Carved in Stone (The Blackstone Legacy Book #1)
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- Create Date：2021-09-01 13:21:25
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Elizabeth Camden
- ISBN：B08X2Z8FTN
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Summary
Gwen Kellerman is an heiress to the infamous Blackstone family， whose history of scandal nearly destroyed her。 She now lives a quiet life at the idyllic college founded with her family's fortune and hopes to keep the tragedies of her past safely behind her。
Patrick O'Neill survived a hardscrabble youth to become a lawyer for the downtrodden Irish immigrants in his community。 He's proud of his work， even though he struggles to afford his ramshackle law office。 All that changes when he accepts a case to challenge the Blackstones' legacy of greed and corruption by resurrecting a thirty-year-old mystery。
Little does Patrick suspect that the Blackstones will launch their most sympathetic family member to derail him。 Gwen is tasked with getting Patrick to drop the case， but the old mystery takes a shocking twist neither of them saw coming。 Now， as they navigate a burgeoning attraction， Patrick is the only one who can save Gwen from new danger on the horizon。
Patrick O'Neill survived a hardscrabble youth to become a lawyer for the downtrodden Irish immigrants in his community。 He's proud of his work， even though he struggles to afford his ramshackle law office。 All that changes when he accepts a case to challenge the Blackstones' legacy of greed and corruption by resurrecting a thirty-year-old mystery。
Little does Patrick suspect that the Blackstones will launch their most sympathetic family member to derail him。 Gwen is tasked with getting Patrick to drop the case， but the old mystery takes a shocking twist neither of them saw coming。 Now， as they navigate a burgeoning attraction， Patrick is the only one who can save Gwen from new danger on the horizon。
Reviews
Brianna Traister
，
I sat down to start this book when I had a small window of time between work and appointments…big mistake。 I was late for my appointment and I’m pretty sure no one heard from me for two days while I finished this book！！ It was such a gripping story！ There was history， romance， and intrigue。 As I’ve come to expect from Elizabeth Camden， she took an overlooked part of history and wove her story around it。 If you’re looking for a book to read I highly recommend this one！ You won’t be disappointed 5 I sat down to start this book when I had a small window of time between work and appointments…big mistake。 I was late for my appointment and I’m pretty sure no one heard from me for two days while I finished this book！！ It was such a gripping story！ There was history， romance， and intrigue。 As I’ve come to expect from Elizabeth Camden， she took an overlooked part of history and wove her story around it。 If you’re looking for a book to read I highly recommend this one！ You won’t be disappointed 5/5 stars！ 。。。more
Kristina Seleshanko
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Elizabeth Camden delivers yet another entertaining novel with fascinating， real history and a pleasing romantic storyline。 I especially appreciate how Camden shows that the privileged have long been the subject of wrath， yet both the well-to-do and those with little worldly possessions need to examine themselves for snobbery。 The plot here wasn't exactly full of surprises， yet I still found myself drawn to pick up this book again and again to "visit" with Camden's likeable characters。 A fun read Elizabeth Camden delivers yet another entertaining novel with fascinating， real history and a pleasing romantic storyline。 I especially appreciate how Camden shows that the privileged have long been the subject of wrath， yet both the well-to-do and those with little worldly possessions need to examine themselves for snobbery。 The plot here wasn't exactly full of surprises， yet I still found myself drawn to pick up this book again and again to "visit" with Camden's likeable characters。 A fun read！ 。。。more
Bobbie Norlander
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The Blackstones are richer than God。 Patrick O’Neill is an Irish immigrant who now helps find justice for other immigrants。 Liam Malone， raised by a poor， violent father， realizes his life was a lie。 Can a long， lost son， return to the family？ Can a hardworking lawyer fit in with his girlfriend’s rich family？ Find out in this first book in a new trilogy by Elizabeth Camden。 You will want to keep turning the pages！
Shale
，
Normally， Camden novels have a theme— such as water usage in NYC in the 1910s or the start of the FDA /Food preservation or the harmful addiction of opium on kids。 This one…。 I still don’t know what the theme really was。 *Spoilers ahead。 *Story started with a court case against the Blackstone Family versus a man with a book。 The man was accused of murdering the blackstones little boy 30 years ago but was found ‘not guilty’。Now the criminal wants to publish a memoir and hires a lawyer to defend h Normally， Camden novels have a theme— such as water usage in NYC in the 1910s or the start of the FDA /Food preservation or the harmful addiction of opium on kids。 This one…。 I still don’t know what the theme really was。 *Spoilers ahead。 *Story started with a court case against the Blackstone Family versus a man with a book。 The man was accused of murdering the blackstones little boy 30 years ago but was found ‘not guilty’。Now the criminal wants to publish a memoir and hires a lawyer to defend him against the blackstones suing him for libel， or somethingalong those lines。 Lawyer meets Blackstone daughter， sister to dead kid。 Think you know where this is going？ Yeah nope。 I was expecting a Romeo Juliet esque affair， with Patrick being the lawyer of the bad guy therefore “bad” and the blackstones not wanting for her to have anything to do with him and a whole bunch of legal stuff， and Patrick’s past coming back to bite him and—— nope。 I was so wrong。About this time we take a hard left。 The criminal book disappears from the plot line， we go down memory lane and meet…… The Criminal’s nephew。 He’s a steel worker， union leader， and has striking green eyes that look like Gwens father。 Could it be that her brother is still alive？ Guess what he is and has no memory of his past。Cue My Fair Lady esque vibes， while we turn mister unrefined into gilded businessman 。 The rest has a mixture of murder/assault mystery， class differences， a hint of medicine， and good old fashioned rich people parties。 Despite being all over the place， there were very few plot holes， and I didn’t see the real enemy until the end。 