Deanne Gist’s New Book, Maid To Match

The more Deanne writes the better I like her. I don’t know if that means I’m getting used to her or she’s getting better.

What to say about Maid to Match?

I like the overall story line. Tillie aspires to be a lady’s maid. At first we see only the good side – she would travel, read, get nice clothes, make more money, etc. Then we see the down side – she would constantly be on call, she would have to pretend to not see or hear things that are right in front of her, she would give up the prime years of her life waiting on someone else. Then comes Mack who only wants enough money to take care of his siblings and be able to live in the mountains.

The author obviously did a lot of research. The details are clear in many areas. She shows us the life of the rich and famous Vanderbilts as well as the poor and lowly orphans who are being abused. There’s even a glimpse of the unlearned mountaineers. All within a small area of North Carolina.

A couple things I didn’t like. The spiritual emphasis is low. There are a couple verses and prayers, but they are just kind of stuck in and not an underlying theme at all. I thought of several ways that they could have been woven throughout. The parlor games played by the young workers on their nights off are not something I would want my children participating in. And the interaction between Tillie and Mack before they are married pushes the limits again.

Here’s the backcover copy:

Falling in love could cost her everything.

From the day she arrived at the Biltmore, Tillie Reese is dazzled, by the riches of the Vanderbilts and by Mack Danvers, a mountain man turned footman. When Tillie is enlisted to help tame Mack’s rugged behavior by tutoring him in proper servant etiquette, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie’s efforts to be chosen as Edith Vanderbilt’s lady’s maid, After all, the one rule of the house is no romance below stairs.

But the stakes rise even higher when Mack and Tillie become entangles in a cover-up at the town orphanage. They could both lose their jobs, their aspirations…their hearts.

You can find more information at the  author’s site. You can read the first chapter at Where the Story Begins. Published by Bethany House.

This book was sent to me through Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for the book tour. The words are fully my own and I have no affiliate links in this post.

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