Top Shelf: Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

If you like books about books, have I got a book for you! Hint: Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the main characters and the story takes place in Salem.

Hester, by Laurie Lico Albanese, is historical fiction with lots of twists and turns. It's been a while since I've read this genre, and this book was a solid re-introduction to it. There are references to the Salem witch trials and the Underground Railroad. If you love art, there are incredible details about embroidery and color. If you're interested in medicine, the story includes an apothecary and a rare condition.

The main character, Isobel, leaves her homeland of Scotland with her new husband, Edward. This young girl is grappling with a new home and no family, and Edward abandons her immediately. She soon discovers that with her needle and the support of a few new friends, she will survive.

It is not long before she seeks more than friendship and finds herself in love with a mysterious young writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne. As their relationship unfolds, she faces her deepest worries about herself and her history, while trying to carve a future in this unwelcoming new land.

It's a story about women, helpers and finding strength. I could not put it down, even during the book's darkest moments.