Suzanne Hayes

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

This Heart of Mine offers two short works introducing Rita Strauss and Glory Astor through a glimpse at an important moment in each of their lives. These characters meet in the novel I’ll Be Seeing You which details their relationship through letters as they share the absence of their loves, both of whom have gone to fight in WWII. This prequel, however, takes the reader to 1921 in Chicago where Rita struggles to keep a roof over her head by show more working in a diner and 1940s Rockport where socialite Glory is finds all her dreams coming true.

These are two very different women in circumstance and time, but both stories are full of heart and complication.

Rita is trying to figure out what to do after her father’s death has left her with little money and no one to call her own. She’s caring and attentive to the people around her, but puts her own needs aside, a fact no clearer than in her nervousness around a customer at the diner who is a handsome medical student. She builds fantasies up in her mind, but lacks the self-confidence to let him know how she feels. He attracts the attention of the other young waitress, but he’s focused on her, something she fails to realize until almost too late.

The story is a lovely, low-key romance between two people who are well suited in many ways, but what caught my attention is how clearly the times became through description and events. I went with Rita to her first speakeasy, experiencing her doubts when faced with the choice of accepting drinks and what expectations might follow, but also just walking through her daily life gave a strong sense of place and neighborhood.

Glory’s tale is more complicated and less critical in a lot of ways as childhood friendships turn into love, leaving her forced to make a choice between two friends she’d never realized were in competition. Again, the scene is well drawn, and her confusion clear.

Of the two, I preferred the first, but enjoyed both. I feel the stories show a strong hand at writing not just the period but also the people and their concerns. It bodes well for the story in I’ll Be Seeing You. show less

Good, but not great - the reviews on Amazon which persuaded me to buy the Kindle version instead of waiting to borrow a copy from the library were a bit giddy! I did well up at one point, and I've bookmarked the cheese rarebit recipe, but apart from the concept, the rest of the book is entertaining, endearing even, yet more like chick lit with an historical twist.

Authors Suzanna Hayes and Loretta Nyhan wrote their novel by e-mail, never meeting face to face (until the launch party, show more presumably), like wartime housewives Glory and Rita. A neat twist, bringing both characters to life - unlike the writing, which is a bit flowery for my taste. Glory is a wealthy young woman living in Rockport, Mass., waiting at home with two young children (and best friend Levi) for husband Robert. Rita is slightly older, with a husband and grown son fighting overseas, corresponding with Glory from the Midwest. The histories of both women are a bit 'romantic', as is the language, but I did get to know both women well, without ever really finding them believable. Perhaps a similar novel set in England would be more to my taste? (I'm sure this has been done before.) Also, the cover is a bit generic, and doesn't really capture the setting of the story. show less

This novel, written in epistolary form, is the result of the clever collaboration of two authors - one writes as Glory, a young mother from Massachusetts, and the other writes as Rita, a middle aged mother living in Iowa. Their correspondence begins during a meeting of wives whose husbands are serving during WWII. Glory randomly selects Rita's name, and thus begins a relationship that grows into a meaningful friendship as they share all their challenges despite the disparity in age and show more background. They write about their fears, their loneliness, their neighbors, and they share recipes. Their letters are often poignant, sometimes amusing and always heartfelt. For those of us who have been in a situation where a husband is deployed, we understand their connection. As their friendship grows, so does our understanding of these two women. show less

This is the coming of age story of two sisters, Ivy and Rose, in 1920's New York. After their father dies they are shocked to learn that they had a brother that they never knew about and he has inherited the house they live in. They set off to find him and along the way enjoy many new experiences such as smoking, drinking, and falling in love for the first time. Ivy plays the part of the impulsive, reckless sister while Rose is the sensible one. Even though the sisters suffer from their show more share of disagreements eventually they reconnect when both realize the importance of family.

While I enjoyed the descriptions of 1920 New York, this book was just lacking something for me. I never really felt connected to the characters and consequently didn't really care much about them. I finished it easily enough but I never found it very compelling. I have read other, more interesting books about this time period before. show less