By: Joy Callaway
Belle Newbold is in for a trip she never expected. Having been raised in the mountains in a coal mining town, Belle’s life changed drastically when her mom married a wealthy man. When Belle’s new family is invited with Henry Ford’s Vagabond camping tour to Asheville, NC, she has no idea how it is going to change again.
Arriving in the midst of the Grove Park Inn’s construction, Belle becomes fascinated with both the engineering marvel and the man her step father has promised her to.
While Belle is a bit of a pretentious character, her journey of growth over the novel is enjoyable to read. The cultural dynamics with the members of the wealthy elite traveling with the vagabonds is a fun addition. Callaway also manages to show in the story how much the world was changing at the time.
If you have ever been to the Grove Park, you will find the construction details very fascinating. The methods they used to haul and place the giant stones is amazing. Callaway does a lot with this novel centered on a historic hotel at a turning point in history.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
