Author's guest post at my blog:
https://bookfare.blogspot.com/2018/05/foodfic-please-welcome-ashley-sweeney.html

Alaska intrigues me. It is one of the places on my bucket list. I'm intrigued by the rugged, naturalness of the state, it's remoteness and the idea of it as this country's last frontier. How much more rugged and unspoiled would it have been at the dawn of the twentieth century when prospectors were racing there for the promise of gold? Ashley Sweeney's novel, Eliza Waite, captures that air of rough and tumble and the possibility of reinvention in the frontier town of Skagway, Alaska.

Eliza Waite is a widow who lives alone on a remote island in the San Juan Islands of Washington. From a well-off Midwestern family, she was married off to a stranger who took her west to Cypress Island where he was a minister. When an epidemic decimated the population of the island, carrying off both Eliza's beloved young son and her husband, she stays in their home to be close to her boy's final resting place even though she is all alone and life is hard and dangerous. When Eliza injures herself, she manages to make it to the mainland where she is nursed back to health. She thinks she might just be coming alive again out of the well of deep grief she's been existing in but when things go awry, she flees to Skagway, Alaska with the intention of opening a bakery in the booming gateway to the Klondike. In Skagway, Eliza has the chance to reinvent herself, to take charge of her own destiny. She opens herself up to the diverse people around her and works on building a life among these unusual but wonderful new friends.

Eliza is a strong and appealing character. The courage it takes to hop a ship with the flood of prospectors having no guarantee that the fifty dollars in her pocket will buy her a new life is astounding. She has endured hardship, tragedy, and deception and yet she never loses her determination to survive. Sweeney draws the evolution of Eliza's character very well and she's captured the gritty verisimilitude of a a gold rush town beautifully. Eliza's past, her unhappy childhood and less than ideal marriage, weaves through the narrative, helping the reader to understand better who she is. The second part of the book, once she reaches Alaska is far more compelling than the story of her sad and lonely existence on Cypress Island, perhaps because that is where her character feels true and empowered. She's actually forging a life instead of treading water. As she is a wonderful baker, there are recipes sprinkled throughout the book, directly in the text and they feel historically accurate. Although the beginning is too drawn out, the writing is good and the setting is intriguing so fans of historical fiction will certainly enjoy this unusual tale of a smart, capable, and undaunted woman. ( )

This was a unique and powerful book – only my second 5 star read for the year. The novel follows the life of Eliza Waite, from an unhappy childhood through an arranged marriage to the loss of her husband and child. Eliza then lives alone in what remains of her settlement where her only solace is her weekly baking from recipes she has collected through the years. Eliza is also a voracious reader – she always had been and she longed to see more of the world but couldn’t imagine leaving the place where her son rested.

One day Eliza injures herself and she manages to get herself to the mainland where the owner of the local store cares for her until she is able to go back to her solitary existence but while living in the shop she developed a relationship of sorts with the owner’s nephew and it starts Eliza to thinking that perhaps it’s time to reenter the world and to perhaps even marry again. But she isn’t sure she is ready and she had doubts about the man.

Life doesn’t bring Eliza and easy answers so she heads off on her own to the Klondike with dreams of opening a bakery. Something all her own with no one telling her what to do. It is there that Eliza truly comes into her own with the support of an unlikely circle of friends. It is not easy in Alaska but it leads her to a life of fulfillment she never could have imagined.

This was one really good book. I haven’t encountered a protagonist like Eliza in quite a while. She is not always likable but she is always compelling. The detail as to the time and period is so well woven into the narrative that you don’t realize how much you are learning as you read. It was one of those books where I felt I was there walking in Eliza’s shadow as the descriptions were so vivid. The inclusion of recipes from the day was a big bonus for someone like me who loves to bake. I’m keeping this book for another read as I know I’ll pick up additional details on a second go through that will only make the story better. Eliza Waite is a remarkable story and a character you won’t long forget. ( )

I can confidently say that Eliza Waite will easily be in my top 10 books of the year for 2016. The writing is so stark and beautiful, the story so compelling. I couldn’t put this book down, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it when I finished reading.

Author Ashley Sweeney tells the story of Eliza Waite, a woman forging her own life at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in the American West. Eliza was born into a wealthy, but emotionally cold family in Columbia, Missouri. After her family casts her out, she travels west to an island off the coast of Washington where her husband has been assigned as pastor to the local church. When her husband and son die, Eliza must find the courage to strike out on her own.

This book is about more than a woman surviving in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, it is about finding and loving yourself. It is about surviving deep loss. It is about acceptance. It is about determination. I found myself grieving with Eliza and rooting for her to make it in an inhospitable environment. I also wondered if I would be strong enough to survive those consequences, and even if I could succeed in my own life. I came away believing that yes, I can survive and succeed. There was nothing superhuman about Eliza. She just believed in herself and kept working. She didn’t give up. And slowly, she started loving and believing in herself.

Sweeney doesn’t romanticize the period or the setting. She vividly brings to life the hardships and the icy cold of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska during the Gold Rush. It is a hard life, especially in contrast with Eliza’s privileged childhood. But she adapts and eventually thrives. The terrain is treacherous, but the mountains and the Northern lights are beautiful. The work is hard, but there is also opportunity. The people can be cruel, but there are also kindred spirits.

Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed the regular recipes included in the narrative. Eliza finds refuge in baking and opens her own bakery once she reaches Alaska. The recipes that the author includes are authentic to the period. I loved the approximate measurements of ingredients. I use a kitchen full of equipment when I bake: kitchen scales, measuring spoons, measuring cups, mixers, and modern ovens. Eliza used the bare essentials and a wood burning oven. THAT is an expert baker. I am a mere amateur by comparison.

I admit I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but I believe this book will appeal to a wide range of readers. This book immerses you in the time and the place. It keeps you thinking about it, even when you are done. ( )

A great story of one woman's journey, both physical and psychological, at the turn of the 20th century. The attention to detail paints a vivid picture of day-to-day life in Washington's San Juan Islands and then Skagway, Alaska, during the Klondike Gold Rush, and characters both real and fictional help bring that reality to life. Recipes for items used by the protagonist in the story add an extra touch of authenticity and color. Eliza's growth of confidence and independence is deftly handled, strongly written, and a treat to read.

(ARC provided by NetGalley and She Writes Press) ( )