Want a NOOK? Explore Now
From the bestselling author of It Happened at the Fair comes a historical love story about a lady doctor and a Texas Ranger who meet at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Saddled with a man’s name, the captivating Billy Jack Tate makes no apologies for taking on a man’s profession. As a doctor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, she is one step closer to having her very own medical practice—until Hunter Scott asks her to give it all up to become his wife.
Hunter is one of the elite. A Texas Ranger and World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character, and skill. Hailed as the toughest man west of any place east, he has no patience for big cities and women who think they belong anywhere but home…
Despite their difference of opinion on the role of women, Hunter and Billy find a growing attraction between them—until Hunter discovers an abandoned baby in the corner of a White City exhibit. He and Billy team up to make sure this foundling isn’t left in the slums of Chicago with only the flea-riddled, garbage-infested streets for a playground. As they fight for the underprivileged children in the Nineteenth Ward, an entire Playground Movement is birthed. But when the Fair comes to an end, one of them will have to give up their dream.
Will Billy exchange her doctor’s shingle for the domesticated role of a southern wife, or will Hunter abandon the wide open spaces of home for a life in the “gray city,” a woman who insists on being the wage earner, and a group of ragamuffins who need more than a playground for breathing space?
Fair Play
Open those doors!” A woman in the new common-sense skirt shook her umbrella at a Chicago World’s Fair guard. The motion raised her eye-poppingly short hemline another six inches and revealed a bit of stocking above her navy gaiters.
Blocking the entrance to the International Convention of Woman’s Progress, a bearded guard crossed his arms and planted his legs wide. A wave of resentment swept through the wriggling mass of females stretching clear out to the street.
Eve was not the only woman to raise Cain, Billy thought, ducking and dodging her way through the sea of bonnets.
Still, she needed immediate admittance. That guard might not unbolt the doors for an apostle of modern bloomerism, but he’d open them for her. Dr. Billy Jack Tate. She held a seat on the speaking platform and had spent untold hours writing, rewriting, and practicing the address she would present to this Woman’s Congress.
“Excuse me, sir.” She waved a handkerchief above her head. “I’m Dr. Billy Jack Tate. I’m scheduled to speak in Columbus Hall and I need entrance immediately.”
Tall and unmovable in his blue-braided uniform, he glanced in her direction, then returned his attention to the crowd at large.
She narrowed her eyes. There was no way he could have missed her. Not in this gown. For though the bright spring day offered warmth and a promise of summer, the predominant color of gowns being worn to the Congress was drab brown. Except for hers. She’d allowed the dressmaker to talk her into a startling shade of green with vivid pink accents. A decision she’d second-guessed a thousand times.
Squeezing herself between tightly packed bodies, she pressed her way to the front like a pair of stockings in a wringer. “I say, sir. I need—”
A transom above the guard swung open and a head poked through. A head with mussed salt-and-pepper hair, a harassed-looking expression, and a body cut off from sight.
“The Hall is filled to capacity and more,” he shouted, then grabbed the windowsill, his shoulders bobbing. Taking a quick glance inside, he regained his balance on what must have been a ladder, then once again turned to them. “Admission will no longer be granted. I advise you to turn around and go home.”
Cries of protest covered Billy’s efforts to capture the man’s attention.
“Sir!” she called again. “I’m Dr. Billy Ja—”
Retreating like a frightened turtle, he slammed the transom shut. The guard widened his stance.
Another roar of disapproval rang from the women. Some raised their voices, others raised their fists.
Caught up in outrage, the dress reformer scrambled over the rope, her split skirt parting, before she started up the steps. “Move aside!”
Whipping a short broadsword from its scabbard, the guard held it in front of him.
The woman paused, her right foot on one step, her left on another. Billy tensed. The murmuring of the crowd tapered off.
The sword was supposed to be for ornamentation more than anything else, but it was well polished and, most likely, freshly sharpened.
