An undemanding dual timeline novel. With a predictable plot having little to no surprise, the story wavered between okay and bland. Easy to read and simplistic, I think the writing in this book is geared more toward the young adult genre. ( )

The Ann McFarland, struggling San Francisco artist saga continues in another novel that I did not want to put down! Ann's career has taken off after her rabbit hole adventure of Syliva Van Dam and the story of who she was and what happened to her. Her name is out there, her pieces are selling and she is finally becoming a "true" paid artist. Her new beau Sergio lives in New York and her next adventure is from an item she finds in a thrift shop mean while visiting him.

Ann stumbles across a pair of glittering silver shoes, but she really shouldn't buy them. Yes, she can maybe afford them but does she really need them? What is drawing her to them? They are perfect though, and her size. With her large feet, hardly does she ever find beautiful shoes made in her size. The shop owner works down the price of the shoes, and Ann once again walks out of a thrift shop with her next inspiration.

As she is digging the shoes out of the box, she realizes the owner must have made a mistake, there is a string of pearls within the box as well. Those pearls were laid next to the shoes in the shop, so this isn't an accident. But there is no way she can keep them, she only paid for the shoes, and these are the real thing. She leaves them behind for Sergio to return and heads back home.

Once home, she also finds a photo in the bottom of the box. Two women, and one of them appears to maybe be the owner of said shoes. There are two names on the back and a place listed. Winnie and Claire, Rudy's 1929. What a find! After some internet sleuthing she finds out that Rudy's was a speakeasy back in the 20's.

Just as before, Ann must find out more. Who wore these? What was life like back then? What would it have been like to be part of a speakeasy? How did these shoes end up at a thrift shop? As Ann comes up with creativity and inspiration, she also is struggling with the next stop in her life with Sergio. Does she want the same as him? What does he think? What is his long term goals for life? Could she just pick up and move to New York to be with him, is that what he wants?

As Ann is struggling within her own relationship, Claire from decades earlier may have been struggling with a similar life of feeling trapped and making the right decisions. This story is once again told from Ann, current day and then Claire - owner of the silver shoes. Again, very well written story and I loved the dual storylines! ( )

Jill G. Hall's novel, The Silver Shoes, tells the tale of two women connected to the titular shoes. Anne is an artist who lives in San Francisco but her boyfriend Sergio lives in New York City. On one of her visits to Sergio she visits a thrift store where she finds an amazing pair of silver shoes. They even fit her feet, which are on the large side. (Sergio affectionately calls her "Bigfoot".)

Anne wants Sergio to ask her to move in with him, or even better, to marry him. She would like to know that their relationship is moving forward, but Sergio never seems to want to have that discussion.

Anne works as a valet in San Francisco to make ends meet while she pursues her passion, her art creations. She has been getting a foothold in the art world in San Francisco having sold some of her pieces at a gallery, but she would like not to struggle so much financially.

In 1929, Clair lives with her long-widowed father at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. Her mother died when Clair was just six, and her mother's sister June, a teacher and suffragette, has helped to raise her. (I loved Aunt June.)

At Clair's coming out debutante party, her father has declared that she will marry Farley, a man over ten years her senior whom she had not yet met. She disliked him immediately; he was a boring braggart who seemed to only care about money.

Clair meets the vivacious Winnie, a clerk at Macy's, and hiding it from her father, she accompanies Winnie to a speakeasy. At first frightened, Clair loosens up and begins to enjoy the music and dancing. Soon she is sneaking out more and more with Winnie, praying not to get caught by her father or the doorman at the Waldorf.

Everyday Clair passes a store window where she sighs over a pair of silver shoes, studded with rhinestones. How she would love those shoes- but her father would say that only floozies wear shoes like that.

Hall does a wonderful job telling both women's stories. Anne and Sergio's relationship seems very realistic, and she doesn't make Sergio the bad guy here, a guy who is afraid of commitment. I think many women will relate to Anne's situation.

