Book Review: When Love Calls

Author: Lorna Seilstad
Publication Date: May 1, 2013
Publisher: Revell
Series: The Gregory Sisters # 1

Hannah Gregory is good at many things, but that list doesn’t include following rules. So when she is forced to apply for a job as a telephone switchboard operator to support her two sisters, she knows it won’t be easy. “Hello Girls” must conduct themselves according to strict-and often bewildering-rules. No talking to the other girls. No chatting with callers. No blowing your nose without first raising your hand. And absolutely no consorting with gentlemen while in training.

Meanwhile, young lawyer Lincoln Cole finds himself in the unfortunate position of having to enforce the bank’s eviction of the three Gregory girls from their parents’ home. He tries to soften the blow by supporting them in small ways as they settle into another home. But fiery Hannah refuses his overtures and insists on paying back every cent of his charity.

When one of Hannah’s friends finds himself on the wrong side of a jail cell, Hannah is forced to look to Lincoln for help. Will it be her chance to return to her dreams of studying law? And could she be falling in love?

Hannah relaxed and grinned as a thought came to her. “Women are making all kinds of contributions all over the world. Remember what Daddy always said: ‘If Annie Edison Taylor could go over Niagara Falls in barrel, then you can do anything you set your mind to.’”

 

“I don’t think any of us should feel we have to marry in order to survive. We have each other and the dreams God gave us.”

 

Hannah smiled. It was a perfect fit. She was certainly intelligent, and when Charlotte cut her finger last week, she’d kept a cool head and hadn’t fainted at the sight of blood.

 

She coughed. Obedient nature? So much for that perfect fit.

 

“A couple, but you have to admit it’s a rare course of study for a lady. I believe there are less than a thousand women practicing law today.”

 

Hannah Gregory is looking for a new start, including a new job and a new home for her and her sisters. She finds an ad calling for a new switchboard operator and feels that this could be her perfect calling, and a sure way to provide for her younger sisters. Once she lands the job she finds out just how hard it is to be one of the Hello Girls. There are so many rules to follow and remember and not to mention this Lincoln Cole that has come in unexpectedly and uprooted her life. As a lawyer working to evict her and her sisters from their childhood home, Lincoln quickly finds a place under Hannah’s skin. Will Hannah and her sisters prevail? Will they each meet their lifelong dreams? Come and find out as you let Hannah’s story unwind!

 

I loved both Hannah Gregory and Lincoln Cole, not to mention Hannah’s sisters as well. Hannah, who this story centers on, is strong and determined and not just for the sake of her sisters. As the oldest sibling she feels it is her moral obligation to be the leader and provider since the death of her parents. I liked the fact that in Hannah’s story we start to understand a little more about the younger sisters as well, Charlotte and Tessa. I think this series is going to be phenomenal just because of the wonderful heroines I can see unfolding. There are a few secondary characters as well, like Aunt Sam and George, that I hope to see reappearing in later books. Lorna can really write some characters. She gives Hannah enough flair and confidence to be the kind of character that you think about and take inspiration from long after closing the book!

 

I don’t know about other readers but sometimes I find the character’s jobs one of the most fascinating things when reading their stories. As I mentioned earlier, Hannah takes a position as a switchboard operator or the “Hello Girls.” I did a little research on this myself after reading, and found out that the Hello Girls went through some rigorous training. I was somewhat reminded of a flight attendant from the 50’s and 60’s. After watching Pan Am, I knew that they took their jobs very seriously and had many rules and regulations to follow. Hannah’s career was a lot like that and sounded absolutely fascinating! Just to give you an example, for the two weeks that the newbie’s were enduring their training, they were not allowed to make any contact with a male! Of course, Hannah hated rules and often broke them!

 

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Revell in exchange for an honest review and is available at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group***