Their motives were a little unconvincing， and only vaguely foreshadowed。 I would’ve liked a little more foreshadowing that when I put all the pieces together at the end I got an AHA！ moment。 This did not happen， and had to be handed the final picture rather than putting it together myself。I liked Patrick the most， a good stable character with honest intentions。 Very few flaws besides a little bit of manly pride that gets in the way of being with Gwen。 I mean we didn’t even go into the whole “I punched a guy so hard I killed him” thing， Patrick suffering little to no crisis of conscience， except a confession scene。 He moved on from that REALLY fast。 Gwen could be annoying at times with her whole “my family is really good” about a whole bunch of stuck up dilettante rich people with too much idle time and no work ethic。 Not to mention wealth hoarding but okay。 I liked her final character development in the last chapters of the book。Good overall， got bored slightly in the middle but it improved pretty quickly。 4 stars。I hope we get a book for Liam and a book for Natalia but we’ll see。 。。。more
Phyllis
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Mystery， history and romance！I have come to expect learning interesting tidbits of scientific progress during the Progressive Era when reading books by Elizabeth Camden。 Her knack for weaving history with fiction in a compelling manner makes learning these things a pleasure。Patrick and Gwen were separated by centuries of wealth and prejudice。 He was a poor Irish immigrant lawyer， representing the down and out。 She was an affluent heiress who， though she had experienced grief and betrayal， had al Mystery， history and romance！I have come to expect learning interesting tidbits of scientific progress during the Progressive Era when reading books by Elizabeth Camden。 Her knack for weaving history with fiction in a compelling manner makes learning these things a pleasure。Patrick and Gwen were separated by centuries of wealth and prejudice。 He was a poor Irish immigrant lawyer， representing the down and out。 She was an affluent heiress who， though she had experienced grief and betrayal， had always known a world of luxury。 Admittedly， he was more prejudiced against her family than she was about his background。 His pride almost caused him to lose out。。。The complete cast of intriguing characters， each with ample means， motive， and opportunity to be responsible for the murder attempts perpetrated on Patrick's client， left me wondering who the culprit could be until right before he was revealed。One of my favorite characters， though he only appears through telegrams and discussions about him， was Count Dimitri。 I won't spoil him for you other than telling you that his dramatic and idiosyncratic tendencies made me laugh。 I do hope he will appear in future Blackstones stories！Dealing with unions， attempts to prevent the merger of the nation's largest steel companies into U。S。 Steel， and the development of a serum to treat tetanus， Carved in Stone makes history come alive。If you enjoy historical fiction， you won't want to miss Carved in Stone！Originally Reviewed on Among The ReadsI was given a copy of this book。 I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review。 All comments and opinions are my own。 。。。more
Claudia
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A kidnapped heir presumed dead， a young widow trying to save her father's legacy， an older widow struck by a horrible disease， and an attorney striving to survive and succeed while serving New York's downtrodden people。 All of these elements work together to create a compelling tale， but fans of Elizabeth Camden would expect nothing less。 Once again she has used an important， historical social concern as a backdrop for a bit of suspense and romance。 I highly recommend this new series， The Blacks A kidnapped heir presumed dead， a young widow trying to save her father's legacy， an older widow struck by a horrible disease， and an attorney striving to survive and succeed while serving New York's downtrodden people。 All of these elements work together to create a compelling tale， but fans of Elizabeth Camden would expect nothing less。 Once again she has used an important， historical social concern as a backdrop for a bit of suspense and romance。 I highly recommend this new series， The Blackstone Legacy， as well as this author。I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Carved in Stone from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation。 All opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
Robin Willson
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Thoroughly engaging characters。 You'll be completely invested in them， right to the end。 Another beautiful blend of the supremely wealthy and the working poor。 Attempted murder， kidnapping of a child。 Saving a college from being defunded。 A botany major and a lawyer who is devoted to the downtrodden Irish。 Each has a truly good heart， and each is hurt in their own way。 They both have to struggle with trust， in others and in God。 Excellent read！I received this book free from the publisher and Net Thoroughly engaging characters。 You'll be completely invested in them， right to the end。 Another beautiful blend of the supremely wealthy and the working poor。 Attempted murder， kidnapping of a child。 Saving a college from being defunded。 A botany major and a lawyer who is devoted to the downtrodden Irish。 Each has a truly good heart， and each is hurt in their own way。 They both have to struggle with trust， in others and in God。 Excellent read！I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program。 I was not required to write a positive review。 The opinions I have expressed are my own。#CarvedinStone #NetGalley 。。。more
Tina at Mommynificent
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I found this book absolutely fascinating！ The author had so many different complex storylines going on， and I was riveted to see how she could not only resolve them all but bring them all together somehow。 She did not disappoint！ I did find the pacing slightly odd。 At times things were happening in every storyline and everything was moving so fast， but then I felt it kind of plodded a bit in the middle。 But then things picked up to a fairly reasonable pace for the conclusion。 All in all， I reall I found this book absolutely fascinating！ The author had so many different complex storylines going on， and I was riveted to see how she could not only resolve them all but bring them all together somehow。 She did not disappoint！ I did find the pacing slightly odd。 At times things were happening in every storyline and everything was moving so fast， but then I felt it kind of plodded a bit in the middle。 But then things picked up to a fairly reasonable pace for the conclusion。 All in all， I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to more in this series。I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley。 。。。more
