Shelly Stratton

Angelique Bixby is braving the streets of 1950's Chicago. After her husband Daniel's death Angelique has had trouble supporting herself and newborn, Ella Jean. Living on Chicago's South Side as a white woman married to a black man has not been easy. Feeling she has no other choice, Angelique leaves her child with a respected family and tries to move on with life. Years later, Angelique has remarried into a family of privilege. She has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer and wants to amend her will to include the daughter she left behind. Angelique hires Jasmine Stanley, an ambitious, rising star at her law firm. Jasmine's has been asked to keep strict confidentiality with Angelique's task. At first, Jasmine believes that Angelique is another stuck up debutante, however as she digs into Angelique's past, she realizes that they are more alike than they seem; both women hold onto life altering secrets.
She Wears the Mask is a story about secrets, identity and family. The characters were well developed and I could feel the heartbreak as Angelique made the most difficult decision of her life as well as the emotional weight of the secret Jasmine carried. The writing skillfully worked across dual timelines divulging bits of Angelique's history as we learn about her present circumstance as well as unraveling the history of pain in Jasmine's family without giving everything away early on. I do wish we got to see a little more of Angelique's story at the end. Along with the themes of reconciling the past are themes of gender, race and the perceptions and weight that the color of your skin can carry. Overall, She Wears the Mask is an intense and absorbing plot and interesting characters.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.… (más)

The House on Harbor Hill by Shelly Stratton
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 5/5 stars

I had half a review written when I realized it wasn’t anywhere close to expressing how I feel about this book. Here’s the breakdown:

Plot #1: The House on Harbor Hill opens with an aging Delilah Grey doing what she has spent the vast majority of her life doing, extending a helping hand to a woman in need. Delilah’s own past has made her keenly aware of the women around her who need her help, and once she’s spotted someone, she extends an invitation to her home. Delilah genuinely wants to help these women and once they have come to her home, they are welcome to stay for as long as they need. To many, Delilah is a good Samaritan, a selfless woman always willing to give more than she receives, but to those with long memories, Delilah is something quite different.

Plot #2: Tracey is a woman on the run, a very scared woman whose purpose in life is to survive and protect her children. After a year on the run, Tracey is out of money and desperate for help. She’s heard the rumors about Delilah Grey, but sanctuary is what Delilah is offering and Tracey is desperate. Delilah’s home is spacious, beautiful, and most importantly, safe. There is space for her kids, a room of her own, and the opportunity for Tracey to find her feet, heal, and make plans for she and her kids’ future. Delilah asks for little in return and Tracey and her children quickly settle in and become a part of life at the house on Harbor Hill.

Characters: This book is full of rich, developed characters who run the gamut of qualities and characteristics. From the truly vile and reprehensible to the selfless and kind, this book has someone for everyone. What nearly every character has in common, is being broken to some greater or lesser degree. The brokenness of each character informs his or her actions, and some of those actions are magnificent in their level of awful. The degree of brokenness also deepens and enriches each character which always makes for a better read.

Transitions and Pacing: The House on Harbor Hill opens in the present with Delilah taking in Tracey and her children. As with so many things in life, the past informs the present, and to understand Delilah and her desire to help women in danger, you have to understand her own miserable past. As such, after an extensive opening section, the book transitions to the past which helps the reader understand how Delilah came to be the woman she is today. The entire book unfolds at a steady pace, but has moments, very dramatic and scary moments when the scenes unfold at breakneck speed. There aren’t any slow spots, only steady pacing broken up by crazy moments.

The Bottom Line: I can’t say I loved this book because it deals with some very serious and horrifying issues, but I do love how those issues are handled. The House on Harbor Hill is a purely fictional read, but it deals with real-world issues we are, sadly far too familiar with in this day and age. Stratton has created a cast of characters, especially the women who are, at times, weak and vulnerable, and, ultimately, strong and determined. There is excellent evolution of character, especially in Delilah and Tracey whose stories are so very similar though separated by decades. The transitions from the past to the present is one of my favorite writing devices and only served to enhance this story. The pacing is perfect for the story, and I was involved and interested from start to finish.… (más)

The House on Harbor Hill by Shelly Stratton is set in Camden Beach, Maryland in September of 2016. Delilah Grey offers help to those who she believes needs it. Tracey Walters arrives home to find an invitation on her door from Delilah that states her door is always open. Tracey and her two kids left her abusive husband, Paul after he hit Caleb and she worries that Paul will track them down. When Tracey is given one month to vacate her apartment and with no other options, she takes Delilah up on her offer. Delilah helps others to help alleviate her guilt. She has secrets that have haunted her all these years (in more than one way). A man keeps showing up offering to buy Harbor Hill, but Delilah has no intention of selling (despite the man’s outrageous offers). Aidan Dominguez grew up at Harbor Hill thanks to the generosity of Delilah. He returned four years ago and now works as the handyman/landscaper. Aidan is not prepared for his attraction to the newest resident. He came to Harbor Hill to escape his own troubles and is not ready to love again. Tracey settles in to the new home and starts to move forward, but then the past comes knocking. Unfortunately, that is not the only threat to the residents of Harbor Hill. What will happen to Aidan, Tracey and Delilah?

The House on Harbor Hill sounded like a great book. Mystery, intrigue, suspense, romance, a cute kid and some heartfelt moments. It is a story about people finding forgiveness and peace, so they can have a second chance at life. The writing was satisfactory, but the pacing was varied. There are three different stories happening in The House on Harbor Hill. It switches between them throughout the story, so we get the backstory on all three characters. We go from 2016 to 1968 to get Delilah’s story (my favorite character in the book). Delilah has the voice of her dead husband talking to her (criticizing, taunting). I was never sure if it was a ghost or just in her head. The House on Harbor Hill ended predictably. I knew how their stories would play out after reading just a small part of the book. I did feel that The House on Harbor Hill needed an epilogue to adequately wrap up the book. I was left with a few unanswered questions at the end of the book. The House on Harbor Hill addresses some sensitive issues (domestic violence and racism). I felt that the author handled them well, but I did feel the racism was overdone (mentioned quite often). There is a reading group guide at the end of the book. I do want to let readers know that the book contains violence and foul language (the language was completely unnecessary). I am giving The House on Harbor Hill 3 out of 5 stars (It was okay). This book was just not for me.… (más)