3-1/2 stars. Not quite Girl with a Pearl Earring, but pretty good. Set in America rather than Europe, so a very different feel. ( )

An extremely readable novel, bringing alive the role of Quakers in assisting, or failing to assist slaves in 1850s America running to safety, often to Canada. Honor Bright is herself in a sense a runaway, a young English Quaker who unexpectedly chooses to leave for America with her sister,after being jilted. She lives a quiet unassuming life and finds adapting to America difficult.

Her struggles, and her unwitting involvement with helping runaway slaves is the subject of this book. As is quilting. I'd nver have imagined anyone could present needlework to me in a positive light, but quilting is the unsung heroine of the story too: the quiet satisfactions that sitting working with cloth and thread brings to craftswoman and user alike.

A satisfying, believable book, with characters who bring an understanding of the times and culture to the reader. ( )

Historical fiction, my favorite. Loved this book about Quakers and the Underground Railrosd. Honor Bright is one of my new heroes! ( )

Adventure

Terrible. How a Quaker helping runaway slaves became a side story to quilts (so much quilt talk!) and romances with unlikeable men is beyond me. One of these men being a slave catcher at that... ( )