Maggie Boyd
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An impoverished， idealistic lawyer falls for a kindly， compassionate heiress but is unsure if their love can bridge the social and economic divide between them in Elizabeth Camden’s Carved in Stone。Gwen Blackstone Kellerman has suffered plenty of heartache in her life。 Her mother died when she was a child， and her father and husband died within days of each other just two short years earlier。 But the tragedy that has haunted her the most was the kidnapping of her brother William three decades be An impoverished， idealistic lawyer falls for a kindly， compassionate heiress but is unsure if their love can bridge the social and economic divide between them in Elizabeth Camden’s Carved in Stone。Gwen Blackstone Kellerman has suffered plenty of heartache in her life。 Her mother died when she was a child， and her father and husband died within days of each other just two short years earlier。 But the tragedy that has haunted her the most was the kidnapping of her brother William three decades before， when he was just five years old。 Her wealthy and powerful family， whose legacy of greed and corruption were the likely impetus for the crime， has never been able to find out what happened to him。 A man named Mick Malone was charged and tried for the offence but was found innocent by a jury of his peers who felt the Blackstones were the real criminals in the situation。 Now， Mick is publishing a tell-all memoir of how he was persecuted and railroaded into a trial by Gwen’s family。Typically， this wouldn’t be something Gwen would involve herself with。 She lives a quiet life on the campus of Blackstone College， the educational community her family founded and funds in order to help put a positive spin on the millions they have made off the backs of their workers。 However， her uncle and grandfather make it clear that unless she can get Mick to stop the publication of his book， the funding for the university will be pulled。 Gwen can’t bear to see the school her father gave his heart and soul to closed and agrees to speak with Patrick O’Neill， Mick’s attorney。The Catholic church paid for Patrick’s education but a last-minute change of heart （caused by a rendezvous with a pretty neighbor） kept Patrick from becoming a priest。 He still views his law degree as a mission and works primarily among the exploited and impoverished Irish immigrants of the community he grew up in。 He doesn’t like Mick Malone， a man known for his thieving， drinking and general immorality， but he likes people like the Blackstone family even less。 Patrick feels defending the Irish scapegoat the family blamed the kidnapping on is a righteous cause and so he has agreed to defend Mick in the libel case the Blackstones have filed to prevent the publication of Mick’s book。 When Gwen comes， offering money in exchange for their silence， he consults with his client and then politely but firmly shows her the door。But when Patrick sees Gwen and her grandfather displaying genuine sorrow over the lost William during the court case， he comes to the realization that the past crime is causing present day heartache。 Now that the thirty-year old mystery is once more in the public eye， he wonders just what information he and Gwen can shake loose if they again research what happened to her brother。 Naturally， they fall in love along the way。 But is love enough to bridge the gulf between them caused by their class disparity？ See the rest of my review at https://allaboutromance。com/book-revi。。。 。。。more
Jennifer K
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This new Elizabeth Camden series begins with an engaging story that is rich in history， romance and mystery。 I found myself rooting for the main characters because I liked each of them from the start。 Their story had twists and turns and obstacles in every direction。 Some of these “obstacles” involved the supporting characters。 Camden has creatively added family members on both sides of this couple。 All these struggles and relationships provided opportunities for lessons in faith， belonging and This new Elizabeth Camden series begins with an engaging story that is rich in history， romance and mystery。 I found myself rooting for the main characters because I liked each of them from the start。 Their story had twists and turns and obstacles in every direction。 Some of these “obstacles” involved the supporting characters。 Camden has creatively added family members on both sides of this couple。 All these struggles and relationships provided opportunities for lessons in faith， belonging and family。 As this engaging story unfolded， I thoroughly appreciated all the research and history revealed。 The most important thing that I can say about this book is that it makes me want to read the second book in the series as soon as it releases！ I was given a copy of this book by the publisher。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Kristina
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Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is the beginning The Blackstone Legacy series。 The author transports readers back to 1900 in New York City between the Five Points neighborhood and Manhattan。 The author provided beautiful word imagery that allows readers to visualize the scenes from the book。 I can tell the author did her research for this book with her descriptions of Five Points， the way people dressed， conveyances， attitudes， and behaviors， and so much more。 Elizabeth Camden also includes Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is the beginning The Blackstone Legacy series。 The author transports readers back to 1900 in New York City between the Five Points neighborhood and Manhattan。 The author provided beautiful word imagery that allows readers to visualize the scenes from the book。 I can tell the author did her research for this book with her descriptions of Five Points， the way people dressed， conveyances， attitudes， and behaviors， and so much more。 Elizabeth Camden also includes interesting historical details that enrich the tale。 The characters are realistic and developed。 Patrick is an Irish immigrant who was fortunate to have a benefactor who helped him attend law school and become a lawyer while Gwen grew up in the world of academia and wealth。 Patrick and Gwen begin on opposite sides of an issue， but they soon find themselves working towards the same goal。 Carved in Stone was well-written with gentle pacing。 It started off a little slow for me， but I soon became engaged and was swiftly turning the pages to see how the story would unfold。 Carved in Stone reminds us that appearances can be deceiving。 We should not judge a person based on their appearance， background， or their differing opinions。 It reminds me of the phrase， “Never judge a book by its cover。” The other lesson is the art of compromise。 Carved in Stone is our introduction into the complex and large Blackstone family。 It will be interesting to see what happens next with the Blackstone’s。 Carved in Stone is an intriguing historical novel with baleful book， stainless steel， an extravagant yacht， a compromised college， a flush family， and rough neighborhood。 。。。more