“I’ve got a patrol wagon just beyond the copse to cart off the disorderly.” His voice was low, even, and full of conviction. “I’ve a force of guards that can be dispatched the moment I give the signal, and a swarm of the most efficient body of men ever assembled in the world will be here en masse. I strongly suggest you step down.”
A sparrow, unaware of the tension, flapped to a stop on the landing and chirped a greeting.
Billy eased her way to the front. Surely it wouldn’t come to bloodshed, but just in case . . .
“Come on, Martha,” a woman nearby coaxed. “Let’s try another entrance.”
Though the guard never took his eyes from the threat, Billy sensed he was aware of every movement around him. Chill bumps rushed up her spine. She dipped under the rope.
Crouching into a half squat, he tossed the sword to his other hand, formed a half circle with his arms, and darted his gaze between them.
“I’m Dr. Billy Jack Tate.” Her voice carried in the sudden quiet, similar to the way it traveled across the frozen pond at her sister’s place. She maintained a calm, reasonable tone. “I’m a surgeon and a speaker here at the Congress. We want no trouble.” She turned her attention to the woman called Martha. “I think we’d best do as he says. He’s given a pledge to follow orders and the orders are no one goes inside. We are not a bunch of barbaric men, but women. Women much too sensible and creative to resort to brute force.”
A long, tense moment crackled between them. Finally, the woman jerked up her chin and spun about. Again, she straddled the rope rather than ducking underneath.
The guard did not relax his posture, did not replace the sword in its scabbard, and did not remove the force of his gaze. “Step down.”
Billy offered him a calm smile. “I mean no threat. I really am a speaker and I really do need to slip inside. My address begins in”—she glanced at her watch pin—“thirty-eight minutes.”
“You’re no more a doctor than I am a housewife. Now step down.”
She bristled. “I most certainly am a doctor. I earned a medical degree from the University of Michigan, I’ve practiced in hospitals all across this country for the past seven years, I’m an expert on anatomy, and my speech is about being a woman in a man’s profession. Now, you step down or I’ll let the organizers of this Congress know just exactly who’s responsible for keeping me from addressing the thousands who are waiting to hear from me.”
With each qualification, his expression became more and more amused until, with her final threat, he emitted a short huff. At least he’d straightened and lowered his sword, though he hadn’t put it away. “I’ll hand it to you, miss. You’re quick on your feet. But you’re the one who said women were crafty, not me. Either way, I’m not one to be taken in by a pretty face.”
“Creative. I said we were creative, not crafty.”
He tucked the sword away. “Same thing. Now, go on. I’m not letting you or anybody else inside.”
She glanced at the door. “But I really am who I say I am.”
With a heavy sigh, he shooed her with his hands. “I mean it. You can either get yourself back on the other side of that rope or I’ll have Willie over there escort you to the patrol wagon. From there, you’ll go straight to the city jail. And Chicago’s is a particularly nasty one that doesn’t do a good job of separating the woman prisoners from the male ones.”
With a touch of unease, she glanced to the area he indicated with his head. Amidst millinery of all sizes and shapes, a rather burly man stood only a few steps away. He tipped his hat.
Lips tightening, she flounced back down the steps. She’d have to try another entrance. But the building was huge. By the time she shoved through the crowds and appealed to each guard, the slot for her address would be over and gone.
She should have allowed herself more time. But she hadn’t expected so many women, and she certainly never considered a building such as this would fill to capacity.
Before slipping underneath the rope, she looked back over her shoulder. “I’ll have your name—so I can tell the officials who barred my way.”
He gave a bow. “Peter Stracke. But everybody calls me Pete.” He gave her a wink.
She ducked under the rope. The women immediately forged a path for her. Mr. Stracke might not have believed her, but they did and they had the utmost respect for her.
She’d gone no more than ten yards when an old country woman grabbed her hand. “Doc?”
Billy nodded.
“I can get ya in.” She looked both ways, then leaned closer. “But it won’t be through no doors.”
