While I was hooked from beginning to end while reading The Ballad of Hattie Taylor, which surprised me considering I don't usually love historical fictions, it's important to note that this book isn't really a historical fiction. This book is much more of a romance set in history with a coming of age focus. This was an enjoyable book, but the marketing was off and that's why the stars are less.

This was not a fun light romance-- but that in no means that this was not great. This was absolutely brilliant, but definitely serious. The two main characters are compelling, and moral and social cultures both weigh heavily, while still having a romance plot!

It’s been a year so clearly this was just me losing track of time. As often happens in these times. Still interested, but will have to add this to the neverending TBR.

Around the turn of the 20th century, an eleven-year-old red-headed orphan arrives in a small town, and her irrepressible curiosity and outspokenness shake things up. There are echoes of Anne of Green Gables in Andersen’s first historical novel, which is both a spirited romance and a complex coming-of-age story, but it aims to comment primarily on how societal pressures stifle women – with mixed results.

In 1899, young Hattie Taylor travels to Mattawa, Oregon, to stay with a distant cousin, Aurelia Murdock. Aurelia’s 22-year-old son, Jake, a lawyer and rancher, is charmed by the petite firebrand, whom he treats like a sister. He guides her through puberty – nobody, even his mother, informs her about her changing body – and becomes her trusted confidant. Her only other friend is a male schoolmate, Moses Marks, and their closeness causes tongues to wag, too. As Hattie turns eighteen, her childhood crush on Jake continues, and Jake, unhappily married to a gentle woman who fears intimacy, begins seeing Hattie’s passionate nature in a startling, uncomfortable new light. When Jake takes a drastic action intending to protect Hattie, it has awful consequences.

As a feminist romance, the story offers conflicting messages. Hattie is a multifaceted, resilient character who credibly works through personal pain and emerges even stronger. Yet a subplot about her beloved career goes unaddressed, and part of the conclusion is disconcerting for many reasons. Descriptions overemphasize the brawny physicality of both Jake and Moses, and for a sensitive friend, Jake can be inexcusably clueless; he doesn’t feel like Hattie’s intellectual equal. To the author’s credit, though, the story holds nothing back, however awkward the situation. This blatantly honest approach is admirable, and the strong plot keeps the pages turning despite the inconsistencies. By turns, it will have you grinning, cringing, shaking your head in sorrow, and swelling with pride at Hattie’s courage.

THE BALLAD OF HATTIE TAYLOR is an historical romance set in the early 1900’s. It’s a fast-paced read even though it was four hundred pages. Throughout the book, I laughed and cried and couldn’t put it down, reading about Hattie from the moment she arrived at eleven years old in the small town in Oregon to live with distant relatives.

Hattie was definitely rough around the edges, having grown up with her dad and another man’s influence after her mother died years ago. Once her father also passed away, the male friend thought it best she learn to live like a lady, like her mother, and shipped her off to her unknown relatives. She wasn’t well liked by the town since she was wild in her ways. Her cousin Jake who was older seemed to take her under his wing until they had a falling out. Her only friend, besides her revered aunt, was Moses. Unfortunately, though best friends, Moses didn’t always stick up for her with others.

As we watched Hattie mature, become more genteel and plan for her future, we also saw the pain that she lived with. When Jake married the doctor’s daughter, Hattie didn’t expect to like his wife, but they forged a relationship. Unfortunately, Jake’s marriage wasn’t as it seemed. There were a lot of twists and turns to the story, with ugliness and evil coming to the forefront now and then. Hattie left for Seattle, estranged from both Jake and her best friend, but neither Jake nor Moses knew the reasons why.

Hattie returned home after being away at school for two years to teach with her new best friend, Nell. She found a new respect in town and came out of her shell. Her transformation from child to adult was hard to swallow yet was described beautifully. The story was filled with family and friends, a romance and emotional growth. The cover fit the book well, and the Author’s Note and Reader’s Guide at the end of the book were nice additions.

Ms. Andersen was a fairly new-to-me author, only having read one other book by her. This was her first foray into historical romance, and I hope it won’t be her last. THE BALLAD OF HATTIE TAYLOR was a powerful read, especially touching on the sensitive subject matter of sexual assault.

Recommended Read

I appreciate the digital ARC, but this story was not for me. I did finish it, but struggled to connect to the characters and skimmed most of the last third of the book.

Firstly, what a cover! So eye-catching, I absolutely love it. This was a saga set in Oregon at the turn of the last century. The patriarchal society of the time was evident throughout the book, and at times made me uncomfortable. Jake was the leading love interest, but I found him almost unlikeable. You may make your own mind up!