Carol
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Carved in Stone （The Blackstone Legacy， #1） by Elizabeth Camden is the first book in her new series。 It was a wonderful read and I really enjoyed the time period。 The Gilded Age is full of extremes。 Whether it's the upper class or the lower class， rich or poor。 A great story about a multi-million dollar heiress， Gwen Kellerman， who is living a quiet life after years of tragedy。 Patrick O'Neill， an Irish lawyer who is trying to make a living for himself。 And a thirty year old mystery， a business Carved in Stone （The Blackstone Legacy， #1） by Elizabeth Camden is the first book in her new series。 It was a wonderful read and I really enjoyed the time period。 The Gilded Age is full of extremes。 Whether it's the upper class or the lower class， rich or poor。 A great story about a multi-million dollar heiress， Gwen Kellerman， who is living a quiet life after years of tragedy。 Patrick O'Neill， an Irish lawyer who is trying to make a living for himself。 And a thirty year old mystery， a business merger， and attempted murder。 Love， danger and the challenges of different class distinctions。 Very enjoyable and I can't wait for the next book in this series。I received this book from the Elizabeth Camden and Bethany House Publisher。 All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Kelly Bridgewater
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Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is filled with romance， a missing child， and tons of wealth。 The story gives readers a glimpse into the creation of U。S。 Steel， J。P。 Morgan and the Carnegie's at the height of the Industrial Revolution。 I enjoyed seeing them interact。 Camden made them come to life with real heart and issues just like any normal family。 Just because they have money does not mean that the struggles of life do not occur。 The romance was a little awkward for me。 I did not mind the Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is filled with romance， a missing child， and tons of wealth。 The story gives readers a glimpse into the creation of U。S。 Steel， J。P。 Morgan and the Carnegie's at the height of the Industrial Revolution。 I enjoyed seeing them interact。 Camden made them come to life with real heart and issues just like any normal family。 Just because they have money does not mean that the struggles of life do not occur。 The romance was a little awkward for me。 I did not mind the heroine and hero falling in love。 It was just a little too fast。 She fell in love within moments of meeting him and the rest is history。 It was a nice story。 I loved the plot。 I couldn't flip through the pages fast enough。 Since this is the first book in a three-book series， I am excited to see what comes next。 Overall， Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden once again teaches readers a little more about history without a lecture， but a well-written and delightful story。 I can't wait to see what the next book will cover。I received a complimentary copy of Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden from Bethany House Publishers， but the opinions stated are all my own。 。。。more
Paula Shreckhise
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Ms。 Camden once again takes us to the Gilded Age and a lesson in clashes between the classes where the characters learn just what traditions are carved in stone and what changes are in store。 Gwen comes from a wealthy family and hopes to make her mark in Botany at Blackstone College。 Patrick wanted to become a priest but turned to law， having been trained by the Church in both vocations。 Patrick and Gwen meet when they are on opposite sides of a dispute between her prominent family and a client Ms。 Camden once again takes us to the Gilded Age and a lesson in clashes between the classes where the characters learn just what traditions are carved in stone and what changes are in store。 Gwen comes from a wealthy family and hopes to make her mark in Botany at Blackstone College。 Patrick wanted to become a priest but turned to law， having been trained by the Church in both vocations。 Patrick and Gwen meet when they are on opposite sides of a dispute between her prominent family and a client Patrick is representing。 They find they both have similar life aspirations: to help people in need。 But differences loom to keep them apart。 Ms。 Camden always fills her books with interesting characters。 Liam is a great example of how a life can turn around。 He is very rough around the edges but has a quality that makes him a leader。 Filled with opulence that was indicative of the times， we also see the contrast in the slums if the Five Points。 But it is the changed lives and priorities that make this book special。Well researched with colorful characters and a lesson in compromise between the classes， this book will interest readers of Historical Christian Fiction。 *I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author。 I was not required to give a favorable review。 All opinions are my own。 * 。。。more
Lori
