Wednesday, May 8, 2013

"It Happened At the Fair" by Deeanne Gist (Review & Giveaway)


About the book:  A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair's Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

My thoughts:  I have read and thoroughly enjoyed several of Deeanne Gist's books and was excited at the prospect of being able to again read, review, and rave. She has not disappointed! Ms. Gist thoroughly researches her books and you learn a bit about history while you're being taken on a delightful spin into the realm of realistic fiction.

Our male hero or lead in the story is straight off the farm near Charlotte, North Carolina. He is thrust into the industrial and exciting realm of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Though raised on the farm and trained to farm, he has been off to school (college), been educated, and been encouraged to develop his creative and very real talent for engineering and inventing. His parents recognize his talent just as they recognize his severe allergies to all things farming - seeds, pollen, hay, dirt, insects - they all set his nose, eyes, skin rebelling against their affinity to him.

At the fair where he is positioned to hawk his invention of automatic sprinkling systems to prevent fires, his loss of hearing becomes a real hardship and handicaps him threatening to make his position at the fair a total failure.  But then he learns of our female lead character, Della, who is a teacher of the deaf. She teaches them to lip-read. He seeks her out and then the real story begins.

They go round-robin more than Mr. Ferris' Ferris Wheel (newly invented and exhibited at the fair) did. Their developing relationship is sweet and cautious and within the social mores of the time. 

Some parts of the book were like a bit of a travelog in describing the fair, the buildings, the landscaping to suit a novel. Though they were well written,  enjoyable and informative, I think a bit less would have been better. Then, too, in some ways the character Della was a bit over-the-top in her reactions even for the time and place and social restraints. I'm not saying anything should have been actually changed. These are just observations. I did very much enjoy reading It Happened At The Fair  and will be anxiously awaiting another of Deeanne Gist's delightful reads.

As I read the story it became personally interesting to me. I and most of my family have difficulty hearing. We can trace the consistent trait back to my father and his sibilings. All of my children have inherited it, too. So we understand Cullen's plight and frustration. Thankfully today there are quality hearing aids (which we utilize fully) that are wonderful blessings to us. Ms. Gist's funny looking words in the story's conversations were a bit perplexing at first and I wondered if they were intended to portray local dialect. Then I realized it was to illustrate how Cullen was hearing people speak and it was pretty accurate. Inability to clearly distinguish sounds in a hearing world is difficult at best. 
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GIVEAWAY:  The good folks at Litfuse Publicity Group are generously providing a copy for one of Chat With Vera's readers to win by using the entry form below. Begins May 8 & ENDS May 23 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author: Deeanne Gist---known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee---has rocketed up bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very fun, very original historicals. She has received numerous RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, and rave reviews. Deeanne has a background in education and journalism and a degree from Texas A&M. She has written for People, Parents, and Parenting. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and has four grown children. She has a very active online community on her website at IWantHerBook.com and at Facebook.com/DeesFriends.
 DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy of It Happened At The Fair in exchange for my honest review from Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the publisher and author. Opinions expressed are solely my own and I was under no obligation to render a positive review.

49 comments:

  1. A happy moment - Everyday is a happy moment with my 3 year old. Especially when she tells me she's so proud of me. ha ha I love it.

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  2. A joyful moment for me is taking walks with my 9-year-old son. He loves to take walks and hold my hand. I know that he'll soon be at the age when he won't want to do this anymore, so I'm cherishing these moments while I can.

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  3. I'd also love to read "Maid to Match"!

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  4. I think a happy moment is just sitting down with my computer, getting in some writing time with a nice cup of coffee and some calming music playing in the background. Either that or reading one of my favorite books.

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  5. I'd like to read Maid to Match. I've read most of her books and this is the one that looks good to me!

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  6. A happy moment- definitely when I came home from the hospital 8 years ago after almost dying. God is truly amazing!!!

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  7. I would like to read A Bride in the Bargain- my friend read it and really enjoyed it!

    Thanks for the great giveaway!

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  8. A joyful moment--I just returned from visiting my daughter and her family. I smile as I remember the joy I had as I watched my grandkids playing baseball and soccer, running track, practicing leadership at church, and playing their instruments. What fun!

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  9. I have 4 of Deeannne's books. The next one I plan to read is The Measure of a Lady.

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  10. Well, a happy moment for me right now is that my grandparents have come from a different state to stay with my family for a few days:) A happy moment that's coming up for me is summer vacation:) I'm getting out of school this month!