Hattie was a fantastic character, very strong and independent. I will say that there were themes in the book that may be triggering for some, and found it tough reading in parts. I do acknowledge that some of this may have been in keeping with the time in which it was set, but just a heads up.

An interesting read and loved following Hattie’s journey.

This book was not for me. The book felt like it was written by a man in terms of how violent and toxic the environment was. While I'm sure the author did this with the goal of historical accuracy in mind, it made it a very difficult read for the contemporary reader (i.e. me) I found it difficult to enjoy the book because it seemed like a never-ending slew of bad news for Hattie.

-Strong female characters
•Empowering
•Emotional
•Tough Topic

I honestly loved this book and I don't think I'll be able to stop talking about it once I start!

So, when I started this book I kind of didn't want to keep reading it. I wasn't too fond of the characters and didn't quite know where it was going. Then, all of a sudden, I loved it. The story took a turn that really grabbed me and I could relate to Hattie in more ways than one. From her as a kid to her as an adult.

The story takes place over 10 years (1899-1909) and the littlest of things had me in awe and catching my breath. For instance, the introduction of automobiles I thought was awesome. The female rights forward theme of the book was told so elegantly that it isn't being shoved down your throat, which is a pet peeve of mine. It is done through great storytelling with ease.

Characters: I really loved the characters. Her Aunt Augusta is awesome and Hattie is one of my favorite lead characters now. I feel you can really tell the growth and change in the characters over the ten years, especially Hattie.

Writing: The writing was great. There isn't description for descriptions sake which I loved. I have another pet peeve when a story goes over board on description and ends up taking a whole page just talking about a room. This had just the right amount of detail.

I highly recommend you go read it and then come talk to me about it so I can go into more detail about all the things I love about it!

After Hattie Taylor’s mother died, she was raised by her father, and his partner, both miners. This resulted in Hattie growing up with a colorful vocabulary, as well as not having a clue about how to act as a young lady. When she turned eleven, her father died, and she was sent to live with distant cousins in Oregon. Hattie struggled to learn to fit in to her new life, though she did well in school, and soaked up knowledge like a sponge. Still, her forthright manner didn’t let her have any female friends, and she only had one male friend while growing up. She came to love her new family, and they, her. She was particularly fond of Jake, and planned to marry him when she grew up.

Jacob Murdock is a young lawyer and ranch owner. When he learned that his mother planned to bring orphaned Hattie into their household, he was unsure at first. From the moment Jake picked Hattie up at the train station, he liked her, and soon grew to love her as a sister. Her frankness and curiosity amused and entertained him, and Jake was always willing to spend time with Hattie, answering her questions, and giving her advice. Being eleven years older, Jake didn’t realize that Hattie’s feelings were turning to a crush that would turn into love. Jake had been courting a local lady, Jane-Ellen, and they married not long after Hattie’s arrival.

Though Hattie had every intention of disliking the woman who captured Jake, she finds Jane-Ellen to be sweet and kind, and the two become fast friends. What doesn’t work out, however, is Jake’s marriage. Jake is a very sexual man, who was very disappointed to find his new wife has an aversion to intimacy. Her coldness in the bedroom is such a contrast from her warmth in every other facet of her personality, and it makes Jake truly miserable, and sends him on a path I found truly disappointing. Years into their marriage, Jane-Ellen finally becomes pregnant, and they are both ecstatic about the upcoming birth of their child. Before the child is born, tragedy happens, and the aftermath will set in motion another horrific event which will change Hattie’s life forever.

THE BALLAD OF HATTIE TAYLOR is a departure from what I usually read, as it encompasses the story of Hattie from an eleven year old child to her becoming an adult in her twenties, then giving a glimpse of her even more distant future. I love her spirit, her strength, and her resilience, as she bounced back time and again from the hard knocks she had to endure. A particularly devastating event may have wounded her greatly, but she was eventually able to stand up and move on with her life, becoming a successful teacher, earning the respect of the townspeople who formerly looked down on her, and finding the love of her life. THE BALLAD OF HATTIE TAYLOR is very well written, and held my attention, yet, there was so much tragedy, that I found I couldn’t feel uplifted, even with the happy ever after. I also found it hard to accept certain acts by the hero, which lessened my pleasure in the book. I believe that readers who enjoy a coming of age story, and aren’t averse to major traumatic events will enjoy this story which takes place at the beginning of the 20th century. I am adding an additional paragraph which absolutely contains spoilers for those who may be interested to know what pushed my buttons. If you do not want that much information, please don’t read the following…

SPOILER ALERT – Rape is a trigger for many readers, and THE BALLAD OF HATTIE TAYLOR contains a brutal attack on the main character by a vile and evil man who believes himself entitled to put every woman in her place. This action is particularly awful because the hero indirectly was responsible for its occurrence by refusing to listen to Hattie’s fears. In addition, the hero was repeatedly unfaithful to his first wife, something that made me question his ability to remain faithful to Hattie. There is also a heartbreaking death of a child, still in the womb.

