It Happened at the Fair: A Novel

For anyone who has ever wished they had been around to experience the wonders of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, DeAnne Gist's newest novel "It Happened at the Fair" offers a fictional account through the experiences of inventor Cullen McNamara and teacher Della Wentworth who each spent six months working in exhibits there. Well researched descriptions of the grounds and events are accompanied by actual photos and drawings from the fair. Although the story itself is fictional, it is filled with historical facts.

"It Happened at the Fair" is somewhat different than the other books I have read by this author. It is related from both Cullen and Della's point of view. In fact this book seems to be written more from Cullen's viewpoint than Della's. I have always enjoyed the humor in DeAnne's novels. Although there is a certain amount of humor in this one, it has a more somber note as a whole which is certainly understandable due to the circumstances of the primary characters. Cullen is a farmer who is allergic to nearly everything he comes in contact with during planting and harvest seasons. On top of that he is quickly losing his hearing. His father has gambled nearly everything to send Cullen to exhibit his automatic sprinkler system at the fair so Cullen is under pressure to succeed. When he continues to lose potential customers due to his inability to hear what they say in the extremely loud exhibit hall, he convinces Della, a teacher of deaf children, to help him learn to read lips as they explore the fair together after their work hours. Cullen soon finds himself attracted to Della despite a fiance waiting back home. With such an uncertain future what is a man to do?

Despite the difference in "It Happened at the Fair" and the author's previous books, I did enjoy it. After all, variety is the spice of life and I for one would become quickly bored if each author's books were always the same. I feel that this particular book illustrates Gist's research skill and her ability to pen a more serious novel. I still love her light-hearted romances and hope she will offer more of them in the future but she has proven herself to be an author of many talents. I hope you will give "It Happened at the Fair" a try.

This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.

Most readers will agree, some books just stand out and this one is definitively ranking in the top ten of my list of most entertaining. A keeper and one I would suggest to anyone looking for a gift!
Deanne's vivavious description of a sweet romance amidst the 1893's World Fair was the perfect enticement for some 'me' time. I was totally immersed in her descriptive of this period and credit the story of Della and Cullen with a few dreams of my own. Well done!

A perfect combination of historical facts and fiction, It Happened At The Fair reflects the wealth of love and care this author puts in her writing. It also brings to readers a marvelous fountain of information and even photos of this world event!
Whilst she has taken a few liberties, all clearly acknowledge in the afterword, the author was undoubtdedly as stimulated by the fair as I was when I first heard of it. As a cultural and social event, the world fair of 1893 was a tremendous influence on the 20th Century and a complete success. With 6.8 millions visitors in attendance, the exposition located on the shores of Lake Michigan provided a template for other events and changed America forever with its astonishing legacy. Nothing ever compared to it as it gave new perspectives for the world of commerce and technology.

Della and Cullen's story blends in this grandiose background yet gives an opportunity for readers to feel their touching romance. Obviously a true romantic at heart, Deanne describes Della's position as a teacher working with the Deaf at a time when too often a deaf person was ostrasized for signing. Cullen in turn is the young farmer turned inventor who is struggling with a hearing loss.

Deanne Gist proved to be a superb historical fiction writer which coupled with her discernebly romantical temperament, gives readers a captivating love story you will not want to miss!

5 Stars!!

I received this book from LITFUSE as part of their blogger review program. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC 16 CFR, Part 255 'Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. I was not asked to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Cullen McNamara has been presented with an exciting opportunity, one that he's not sure he wants to take. After his mother died tragically in a fire, Cullen invented an automatic sprinkler system that he thinks can save many lives. His dad submitted it to the World's Fair, and they accepted. Now Cullen has been committed to 6 months of exhibiting and trying to sell his creation. The Exhibition Hall though turns out to be extremely noisy, and this noise compounds the hearing loss that Cullen is developing. At someone's suggestion, Cullen goes to some young ladies at the Fair teaching lip reading to deaf children. There he enlists the help of Della, who promises to teach him to lip read if he acts as her tour to the Fair. Together they embark on an amazing adventure.

This book had some really fascinating things in it. For one, it's clear the author did tons of research, and she has a very thorough listing of what was accurate and where she took liberties. This is definitely represented in the book. You get a real feel for what it was like at the World's Fair. It must have been absolutely amazing. I felt like I was there with Cullen and Della exploring the various wonders of the Fair. I also thought that the subject of how deaf people were treated (and even just people who were losing their hearing) pretty fascinating. In particular I was intrigued by the debate of lip reading verses signing. This idea of mainstreaming vs. individualized education is still something that is debated in the special needs community, so this book helped to show that this is something that has been discussed for a long time. Hopefully we are meeting the needs of that community much better now though.

The characters were great, and I really wanted to cheer them on their way. I liked the slow way the relationship grew and the mutual respect shown by Cullen and Della. I'm not sure there is a better combination than romance and history, and this book had that all wrapped up in one fantastic story. It was a well thought-out and planned book, and that made it a joy to read.

Book provided for review.

Deeanne Gist has another success on her hands. This is light romance for the Thinking Reader. The World's Fair setting is beautifully presented, and had me wondering (as with the other novels of this author) about movie rights. I was especially pleased at the non-perfection of our leading man, whose increasing problem with hearing has led him to seek out a lip-reading teacher who is working at the Fair. He is also the victim of severe plant allergies, not a happy circumstance for a farmer. This helps to explain his deafness and his need to find another source of income. (A note at the beginning, rather than the end, of the book would have lessened the irritation I and another reader felt at the seeming-typos. These vowel-less words in speeches to the Hero were what he was hearing, not what was being said.)

