About Me I am a retired librarian and I now support books and authors through my reviews.

I have always loved to read and I was able to share that love through my work as a public librarian for 22 1/2 years. I now promote literacy by reading, and then writing reviews. I love to support authors by sharing my reviews with others!

Saturday, July 9, 2022

The Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas: Review & Giveaway with HFVBT


The Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas

Publication Date: April 19, 2022
Morewellson, Ltd.

Genre: Historical Fiction/Women's Fiction


She had big dreams. But will war, tragedy, and naïveté ruin her aspirations?

America, the 1940s. Margaret Rose longs to escape her family’s poverty. So against her domineering father’s wishes, the determined young woman elopes with an older man. But shortly after the US enters WWII, her grand ambitions sink when her husband’s ship is torpedoed.

Training to become a nurse to give herself a future, Margaret’s despair deepens when she discovers she’s pregnant and must quit to have the baby. And now without income to support a child, the desperate widow marries a man who takes her far from home… and into disaster.

Will Margaret rise above catastrophic misfortune and create the life she deserves?

Poignant and heartfelt, The Scent of Gardenias chronicles the struggle of a Twentieth-Century woman carving a place in a society stacked against her odds for success. Inspired by her mother’s true story, Lorraine Haas lays bare a brave and challenging journey of grit and self-discovery you won’t soon forget.

The Scent of Gardenias is a beautifully crafted women’s fiction novel. If you like raw emotional battles, family drama, and gut-wrenching dilemmas, then you’ll love Lorraine Haas’s tale of courage and tenacity.

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MY THOUGHTS.....


Let me tell ya', this book gave me all the feels! Author Lorraine Haas paints a vivid picture of a teenager longing to escape her domineering father and their life of poverty in the early 1940s. Marriage was often the answer for young girls during this World War II era, and for a short time, Margaret Rose was happy. The sudden death of her soldier husband, a baby that he would never know, and a series of bad choices take away this newfound joy. Margaret Rose once again longs for something she doesn't have. Will she ever find the elusive happiness that always seems out of her reach?

Margaret Rose is an intriguing character who makes mistakes but still displays resilience, courage, and determination! In her author's notes, Haas explains that some of the events in this book are taken from her mother's life and this makes The Scent of Gardenias even more memorable. It is the perfect blend of truth and fiction and I recommend it to all who enjoy historical family drama.

I voluntarily accepted a copy of this book from the author and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. A positive review was never required.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


About the Author


Lorraine Haas is a lover of life, learning, and leisure. She's been accused far too often of being a strong woman, and even that she was raised to be too "independent." She loves stories of women overcoming obstacles and thus, decided to write about them. She loves men--being married to one, the mother of one, and friends with many.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 27
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Tuesday, June 28
Interview at Aubrey Wynne: Timeless Romance

Wednesday, June 29
Review at Novels Alive
Review at Book Reviews and More

Thursday, June 30 Review at Cover Lover Book Review

Friday, July 1
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Tuesday, July 5
Guest Post at What Is That Book About

Wednesday, July 6
Review at Books, Cooks, Looks

Friday, July 8
Interview at Jathan & Heather

Saturday, July 9
Review at Older & Smarter

Monday, July 11
Feature at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, July 12
Review at A Baker’s Perspective

Giveaway

Enter to win a signed hardcover of The Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas!

The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on July 12th. You must be 18 or older to enter.

Scent of Gardenias


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