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I always love Camden's novels and I eagerly look forward to the next one！Her books are so interesting and I love her extensive research to make a grand read！This one I believe will be my favorite so far。I love the mystery that was sneaked into the story。 I also felt that she did an awesome job of letting us look into the life of an aristocratic family and how they lived。 To me， money isn't everything。 It doesn't make you happy。 Yes it can make life easier but even then not always。 In my opinion I always love Camden's novels and I eagerly look forward to the next one！Her books are so interesting and I love her extensive research to make a grand read！This one I believe will be my favorite so far。I love the mystery that was sneaked into the story。 I also felt that she did an awesome job of letting us look into the life of an aristocratic family and how they lived。 To me， money isn't everything。 It doesn't make you happy。 Yes it can make life easier but even then not always。 In my opinion Gwen really didn't fit in with the rest of her family。 I think it was because she wore her heart on her sleeve and wants to see the good in everything and everyone。 （ just like me）。Another thing I like about her books is that I learn something new。 Something that I never knew about or heard of。 I love history especially American history。 Elizabeth Camden is my go to for this。 Another great book to add to my list of favorites for 2021。Highly recommend！ 5 stars！My thanks for a copy of this book。 I was NOT required to write a positive review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Courtney
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I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review。 All opinions are my own。 Elizabeth Camden once again draws from history to create a compelling historical romance。 This time， her inspiration is JP Morgan and the influence he and men like him had on the economy during the turn of the century in the US。 Having read several books， both fictional and nonfiction， set around this time period， I was fascinated and impressed with Camden’s immersive historical detail。 Her two lea I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review。 All opinions are my own。 Elizabeth Camden once again draws from history to create a compelling historical romance。 This time， her inspiration is JP Morgan and the influence he and men like him had on the economy during the turn of the century in the US。 Having read several books， both fictional and nonfiction， set around this time period， I was fascinated and impressed with Camden’s immersive historical detail。 Her two leads this time around are rather layered， and while I wasn’t sure what to think of them at times， I ultimately found a lot to like about them。 Gwen comes from an upper-crust background， but has largely shunned her family’s scandals after they impacted her， choosing a quiet life。 She’s compassionate and has a willingness to do what needs to be done， but also， while she is a bit out-of-touch with the reality of what some people go through， she comes to an awareness of her own privilege over the course of the book。 Patrick， by contrast， has built himself up into a success from a youth of struggle。 I did find his pride regarding her money a bit much at times， but I appreciated the way it was handled， showing both his good intent and the fact that he might be a bit too proud and short-sighted in his own way， with Gwen even remarking on his brand of snobbery at one point。 The mystery element took a bit to get into， but I felt it was ultimately satisfying。 There are some great revelations about Gwen’s missing brother， kidnapped as a child， and a scandal surrounding a libelous book about the kidnapping that Gwen and the rest of the family are trying to suppress。 This is a great first installment in a new series， and it’s perfect for fans of sweet historical romance with a generous helping of mystery。 。。。more
Martha
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This book took me by surprise， as it totally kept me on my toes with the twists and turns。 It felt different somehow， then other books by this author， but once I got into the flow of the story， I enjoyed it completely。 What I especially enjoy about this authors books， is her talent to weave history into every part of the story。 It is almost as if the characters become secondary to the history without feeling like you read a history book。 This book was no different in that regard。 You can feel th This book took me by surprise， as it totally kept me on my toes with the twists and turns。 It felt different somehow， then other books by this author， but once I got into the flow of the story， I enjoyed it completely。 What I especially enjoy about this authors books， is her talent to weave history into every part of the story。 It is almost as if the characters become secondary to the history without feeling like you read a history book。 This book was no different in that regard。 You can feel the pain of the Irish immigrants， but at the same time the plight of being trapped by society in the wealthy circles。I obtained this book from the publisher and all opinions contained herein are my own 。。。more
Emily Baer
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A great start to a new series from Elizabeth Camden！ Once again she masterfully and flawlessly entwines history and romance into a breathtaking story that is sure to leave readers longing for more。 I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the banking world at the turn of the century and the mystery elements kept me turning pages long into the night！ I will always pick up any novel written by this author and her latest certainly did not disappoint！
Rachael
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I enjoyed this introduction to the Blackstone family。 I was glad that the book veered in another direction from the initial lawsuit--what happens afterward was far more interesting to me than a mere courtroom drama。 I loved how it pushed both Gwen and Patrick to confront their class prejudices--a huge hurdle in their romance， particularly for Patrick （the rich aren't the only ones who can be snobs）。 One thing I trust Camden for is well-researched history， and she always delivers。 This time she i I enjoyed this introduction to the Blackstone family。 I was glad that the book veered in another direction from the initial lawsuit--what happens afterward was far more interesting to me than a mere courtroom drama。 I loved how it pushed both Gwen and Patrick to confront their class prejudices--a huge hurdle in their romance， particularly for Patrick （the rich aren't the only ones who can be snobs）。 One thing I trust Camden for is well-researched history， and she always delivers。 This time she incorporates the formation of US Steel （altered slightly for the Blackstones）， as well as the research and development of vaccines and medications for common diseases such as tetanus。 Who knew that the serum to treat tetanus was created by harvesting antibodies from horse blood？ I'm glad this is a series， as there is so much potential for future books among the supporting characters。 I'm really hoping to get a story about Natalia and her Russian count--I loved their dynamic， even as small a part as it was。 But I'd also love to see what Liam makes of himself， and where his relationship with old Grandfather Blackstone goes。 I'm very much looking forward to the next book。 Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book。 I was not required to write a positive review， and all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Carol R。