Billy wasn’t sure which was more potent, the smell of the woman’s breath or the smell of her unwashed body. It wasn’t the woman’s fault, though. The importance of good hygiene was something those in Billy’s profession were in constant argument over. And though she felt she was in the right, she was very much in the minority.
She looked at her watch. Twenty-four minutes left. “Is it fast? Does it involve any guards?”
The woman smiled, more teeth missing than present. “Jus’ follow me.”
Skirting around an enormous bronze lion flanking the entrance, the woman led her onto the grass and toward the north side of the building. The farther they walked, the less congested it was until finally they reached the fringes of the crowd.
“Quick, over here.” Ducking beside a puny bush, the woman dropped to her knees and began to jiggle a cellar window.
Billy glanced behind them. No guards within sight, but several women watched unabashedly. With a growing smile, one of them corralled those around her, then directed them to turn their backs and form a human wall around Billy and her cohort.
The gesture warmed her heart. Women were a wonderful breed. Such a shame they didn’t run the country.
“There’s a nail loose.” The woman grunted, her entire body shaking as she continued to rattle the window.
Dropping down beside her, Billy tried not to think about the moist dirt beneath her knees. Better to arrive with a soiled skirt than not at all. Lining up her fingers along the opposite side of the frame, she pressed as hard as she could.
“That’s it.” The woman’s breath came in huffs. “I clean this place at night. I been tellin’ the menfolk about this window for months now, but they can’t be bothered with it.”
Without warning, the frame swung inward, crashing against the wall. The momentum slammed Billy into the stone wall above the opening. The rim of her hat wrenched its pins to an awkward angle and ripped the hair entwined by them.
Sucking in her breath, she pushed away. At least her hat had protected her face. If the brim hadn’t stopped her, she’d have likely broken her nose.
“Go on.” The woman waved her arm toward the window.
Ignoring the pain in her scalp, Billy considered her options. There was nothing for it but to lie full out on the ground and shimmy herself in. With a sigh, she flopped down and stretched her arms toward the opening. She was a quarter of the way through when she realized the window was level with the ceiling of the cellar.
She returned her hands to the opening and pulled herself backward. “I’m going to have to go feetfirst. It’s a good eight-foot drop to the floor.”
Entering feetfirst wasn’t nearly as easy as headfirst. The old woman grabbed Billy’s ankles and guided her feet through.
Raising up on her arms, Billy propelled herself as far toward the window as best she could, then collapsed to her tummy and lifted her hips. Like a worm she inched backward, her body making progress, her skirts and petticoats staying where they’d started.
Without too much effort, her pantalet-clad legs made it inside and dangled against the freezing-cold stone cellar wall. But her skirts were inside out, cocooning her upper body within their folds and inhibiting all progress.
“I’m stuck,” she called, sputtering against the fabric of her skirts.
Within seconds, all hands were on deck and bodily lowering her the rest of the way in.
“Wait!” she squeaked. “Slow down! My dress—it’s going to tear. And I’m . . . I’m going to fall!”
The women clutched her arms, their grips digging into tender flesh.
Billy lifted her head, the brim of her hat hitting the edge of the window. “Easy. Go as slow as you can.”
The rough wooden frame scraped against her midsection, tearing the delicate cotton of her corset cover. Her pantalets traveled up her legs, bunching at her thighs.
In an effort to see how far she was from the floor, she wiggled her feet. Nothing but open air.
They lowered her a bit more. Pain shot through her arms at the awkward angle.
“Wait,” she breathed. “Let go of my right arm.”
They released it. The pain in her left arm increased tenfold.
She pulled her free arm inside and steadied herself against the wall. “When I count to three. Ready? One . . . two . . . three.”
They let go. She hit ground almost immediately, then her knees gave. Between her tangled skirts and the unforgiving floor, it took her a moment to orient herself.
“Doc?” It was the old woman. “You all right?”
She took a mental catalog of all extremities. Other than weak knees and throbbing arms, everything seemed to be in working order. “Yes. Yes! I’m good. Thank you so much.”
