An atmospheric (oh the rain and the mud!) historical love story that emphasizes family as well. Samuel fell in love with Hailey the moment he saw her but as an orphan working at the lowest level of jobs in Glasgow to support himself and his small sister Alison, there was no way they could be together. But Hailey, daughter of a coal boss, is kind. And then her father loses all their money and sweeps the family off to Seattle. Samuel and Alison follow, determined to find her. This alternates their stories, with Hailey and her family on the way down while Samuel through sheer determination (and a love for ships) is on the way up. This soars on the characters- not just Hailey, Samuel, Alison, and Geordie but also John Salvation and the rest. Hailey's husband James is drawn a bit too broadly and this does, admittedly, get a tad melodramatic at time (oddly, especially in the beginning). It is however, a novel that kept me engaged and rooting for the found family Samuel made as well as the one he hopes to form with Hailey. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A very good read.

A Wild and Heavenly Place by Robin Oliveira was such a captivating story that pulled me in at the start.
Right away, I was drawn into the interesting plot and Samuel and Hailey’s story.
I really enjoyed this story with more emotional depth than I had anticipated!
Well written with an intriguing plot, I felt really invested in the characters.
This was such a moving story. It was real, raw but yet it was so beautiful.
A moving story with vivid descriptions and phenomenal writing.
The story was amazing I found it to be so original and fascinating. I fell in love with the characters Samuel and Hailey - my heart is still wrenching!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A WILD AND HEAVENLY PLACE is a historical literary romance following the tragic tale of Hailey MacIntyre and Samuel Fiddes, a relationship best described by the dynamic of Jack and Rose from Titanic. Hailey comes from a wealthy Glaswegian family while Samuel, orphaned and destitute, is just trying his best to survive in the slums of Glasgow while caring for his very young sister. After Samuel saves Hailey's young brother in a near-fatal carriage accident, they become very close friends ... and then, more. But Hailey's parents will have none of it.

In the wake of the City of Glasgow Bank Crash of 1878, Hailey's family loses everything and is forced to leave their home, heading for the newly minted Washington Territory where Hailey's father hopes to find his footing once again as the superintendent of a coal mine. Heartbroken and desperate, Samuel follows behind, coaling ships and doing whatever he can to pay his and his sister's way across the vast ocean. Will Samuel find Hailey in the dense and limitless Washington Territory? He's determined to.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot, especially the glimpse into the past it offered of Seattle and the unkempt Washington Territory, and what life was like before one of America's most famous cities grew to become what it would. Despite those elements though, I found the story rather slow and repetitive, which meant it took me MUCH longer to finish A WILD AND HEAVENLY PLACE than any book on record this year.

I would recommend for fans of Kristin Hannah or Taylor Jenkins Reid, and for those who love historical romance that centers on strong characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for an advance copy of this novel. I enjoy historical fiction, and A Wild and Heavenly Place does not disappoint. The descriptions of Glasgow, Scotland, and then Seattle, Washington, are my favorite part of this novel. Robin Oliveira’s talent as a writer, as well as the research, are showcased in the vivid descriptions of both places. The main characters, Hailey and Samuel, have a love that defies distance. I find Samuel a bit too perfect, actually flawless, and that is somewhat unrealistic. Overall, this novel is well written, and I recommend it.

I feel like I’m still on a book high and don’t want it to end. I didn’t have any expectations going into this book but I was quickly sucked in to this beautiful love story. My favorite of the year so far!
Hailey lives a life of luxury and privilege but is very aware of others who have very little. Her volunteer work keeps her humble but it’s her friend Samual and his little sister that have caught her attention. They have nothing but hopes and dreams and Hailey wants to be a part of them. Her family won’t allow the friendship or any relationship for that matter, but quickly the family will find themselves in the same situation as those they have looked down upon.
Hailey and Samual are separated by great distance but never far from each others thoughts. Samual will do anything to be with Hailey and will work hard to gain money, skill, and respect. The two will find their way back to each other but not without conflict, turmoil, and every roadblock in their way. They both know they are meant to be together but the timing is always wrong and the world seems to be against them.
It will take time but Samual and Hailey will learn and grow to be the people they both want for each other. They will experience pain, loss, and in the end….the greatest love.

A story of love, loss, and the will to carve out a life amidst the challenges of settling in a new land. Part love story and part history of the settlement of early Seattle the tumultuous relationships set against the hardships of the wilds come together in a story that is redeemed by the engaging and interesting secondary characters.

This was so sweet and wholesome! I loved reading this one as an ebook. I loved it for a warm, heartfelt read. 4.5 from me.

New to me author and one I wouldn't have picked up if not for netgalley's recommendation to me coupled with a good friend on bookstagram who was about to read it as well.

Full disclosure, I didn't have a good January of arc reads. Some not great, a couple good but mostly I liked just fine. Minus the one thriller "First Lie Wins", I found myself not wanting to pick up the book and would rather zone out or go through social media then read. And that almost never happens.

