These Tangled Threads – Book #3 in the Bells Of Lowell series.

Daughtie Winfield is still trying to fit in with the society in Lowell since she left the Shaker village. She doesn’t agree with some of the Shaker beliefs, which prompted her to leave the religious sect. However, one Shaker belief that Daughtie accepts is equality among men. She feels that all men are created equal in the eyes of God and should not be discriminated against because of skin-color or nationality.

When Daughtie starts a friendship with an Irishman named Liam Donohue, her friends strongly object to the relationship. The Irish live in a separate section in Lowell – a paddy camp and the poverty and filth in the Irish neighborhood proves heartbreaking. Liam is a stonemason and he’s managed to build his own house and make a decent living for himself. He is smitten with Daughtie, however, he wonders if their relationship is a good idea. If Daughtie is seen keeping company with an Irishman, it’ll ruin her reputation.

The plight of slavery also comes into play in this book when a woman speaks in Lowell about the injustice of slavery. Both Daughtie and Liam are determined to do what they can to aid in the fight against slavery. Daughtie also points out that the prejudice against the Irish mimics the slavery issue – both groups suffer from deep prejudice that goes against God’s law.

This was the last book in the Bells of Lowell series and I enjoyed it as much as the first two. I especially liked how Daughtie used her Bible to make her point, making sure she didn’t care what others believed as long as what she was doing didn’t go against God’s word.

This book also touched upon a few political issues and work issues in the mills. The mill girls threaten a strike when their wages are lowered.

I recommend this series if you enjoy other books by Tracie Peterson.

I reviewed the first book in this series here. I reviewed the second book here.

~Cecelia Dowdy~