That said, Ms Gist has a marvelous gift for describing the technical, left-brained world. The fire-prevention sprinkler invented by Cullen, and its method of working, plays a central role in the story. Also, the problems of the deaf and the early 20th-century ways of teaching them were carefully worked into the plot. Della, our heroine, finds herself at odds with these methods, and for good reasons. I like that Deeanne's characters enter the story already armed with a purpose in life. They are not pining for romance and are not particularly happy when it shows up. But when it does show up, it is taken seriously, with plenty of comedy, and I like that too.

Cullen McNamara finally agreed to set a wedding date with Wanda Sappington the day before he's forced to take his invention to the World's Fair in Chicago. His father has faith in him and has taken every last bit of money he has and made all the arrangements without telling Cullen, that way Cullen can't refuse to go, there are no refunds. His father also knows that Cullen has to get off of the farm because of his allergies.

It is so loud in the building where Cullen is located and he thinks he's losing sales because he can't hear when the people try to talk to him about his invention. When it's suggested that he learn to lip read, he finds the woman he saved, Della, is the teacher so he strikes up a deal with her to teach him. He can't afford lessons so he explores the exhibits of her choice in the evenings while she teaches him. Cullen and Della spend every evening together and he finds it hard to concentrate on his lessons because he finds himself thinking about her more and more. He loves Wanda but Della is the one on his mind.

He is having a hard time learning and is still losing sales. Cullen decides to have a demonstration but that gets sabotaged as does his exhibit. Not only has he wasted six months at the fair, he's lost the money his father invested and in turn they will lose the farm. Then when he thinks things can't get any worse, Wanda shows up unexpectedly and demands to get married immediately.

I just love Deeanne's books and this one is no different. A wonderful story about how people looked down on the deaf, even if a person was just starting to lose their hearing, which was the cause of some of the loss of Cullen's sales. Also I loved reading about the world's fair and the 'new' ferris wheel, elevator, etc., things we take for granted today and how they amazed people in 1893.

The 1893 World's Fair is a captivating setting, with an atmosphere full of energy and wonder. It's quite a fascinating look back at an important event in America's history, and I enjoyed watching Cullen and Della experience the various fair exhibits. There's just so much to see and do, even the exhibitors themselves look upon the fair with awe!

I found Cullen and his hearing difficulties very intriguing, yet sad. I greatly sympathized with him, as I have a relative with similar struggles and I know how hard it can be. The novel gives quite a bit of insight to the issue of lip-reading vs. sign language, which was quite enlightening as I was previously unaware of the debate. Something that really shocked and appalled me was that people associated Cullen's hearing difficulties with a lack of intelligence! This absolutely blew me away, and ultimately drove my sympathy level for him even higher. Cullen handles the issue admirably, but the ignorance of some people in the era is tragic.

The level of affection shown between Cullen and Della is a bit higher than most novels in this genre, yet there's nothing blatantly inappropriate. (Unless you count some stolen kisses in a broom closet!) I would probably classify it as very very slightly "edgy", but I feel that it fits the overall atmosphere of excitement that the fair has.

I do have to confess that a couple times the descriptions of the actual fairgrounds became a bit overwhelming and I found my attention wavering...however, these times were few and far between, and my enjoyment of the characters far out-weighed these small issues.

This is only the second book by Deeanne Gist that I've read, and it's made me realize that I need to check out more of her works to see what I've previously missed. She weaves an entertaining story, filled with characters whose plights you don't soon forget. I very much enjoyed It Happened At The Fair, and I feel confident any lover of historical fiction would also enjoy it!

My Rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review copy.

"When the fire bell rang, the whole town poured into the streets, me included. I'd been running toward the billowing smoke for a good minute before I realized it was the mill. But even then I wasn't worried. I knew my mother would have gotten out."

White powder fell from their clothing, leaving a trail behind them. Smoke obliterated all sunlight, though they could still see.

"The owner of the mill kept the windows tightly closed so the humidity wouldn't weaken the cotton fibers. The air inside was so thick with cotton dust and lint, you couldn't hardly see or breathe. That's why I wasn't with her. Cotton dust makes me break out in hives."

She still couldn't fathom a cotton farmer whose body rejected the very crop that provided for him.

"Sad thing is," he said, "the mill had a sprinkler system."

Her lips parted. Please, God, she thought. Not one of his. Then she remembered he'd been much older when he'd tested out his first one of the cowshed.

"It was a manual system," he said, "and the operatives weren't able to activate it. I don't know why, but they weren't. Some of the folks on the ground floor made it out, but cotton is highly flammable and the windows were sealed. The people on the second floor didn't stand a chance."

She swallowed. "And your mother was on the second floor?"

"She was." His voice didn't rise or fall or crack, but flattened into a monotone. "The hook and ladder carts arrived, of course, but even with their steam engines throwing water onto the building, there was no saving it."

She bit her lip. She didn't know whether to reach for him or leave him be. Crossing her arms, she held tight to her elbows.

"I was held back from fighting the fire. But even as they restrained me, I promised her I'd do something. Something to conquer fire. And that's when the idea for automatic sprinklers came to me. It was as if my mother paused on her way to heaven and offered a parting suggestion. A dying wish, if you will." For the first time, his voice wavered. He looked down. "What she failed to mention was what to do if I invented such a thing but no one wanted it."

Uncrossing her arms, she grabbed his hand. "Oh Cullen. Even if no one places an order, you've done your part. You've offered the fruit of your hands. No one would ask you for more. Not your mother, not God, not anyone."

He gave her a self-deprecating smile. "I would. I would ask for more." (pg 188-189).