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor by @susanbanderson is exactly what I needed. Think Anne of Green Gables meets Bridgerton - can you think of anything better?

Even though this is classified as a historical romance, moral and social change drive the story as much as the compelling relationship of the main characters, Hattie Taylor and Jake Murdock.

I loved the strong presence of feminist values intertwined with the intricacies and tough scenarios women faced then and still face today.

This novel is a true Bildungsroman dealing with a woman’s formative years that left me turning the pages deep into the night.

Released on January 5th, I highly suggest picking this one up as soon as possible!

Thank you to @berkleypub, @penguinrandomhouse, and @netgalley for the opportunity to read an review this book.

DNF at 40%.

I am incredibly grateful to Berkley Pub for gifting me an advanced copy of this book.

It was not what I originally thought it was going to be.

I did enjoy seeing Hattie as a young child.

By the time I DNF'd she was 18. At this point the book was mainly about how the men of the town ( the love interest included ) lusted after Hattie because of her curves and the fact that she didn't wear a corset.

The Love Interest - Sucked. I knew there would be an eventual romance between the two and I could not stick around for it.

I will not be rating this book. I probably will not be picking up anything else by this author.

I will not recommend this book to anyone else.

I was really looking forward to The Ballad of Hattie Taylor. I love historical romance and thought the synopsis sounded so interesting. Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. The lack of content warning at the beginning of the book and the fact that there is an on-page rape scene makes me not want to finish reading.

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor is a saga that follows the life of orphaned Hattie from the age of eleven to her early twenties. Set in Oregon at the turn of the 20th century, it not only tells the story of Hattie but reflects upon the lives of all women of that era. It was a time where exciting possibilities were opening up but also when a woman's reputation was precarious and inequalities existed, not only between women and men but between women of different classes. Societal issues are highlighted through the actions of the characters as well as the (sometimes brutal) injustices they suffer.

The book is a well-written, thought-provoking, page-turner with complex, fully-formed characters and complicated relationships. Readers are taken on a life journey that evokes a full range of emotions. Make no mistake, this is Hattie's story and it is a compelling one. She is a character who endeared herself to me early on and I was firmly in her corner from start to finish. But there is also a rich supporting cast of characters who are vividly portrayed and critical to Hattie's story. Like many sagas, while they have pivotal parts to play in Hattie's life there are also individual stories to be told. Stories that will also evoke strong emotions. One that made a significant impact on me is that of a young maid, a minor character, but with an important role, whose courage I greatly admired and whose circumstances clearly delineated the line between classes.

It would be hard to discuss Jake in too much depth without giving away spoilers so I'll just say that my feelings about him, as well as his relationship with Hattie, and his relationship with his first wife, are mixed and leave it to you to make your own decisions about him.

There are parts of this book that will not be easy to read and many issues women still face today that I was left pondering long after finishing the book. Readers should know that Hattie ultimately claims a happy ending but it certainly isn't won without a lot of pain, forgiveness, healing, and internal strength.

Content Warning:

One thing the author does not do in this book is hold back from harsh realities of life. There are some major triggers that I was unaware would be included before beginning the book and the impact they had on me was deep. Readers who are sensitive to these topics should be aware that they will be dealing with the following issues:
Rape
Beating
Adult death
Death in utero

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review

"...corsets are nothing more than...one more instance of man perpetuating the myth of female subservience."

The above quote shows how far ahead of her time Hattie is at the turn of the last century. Her infuriation that her male friend Moses thinks she is inviting lecherous behavior by not stuffing everything in place with a corset is refreshing to the reader but shocking to Moses.

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor is not at all what the pretty fun cover would have you believe at first glance. It is actually a very well written story about the misogynistic treatment of women that over a hundred years later still exists as proven by the need of the #MeToo movement.

Hattie is a preteen orphan who comes to live with a distant cousin and her very handsome charming older son Jake. She is naive but strong willed and is careful that no one should take advantage of her.

The story starts to take a turn from cute historical romance to very real sexual issues when Jake's new wife (not Hattie) not only has no idea what happens between a man and a woman but wants nothing to do with it once she experiences it on her wedding night.

As Hattie grows up the chemistry between her and Jake is undeniable but then an extremely hard to read sexual attack is perpetrated and it is very clear this not a Regency romance.