Why am I telling you this? because from the first chapter, this book swept me away. From the rags to riches (and then richest to rags) background...to the shores of Scotland and the immense immigration to Seattle. The book covers it all but beneath a love story that keeps you wishing and hoping that true love prevails.

I am a sucker for romance in HF books and this one was no different. Except I also found the subplots of racism in the community and resilience of character endearing. Soft spots of found family happens here as well.

THe only thing I wasn't loving was the way it ended. It seemed improbable BUT I prefer to look at it with my rose coloured glasses as it being the way "it should be".

4.5 stars for this from me. thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy in return for an honest review

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam for the early review copy via Netgalley.

I DNF'd the story at 21%. I didn't care for the "telling, not showing" style of writing and felt the dialog was stilted. The plot seemed predictable, and I wasn't committed to learning more about the characters.

I've heard great things about the author (specifically, MY NAME IS MARY SUTTER), but it appears she is not a good fit for me as a reader.

This was such a wonderfully vivid book. Although it’s marketed as a historical fiction, this is simply put, a love story. The sweeping landscape and tragedy that was early America and 1880s Europe is the perfect backdrop for these two character. I loved the pacing, the setting, the twists and turns. It was so wonderfully crafted and kept me hooked from the first chapter.

A Wild and Heavenly Place is a historical romance set in the late 1800's expanding from Glasgow, Scotland to Seattle in the Washington territory. The story follows Samuel and Hailey who are divided not only by class but continents. Hailey and her family have relocated from Scotland to Seattle so Samuel must find a way to follow her. This was an ok read even though the storyline seems to move slowly. Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book. Thanks to the author, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Despite the disparity of their circumstances, Hailey and Samuel can’t help but be drawn to each other. When Hailey’s world collapses and her family loses their fortune in a bank scandal, her father moves their family from Scotland to Seattle hoping he can redeem himself there. Samuel determines to follow her there.

While I read historical fiction, they’re not always the first thing I grab. But I was immediately drawn into this story. Oliveira expertly crafts each scene, first Scotland, then the journeys, Newcastle, and Seattle. It was easy to feel completely immersed in the time.

Oliveira has crafted a rich and deep storyline that any reader of historical fiction will find compelling. Samuel and Hailey’s characters are complex, compounded by their experiences and the choices they are forced to make. This novel would make an excellent excellent book club choice, as there is a lot to unpack and discuss - mental health, the obligation we hold to our families, how to rise above our circumstances, the consequences of our decisions, and what love and devotion can look like.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an electronic version of this novel.

A WILD AND HEAVENLY PLACE by Robin Oliveira (My Name is Mary Sutter) is an historical fiction novel which spans the late 1870s to the early 1880s and begins in Scotland, but ends up on the West coast of America near Seattle. The main characters are a young, very privileged woman, Hailey MacIntyre, and a destitute teenage orphan, Samuel Fiddes. They meet and are attracted to each other, but circumstances separate them for years, as told in chapters that alternate between the two. This is a tale of broken hearts (due to poor business practices and to the thwarted romance which is a main focus) and the hardships associated with poverty. Oliveira readily conveys class differences in Scotland as well as the dirt and clamor of Seattle, essentially a frontier town in that era. Although the characters and their choices seem unrealistic at times, this story is uplifting in that it shows how hard work (Samuel wants to build ships despite no formal training; Hailey struggles to support her younger brother) plus the courage to pursue a dream and the kindness of others often combine to a positive end. Overall, this novel offers an escape to a different time and place, with a fairly predictable plot. Oliveira purposefully acknowledges the many people – librarians included – who assisted in her extensive research. And she writes, "A WILD AND HEAVENLY PLACE is less a summary of historical events than it is a chronicling of human desire - the impossible, the terrible, and the beautiful - in a time before Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks, when coal, timber, and shipbuilding ruled a rollicking raucous town of immigrants on the make, hungry for profit, but mostly hungry for home." 3.5 stars

Love. It is sometimes all encompassing and at the same time it feels lonely. Especially when the one you have loved since you met, is now married to another. This story tells the tale of Samuel and Hailey. Samuel with great aspirations but little chance of having them come to fruition, and Hailey, who loves with her whole heart not realizing that her standing in the hierarchy of late 1870's Scotland won't allow her to love who she wants.

A bank failure leaves Hailey's family almost destitute and they make the move to America and a new life according to Hailey's father.. Samuel also makes the move to America with his sister, Alison. There is nothing in Scotland for them. Lies of omission don't bode well for Hailey's family once they're in Washington Territory. Eventually Samuel gets to Seattle and finds Hailey...one day too late.

I was moved by the storytelling. You can tell the author has done a lot of research of the time and the area. I felt I was there in Seattle at this time period with the smells and the mud and the cold and the people. The characters were well thought out and seemed realistic. I felt sorry for some and anger towards others. Some of the book was a bit depressing for me as Hailey worked her fingers to the bone, making a home for James, a man she didn't love and who thought she was a possession.

