BuckeyeAngel

Clara had been picked by her parents from her sisters  to go to her parents to get a job and send money home to help the family as she wasn’t cut out to be a farmer’s wife. Clara was educated and loved to read books. After forty two horrible days at sea and passing through Immigration an official welcomed her and her shipmates to America. Clara had no one waiting for her like a lot of people from the ship did. Clara ended up in Philadelphia, PA and she was at the harbor with masses of people  when she heard her name called. But Clara was leery it might be someone out to trick or harm her. She checked out the man then identified herself. Andrew Carnegie lived with his mother and his brother Tom. The original Clara had been hired as a lady’s maid for Mrs. Carnegie but she had died on the passage over to America and Clara had the same name and took the job even though she didn't know how to be a lady’s maid but she was smart and a quick learner and soon knew what was expected of her.  Clara made some friends among the rest of the Carnegie’s staff. Overtime Andrew and Clara became friends Andrew was drawn to the fact to Clara’s love of reading. Then they became close and fell in love. A few people began to question what was going on between Clara and Andrew. Because of her love of books Andrew and Clara talked a lot about books and having a public library that would be free for anyone to use. Even though Andrew and Clara fell in love society forbids them to be together.

I did enjoy reading this book. I loved Andrew and Clara together and how they interacted even if Clara and Andrew were not allowed by society to be together and forced to part. I loved that Andrew did everything he could possibly do to try to find Clara without any luck. I liked this being told by Clara’s POV. I liked there was a slow build to Andrew;s and Clara’s relationship and then love. I really liked we are shown Andrew and Clara when they are older and what had happened to them. I liked learning about the Carnegies and the time period even though this book was fiction. I did enjoy reading about the immigrants traveling and what they went through once in America. I did like the plot. But this did drag for me at times. I liked the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.