A Review of Hattie Ever After

Hattie Ever After 
by Kirby Larson

240 pages
Ages 12 and up
Publication date Feb. 12, 2013
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars!
I LOVED this book!

Review copy provided by Netgalley.com

I finished reading the Newbery Honor winning, Hattie Big Sky very recently and had to start Hattie Ever After right away to see what Hattie was going to do next.  Although Kirby Larson did not originally plan to write a second "Hattie" book, I am thrilled that she did.  This beautifully written sequel brings closure to Hattie's quest to prove herself and to find what she really wants in her life. 

A synopsis:
After losing her homestead (bequested to her by her late Uncle) in Montana during WWI, Hattie decides to leave prairie life and get a regular job.  Her employment as a maid at a small inn, leads to an opportunity to travel to San Francisco to work as a "wardrobe mistress" for a traveling variety show.  Coincidentally, she received a love letter from a woman in San Francisco addressed to her late Uncle, Chester. She feels sorry for the woman who does not realize that Chester has passed.  To complicate things, now that the war is over, her longtime friend and dashing soldier, Charlie comes calling looking for more than her friendship.  Although she is torn, Hattie makes the difficult the decision to go to San Francisco.  

While writing small "homilies" for a small news paper in her hometown in Iowa about her homestead experiences, Hattie was bitten by the writing bug.  She has since set her sights on becoming a news reporter for a real newspaper.  She decides to leave her job with the show, a few months after arriving in California, when she is offered a job at a major newspaper, not as a reporter, but as part of the cleaning crew.

With the help of Ned, a reporter who has taken a shine to Hattie, she is soon given a research job to help reporters and quickly many events unfold.  She writes a series about working women after the war that catches the eye of the editor.  Through some fortunate events, she is quickly promoted to her dream job, reporter. Things seem to be going well for Hattie, but she is lonely. Should she move to Seattle to be with Charlie? (To be honest, that's what I wanted her to do). Could she work and be a wife without losing herself?  Then, a series of person betrayals (and an earthquake) rock her world.  

This book will appeal to those who love historical fiction and a bit of mystery.  There is some romance, but nothing beyond hand holding or a kiss on the cheek.  Although the publisher recommends the book for ages 12 and up, I would say that grades 5 and up with some knowledge of the time period could enjoy this book.  

Click here for the Goodreads summary. 
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