In the beautiful researched novel, It Happened At The Fair by Deeann Gist, an inspiring inventor and farmer, Cullen McNamara finds himself at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair at the insistence and belief of his father. His father believes that Cullen needs just the right push to take his invention and hope to make enough money at it that he won't have to go back to farming. In fact, his father provides him with the money to go and fills out all the necessary paperwork for him. Leaving behind the women he believes he loves, he heads off to Chicago in hopes of selling his invention he believes can truly save lives. He will have to spend six months trying his best to convince people his invention works over the manual sprinkler systems the world is used to.
However he's hiding the one thing that may make it hard for him to sell anything at all, his ability to hear. In Machinery Hall, he finds the noise so overwhelming, he can barely make out what people are asking him. Worse yet is the fact he is going deaf in his right ear. If he can't understand what people are asking him, he appears to be uneducated in his invention. That's when a suggestion is made for Cullen to learn lip reading in an effort to save his business and save his self respect. Only he doesn't expect his teacher to be quite so intriguing and beautiful.

I received It Happened At The Fair by Deeann Gist compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. Being a huge history fan, I love how Deeann took the time to research the exhibits and the issues that happened at the Chicago World's Fair as her back drop for her novel. The pictures that accompany the story make it that much more believable and add to the ambiance of the characters of Cullen McNamara and Della Wentworth, the deaf teacher whom Cullen hires. This is a must read for anyone who truly appreciates the history and industrial age of America at a time when so many exciting things were being invented. I even loved the first movable sidewalk which showed a trend in making things easier for business and keeping it fun to watch and learn from. I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and love the way the Deeann removes parts of words to show how difficult it was for Cullen to understand what people were saying in order to appreciate his challenge in communication with people and how he had to simply fill in the blanks based on the context of the conversation they were having to make sense of things. This one for me, is a true keeper.

I've underestimated Deeanne Gist. There I've gone and said it. Way back when, I read her debut novel and my younger self liked it, however ever since then, the pull or allure of that novel was never enough to visit one of her subsequent works of fiction. How delighted I was to be a part of a tour promoting her latest. Gosh, golly, this book was interesting. The story is actually a unique one forcing the reader to feel more "at home" in the historical trivia of the fair than being spellbound by the characters. Then there are the quirks of both protagonists' that make them unique and virtually erases - in those moments - the overall feel that everything is "all about" the fair. Marking this was approximately halfway through the book the thought that flitted through my mind was how the prose used the characters as "background" rather than the setting, the latter being usually what most books color in to enhance everything else. There was a turning point in which I felt as if finally the characters were slowly coming into their own - as if, finally, they were fully blooming.

Certainly what is the best asset of the story is how Deanne teases her reader's without revealing everything before it should be. We are aware that the protagonists must be more than a name and narrative but are pulled along following subtle hints rather than told; she ignites and enchants our senses with a rad setting and in the last pages, a tender, beautiful example of all-consuming love. Common sense says there is a reason behind Cullen's brilliant mind and specifically, inventing a sprinkler system, yet there is little chatter or reasons why for multiple chapters. Shifting into the deft perspective the author has of these characters, it was interesting how casual the interactions were between Della and Cullen. Readers don't even meet Della until a handful of chapters in and even then, Cullen overpowers what little there is of background information and their banter - most of which is absorbed with the physical desirability instead of a blooming friendship, makes a unique statement. Tying into an interesting palette of a story is the unusual quirks of Della and Cullen not to mention names that are beautiful and well-suited. Della has an usual opinion of men drilled into her by her father and is afraid of close spaces, and Cullen suffers allergies and is losing his hearing. Because of these peculiarities not in spite of, these two are endearing and special.

Although she took some liberties - the author's note in the back of the book - in order to better illustrate her story, this book is richly drawn in history and takes none of that for granted. Gist pays homage to an important event, weaving into the "fabric" of the story some unexpected (and sad!) dramatics as well as a leading couple easy to root for. Helping to place more of a visual ideal, there are photos of the fair at the beginning of nearly every chapter. It's a bright spot in the design of the novel that lends authenticity to the book as is the sassy cover art with its gorgeous, soothing hues.

CONS: Fans of character-driven novels will find weaknesses (albeit of an inconsequential fashion). The fair takes precedence over everything. If there would be one glaring mistake, it'd be what comes between Della and Cullen. This isn't really a criticism of the book considering most stories have this same "type" of motivator to create a last-minute will-they-or-won't-they scenario.

Early on in the book, words miss letters in sentence conversations which is for the benefit of Cullen's hearing loss. It was more a distraction than anything however, for the majority of the time it isn't a factor as it is paced better. Far as authenticity goes, it was clever.

CONCLLUSION: Between a literal picture and the deft talent of Deeanne Gist, `Fair' is a must-read for any historical fiction lover. Perhaps the romance doesn't blossom the same as some of its counter-parts, no matter, the writing and setting far outweigh any minor (really minor!) flaws this reader may have found.

© Copyright 2011-2013 Dreaming Under the Same Moon / Scribbles, Scripts and Such

I picked up Deeanne Gist's latest book certain that my manly brain was about to be overwhelmed with romance, and I wasn't entirely sure how much I'd even enjoy the book. Imagine my surprise, then, when I found myself hooked within only a few scenes, and I kept having to sneak away to read just one more chapter to see what would develop next! Now don't get me wrong: though this book is entirely clean of any inappropriate scenes, Deanne Gist still manages to create some moments that seem somewhat scandalous for that day and age and just ooze with romantic tension. As such I have no doubt that book-clubs across the nation will experience a sudden upsweep in swooning ladies. As for me, I of course felt nary a swoon. But the romance that develops between Cullen and Della takes place with numerous moments of hilarity that literally had me laughing out loud, and I enjoyed every moment of watching their relationship unfold.

