Count The Nights by Stars My Rating: 4.2
Set across two timelines, this story weaves together mystery, history, and a quiet romance.
In 1961, Audrey Whitfield is assigned the task of clearing out the room of a longtime resident at Nashville’s historic Maxwell House Hotel after the woman suffers a devastating stroke. While sorting through the belongings, Audrey discovers an intricate scrapbook filled with memorabilia from the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Hidden among the pages are love notes written on the backs of unmailed postcards—clues that hint at a forbidden romance and unsettling secrets tied to the disappearance of young women during the exposition. Curious and determined to learn the truth, Audrey teams up with a charming hotel guest to uncover the identity of the mysterious “Peaches” and the regrets surrounding one life-changing day nearly sixty-five years earlier.
In 1897, independent-minded Priscilla Nichols refuses to settle for a conventional match and hopes to find true love. On the eve of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, she meets Luca Moretti, a confident Italian immigrant whose bold spirit draws her in. As the two explore the dazzling sights of the exposition together, their growing connection is overshadowed by a dark event that changes everything. A painful truth ultimately sends them in different directions as the magic of the night fades into morning.
This was a simple, sweet story told through dual timelines. I especially enjoyed learning about the history of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and the Maxwell House Hotel, which added an interesting historical backdrop to the narrative.
Was the coffee named after the Maxwell House Hotel or maybe Maxwell family? I have lived in TN twice in my life (total 3 years), once in Nashville and once in Memphis. I loved both cities but never visited the Maxwell House. Going to check if my library had this book. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteJ
Yes, the coffee was names after it! I found the history very interesting and I loved how the modern story line was the older/run down hotel vs the older story line had it in it's glory.
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