ABOUT THE AUTHOR
But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.
Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.
Her ninth novel, A Heart Most Worthy, follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart
(October 2008), Love's Pursuit
(June 2009), and She Walks in Beauty
(Apr 2010). She Walks in Beauty won the inaugural INSPY Award for Historical Fiction in Dec 2010. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes
and The Cubicle Next Door
were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.Publishers Weekly proclaimed, "Mitchell delivers the historical goods."
ABOUT THE BOOK
The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times. Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.
Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?
If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heart Most Worthy, go HERE.
JEN'S THOUGHTS
Thanks to a looming deadline, my reading time has been severely restricted. Basically, I only read at bedtime, which means I end up falling asleep in the middle of a sentence. (Not because the book is boring, but because I'm exhausted.) For this reason, and this reason alone, I haven't finished reading A Heart Most Worthy. And it's killing me.
I want nothing more than to snuggle into the couch and read and read and read this wonderful book. It's the first book I've read by Siri Mitchell, but it certainly won't be the last. Her characters are so fully realized, so alive, I feel like they're waiting for me to come join them again. What a treat it is!
Another cool thing about this book is the use of an omniscient narrator. It's a device not often used in modern novels. In fact, authors are usually advised against it. But Mitchell handles it so well, I can't imagine the story being told any other way. Bravo on creating a book so engrossing and entertaining. Now, if I only had time to finish it...