I also absolutely loved the historical setting of this book at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, a fascinating period of time to place characters in, characters I quickly grew to care about. All of the characters are wonderfully developed, but I especially enjoyed that of Cullen McNamara with his pesky allergies, his worrisome loss of hearing, his sense of duty to his family to help make the family farm prosperous, and his passion to invent things that barely anyone seems to believe in (with the exception of his amazing father!) The issue of deafness in that historical setting made for gripping reading, as we observe those who wanted to make children who were deaf as "normal" as possible by ripping them from their families for years and only allowing them to learn lip-reading. I am amazed how the author takes all of these different subplots and weaves them into an entertaining whole.

All in all, I can honestly say that out of all of Deanne Gist's books, this is my absolute favourite, hands down! Pick up a copy for yourself, and I'm certain you will agree. 5 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Howard Books (a division of Simon & Schuster) and the Litfuse Publicity Group, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

The newest book by DeeAnne Gist, in a way, reminds me of the movie, While You Were Sleeping. I don't know why it just does.

Anyhoo...

The title, It Happened at the Fair gives the location, but, what exactly happened?

Cullen has tinkered for years building and fixing things. His most prized accomplishment is the automatic fire sprinkler. Cullen is soon told that his dad entered him into the World's Fair in Chicago and his invention is accepted. Cullen is horrifyingly allergic to cotton, the very thing that his family farms and harvest. Dad is just trying to give his son a better life. He has begun to have hearing problems and thinks this will impede any progress he could make in selling his invention. Cullen is sullen and doesn't want to go, but he goes anyway.

Della has traveled to the fair with the school for the deaf that she teaches. The children and their style of teach is seemingly on exhibit. I hate to think that children would be used in such a way. They are instructing the kids to read lips as their main way of communicating with the outside world.

These two have a chance meeting the first day of the fair. Della's dad has drove all grades of fear into about men. Cullen has a girl back home waiting for his return.

Cullen discovers that young lady from the first day is the teacher that he is hoping to talk into giving him lip reading lessons.

There is a whole gamut of issues that this book deals with but Mrs Gist does so in a way to make the reader feel the emotions that she means to evoke.

The description of the fair grounds, exhibits and foods were thrilling. Made me want to go back to this era to discover it all myself.

The ending of the book moved a bit to rapidly for me. She needed to slow down a bit and put more detail in certain areas. Why didn't his parents come, how/when did he come to have his grandmother's ring, etc. After all the description of the sights, sounds, people, everything, the ending was rushed.

Still a good book by DeeAnna Gist, just felt like dropping off a ledge in the end.

Received a copy to review by NetGalley for my fair opinion.

First of all, I would like to extend a heartfelt "Thank you" to DeeAnn Gist and her publisher for sending me a copy of "It happened at the Fair" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me.

DeeAnn Gist's "It Happened at the Fair" is another wonderful historical romance from a wonderful author. Cullen McNamara risks everything when he leaves his North Carolina farm and fiancée to bring his invention to the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. When excessive noise keeps him from being able to communicate the benefits of his product to potential buyers, his trip appears to be a sure loss until he gets the idea to hire Della Wentworth, a teacher for the deaf, to teach him to read lips to make communication easier. What he didn't count on was falling in love with his tutor.

Adelaide Wentworth is a gifted teacher. Instructing deaf children daily at the World's Fair to demonstrate to the public that the deaf can learn to read lips and function in society, she finds respite in touring the exhibits in the evening. When it seems like an ideal bargain to accept Mr. McNamara's offer to escort her around the fairgrounds in exchange for lessons on how to read lips, Della escapes from the company she's been keeping but has no idea that she's agreed to more than she bargained for.

Gist is a masterful storyteller who blends historical fact with the true-to-life characters created by her imagination. Her plotlines are interesting and her conflict doesn't feel contrived or forced just to make her tale more emotionally engaging. The drawings and photos in this book really add credibility to the story and made me hungry to know more about the World's Fair. The dialogue of the less educated characters was a bit frustrating at the beginning, until I realized that it wasn't about less educated characters, but rather an illustration of Mr. McNamara's hearing issues - BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN. I was also sparked in the first chapter to consider the question, "what am I destined to do?" This has modified my prayer life and encouraged me to examine what I am investing my time and talent in as it pertains to what God says in His Word. Thank you, sister DeeAnn, for several entertaining hours that also impacted my own spiritual life.

Cullen McNamara can't believe his father went behind his back and entered his invention in the exhibition at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. There is no way he can go since there is no one to help with the farm and his father unable to do the work. But his father had already paid for the train ticket, entry, along with room and board. This money was non-refundable. They are barely surviving how did his father get the money for all of this?

When he arrives at the fair and gets settled in the fair's Machine Hall the noise was so intense that he could hardly hear when someone talked to him. He was deaf in his right ear and loosing his hearing in his left ear how was he going to communicate with potential buyers if he couldn't hear. Someone recommended he learn to read lips. He was told of a young woman, a Miss Della Wentworth, at the fair that worked with deaf children so he made arrangements with her to teach him lip-reading. All he had to do was be her guide and escort in the evening to tour the fair. She was young and attractive therefore having to spend so much time concentrating on her lips was creating havoc with his emotions.

Will he be able to continue with his exhibit or will he have to return home a failure, again? There was little left of his father's money and a large debt that needed to be payed down. He had to succeed!

The author writes of hard times for our nation at the same time of the 1893 Chicago World Fair. She had provided many astounding images of the fair. I had no idea of the advancement in architecture and machinery in the latter 1800's. To make it even more interesting she adds romance between a young man and woman that are part of the exhibition A beautiful love story in the midst of secrets and a need to succeed. The author shows us how reaching out to God in all things that he will make our paths straight. Always looking for the good in a bad situation.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Author/Simon and Schuster/Litfuse Group for review. I was in no way compensated for this review. This is my honest opinion.

