alternates between the WWII era and the present.

The publisher's summary:

"The world is at war, and Stella Jilani is leading a double life. By day she works in the lion's den as a typist for the Reich; by night, she risks her life as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Against all odds, Stella must impart Nazi secrets, smuggle essential supplies and produce an underground newspaper on her beloved typewriter. But when German commander General Breugal becomes suspicious, it seems he will stop at nothing to find the mole, and Stella knows her future could be in jeopardy. 

Years later, Luisa Belmont finds a mysterious old typewriter in her attic. Determined to find out who it belonged to, Luisa delves into the past and uncovers a story of fierce love, unimaginable sacrifice and, ultimately, the worst kind of betrayal."

I LOVED The Secret Messenger but I am not sure why Luisa Belmont was necessary to the story. Her story did not feature much into the plot.  She was necessary for the denouement but perhaps the ending could have been told in another way and her character eliminated. Stella's double life was the main focus of the book and it was exciting to read about. Her romances added danger to a story that was already rife with danger. This is one fabulous novel that all historical fiction fans will love.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Violinist of Venice

The Violinist of Venice is about the world renowned composer and priest Antonio Vivaldi and his fictional student Adriana d'Amato.  Forbidden to play music by her wealthy merchant father, Adriana secretly visits Vivaldi at night to ask him to teach her to play the violin. He agrees but after a few lessons they quickly fall in love and begin to make love after each lesson. Adriana has to sneak around her strict father to practice her instrument and continue to visit Vivaldi. Her father is showing her off to several noble Venetian families in hopes of arranging a marriage for her. Adriana wants Vivaldi but is he willing to give up the priesthood for her? That will mean giving up his ability to work in music as well.

While this book has been described as "a story of Vivaldi," the main character is actually Adriana. It covers thirty years of her life, most of it lived without him but still pining for him. However, his music is prevalent throughout the novel. The author has written into the plot plenty of information on violin techniques and on how to compose music. Both characters are shown playing the instrument exquisitely and the reader can hear the music coming off of the pages. Pardon the pun, it makes the book sing.

Writing a musical romance was a brilliant idea. Perhaps the author has a series here where she can feature a different musician in each novel. 5 out of 5 stars!