"Finding Grace"

'Finding Grace' by Sara Pawley is the sequel to "Oh that I Had Wings'. The first book focuses on the brother Jack and the second book focuses on Grace Langdon. Grace is a 17 year old growing up in Stones Mill Virginia during the late 1920's. The town has not adapted to the changing world around it. Grace is the only girl in a family of five brothers and John Langdon aka'Jack' is her favorite. He makes her feel important in an era where only males are worthy. Grace is a strong-willed unmarried young lady who cares less what others say about her marital status. Strong-willed females have no place in the Langdon home where the male rules. The women are expected to marry and be homemakers.

Grace is determine to follow her own path instead of the typical path much to the chagrin of her parents. Her constant companion is her heroine Jane Eyre which she turns to for hope. Like her heroine, she believes marriage should be for love. Leisure time is very little in the Langdon household and getting caught reading would not be met with acceptance. Charlie Hillard, a man she knew in childhood, enters her life once again. Her parents try forcing her into marrying him but she refuses. She stands up to her stern father who doesn't react well to her rebellion. This causes her to run away to Chicago and go live with her brother.

Chicago is fascinating for Grace. Many things are unfamiliar to her like bathtubs and buses but she soon settles in. She finds herself infatuated with a friend of her brother, Henry, and she isn't sure how to react. Henry is years older than her but they are soon embroiled in a romance. Events happen that really test her courage and show her spunk. The story is interesting, clean romance capturing the essence of the roaring 20's. Unfortunately, this kind of control represented by Grace's parents is still rampant today. How can any mother stand by while her daughter is knocked around? Grace is truly is an amazing character ahead of her time.