1893. The Chicago World's Fair. For inventor Cullen McNamara, a farmer who is extremely allergic to various pollens, the fair is a chance to sell his automatic sprinkler system. He's got a great product. He knows it works. There's just one problem. He has trouble hearing in one ear and the noise level in Machinery Hall makes it almost impossible to understand his potential clients. In desperation, he enlists the help of Della Wentworth, a lip reading instructor who is at the fair with her students as part of an exhibition. Neither one thought that the lessons would truly help Cullen gain sales. They also never suspected they'd fall for each other. Will the two find a way to be together in the wake of disaster and surprises from Cullen's life?

I've read quite a few books this year about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. And the Fair comes more to life with each book. I enjoyed this book. I loved seeing how determined that Cullen was to sell and promote his sprinkler system. I also loved that Della was passionate about teaching both lip reading and sign language. I'd never known that there was a huge debate over the way that the deaf communicate. The book is filled with humor and the characters are well developed. While I wouldn't go so far to say it's my favorite book by DeeAnne Gist, it was still a good read and an enjoyable book.

I can honestly say that after reading this book, I headed over to the Internet and Google and Wikipedia to look up World's Fairs. And I also read quite a lot of information about the 1893 Fair in Chicago as well as others I'd read about/seen (1904 St Louis for which I saw the movie Meet Me in St. Louis and 1984 New Orleans which I saw in person ). It's not often that a book will send me off on a quest for additional information/research, so well done on this one.

I received a Kindle version of the book from Howard Books via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of DeeAnne Gist, Julie Lessman, Olivia Newport, Karen Witemeyer, and romance.

Rating - 4 stars

Admittedly, I do have a soft spot for books surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. That being said, however, the author only made me fall in love with it even more!

The author admits that she does a lot of research for her books and it is blatantly evident with this one. Truly, a reader of this story feels like they are immersed into the excitement, sights, sounds, smells, and crowds that the Fair encompassed. It is amazing to understand how something as complex and majestic as this was able to come together, and what an honor it was for the United States to host this spectacle.

It feels like the World's Fair is easily the third main character in this book, but thankfully takes nothing away from our hero and heroine. This book had such an easy and natural flow to it where the reader did not feel like the author had to force or invent ways to keep the story going. Everything made perfect sense and only led to the believability and excitement of the story.

Cullen needs to learn to lip-read because of the loudness of the building he works in but also because he is going deaf himself. What better way for him to fall in love than by intently watching his tutor's mouth as she teaches him this skill? Deeanne's books always have strong male and female leads with admirable qualities to love and also, slightly naughty for the time, romantic moments. How else could she skillfully write out an innocent strip-tease scene that made me go back and read it twice... (Innocent. Honest!) She is a clever one.

I highly recommend this book and all of Deeanne's books. My only wish is that she published more than once a year so I could get my romantic fix more often.

LitFuse & Howard Books sent me the above book for review purposes. It will allow me to keep the book. I have no other connection to and have received no other compensation from Litfuse or Howard Books. The blog tour schedule can be found here.

Cullen McNamara is a farmer with severe pollen allergies. He can barely breath while working in the fields. Scared his son will die because of this, Cullen's father forces him to take his automatic sprinklers to exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. There, Cullen realizes his secret partial hearing loss will keep him from finding buyers for his product. Desperate to pay back what was spent on his trip and save his father's farm, Cullen seeks out a young lady named Della who teaches lip reading to deaf children. "It Happened at the Fair" is Deeanne Gist's new historical romance.

The character development in this novel was fantastic. Cullen is a gentleman. Learning about what was considered proper and moral conduct between unmarried men and women was incredibly interesting. Della is a strong, great female character. She is so kindhearted and passionate about her teaching. It was interesting to watch her grow and change as the novel progressed.

My favorite aspect of this novel, however, was the strong background and period detail. Not only does the novel include pictures of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, but also on behavior, propriety, and the attitude toward anyone who was different. Learning that deaf or hearing-impaired people were actually locked up and thought of as insane was unbelievable.

The novel took a bit to get going, but once it did it was a worthwhile and interesting read. The romance and relationship between Cullen and Della was a great addition to the story. This is definitely a novel I would recommend.

I received this book through Goodreads First Reads. This in no way influenced my review. I was not compensated for, nor required to, write a review.

Cullen McNamara dreamed of exhibiting his invention at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, but never expected the dream to become reality. When his father pushed him to go, he agreed only because his father had already paid his way, and the fees were non-refundable. Once there, he realized that his secret hearing loss made conducting business almost impossible. His fears of his father losing his investment prompted him to ask Della, a teacher of hearing-impaired children, to teach him to lip-read. The ensuing relationship caused Cullen to feel conflicted between his girl back home and Della.

It Happened at the Fair is a historical romance with an interesting setting. The author includes enough factual details of the Fair and the era to please any history buff. One of my favorite features was the inclusion of Fair pictures at the beginning of each chapter. This really helps the reader visualize what they're reading about.
This is also very informative regarding the attitudes of society toward the hearing-impaired during that time. The fact that Cullen believed he had to keep his hearing loss a secret shows the fears of the disabled.

Very interesting, clean historical romance.