Instead of a chorus of encouragement, she heard nothing. Complete silence. Eerie silence.
A drop of moisture from the ceiling plopped to the floor. Pushing the hair from her face, she straightened her hat and looked up at her comrades. Four faces peered through the window. All attention was focused on the opposite wall.
The hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Please, don’t let it be a rat. She hated rats.
“What is it?” she hissed.
They said nothing, their eyes wide.
Careful not to make any sudden moves, she drew her legs beneath her and straightened, inch by inch by inch.
Finally, she turned, then sucked in a breath.
The silhouette of a man—no, not a man, a guard. A guard with monstrously broad shoulders, a trim waist, a scabbard, and a pair of very muscular legs stood with one shoulder against the doorframe and one ankle crossed in front of the other, exposing a pair of cowpuncher boots.
He cocked his head. “Goin’ somewhere?”
Anonymous
Posted Sat Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
So wonderful
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TSMathews
Posted Sat Jul 12 00:00:00 EDT 2014
Deeanne Gist has once again blown me out of the water with this magnificent story set during the exciting time of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. As this beautiful story unfolds we meet a young woman that has overcome many obstacles to graduate Cum Laude from the University of Michigan with a Doctorate of Medicine. You would think with such prestigious credentials Dr. Billy Jack Tate would have patients beating down her door; but once they find out that Dr. Tate is not a man most refuse her help.
Scott Hunter, a Texas Ranger had been chosen to be a guard at the World’s Fair, he knows it’s quite a privilege but it’s not the exciting work he is used to as a Ranger. Until he catches a frivolously clad lady entering a basement building backside first. The lady claimed to be the guest speaker of the meeting that day but that was a story that was hard to swallow finding her as he had. Goodness knows he had tried to catch a glimpse of her face but all he caught was a glimpse of a part he knows he shouldn’t have seen.
Billy Jack was running late for her speaking engagement and could not believe the guard wouldn't let her in the building even after repeated attempts of telling him she was the guest speaker; she finally had to back away when he threatened to arrest her. Then a lady in the crowd told Billy she could get her in, but Billy never dreamed it would be through a window in the basement and directly in the path of a handsome, more understanding guard.
The next time Billy and Scott meet is even more embarrassing as Scott is in desperate need of a doctor and when Billy walks in poor Scott would rather die than tell her his problem. This is where the fun begins for these two stubborn, hardworking individuals and where it ends is so beautiful my words would fail to do it justice, so I hope you will just grab a copy of it and jump right in. You will NOT be disappointed! I have loved all of Deeanne’s books and I don’t think I have had a favorite until now. Deeanne is truly a remarkable storyteller!!
***Thanks to Howard Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion.***
FAIR PLAY by Deeanne Gist is an interesting Christian Historical Fiction set in 1893 Chicago. #2 "It Happened at the Fair", but can be read as a stand alone. See, "It Happened at the Fair".
Billy Jack Tate, is a female Doctor in 1893 Chicago World's Fair, which is odd enough for this era, with her male's name and her desire to have her own medical clinic, she is one step closer to her dreams until one Hunter enters her world.
Hunter, is a Texas Ranger and World's Fair guard, tough, abandoned as a baby and he isn't inspired by big cities, or women who work in a man's profession.
When Billy and Hunter team to help a foundling home in Chicago's slums, they warm to each other and a child. Billy and Hunter, create the first Chicago playground for children of the streets. Love blossoms in more ways then one. The characters are engaging, and the storyline interesting. Ms. Gist, pulls readers into her stories and holds them there in awe. She brings Chicago alive through the pages of her stories. I love the pictures that are throughout the book, depicting the events. Well done! I would recommend this title for any one who enjoys Historical fiction, Chicago, Chicago's World Fair and a wonderful tale of love, patience, and faith.
*I received a free copy of thes book from Howard Books, for my honest review. the opinions expressed here are my own."
