Mia Stanley, a young woman from one of Philadelphia's elite families, has had everything in life handed to her on a silver platter -- but that does not mean that she is not deeply concerned for the welfare of the poor in her city. Writing for Godey's Lady's Book has opened Mia's eyes to issues of social justice -- but when she uncovers corrupt dealings among landlords by the docks, she finds herself in danger. More than once, she is rescued by her handsome neighbor -- a man she's often tried to match up with one of her friends, as she feels he would make some woman an excellent husband. But Mia is not ready to settle down, herself -- or is she?
Fans of the historical inspirational romance genre will probably enjoy this book, but I don't see it reaching a wider audience. Mia definitely has her Too Stupid To Live moments, and I found her hard to like. The romance is obvious from the beginning, and suspense is built only by numerous interrupted conversations, where one or the other of the pair was on the verge of declaring themselves. I also thought some of the actions Mia took, as well as some of the advice she was given by other characters, was a little out of period for the 1860s, though not glaringly so. All in all, a fine fluff read for those who like this sort of thing, but not something I'd recommend more broadly.
(Reviewed from my personally purchased copy.)
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