This one was different, and I didn't love all of it, but I did love a lot of it.

I didn't finish the book.

I am sorry to say this but dear god this book is awful painful and all the characters are well just plain stupid. All of them though set in the ‘16th’ century feel too modern and gah it just feels very naïve and the history is awful. Very disappointing and not one I will recommend to anyone

Well written but a long story at 40 something chapters, no language or spicy content. Audiobook narrator had good voice.

The Glovemaker's Daughter begins in Good Hope Township, Pennsylvania, 2014. After seeing a ghost in a three-hundred-year-old Meeting House (Quaker Church), Sam finds a notebook hidden in the walls. He connects with Rachel Moorside, a descendant of the person who wrote the ledger, in order to find out more about the Meeting House and the people who built it. Through mainly journal entries from the 17th century ledger, we are told the story of a young woman named Rejoice (Joy) who embarks on an epic journey from England to the New World.

Fleming creates incredible characters filled with personality, description, and emotions that they feel like real people that I actually know. I found Joy to be annoying, but I appreciated that she always learned from her mistakes, and I admire her perseverance.

Joy's story grabbed me from the very beginning. I love Fleming's writing style and definitely want to read more by her.

Some readers have described this as a mystery, but it doesn't feel like one. The present day part of the book doesn't really serve a purpose to the plot. I think if there had been more from Rachel and Sam's perspectives it could have been more exciting. The ending feels incredibly rushed as well.

The Glovemaker's Daughter is a slow-burn historical tale about a young girl's epic journey discovering family secrets, peace, and love. I recommend this one to readers sixteen-years-old+ who enjoy slow-paced stories filled with tons of description and history.

Setting: 3/5
Plot: 2.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Message: 2.5/5
Overall: 3/5

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoy historical fiction as it gives me opportunities to learn about different people in various periods of history. I have friends who are Quakers and so it was intriguing to learn a bit more about their history and parts of their lives between England and America.

This book, however, started too slow for my liking. It was really hard to get into at first. As the story went on, I was intrigued to see where Joy would end up. She takes a while to make up her mind and as a reader I thought her shift toward the end of the book was too sudden. I saw how the narrative led to her shift but the story seems rushed at the end without giving enough words to her doubts and inner struggle. It seemed to wrap up a bit too abruptly.

I have read numerous books that are framed within a present day where individuals are learning about figures in the past along with the reader. This book followed this format as a man finds Joy’s journal in the walls of an old Quaker chapel in the prologue and connects with one of her descendants. I thought this part could have been done much better- there were only short and sporadic accounts throughout the book and it didn’t add to the story. I also was left wondering how the woman was related to Joy as that also didn’t seem clear.

So while I appreciated the glimpse into Quaker life as it began in America, this book was lacking in a lot of other areas and I struggled to get through it.

Interesting historical story

I really enjoyed this book. Joy is a fascinating character who lived a long and eventful life. I shall try to read more of Leah Flemings work.