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: Sweet
Reviewed by: AprilR, courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
Another wonderful, fun story by Deeanne Gist! The second in her Chicago's World Fair series, this one features a feisty woman physician struggling to start her own medical practice, and a Columbian guard who just happens to be one very tough Texas Ranger on loan. Sparks fly after a funny first encounter, and their relationship grows deeper as they work together, helping needy children who cross their path, building the first city playground in a poor district, rescuing an abandoned baby, and a young boy falsely accused of a horrible crime.
I love the way this author weaves so much research into her stories, using a lot of real events and people, including authentic photos and a list of references. Historically accurate, but never dry, she makes me want to learn more about Jane Addams, Hull House and the Texas Rangers. The romantic scenes, with some swoon worthy moments, along with some funny dialogue, complete with Texan sayings and medical terms, just add to the charm of the story. This can be read as a stand alone. The characters from the first book are briefly mentioned once. The prequel, It Happened in White City, is actually taken directly out of this story. Recommend! 5 stars
Deeanne Gist in her new book “Fair Play” Book Two in the Chicago World’s Fair series published by Howard Books takes us into the life of Billy Jack Tate and Hunter Scott.
From the back cover: From the bestselling author of “It Happened at the Fair” comes a historical love story about a lady doctor and a Texas Ranger who meet at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Saddled with a man’s name, the captivating Billy Jack Tate makes no apologies for taking on a man’s profession. As a doctor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, she is one step closer to having her very own medical practice–until Hunter Scott asks her to give it all up to become his wife.
Hunter is one of the elite. A Texas Ranger and World’s Fair guard specifically chosen for his height, physique, character, and skill. Hailed as the toughest man west of any place east, he has no patience for big cities and women who think they belong anywhere but home…
Despite their difference of opinion on the role of women, Hunter and Billy find a growing attraction between them–until Hunter discovers an abandoned baby in the corner of a White City exhibit. He and Billy team up to make sure this foundling isn’t left in the slums of Chicago with only the flea-riddled, garbage-infested streets for a playground. As they fight for the underprivileged children in the Nineteenth Ward, an entire Playground Movement is birthed. But when the Fair comes to an end, one of them will have to give up their dream.
Will Billy exchange her doctor’s shingle for the domesticated role of a southern wife, or will Hunter abandon the wide open spaces of home for a life in the “gray city,” a woman who insists on being the wage earner, and a group of ragamuffins who need more than a playground for breathing space?
History comes alive at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Lady doctors are hard to come by and even more difficult to accept. Really, who wants to go to a lady doctor except maybe other ladies. It is into this environment that Billy Jack makes her appearance. See, despite the name, Billy Jack is really a woman and a doctor to boot. Hunter is a Texas Ranger assigned to security who finds an abandoned baby. Now he has to work together with Billy to help the baby as Social Services as we now know it didn’t exist. They also discover that Chicago is a bit of a pig-pen and is a breeding ground for poverty, street children and gangs. In an effort to fight against this situation they begin to develop the idea for a playground, an idea that will grow from Chicago to spread across the nation. Ms. Gist blends romance and historical fiction to bring the past alive through her extensive period research. You will find yourself not only caught up with the exciting backdrop of the darker side of Chicago, but the blossoming romance between Billy Jack and Hunter. Great characters and a great romance. I really liked “Fair Play” and look forward to more stories from Deeanne Gist.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Anonymous
Posted Fri May 09 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I have read a lot of stories about the World's Fair, but this one was the most dynamic and fun. There was some sad scenes as well towards the middle to end, but it landed on a good note.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Fitzysmom
Posted Thu May 08 00:00:00 EDT 2014
If you are looking for an historical romance that will transport you to an interesting time period while making you laugh out loud and cause your heart to flutter then you've found it in Fair Play.