I'll not say more since we'd get into spoiler territory! The ending was marvelous and just what I wanted.

A Wild and Heavenly Place by Robin Oliveira is a historical romance fiction novel. This is my first book by Ms. Oliveira. I was extremely pleased with Ms. Oliverira’s writing in several ways. Her characters were well developed. As the story progressed you found yourself invested in the two main characters. They were both older siblings who wound up taking care of their younger siblings through much adversity. Hailey and Samuel are endearing characters. Their love of family is admirable.

The description of the various towns and countrysides were very well done. You can picture Glaskow, Scotland. You can see the rooms, picture the church and see into the homes during the beginning of the story. During the next portion of the story the reader discovers The Pacific Northwest just as the characters are discovering the creation of this booming town. I have never been to the Pacific Northwest and this book swept me away to the early development of Seattle.

The romantic portion of the book was beautiful, heartbreaking, bittersweet and worth the wait. Samuel and Hailey’s love is put to the test. The characters in the novel are completely believable and utterly compelling. The conflict between love, duty and responsibility is beautifully drawn.

I highly recommend this book. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Oliveira has in store for us next. I would like to thank Penguin Group, Putnam, G. P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Set in Scotland and Seattle in the late 1800s, this is a love story at heart. Samuel is poor, young, and the sole caretaker of his sister. Hailey is the privileged young woman who meets Samuel and falls in love. He follows her family across oceans to Seattle, where Hailey's family are struggling to live without their wealth.

This is sweeping historical fiction, using the town of Seattle as its own character, and showing how a new world is built from the ground up. The romance story felt predictable, and some characters (like Hailey's husband) fell flat.

This was a riveting, well-researched historical romance about a young couple separated by class differences in Scotland. When Hailey's family loses everything and decides to leave Scotland for Seattle, Samuel is heartbroken and decides to go after her. I wish we had gotten more time with them at the beginning of the story before the bank failed, because it was hard to imagine the characters making the choices they did based on what little interaction there was. Robin Oliveira does a great job making you care about her characters, which made it difficult for me to read through their struggles. The drama got a little too soapy for me at times, but I had to keep reading to see how it turned out. I could definitely see this being adapted into a TV series.

A sweeping historical fiction, or is it historical romance, or…fiction, with a love story that encompasses two thirds of the world, beautifully described landscape and place, and memorable characters this story delivers just enough pain to make the joy feel well-earned.
“A Wild and Heavenly Place” by Robin Oliveira- (4 Stars) (Pub Date: 2/13/2024)

Good Things: Hailey, Samuel, James, Abigail, and the rest of the characters are fully developed, the dialogue and pacing making the sometimes-soapy, sometimes-Greek tragedy a fast and compulsive read. The scenery and descriptive style is also superb, without being too much. The balance of description, characterization, dialogue, and action is spot-on. The primary driving love story is also excellent.

Opportunities: SPOILER ALERT - I almost never write reviews that contain spoilers, but in this case I couldn’t help it. The main character did a secondary love interest DIRTY. And the other main character did their friend DIRTY. And if this story had been told from that secondary character's perspective, it would have been insufferably depressing. What this means is that even the secondary characters are so well developed, that I ultimately cared as much if not more about that character and their happiness, then the main storyline. Which was off-balancing. BUT…that means that it was well-written AND it means that I hope some of my friends and followers will read it and tell me where they stand on the situation. So, I guess that makes it a good thing? I don’t know, I just know I was left a little less caring about the final action sequence because I was still tied up in my “what the hell” feelings from the lead up.

Final Thoughts: This book was great. It was good enough to count as true fiction, without going too hard at the drama and complex writing structure. It was ‘easy’ but still very compelling which is a very very nice combo…all of the reward without as much effort on my part. Also, less important but still nice? The title and the cover were perfect.

I appreciate the opportunity afforded me to have an early read of this story by netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons. The opinions in this review are expressly those of ButIDigressBookClub and are intended for use by my followers and friends when choosing their next book. #butidigress #butidigressbookclub #awildandheavenlyplace #robinoliveira #romance #historicalfiction #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #arc #arcs

Details
Review Shared on Goodreads - www.goodreads.com/leah_cyphert_butidigressbookclub
Publishing Review 1/26/2024

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a novel I could not put down! The story of Samuel and Hailey was endearing, tumultuous, heartbreaking, and captivating. I was rooting for them through every twist and turn. Though the end felt a bit rushed and underdeveloped, I fell in love with this story and the characters. The author did a wonderful job researching and describing the early history of Seattle. If you love historical fiction, star crossed lovers, or a cross world saga, this may be for you!

Robin Oliveira wrote My Name is Mary Sutter and Winter Sisters and they were both 5+ star reads for me. While I enjoyed A Wild and Heavenly Place, I did not love it as much as the other two. It was more a romance novel filled with a lot of detail and descriptions that I found myself skimming. Most of the time I liked Samuel and Hailey the two main characters, but found their decisions frustrating. The book was pretty predictable.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.