Clair's story was a little more enlightening to me. You don't often think of women in the 1920's America being forced into an arranged marriage. And again, Clair's father could have been a one-dimensional character, but Hall gives him more shades than that.

I also enjoyed being immersed in 1920's New York City- the Waldorf, Macy's, the entertainment venues. I got a real feel for what it was like living at that time in the city where I now live.

Eventually, Clair and Annie are connected by the shoes, and I found that very satisfying. The ending to Clair and Annie's individual stories was more surprising to me, but they were both women who came into their own strength when they needed it most. I recommend The Silver Shoes, especially for those who enjoy books set in two different timelines. ( )

Anne lives in San Francisco and her boyfriend Sergio lives in New York. They have been maintaining a long distance relationship for quite some time and neither one of them is quite happy with the arrangement but his job is in his city and her life is in hers. She is willing to relocate but not without a commitment from him that they will get married. On her most recent trip Anne wanders in to a vintage shop and falls in love with a pair of rhinestone covered silver shoes. They fit her perfectly and she buys them on impulse. When she gets home and looks in the box she finds some other items including a photo of two young dancers.

Clair is debutante in 1929 living with her father. Her mother is dead and her father rules her life. One day while out shopping she meets a shopgirl who is so full of life and so confident that Clair wants to spend more time with her. They soon make a plan to go out and Clair finds herself at a speakeasy! She tastes alcohol for the first time and finds herself dancing. This is a side of life she had never seen before and she wants more.

As 1929 inches towards that fateful date in October Clair’s father tells her she is to be married – but Clair does not like the man he has chosen – at all. She fights her father as much as she can but soon finds herself on the way to the altar. What will her fate be?

The books shares the stories of these two women by alternating back and forth as Anne tries to figure her life out with or without Sergio as he meets her family and she meets his. Clair finds herself as she navigates life after the crash.

This was a quick and easy read. Nothing complicated, nothing deep. I enjoyed both stories but as per usual for me I found the historical half more interesting than the modern day tale. The synopsis was a bit misleading as Anne really does not go on any kind of quest to learn anything about the owner of the shoes. What she knows she learns from the back of the photo and she really goes no further so I felt a little disappointed by that.

It was a good book to sit and read on a cold and rainy afternoon under a blanket. As I noted, it didn’t require a lot of thought but it was a nice diversion. ( )

Anne has been struggling in a long-distance romance with long-time boyfriend, Sergio. Anne is an artist based in San Fransisco and Sergio a New York City designer. Anne wants Sergio to buckle down and commit to the relationship, but that may not be where either of their hearts lie. On a trip to New York, Anne picks up a pair of antique rhinestone shoes. With the shoes comes a strand of pearls and a hidden picture of two flappers wearing just those shoes. The shoes inspire Anne to create several art pieces as well as think about her situation with Sergio. In 1929, Clair, the original owner of the shoes, admires the footwear from the window. She knows her father would never let her own them. Although, Clair finds a friend in a performer, Winnie, who introduces Clair to speakeasies and uncovers Clair's hidden talents. When Clair's life seems to be controlled by everyone but her, Clair's father pushing her into an arranged marriage with an odious man named Farley and not allowing her to continue her college education, the stock market crashes. Clair decides to carry on and follow her heart becoming the provider of the family by secretly performing in a Broadway Review. When Anne learns of the woman behind the shoes, she takes a page from Clair's book and decides to follow her heart.

A beautifully written dual-timeline story of two women learning to follow their hearts. I enjoyed both Anne and Clair's characters and their willingness to strike out on their own, even if it took a lot of convincing. The quick flow of the chapters with switching points of view between Anne and Clair kept my reading at a good pace. Clair's story stole my attention as I was pulled in by her spirited nature and willingness to strive forward in life despite everything thrown in front of her. The ambiance of 1929-30 shown through with the extravagance of hotel living, debutante balls, speakeasies, FBI raids and the devastation felt after the crash. Anne's story was a slow journey to self realization that took more time to reel me in. Both women are wonderful examples of determination and perseverance in times of strife.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )