Lynn Austin's "A Proper Pursuit"

My most recent read was A Proper Pursuit by Lynn Austin. This synopsis is found on the Barnes and Noble website:

Multiple Christy Award-winning author of A Woman's Place, Lynn Austin creates vivid historical settings with vibrant characters. Set in 1893 Chicago and seasoned with wholesome humor, A Proper Pursuit tells the uplifting story of 20-year-old Violet Hayes and her search for her elusive mother and for true love. In her quest, Violet learns much about love, faith, and life as she marches for women's rights, feeds slum dwellers, hobnobs with the highfalutin, and ponders marriage proposals.

A Proper Pursuit, to say the least, is very intriguing. My first thought about Violet Hayes was to think she was a spoiled, self-centered princess. In reality, at the beginning of her story, Violet didn't know who she was at all. She had just graduated from a prestigious school where she learned how to act like a proper lady. Unfortunately, that is all she learned how to do: act. Everything was a play to her. Her smiles were fake and her politeness was fake. Then she learned something about her long-estranged mother. Thus her journey began, taking her from her father's home to her grandmother's home in Chicago. Her adventures there would change her life forever.

Lynn Austin does a wonderful job of leading the reader to believe one thing and then throwing something new into the mix to throw the reader completely off. A Proper Pursuit is just plain fun to read. The combination of mystery, history, and romance makes this book perfect for book lovers of all kinds. You will definitely be surprised at what you find in the pages of this novel.

I think my favorite part of Violet's story, is that in the end she knew who she was. She knew where she fit, or rather where she didn't fit. The girl who stepped on the train in the beginning was completely different than the girl who stepped off at the end. Over one summer, Violet "grew up." She didn't change overnight, but after a few months she began to figure things out. The best part is that she realized who God was and why she needed Him. Often I've heard people say something like "from a caterpillar to a butterfly." In this case, Violet turned into a brilliantly beautiful moth. (Read the book to find out the meaning of that sentence.)