Faithful by Janet Fox

Faithful by Janet Fox
(Author Page) (Amazon)
This ARC was received from Around the World Tours.

Sixteen-year-old Maggie Bennet’s life is in tatters. Her mother has disappeared, and is presumed dead. The next thing she knows, her father has dragged Maggie away from their elegant Newport home, off on some mad excursion to Yellowstone in Montana. Torn from the only life she’s ever known, away from her friends, from society, and verging on no prospects, Maggie is furious and devastated by her father’s betrayal. But when she arrives, she finds herself drawn to the frustratingly stubborn, handsome Tom Rowland, the son of a park geologist, and to the wild romantic beauty of Yellowstone itself. And as Tom and the promise of freedom capture Maggie’s heart, Maggie is forced to choose between who she is and who she wants to be.

I, like everyone else apparently, didn't realize this was a Historical novel. Because that summary in the back is a little misleading in not telling you the book is set in the early 1900s. I really enjoy Historical novels, and especially turn-of-the-century novels set in some place beautiful like Yellowstone National Park. I found all this intriguing and lovely, having never been to Yellowstone myself. I also found Maggie's dilemma entirely understandable. To her, the rest of her life hinges on her debut into proper society and finding a husband. Her mother has always been so eccentric and off that her place in society is already dangling by a thread.

When her father receives letters from Maggie's Uncle John he rushes Maggie off to find his missing wife, whom many have presumed dead. Maggie is a captor of society rules and her very gender. She must do what her father says, and when he betrays her trust in him it is heartbreaking. I can't imagine someone, especially my own father, being so blithe about my feelings. I can understand Maggie's situation, and I found Fox's writing to be so beautiful and moving that I was immediately sucked into that time period. I truly enjoy that aspect of this novel.

However...

I have to say that this book could of used a lot less flashbacks. Seriously, authors, if you're going to spend the first 40-50 pages of a book in flashbacks telling the history behind the story I will really, really dislike your book. I don't care how well written or how beautiful your main characters voice is you will loose me as a reader very, very quickly. I will put down your book and not feel badly about it. I was so very close to doing that with this novel. I got tired of those flashbacks so fast that every time one popped up I could only think, "Oh man another flashback?"

Overall though, this was a beautiful book in many other ways. It's out now in paperback.