Friday, August 3, 2012

Litfuse Blog Tour | Love Finds You in Mackinac Island by Melanie Dobson


Love Finds You in Mackinac Island
by Melanie Dobson
Love Finds You series
Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance
Available July 1, 2012
Summerside Press
320 pages



About the Book
As the Gilded Age comes to a close, Elena Bissette's once-wealthy family has nearly lost its fortune. The Bissettes still own a home on fashionable Mackinac Island, where they will spend one last summer in the hope of introducing Elena to a wealthy suitor. But Elena is repulsed by the idea of marrying for money.

Quickly tiring of the extravagant balls, Elena spends most evenings escaping back into Mackinac's rugged forest. There she meets Chase, a handsome laborer who shares her love for the night sky. The two begin to meet in secret at an abandoned lighthouse, where they work together to solve a mystery buried in the pages of a tattered diary.

As Elena falls in love with Chase, her mother relentlessly contrives to introduce her to Chester Darrington, the island's most eligible bachelor. Marriage to the elusive millionaire would solve the Bissettes' financial woes, and Elena is torn between duty and love.

My Thoughts
Not having read any of the previous books in the Love Finds You series, I wasn't sure what to expect. But Melanie Dobson blew me away with her most recent novel, Love Finds You in Mackinac Island!

The Bissette family returns to Mackinac Island for one retreat from the city before they must sell their summer home. Elena wants nothing more than to simply enjoy the beauty of the island, but her mother intends to marry Elena off to Chester Darrington, a highly sought-after bachelor. The marriage would not only secure Elena's future but also solve the family's financial woes. When Elena falls in love with Chase, who works at the hotel, she is torn between marrying for love or helping her family.

I love anything related to the Gilded Era, and this was no exception. Dobson does a wonderful job of describing the era—from the lavish parties, social customs, and elaborate gowns to the distinction between the classes, the rules women were expected to follow, and everything in between. I've always said that I was born in the wrong time, but after reading this book, I'm not sure. I probably would have been labeled as a "rebel"—I couldn't imagine so many restrictions!

The inclusion of all the inventions that were coming about during this time was interesting as well. I laughed at how the "bread toaster" was thought to be a joke, and now I use one almost daily! This aspect of the story gave the men a more significant and fleshed-out role in the book.

Mackinac Island (pronounced Mack-ih-naw) was the perfect setting for such a fun story as well! I enjoyed learning about a new place. It was obvious based on the descriptions that Melanie enjoyed her time researching the location!

There were so many things that stood out to make this a 5-star novel, and the romance was definitely one of them! The relationship between Elena, Chase, and Chester was so unique and different from anything I've read before. I won't say too much more, but I thought it was an interesting choice to feature the romance story so prominently throughout the book but allow the parties involved to actually see each other face-to-face so little. It sounds odd to say, but somehow Melanie pulled it off and made it a dreamy romance even without a lot of one-on-one time for the characters. I even squealed out loud at one point (thank goodness Hubs wasn't home!).

After reading Love Finds You in Mackinac Island, I can say I'm a fan of the book, the series, and a bigger fan of Melanie Dobson than I was before! [5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity and Summerside Press in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Melanie Dobson has written ten contemporary and historical novels including five releases in Summerside's Love Finds You series. In 2011, two of her releases won Carol Awards: Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (for historical romance) and The Silent Order (for romantic suspense).

Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. Prior to her writing career, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family and a publicist for The Family Channel. She later launched her own public relations company and worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for more than fifteen years.

Melanie and her family enjoy their home in the Pacific Northwest. The entire Dobson family loves to travel and hike in both the mountains and along the cliffs above the Pacific.

When Melanie isn't writing or playing with her family, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

Melanie Dobson Online
Website  |  Blog  |  Facebook

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