4.5 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Litfuse Publicity Group<[...]> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <[...]> : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Having enjoyed the seven novels of Deeanne Gist's that I've read and after really liking the ebook novella prequel to this book I was pretty excited to read It Happened at the Fair.
That being said, it didn't disappoint and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I loved the plot idea and it was well executed and well written. One thing that bothered me was that at times there were words that were written like, "hrdly" with no explanation as to why they were like that. But after a little while I figured out that it was how Cullen was hearing those words that were spoken to him since he was starting to lose his hearing, and it became a bit of a game for me to figure out what the words were. I really liked the inside look we go into the fair and loved all the facts and pictures the author included!
The characters were all great especially Cullen and Della. I loved how they fit together and it was really cool to see the fair through their eyes!
I highly enjoyed and recommend this book and I can't wait for book two!
I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

I love Deeanne Gist's historical novels, and this is another delightful read. Set in the midst of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, Gist has crafted a story that is pure fiction but which is infused with painstakingly researched details of the actual event. While Gist does take a bit of literary license with a few details, which she explains in the afterword, I felt as if I had been transported more than a century back in time to view the wonders which displayed the rapidly changing technology as the nineteenth century drew to a close. Photographs of the actual fair are included throughout the novel, providing the reader with an even greater sense of the setting and time period. Cullen and Della both captured my heart from the opening pages. I was fascinated by the attitudes of the general public toward the deaf and even someone like Cullen, whose sense of hearing was only declining, as well as by the vigorous debate between lip-reading and signing. Historical events, a bit of romance, some whimsical moments, are woven together with faith and trust as all of It Happened at the Fair!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Howard Books and Litfuse Publicity as part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

From start to finish this book is amazing!!! DeeAnne has a talent to put something absolutely hilarious in otherwise serious situations (The parade incident still makes me laugh).
Cullen is so conscientious and humble. Della is out of line cautious and good hearted. Wanda doesn't give up without a fight and Tomas just wants to win her. A father, that believes in his son and is ready to lose all just to see him succeed; and the Fair that is absolutely beautiful. DeeAnne's vivid description of the Fair and a smooth blend with romance and integrity of character made me fall in love with the story and feel as though I have really been there. If you end up like me wishing the book didn't end, I suggest you read the little confection she is making in the Author's Note.
The scene with the fire and the plight of deaf children really touched me. It is true that we don't really know what people around us go through until we are in their shoes-so to say.
I should probably give you the insight on what really happened at the Fair but I truly believe that you should read it and let yourself be surprised by what you discover in it....I know I was because this book is different from all the other DeeAnne wrote ( I read them all and none compare).
Note to Author --- Absolutely can't wait to see your next book come out.
Disclaimer: I got a free copy of this book from Howard Books through NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest opinion.

Deeanne Gist does a wonderful job of bringing details to life in It Happened at the Fair. The fair in this book is the famous 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Our two main characters, Della and Cullen, meet at the fair where both of them work for six months.

Cullen has invented an automatic sprinkler system and is at the Fair to demonstrate how it works and hopefully garner many sales. He has a major problem doing this...he is hard of hearing and is having trouble interacting with customers in the loud Machinery Hall where he is stationed.

Della could be the answer to Cullen's problem. She works to teach deaf children how to lip read. Could this be a solution for Cullen? Is it possible that Della will agree to tutor him after hours? Will the tutor-student relationship grow into something more?

The author has crafted a story full of details that made me feel that I was really back in that era. I found myself frustrated with certain people in regard to their attitudes about certain things. And I do admit that I sometimes found myself reading slower than I usually do in order to absorb the descriptions. I received a copy of this book for free in a giveaway on Lena Nelson Dooley's blog, A Christian Writer's World. I was not required to offer a review of this book.

This book truly is amazing. It is seriously one of the best books I have ever read.
It has made me experience so many emotions and it was so informative of so many subjects, I cannot even believe how well-written it is.
I completely love the two main characters, Della and Cullen. Typically, I don't care about the hero and heroine as much as I do in this book, but they are amazing. I completely "fell in love with" Cullen just like Della did.
Cullen is a cotton farmer from North Carolina who is allergic to cotton. He is great at inventing things, and when his father buys him an exhibit at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to display his automatic fire sprinkler system, he reluctantly goes.
Della is a lip-reading teacher for young children, and her school moves to Chicago during the fair to display what they teach.
The Machinery Building that Cullen's display is in is extremely loud. Coupled with his already failing of hearing, the noise makes it impossible to interact with his possible clients.
Finally, Cullen gives in and begs teacher Della to give him lip-reading lessons, which prove to be very hard for him because he finds himself having trouble concentrating while staring at the pretty young woman's lips.

Seriously, this book is one of the best I have ever read. Words cannot describe how amazing it is.

What do the 1893 Chicago's World Fair and Deeanne Gist have in common, they make for an amazing great read.
First we have a North Carolina Cotton farmer, highly allergic to all parts of the seed and plants, and a Pennsylvania young Woman who teaches lip reading to children. What could they possibly have in common?
The young man Cullin McNamara has an invention that can save lives. His Dad has sent him to the fair to let the world know of it, and hopefully to save their farm.
Fate and God have put these two young people together, first he saves Della's life. Then he has a hearing problem, getting worse, from where is exhibit is put. He desperately needs help, and lip reading could be the answer! Della unbeknown to him teaches this.
I loved the pictures of the actual buildings that are included in this book, even in my kindle edition. While we are reading the story, you can see where each event is happening. I have been in the one remaining building, many years ago.
We experience many parts of this fair through the eyes of these characters. Come and experience the end of the 1800's, like seeing the first Ferris Wheel....I wish the story would last for a bit longer!

I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.

While interesting and fun, this one didn't quite feel like the Deeanne Gist I'm used to. The dialogue and characters were fun and witty, this one just didn't grab me as well as some of Ms. Gist's other books. Filled with fascinating historical facts, there were times I skimmed through until dialogue started again.

I really enjoy how Ms. Gist writes her characters. They're lively, fun, have their own warts and yet still, I love them. Even Wanda. As irritating as she was, I still liked her enough to be sad for her. That's a win. I believed in Cullen more than he did himself, and there were times I wanted to reach through the book and smack him for being too stubborn to deal with certain things. Like Bulenberg. Ugh. I seriously wanted to hit him. Repeatedly.

