Review: My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele's Journey by Amanda Barratt

My rating: 2 stars / It was okay

Synopsis

Journey now to Niagara Falls, New York, of 1870 where...
She avoids danger at all costs. He makes his living by rushing headlong into it.

Outwardly, Adele Linley’s trip to visit her American cousins is nothing more than a summer vacation. In reality, she’s the daughter of an English aristocrat with barely a penny to her name seeking a rich American husband.

Having grown up in an overcrowded orphanage, Drew Dawson is determined to make a name for himself. He’ll take any honest job to provide for his sister—even crossing Niagara Falls by tightrope.

On a sightseeing trip to the Falls, Adele meets several eligible suitors. Incredibly wealthy and pompous, Franklin Conway takes an immediate fancy to her. But Adele would truly like to marry for love.  When she encounters the mysterious Drew in the garden, Adele is confused by her feelings for someone who is everything she is NOT looking for. Will they both stay the course they have chosen for themselves?

My Review

Adele is a bit of a hot mess. She puts on a good façade, but her desperate circumstances lead her to desperate measures, and even more desperate choices. I appreciated the setting and learning a little history of Niagara Falls, but there was something about the story that prevented me from fully enjoying it. Perhaps it was Adele's duplicity and hypocrisy- taking the moral high ground over the tightrope walkers "exploiting" the Falls, while she pursues Mr. Conway for his wealth even though she can't stand him. I liked Drew and his devotion to his invalid sister and her care, but felt like there was a lack of chemistry between him and Adele, even thought they kept coming across each other coincidentally in order to bring two people from separate classes together. Drew's sister Hope was sweet and I would have liked to see more of her in the book. I was curious to see how the author would bring these two star-crossed lovers together in the end, and it was a bumpy ride- Adele's choices getting worse and worse until her final attempt to redeem the consequences of her betrayal. There was a spiritual message of trusting God but even though Adele went through the thought process, her actions proved that she still relied on herself and herself alone. While the ending included an epilogue, there were several loose threads that never got tied up, leaving me feeling dissatisfied.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

More from the My Heart Belongs series...

My Heart Belongs in Fort Bliss: Priscilla's Reveille by Erica Vetsch
My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmella's Quandary by Susan Page Davis
My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca's Plight by Susanne Dietze 
My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island: Maude's Mooring by Carrie Fancett Pagels
My Heart Belongs in the Shenandoah Valley: Lily's Dilemma by Andrea Boeshaar
My Heart Belongs in Castle Gate, Utah: Leanna's Choice by Angie Dicken 
My Heart Belongs in San Fransisco, California: Abby's Prospects by Janice Thompson (March 2018)
My Heart Belongs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado: Millie's Resolve by Rebecca Jepson (May 2018)
My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas: Madeline's Search by Kathleen Y'Barbo (July 2018)