A Vote Of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (May 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310258057
ISBN-13: 978-0310258056
From Amazon.com:
In A Vote of Confidence, the stage is set for some intriguing insight into what it was like during 1915 to be a woman in a “man’s world.”
Guinevere Arlington is a beautiful young woman determined to remain in charge of her own life. For seven years, Gwen has carved out a full life in the bustling town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, where she teaches piano and writes for the local newspaper. Her passion for the town, its people, and the surrounding land prompt Gwen to run for mayor. After all, who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?
But stepping outside the boundaries of convention can get messy. A shady lawyer backs Gwen, believing he can control her once she’s in office. A wealthy newcomer throws his hat into the ring in an effort to overcome opposition to the health resort he’s building north of town. When the opponents fall in love, everything changes, forcing Gwen to face what she may have to lose in order to win.
This book was a nice cozy read. It was suspenseful, but not too suspenseful. Gwen has been living in Bethlehem Springs for seven years. She lives close to her father and her fraternal twin sister Cleo. Due to a parental separation, Gwen and Cleo have been raised apart, and now Gwen has taken the last seven years to get acquainted with her father and her sister. Gwen gives piano lessons to the children in the town, and she also writes for the paper. In the few years she’s been in Bethlehem Springs, Gwen has come to care for the town and its inhabitants, she cares so much that she wants to become the new mayor. The current mayor is an alcoholic who has no affection for the town.
Meanwhile, wealthy Morgan Mckinley breezes into town, and starts constructing a new day spa. However, this spa is not only for the rich – he wants to make the spa affordable for the poor and middle-class citizens of Bethlehem Springs. He volunteers to run for mayor, throwing Gwen’s campaign into a tizzy!
This was a fun book. It was great to see the attaction grow between Morgan and Gwen and it was heartwarming to see Morgan build the spa. Morgan builds the spa in memory of his deceased mother. He cares for others and it’s apparant in his actions.
Well-developed characters, romance, and a bit of suspense make this a fine story.
Robin Lee Hatcher likes to write about women and politics. This novel reminded me a little of her novel, Catching Katie, which I reviewed a few years ago.