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Bestselling author Elizabeth Camden kicks off a new historical fiction series set in the 1900s， the Gilded Age of America。In Carved in Stone， heiress Gwen Blackstone Kellerman lives a quiet life as a botanist at a New York college founded by her father。 Patrick O’Neill is a lawyer for local Irish immigrants。 Brought together by a thirty-year old mystery， neither of them expect to face danger as the mystery unfolds， and it stirs up the Blackstone legacy of family secrets caused by greed and corru Bestselling author Elizabeth Camden kicks off a new historical fiction series set in the 1900s， the Gilded Age of America。In Carved in Stone， heiress Gwen Blackstone Kellerman lives a quiet life as a botanist at a New York college founded by her father。 Patrick O’Neill is a lawyer for local Irish immigrants。 Brought together by a thirty-year old mystery， neither of them expect to face danger as the mystery unfolds， and it stirs up the Blackstone legacy of family secrets caused by greed and corruption。Camden’s novels are filled with well-researched historical details， while weaving a suspenseful mystery。 The faith element is minimal but evident， and the storytelling is excellent with strong， flawed characters and descriptive narratives。 Patrick and Gwen are very different -- Patrick is a proud Irishman， while Gwen is a woman from a wealthy family。 Despite this， they are able to eventually look past that。 Theirs is a clean romance， Camden is a master at taking a period of time that is not well-known to readers and crafting an engaging story。 In this case， the story teaches the reader about the clashing of social classes， the unions， the tetanus vaccine， and the merger of steel companies。 Recommended for school libraries and public libraries。 Fans of Camden’s earlier books will look forward to the other books in this series。 Book 2， Written on the Wind， will be available in 2022。 Disclaimer: Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers， publicists， and/or authors。 I am not required to write reviews， nor to even post positive reviews。 。。。more
Karen Hutchinson
，
I’m pretty sure I’ve read every book Elizabeth Camden has written。 As a church librarian， she is one of my “go-to” authors because she writes interesting， faith-filled historical romantic fiction。 So， whenever a new title comes out， I jump on it！Set in the Gilded Age of America- approximately 1870 to 1900- which was an era of extreme industrial growth plus huge waves of European immigration， this story reflects the lives and distinctions between the “haves” and the “have nots。” Gwen Blackstone K I’m pretty sure I’ve read every book Elizabeth Camden has written。 As a church librarian， she is one of my “go-to” authors because she writes interesting， faith-filled historical romantic fiction。 So， whenever a new title comes out， I jump on it！Set in the Gilded Age of America- approximately 1870 to 1900- which was an era of extreme industrial growth plus huge waves of European immigration， this story reflects the lives and distinctions between the “haves” and the “have nots。” Gwen Blackstone Kellerman is from the incredibly wealthy Blackstone family of New York， and her love interest is Patrick O’Neill， an Irish immigrant who studied for the priesthood but ultimately becomes a lawyer with a keen interest in helping the poor in his Five Points neighborhood with their legal needs，They are not the only interesting characters in the book; the Blackstone family members as well as wealthy industrialists JP Morgan and Andrew Carnegie feature in the story as well。 There are plot surprises as well as a satisfying ending。 All in all an excellent read！ Five stars！！I certainly look forward to the rest of this series！ I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Ashley
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Carved in Stone was another fascinating historical romance from Elizabeth Camden。 I love the way she always brings to light little-known historical facts and weaves them into a truly compelling read。 I know I always say that about Camden's books， but it bears repeating。 I love learning about these things that I probably never would've known otherwise。This book really reiterated the fact that appearances can be deceiving。 It was a good reminder to not be so quick to judge someone else just becaus Carved in Stone was another fascinating historical romance from Elizabeth Camden。 I love the way she always brings to light little-known historical facts and weaves them into a truly compelling read。 I know I always say that about Camden's books， but it bears repeating。 I love learning about these things that I probably never would've known otherwise。This book really reiterated the fact that appearances can be deceiving。 It was a good reminder to not be so quick to judge someone else just because they come from a different background or have a different opinion。This story had a bit of a slow start for me， but it wasn't long before I became completely invested in it and couldn't read fast enough。 I enjoyed getting to know the complicated Blackstone family and highly recommend this book to fans of historical romance。I received an advanced copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it。 All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion。 。。。more
Monique