I want to emphasize this is a carefully worded story about a young girl finding love but most importantly finding her self and her truth. It can be triggering if you have dealt with sexual abuse. It also can be life affirming and give hope that as woman we are not what has been done to us but are what we have done for ourselves and each other.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Definitely trigger warnings to be addressed: rape, sexual assault, violence, chauvinism, graphic sexual depictions, child death, death, stillborn

Before reading this, remember that this book is set in the early 1900’s in Oregon. While this has some historical aspects, you often feel like you are reading a present day story.

This book is about Hattie, an 11 year old girl taken in by a very very distant aunt to teach her how to be a young lady of the times. She meets Augusta’s son Jake and her best friend Moses Marks. This is a story about a young girl growing, finding herself and living in a world where women are more about being seen and less about being heard.

I highly recommend that you go into this one with a very open mind. Some people will be appalled and this will not work for them. However some people will find how this is so relevant to today’s society and the current #MeToo movement. I will admit that there were times when I was disgusted and didn’t want to see what happened, but I needed to know. Plus this was for all those women that can’t or couldn’t tell their story because of the view society would have on them.

I will say that some reviews discuss how appalled women have been reading this, but I found it to be very true and honest and accurate for the lives and views that some women have. For example, a young woman gets raped yet still finds it in her to be commanded and be risky with her husband later on as he exerts control in a way they agree on.

So I think that this story fits with the time that it takes place. However I feel like you have to have an open mind to get through this book. I devoured it needing to read more and more. The writing was quirky and I did love the characters. Hattie was full of life and energy. I only gave it 4 stars because I felt it a little long and wordy with descriptions at some points. Other than that this is a book that you will either love and need more or not feel comfortable reading. I enjoyed it very much.

Let me first start off by saying that this book really should come with trigger warnings. From the synopsis I had not expected for some of the content to be so explicit and could potentially be hard for some people to read.

Hattie Taylor is anything but typical for her time period, she is spunky, free spirited and outspoken. Jake, her aunts son is married and off limits though Hattie can’t help but love him. After years in a loveless marriage and after the death of his wife Jake feels something between him and Hattie transition. While trying to protect her he actually but her at risk and soon Hattie sees where women really stand in society.


Though there is so much of this book that made me cringe due to the time frame it is written in, I really had a hard time when Hattie became harmed and at risk. I have no doubt there are a lot of people who will appreciate this book and the way it was written. I really loved Hatties character and was rooting for her the whole time.

DNF at 20%

The synopsis of this book is misleading and you should be aware there are some major trigger/content warnings that I wasn't expecting and couldn't deal with. I expected the majority of the book would be Hattie as an adult. But I'm 20% in and she's still a young teenager. Meanwhile Jake (her eventual love interest) has married a woman who is likely asexual and there is a very graphic and disturbing scene of their wedding night where she clearly does not want to have sex and he does anyway. Yes, probably this happened at the time, but I don't want to read it and certainly not in a romance where this is supposed to be the hero. Additionally, we are told that for four years he has continued to regularly go to her for sex that is repulsive to her. I just....I can't. I think we're supposed to empathize with him, but I don't. There's a villainous side character who is a violent and sadistic rapist, so I think that's meant to make us feel good about Jake, but I don't. I will not be finishing this book. I received an advance copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to love this story. Sadly, it fell short for me in a few huge areas.

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor is an intriguing exploration of women's place in life and society in the early 20th century. It was interesting to get some perspectives of how women were regulated and viewed in that era. However, I felt that almost all of the men in the story were overly patronizing, controlling, and disappointing. Despite it truly being a highly patriarchal society at that time, I have a hard time believing that every male would be so domineering, cruel, and brutish to the point of violence. It did not help me believe the few love stories in the book, as they went against what the women said they stood for.

I adore the vivid cover - it really drew me in. Hattie was an intriguing and spirited character, and many of the other female characters were really strong. I also enjoyed the historical look at the many changes in American life at the turn of the century.

But the story itself lacks some real chances for a great moral. It could have been a liberating story in an earlier time, but right now it feels outdated. The romance felt forced and many sections made me cringe. Despite it perhaps being a historically accurate reflection on society in the 1900s, it lacked a balance with today's need for a fictional account with which we can relate and learn from.

If anything, this book will be eye-opening and should spark some great debate into the historical and current state of women's rights and sexual assault.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Ballad of Hattie Taylor by Susan Anderson is a historical romance set during the turn of the century in Oregon. The two main characters are compelling. Readers will love the book for their story. The moral and social culture weigh heavily in the story and drive the narrative as much as the romance does. Anderson built conflict that made me refuse to turn pages until I could calm my emotions and rationalize possible outcomes. I loved the main characters; they were real.