I truly did like this book, and I would recommend it to friends that love historical fiction/romance. There was so much information in this novel, albeit fascinating, there were times I found myself skimming sections. However, Ms. Gist did a good job taking us to an era most wouldn't think of and describing in detail what it looked like.

First and foremost, this book is about the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair. The story is, unnecessarily and regrettably, secondary to the novel's location.

You will see many pictures and drawings of this specific World's Fair. If this was that important to me, I could find more interesting, informative, and complete information elsewhere on this World's Fair with very little effort.

I am not a fan of "handicapped fiction." Unfortunately this is in vogue with Christian publishers. To make matters worse, Cullen McNamara, the main character is considered not disabled "enough" to receive help and had to cajole Della to share her knowledge of lip-reading with him.

I wish the author would have loved her characters as much as she loves the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair. The story and the characters were short-changed. They were never given a fair chance to be more than mediocre. What a shame.

Deeanne Gist never disappoints! I just love her writing style and the cute romantic stories she comes up with. This was a fast and easy read for me, (considering I read the whole thing yesterday.) I just couldn't put the book down. Thank goodness I'm on spring break and I had all day to read it.

You can definitely tell that Deeanne did her research on this book. With the pictures that she provides from the actual fair do the vivid descriptions she gives everything including Cullens invention. You can also tell that she must of researched a lot about lip-reading. I love when authors put a lot of thought and research into their writing because then I also learn the things they did and in an entertaining way.

I love how the characters in this book are not perfect and have real life problems. Because of their problems and careers they both are put into very funny, romantic, but also serious situations. Deeanne Gist is also very good at teasing the reader; throughout the book she put Cullen and Della in many romantic settings and awkward circumstances. I was constantly yelling in my head, "Kiss her already!" but there was no way in telling when it was going to happen.

This book is one of many that has made me wish I was born in a different time period. There were so many things that I wish I could have seen or been a part of and this fair is now one of them.

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I am, in general, a fan of Deeanne Gist. However, I feel some of her best works are her earlier ones, though, and this novel affirms that feeling.

I really appreciated the historical climate and situation of the 1893 Worlds Fair. The amount of detail poured into the book was done tastefully and I did not feel like it distracted from the story. The problem lies more with the fact that there is very little story. Punctuated by extremely short chapters that rudely segment any sense of flow - the plot cannot fill an entire book - let alone one of this length. We have no significant over-arching conflict that propels the story forward. All we have is tiny snippets of Cullen struggling with being pseudo-engaged, yet attracted to a woman who is not his fiancee. Even in that, though, we have very little understanding of why the financee exists in the first place - or why the relatively loveless "understanding" has not been rectified before this. This takes away significantly from the feeling of tension we should have. His struggle with his invention at the fair is a plausible one - but still done so lightly (and briefly) that it cannot fill the pages it aspires to.
Della is an even more poorly drawn character. There are few scenes that really help us dive into who she is or how she is feeling about Cullen and her struggle with teaching sign-language to the deaf is not explained well enough for us to feel the real conflict.

The entire book just...lacks. And the passion and tension Gist is known for almost entirely gets slammed into the last few pages of the book. It's an awkward transition. But, well, the entire book is a bit awkward. I was happy for a one-time read because of the vivid description of the fair but the pleasure, unfortunately, ended there.

I really enjoyed this book. Deeanne Gist really did her research about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, from her descriptions, I thought I was there. The story was also wonderful. Cullen's father sent him to the fair to exhibit his automatic sprinkler system. Cullen has a hard time hearing, so a potential customer suggests that he hire the services of one of the lip-reading teachers. Little does he realize that the lady he saved on the first day would end up being his teacher. Will they pursue a relationship other than that of teacher and student, and what will happen between Cullen and his "fiancé" back home. This was a very well written book as are all of Deaanne's books. I highly recommend it.

I loved this book...what a wonderful story of two young people who meet at the Chicago World's Fair! Cullen, a farmer who is there to show/sell his automatic fire sprinkler invention, meets Della, a teacher of deaf children, who is at the fair with her class to demonstrate how lip-reading is taught to children. Della becomes Cullen's teacher, as he is going deaf in one ear, and needs to learn to lip-read, so he can hear his potential customers as he tries to sell them his sprinkler, in the very loud machinery room at the fair.
Their developing friendship and love for each other is very sweet, romantic and sizzling at times. I would love to see a sequel to this book, delving into their future together and his automatic sprinkler business.
I have read many of Deeanne Gist's books, and this one was as good, or even better, than her others, and they were excellent!

This is billed as Christian fiction, and in my opinion , it is not. It is a secular romance novel set at the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair. The historical aspect was interesting, but there was no inspiration toward following Christ in our lives. There were several steamy scenes which only serve to arouse lust, and one scene where the hero was taken to the smokehouse by his future intended wife and propositioned to "let's have our wedding' night. Right here. Right now." NOT Christian. Disappointing.

I LOVED this book! Deeanne Gist is an incredibly talented author, so the quality of "It Happened at the Fair" is not surprising.

The story is set at the World's Fair, and the location is a character itself. Every detail is very believable, and I found myself wishing I could visit the Fair myself!

The hero is an inventor who needs to learn how to lip-read in order to sell his invention at the noisy Fair, and the heroine is a teacher to deaf children. Both characters are adorable and very realistic. They must overcome many difficulties to discover exactly what it is they each want.

Don't miss this great book!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013
It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist, ©2013

A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.
Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair's Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.
The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

On the night before Cullen leaves for Chicago, his long-time girlfriend wants to make sure he is coming back to her at the close of the World's Columbian Exposition in six months. To secure his return, she wants him to choose a wedding date before he goes. Cullen isn't all that anxious to think beyond this unexpected opportunity to show his invention. His father has secured Cullen's placement by secretly sending in an application for him, and arranging travel and housing after his selection in the top one-third of the applicants.