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Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is the first book in a new series about the Blackstone family， a very rich but very complicated family haunted by scandal。 Gwen is an heiress and widow， she lives her live quite happy in a house near the college the Blackstones founded， and she loves botany and holding weekly informal gatherings with the professors， which makes her a bit of an outcast in the family， as she is quite modern。 However， her life gets shaken up quite a bit when the supposed abducter Carved in Stone by Elizabeth Camden is the first book in a new series about the Blackstone family， a very rich but very complicated family haunted by scandal。 Gwen is an heiress and widow， she lives her live quite happy in a house near the college the Blackstones founded， and she loves botany and holding weekly informal gatherings with the professors， which makes her a bit of an outcast in the family， as she is quite modern。 However， her life gets shaken up quite a bit when the supposed abducter of her baby brother wants to publish a memoir about the scandals of the Blackstone family， and about her brother。 She was born after he disappeared， and this book might just give a clue what happened to him， but a handsome lawyer stands in her way… or maybe not。 Patrick almost took vows into priesthood， but found God’s calling by helping those in need with legal councelling。 He is quite poor as his clients often pay in eggs and favors。 But when he meets Gwen， he falls head over heels and decided to help her where he can， and that feeling is mutual， but will their life styles match even slightly or is this relationship doomed from the beginning？ I always love the level of authenticity Elizabeth Camden has in her novel。 Never before did I wonder how international business deals were done in this era or how publishing worked， but Elizabeth just throws it in and makes it entertaining， she sneaks in some information and I love it！ Ok， this is probably not the best way to start a review， but I honestly like how offhandedly new information is brought up， you get really emerged in the story！ Not only that， the characters are outstanding， each with their own personality and dreams and fears， and I love how realistic they feel too。 And the plot kept me guessing， and the mystery of the abduction that happened long ago made me want to read on， as more unfolded。 Gwen and Patrick fit perfectly together， but their problems about their background were very founded and real。 Especially when Patrick is confronted with her family， everything gets very intense。 I loved all the interesting characters in the Blackstone family， especially grandpa。 I hope we get to see more of him in the next novel as he’s quite a character。 The contrast between rich and poor was done very well， too。 And I can’t even talk about the best part as that would be a huge spoiler！ I think this is a very original story， and I loved everything about it， and just wanted to keep on reading！I received a free e-arc thanks to the publisher， but it hasn’t influenced my opinions。 。。。more
Meagan
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I've long been fascinated by the Industrial Revolution era， eating up books featuring names like Andrew Carnegie， JP Morgan， and William Randolph Hearst。 So when all three of these names appeared， to varying degrees， in Elizabeth Camden's book "Carved in Stone，" I knew it would be a special read--and that I'd love it。 I became even more appreciative after the company I work for got folded into the Hearst Corporation family。 Who knew I'd end up working for Hearst after all？ But I digress :）（It do I've long been fascinated by the Industrial Revolution era， eating up books featuring names like Andrew Carnegie， JP Morgan， and William Randolph Hearst。 So when all three of these names appeared， to varying degrees， in Elizabeth Camden's book "Carved in Stone，" I knew it would be a special read--and that I'd love it。 I became even more appreciative after the company I work for got folded into the Hearst Corporation family。 Who knew I'd end up working for Hearst after all？ But I digress :）（It doesn't hurt that I recently read and loved the "Hope and Glory" series， which， by the way， is well worth your time！）This read brings the turn of the （20th） century to life with vivid imagery and a glorious New York setting。'Carved in Stone's climax and denouement ended up being one of my favorites among recent reads。 （Gosh， it's hard not to include spoilers！） The denouement in particular felt healthy， and proposed a fantastic alternative to those reads where simply "the meet-cute ends happily， and done， good-bye！" Especially at the turn of the century， Gwen provides a breath of fresh air as she challenges the status quo in more ways than one。Two of my favorite lines in the book:- "The ground is always level at the foot of the cross。"- "People of good character can disagree and still be admirable。"。。。 both lines I know I could stand to remember during societal times such as these。I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Aminata Coote
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Carved in Stone begins a new series surrounding the Blackstone family。 When Patrick takes on a somewhat unsavory client who challenges the Blackstone family， he had no idea that he would be thrust into the path of Blackstone heiress， Gwen Kellerman。 Carved in Stone is an interesting look at social classes highlighting that at the core we're all human。 Money doesn't make us better than other people and poverty doesn't make us more noble。。。though I'll admit that at times Gwen's family was downrigh Carved in Stone begins a new series surrounding the Blackstone family。 When Patrick takes on a somewhat unsavory client who challenges the Blackstone family， he had no idea that he would be thrust into the path of Blackstone heiress， Gwen Kellerman。 Carved in Stone is an interesting look at social classes highlighting that at the core we're all human。 Money doesn't make us better than other people and poverty doesn't make us more noble。。。though I'll admit that at times Gwen's family was downright disgusting in their snobbishness。 Carved in Stone was a compelling read a I was drawn into the characters' story and wanted to know more about them。 Gwen was a sweetheart and her goodness and willingness to help others shone through。 I was glad when she finally built up the courage to pursue her dreams。 Patrick had a lot of legitimate reasons for feeling the way he did when he was around Gwen's family， but he made the effort to put aside his snobbishness and get to know them。 I would have liked to see more of how that played out since there were so many examples of them being mean to him。 But， overall， I like how it played out。 The two mysteries （one old， one new） are intertwined with the romance between Patrick and Gwen which keeps the plot interesting。 Readers will be reminded that though bad things happen， God is still in control and He's able to make good things come out of even the worst events in our lives。 I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required。 。。。more
Candice Valdez