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  11. I would love to own Deep in the Heart of Trouble.:) <3

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  12. Joyful moment: I go to a Music Together class every Friday with my toddlers and the new session is about tambourines. There is a new song in this session where we go around the group while singing it and each mom (or dad) has to sing out something short and joyful that happened to them and hearing all this is joyful. Some things are very simple like "cleaned my apartment" or "won $50 on the lottery" or one of the babysitters sang out "got all As at school.

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  13. I am interested in Bridge Most Begruding but it would be hard to beat a book with a story line on the Chicago Worlds Fair

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  14. I have been my daughter's doula for all three of her births and each one was joyful!

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  15. I've read all of Deeanne's books. The only one I think I would want a copy of would be Maid to Match.

    Did you know that you have word verification AND comment moderation enabled? One or the other is usually sufficient to keep out spammers.

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  16. A happy moment - My brother's recent visit. He lives about 6 hours away, so it's always nice to see him!

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  17. I really want to read this book because I have inventors on both sides of my family!

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  18. I would love to read her book, 'Tempest in the White City'.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

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  19. Getting my kids all to sleep was a good moment. :)

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  20. On May 15, 1971, yes 41 years ago when I said I do to a wonderful man!

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com

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  21. Yes, I have read more than one of Deeanne's book and I have loved each one.

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com

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  22. I would like to have It Happened at the Fair, I think I have all the others already, lol!

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com

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  23. A joyful moment: my kindergarden granddaughter reading to me.

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  24. I'd like to read Deep in the Heart of Trouble

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  25. A joyful moment is playing with my 6 month old granddaughter and getting caught up in her laughter.

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  26. My Mom was on Skype with a friend from Canada and my Malamute semi-puppy, Ginger, started telling me loudly to give her my chocolate, she kept it up and had my Mom's friend just laughing.

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  27. Graduating from nursing school is certainly a happy memory!

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  28. I haven't had a chance to read Love on the Line yet but I'm really looking forward to it!

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  29. My happiest moment I believe was when :after years of having migraines they put me on norvasc for HBP and not one headache have I had since-free of headaches makes me a happy woman...
    I have read some of this author but not this book so would love to win.
    thanks for sharing
    Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)

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    Replies
    1. I understand the migraine and beta blocker connection completely. When they put me on one, I saw that my migrains virtually went away. My cardiologist just laughed a tiny laugh and said, "Yes, that is one of the GOOD side effects of it." Isn't it great!

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  30. a recent joyful moment is planting flowers with my niece.

    sonflower277 at gmail dot com

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  31. Joyful moment....seeing daughter and grandson!
    I have read several of Deeanne's books and am very anxious to read her newest.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Jackie Smith
    jackie.smith[at]dishmail[dot]net

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  32. Joyful moment: every time one of my little lovelies calls me "Miss Shell." :)

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Rachelle
    inspiringdaring (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  33. I have many joyful moments; one is whenever kids at school give me hugs because they are glad to see me!
    Thanks for the giveaway. I enjoy Deeanne's books; this looks like another great one.

    pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

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  34. I visited Deeanne's website. I'd love to read A Bride Most Begrudging. I love that cover with the fingers crossed behind her back!

    pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

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  35. My happy moment is getting a new book and sitting down to read it! Also hanging out with family.

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  36. I have read all of Dee's books except for this one.
    So to answer the question I would like to own Maid to Match.
    ldymesich(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  37. I always enjoy reading Deanne's books...
    cllyrics (at) gmail (dot) com

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  38. Everytime we get home to Oklahoma I head to the library to check out Ms. Gists books! Maybe I'll win one of my very own!

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  39. Oh my, I've read all her books - except for the short story. They're all so wonderful - you're the only author I've read all except of course, It Happened At The Fair....

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  40. Hopefully this will be a happy moment...I graduate high school a week from today!!

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  41. I'd like to read The Measure of a Lady.

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  42. My happy moment today...or rather yesterday now was being at the shower of my soon to be daughter in law, and seeing my son so happy. He's had a rough time in the past and a heartbreaking divorce,loosing his baby girl that turnout to not be his biologically. So I was thrilled to see him so happy today

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  43. Sitting in my recliner reading a good book - cup of tea & snack nearby.

    Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

    bonnieroof60@yahoo.com

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  44. Would like to read "The Measure of a Lady".

    Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

    bonnieroof60@yahoo.com

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  45. I would like to read Maid to Match
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com Merry

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  46. A joyful moment was celebrating my anniversary with my wonderful hubby!
    marypopmom (at) yahooo (dot) com Merry

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  47. Another book of Dee's that I would love to own/read is The Measure of A Lady, it looks very interesting!
    Bethany

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