Crestmont
Author
Holly Weiss
Publisher
Star Publish
1 Review Copies Left
"A dream, after all, needn't be fueled by particulars, only by desire." So notes main character, Gracie Antes, in CRESTMONT, a historical fiction gem set in the 1920s. Determined to take control of her life, sheltered Gracie Antes leaves her unhappy home in 1925 to pursue her dream of a singing career. On her way to the big city, she accepts a job as a housemaid at the bustling Crestmont Inn. Once there, Gracie finds a life-changing encounter with opera singer Rosa Ponselle, family she never imagined could be hers, and a man with a mysterious past. Relive the 1920s with a colorful cast of characters. Discover with Gracie that sometimes we must trade loss for happiness. Set in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania, the story is interwoven with details about the town, the rich history of The Crestmont Inn, and the family who passed ownership from one generation to the next. Many attempts have been made to explain how the mountaintop lake nestled in this tiny town came to be. Crestmont gives a new twist to an old Native American legend, setting the tone of grace around which the story is built. Let the period of the Roaring Twenties spark your interest with its unique social mores, fashion, jazz, and yes, a little bootlegging thrown in for pizzazz.
Reviews
Crestmont is the story of the eponymous inn, which is located in Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania and which had its heyday in the 1920s, the time period featured in the novel. We’re introduced to the Crestmont Inn through the eyes of Gracie, a young lady who leaves home to become a singer and stops for a few seasons to work as a housekeeper at the Crestmont and save some money.
Meanwhile, the inn itself does a thriving summer business, but needs updates and improvements. Its owner-operators, William and Margaret Woods, are full of ideas and goodwill but short on cash – until Margaret discovers a letter, left by her late father, directing her to a hidden stash that the Crestmont’s creator put aside for precisely this purpose. Work begins apace as Gracie joins the local church and begins to make friends – as well as romantic interests – among the Crestmont staff and in Eagles Mere at large.
Gracie wants to be a singer, and serendipity is with her when she meets the legendary opera singer Rosa Ponselle, then star of the New York Metropolitan Opera. Gracie’s own birth family is drifting away from her, but in the staff and visitors at the Crestmont, she begins to find a family composed of those who love and enjoy her for who she is – or, as Richard Bach put it, one tied together by “respect and joy in each other’s lives.”
Crestmont is ideal reading for those who want to get away to a simpler past and enjoy the relationships fostered by good will and hard work in the Pennsylvania countryside.
Reviewed on 07/23/2011 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Dani Alexis Ryskamp
Once again, I have to say that I loved this book. Although I will say readers, beware because once you have read this lovely novel you will want to book your reservations at Crestmont ASAP.
Reviewed on 09/28/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Angela Simmons
I was so excited to read this book - perfect for summer! I enjoyed the setting - the beautiful Crestmont Inn, and the mix of history with fiction. All in all it was an enjoyable book. I loved the characters, but wished for more depth, more of a connection with them. Mrs. Woods was a very deep character, and I had hoped to find out more about her bout with malaise. Unfortunately, not much was said. Gracie's family too - I had hoped that there might be more information about them once Gracie had left home. I do wish that the story was a bit more substantial with regard to character development. It seemed as though we got a little taste for every character, but not much more. It was a treat to see the "other side" of a summer inn - the staff's antics, politics and loves. Two stories going on at one time! All in all a good summer read. I only wished for MORE. Maybe a sequel???
Reviewed on 07/27/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Vikki Gremel
Reviewed on 06/23/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Tiffany Schlarman