Deeanne Gist has brought us back to the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair and introduced us to Dr. Billy Jack Tate. Despite the masculine name, Billy is very much a woman. Her first meeting with Hunter, the handsome Texas Ranger is quite revealing in all the wrong ways! But never fear Billy quickly evens the playing field when she has to treat Hunter for a very uncomfortable and embarrassing ailment. The two have an instant attraction but of course nothing can come of it because their goals in life are counter productive.
Little did the two know how much an orphaned baby would change their worlds. The plan was to leave him in the capable hands of the women of Hull House. But on the day they made their way to the West Side of Chicago their combined destinies were changed.
Not only is this a charmingly witty love story, it is also a fictionalized peek into the darker side of Chicago during the infamous World's Fair. The juxtaposition of the opulence of the Fair and the slums of the West Side make for an intriguing story-line. One of the many things that I liked about the book was the inclusion of the photos at the beginning of each chapter. They helped set the stage for what was happening during that portion of the story.
Some of the other additions to the book are a discussion guide for reading groups and information from Deeanne on her research and reasoning behind the story. After reading the book it was very interesting to get a glimpse into the making of the story and the rhyme and reason behind why the author chose to stick to the facts on some points and stretch the truth on others. I really enjoyed the lengthy story and look forward to reading and discussing it with my reading group. I think it would make a great addition to your book club or your personal reading list.
I was provided a copy of this book to facilitate my review.
The hardest thing about being a woman, is being respected for having the same knowledge and education as a man back in 1893. Most men still hold onto the belief that women are incapable of holding down a job outside the home, especially when it comes to practicing medicine. When Billy Jack Tate is slated to deliver a speech as an invited guest speaker at the World's Fair in Chicago, the last thing she expected to deal with is trying to gain entrance into the Women's Exposition building when she is expected. But no matter how hard she tries to convince the guards at the building, they refuse to accept she is a doctor.
So she does what any self respecting women would do, and she breaks into the building's basement by crawling backwards through a window. She just never expected that Hunter Scott would be sitting back watching it all unfold without rendering her any aid as a Texas Ranger assigned to work the day shift at the Fair. He caught more than he was expecting to see at the Fair. He holds onto the value that the only good place for a woman is married and raising children. He is more than surprised to learn how strong willed, determined and educated Billy is. The last thing he expects is to find himself in need of a doctor and a lady doctor at that.
They will soon find out that work together is much easier than staying at odds with one another when an infant is found abandoned at the Fair. Hunter believes that since no mother is found that Billy should take on the care of the infant, and Billy assumes that since Hunter found him, that it is only proper he care for the infant. When Billy suggests they place the infant in Hull House, a place for children who need care until a suitable home can be found, they learn about a much uglier side of Chicago's slums they didn't expect to see and understand the darker side of the lives of the children that live there. Will they be able to put their differences aside in order to work for the betterment of the children living in deplorable conditions and find a way to help those that are turning to a life of crime at such a young age?
I received Fair Play by Deeanne Gist compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I love learning about a side of history in America that you don't often find in your history books in school. The understanding of what life was like for children living in Chicago in 1893 was so much different for the poor over the life of the affluent. Invisible barriers were often erected to keep either side from understanding the struggle going on with children smoking, drinking alcohol and having to find the odds jobs to help put food on their families tables at night. Disease and crime are at an all time high and places like the Hull House are true sanctuaries in the darkest of times. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for more from Deeanne Gist. A discussion guide is included at the end for book clubs as well as a historical note section from the author. The only thing I didn't like, was that it appeared that the girl's picture on the front cover was cut off.
bookgirl_2134
Posted Tue May 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I adore Deeanne Gist, all of her books are well researched, relevant and faithful to their historical settings,
usually hilarious, always unforgettable, and full of genuine faith.
This book is no different, it was a real pleasure to read, I very much enjoyed learning about the Chicago World
Fair and while the conditions in which children lived, worked, and were incarcerated were truly deplorable- they're
historically accurate.