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I love reading Elizabeth Camden's stories because she always weaves the historical aspect in with a romance， which are my two favorite things！ I loved the romance in this book。 They liked each other， but there were problems， which made it more real， in my opinion。 I loved reading about the creation of U。S。 Steel。 I did feel like some parts of the story were rushed at the end so everything could be resolved， but other than that， it was a great read。 Looking forward to the next one in the series。I I love reading Elizabeth Camden's stories because she always weaves the historical aspect in with a romance， which are my two favorite things！ I loved the romance in this book。 They liked each other， but there were problems， which made it more real， in my opinion。 I loved reading about the creation of U。S。 Steel。 I did feel like some parts of the story were rushed at the end so everything could be resolved， but other than that， it was a great read。 Looking forward to the next one in the series。I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Amanda Hupe
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“You can ignore those not born into wealth and leisure， or you can open your heart to people who work with their hands and minds to make the world a better place…CARVED IN STONEI absolutely love when Elizabeth Camden comes out with a new series。 Empire State and Hope and Glory are some of my favorites！ So I was eager to dive into Carved in Stone which is the first book in The Blackstone Legacy series。 In this series， she is inspired by JP Morgan and the history and rising power of banks and capi “You can ignore those not born into wealth and leisure， or you can open your heart to people who work with their hands and minds to make the world a better place…CARVED IN STONEI absolutely love when Elizabeth Camden comes out with a new series。 Empire State and Hope and Glory are some of my favorites！ So I was eager to dive into Carved in Stone which is the first book in The Blackstone Legacy series。 In this series， she is inspired by JP Morgan and the history and rising power of banks and capitalism。 Gwen Kellerman loves her home that is nestled in the Blackstone college and hosts all kinds of professors and pioneers of education and science。 Her husband died years before but it wasn’t a happy marriage。 Her only care now is making sure Blackstone receives the funding to keep making advancements in medical research。 However， she is the heiress of the Blackstone family who has the money and power and is often riddled in scandal。 Patrick O’Neill is a lawyer who has worked hard for everything and has such a giving heart。 His next case， although， requires him to help a man who is writing a book which contains information about the Blackstones。 That information is linked to the missing Blackstone boy， who was also Gwen’s brother。 Two worlds collide with love， classism， and mystery。Elizabeth Camden never disappoints！ I always find myself completely immersed in her stories-which always contain imperfect characters trying to find their way into the world。 But there is always a woman ahead of her time。 Gwen is that woman in this story。 While it was hard to like her at first because of her naivety and privilege， she grows on you， especially when she is exposed to the realities of the world around her。 One of the truly difficult things she must endure is realizing her family isn’t the ideal family she thought they were。 Patrick O’Neill is the quintessential Irishman who came to the United States with his mother for a better life。 He knows how hard life can be， especially when those around you won’t give you a chance。 I love his patience with Gwen as she comes to understand her privilege。Not only are the characters wonderful with amazing chemistry but there is a mystery and innovation intertwined that gives this story so much depth。 Gwen realizes how important it is to find out what happened to her brother， while Patrick sees the benefits of scientific breakthroughs in regards to vaccinations。As always， the historical details are phenomenal and I am already counting down for book two！ I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars！ 。。。more
Jodi
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Carved in Stone is the first book in Elizabeth Camden's new Blackstone Legacy series。 This book is historical fiction with touch of romance。 Elizabeth Camden is awesome at highlight points of history that no one else I'm reading writes about。 This book dapples in the development of the vaccine for tetanus。 Fascinating！ As usual her plot lines was intriguing with clashes between societal classes， intricacies of business mergers， powerful families and family dynamics。 Everthing that mades a story Carved in Stone is the first book in Elizabeth Camden's new Blackstone Legacy series。 This book is historical fiction with touch of romance。 Elizabeth Camden is awesome at highlight points of history that no one else I'm reading writes about。 This book dapples in the development of the vaccine for tetanus。 Fascinating！ As usual her plot lines was intriguing with clashes between societal classes， intricacies of business mergers， powerful families and family dynamics。 Everthing that mades a story a real page turner！ I am looking forward to reading what happens in the subsequent books of the series。 The Blackstones are a very large family， this series has so much opportunity！ Themes of love， sacrifice and forgiveness and overcoming prejudice run throughout。There were a couple of aspects that didn't work as well for me， but just personal opinion。 They did not detract from my enjoyment of the story， but I feel like if these elements were stronger then I would have loved it even more。 Sometimes， I feel like I'm just reading the facts of the story and missing details that would immerse me or draw me closer to the main characters。 Like for instance。。。。a character in this book is injured。 Ok。。。what did it feel like to be that character。 Did the wound burn？ Did the pain stay localized or did it travel to other parts of the body？ Did a character's skin prickle？ Now don't get me wrong。。。there was some of that， but I like to read more descriptive narrative like that。 It makes me feel more connected and like the characters are relatable or more life-like。 Thank you Bethany House and Net Galley for the free ARC of this book。 The opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
Linda Moon
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Another great historical novel in a new series by Elizabeth Camden where she makes history come alive。 It’s a bit of romance， suspense， history， family dynamics， personalities， and inspiration all mixed into one good read。 I highly recommend this new series。
Maureen Timerman
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