The Lady Doctor & the Texas Ranger were two of the most honorable, upstanding, and stubborn characters I've
met this year. I laughed often (& cried too) while reading their story and I'm looking forward to reading book three
for a vignette into their future lives. While this is book two in a series, it isn't necessary to read in order- the earlier
characters show up, but their situations are resolved prior to this book.
I was provided a digital copy from Howard bks/NetGalley for my honest review.
amybooksy
Posted Tue May 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I thought that Fair Play by Deeanne Gist was a fun and entertaining read. I loved the interaction between Billy and Hunter. Those two were hilarious together at times. I also loved getting the historical glimpse of Chicago in 1893 and of the World's Fair at that time. It was sad to read how the poor lived during that time. But I did enjoy reading the author's vision of the World's Fair. I really felt like I was experiencing it for myself.
Fair Play is definitely being put on my keeper shelf. I think it's one of my growing favorites of the year. If you like a good historical that's fun and entertaining, then this book is for you. I highly recommend it.
5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Howard Books, for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Travel back in time to right after the O’Leary cow Chicago fire and attend the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair. Deeanne Gist has us walking in their footsteps and we feel we are at the fair, with the inclusion on old pictures of the buildings, and wonderful descriptions. We put faces to the people, although fictional, we become absorbed in their lives, and those around them.
We have a young woman doctor, and of all things she has two male first names, Billy Jack, talk about confusing people. Woman doctors at that time were a rarity, and one would suppose that with that name a man. We also have a Texas Ranger, Hunter Scott, a very self-confidant man, with cute attributes. You will be chuckling when you see how these two meet, and life with them becomes very interesting.
Yes it is definitely a man’s world and Billy is trying to succeed here, but both she and Hunter have big hearts and lots of compassion. There is a lot included in this story, besides walking into the poorest parts of Chicago, and see such poverty. We visit the jail that is so crowded that people and children, yes children, have to stand up, if they sit they are in human waste. Can’t even imagine! Then there are the gangs, and in a way a lot like today, with bullies, and weapons.
Can these two opposite individuals forge a relationship, with so much going against them, along with long held convictions? Will they be able go give an inch here and there; it sure doesn’t look like it. We even have a cameo of people from previous books here, if you have read the first book It Happened At The Fair, you will recognize them, and if you haven’t be sure to pick it up, it is another keeper.
I received this book from Howard Books, and was not required to give a positive review.
Karen02KD
Posted Mon Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2014
When Dr. Billy Jack Tate shows up at the Chicago World’s Fair and meets Texas Ranger Hunter Scott, we expect an interesting “lady doctor meets Texas lawman” story. They meet, there is romance, and a murder trial. But, there is so much more. There are wonderful details about the Chicago World’s Fair, information about the difficulty that women had entering the “man’s” world of medicine, and history of the Texas Rangers. The most insightful part of the book is the information about life for the poor and the immigrants during the late 1800s. This time period is before child labor laws were passed, prisons were a cesspool where children as young as 8 were placed with hardened criminals, and all family members had to work long hours to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.
Dr. Billy and Hunter find an abandoned child at the fair. Since they are both single, they have to find a place for the child. This brings them to Jane Addams and her Hull House. Having been raised in the wide open spaces, Hunter is appalled that the children of the slums have no place to play. He feels this also contributes to their delinquency. So, he and Billy set about trying to call attention to the plight of the urban poor and to build a playground for the children.
I have read all of Deeanne Gist’s books and have thoroughly enjoyed them. I think her historical research for this book is exceptional. She is not like some authors of historical fiction who play pretty loose with the facts.
I received this from NetGalley for my honest review.
Anonymous
Posted Thu Jun 26 00:00:00 EDT 2014
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted Wed May 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted Fri Jun 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
From the bestselling author of It Happened at the Fair comes a historical love story about a lady doctor and a Texas Ranger who meet at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Saddled with a man’s name, the captivating Billy Jack Tate makes no apologies for taking on a man’s profession. As a doctor at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, she is one step closer to having her very own medical practice—until Hunter Scott asks her to give it all up to become his ...