The opening of the fair, President Grover Cleveland is approaching to press the golden telegraph key to begin the chain reaction of Old Glory fluttering in the breeze, with flags and banners streaming as the electrical connection for all of the exhibits and lighting comes to life. Sights and sounds of a 21-gun salute with the rush of water fountains and musical chimes surround the senses! The huge crowd presses forward in excitement and several people are injured as they are pressed aside in the surge. Della is rescued by Cullen. Her father has warned her about strangers, and she is delicately trying to remove herself from his care. Being the southern gentleman he is, he is wanting to assure her safety by returning her to the people she has been separated from in the huge crowd. She does not want him to know she is also an exhibitor at the fair.
The Statue of the Republic overlooks the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893

The layout of this novel is really unique. The fair opened in May and ran through October 30, 1893. There are photos of the Chicago World's Fair between the chapters.

"What about the Forestry Building?" she suggested. So far they'd made it through only the Palace of Art and the Fisheries Building. Having lived in Philadelphia all her life, she'd only seen the countryside as a child during short visits with her grandparents. She craved an opportunity to learn about forests and meadows in other parts of the country. The Forestry Building would be the perfect opportunity.
--Della, It Happened at the Fair, 76

Our family has actually been within one of these buildings several times, formerly The Palace of Fine Arts, ~*~ The Museum of Science and Industry.
The Museum of Science and Industry opened its doors in 1933 and is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere.

What I liked best about this novel is the in-depth walk through of the buildings and happenings at the Chicago World Fair by the main characters. So interesting and felt like you were walking alongside them. I liked the build of the story and the growth in the characters as they progressed through their time together in this fairyland atmosphere so different from their home life. An excellent story of caring for others and building relationship, set with humor and tenderness. Having visited four-season domes, I thought about how people took in all they hadn't seen before in their home environment. With the setbacks Cullen had, I was as invested in him as those who believed in him and his invention. There is a reading group guide in the back of the book, and an overview from the author.

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR DEE GIST BRINGS CHICAGO'S 1893 WORLD FAIR TO LIFE IN HISTORICAL NOVEL, IT HAPPENED AT THE FAIR
About the Author
Deeanne Gist--known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee--has rocketed up the bestseller lists and captivated readers everywhere with her original historical and contemporary romances. A favorite among readers and reviewers alike, her popular titles include A Bride Most Begrudging, A Bride in the Bargain, and Maid to Match. Her latest book, It Happened at the Fair (releasing April 2013), is her ninth published novel.

A popular speaker, Gist's presentations have been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal and in other publications. The Wall Street Journal's accompanying online video was the most watched video on the FrontPageWSJ.com website for several days following their feature. Gist has a background in education and journalism. Her credits include People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel. She is also the creator of I Did It!®, a parenting line of products. Gist lives in Houston, Texas with her husband of thirty years. The couple has four grown children. Readers can keep up with Deeanne Gist at her website IWantHerBook.com, as well as on Facebook (DeesFriends) and Twitter (@DeeanneGist).

Purchase a copy here.
IT HAPPENED AT THE FAIR
By Deeanne Gist
Howard Books, An Imprint of Simon & Schuster
April 30, 2013 / 978-1451692372
~*~ ~*~ ~*~

***Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for inviting me to be a part of this book tour of It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist and for sending me a copy of the book. No other compensation was received.***

An eShort Prelude to It Happened at the Fair
Hunter Scott ~ Texas Ranger from Houston, Texas, is assigned to the Women's Building. Be introduced to Deeanne Gist's protagonists for next year's story. Download an electronic short story, Tempest in the White City.

I love every book written by this talented author!! (The only complaint I have is that there should be a warning label on each of her books because once I start one I don't want to put it down!) Dee has an amazing talent for weaving authentic interesting history in her novels that pulls me into a time, locale and lifestyle I am unfamiliar with and leaves me nostalgic for the past but grateful for the present. I especially enjoyed It Happened at the Fair. I felt like I was there visiting all the booths, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells. I found the controversy re the methods of teaching the deaf most interesting, signing vs lip reading. I especially love Dee's Author's Notes in the back of the book where she gives information about the historical info in her novel, which is right on, which has been stretched to work in the novel, and the stuff which she so adorably describes as "I just made that up." Having grown up in Texas, I am very familiar with that phrase and love it. Keep up the good work, Dee! (We met at at The Beauty and Book Club author's event in Jefferson, TX in 2008)

Who could guess you could learn so much history from a work of fiction?!?
Buckle your seatbelts everybody! We're going back in time to the1893 CHICAGO WORLDS FAIR!!!
Take in all the sights, sounds & smells!
Main characters Della & Cullen never dreamed their worlds would collide that magical day at the fair & I never dreamed I would swept off my feet by Deeanne Gist's latest novel!!!
Beautifully written, rich in history IT HAPPENED AT THE FAIR is a wonderful romance!!!
Black & white photos with captions are a nice touch!!!

I just finished reading this book, and really liked it. I found it interesting, and it kept my attention to the very end. I didn't want to put it down. I think Deeanne is my new favorite author. I've read two of her other books, and have more on my wish list. I'm not writing any details about the book because I figure other reviewers have said enough about it. :-)

I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book, but was very disappointed in the 'Christian' aspect. The young man breaks a promise, emotionally cheating on his fiance, then uses a Bible verse to justify it. God doesn't want us lukewarm, but hot or cold? Wanda could have just as easily thrown back, "I have this against you, you have left your first love." Taking scripture out of context to suit our own wants is quite popular, but not wise. If this was true, one could break up a marriage under the same guise, that things have gotten lukewarm. I also feel that the unbuttoning and shirt scenes were silly and unrealistic. There was as well a sense that Wanda, being an ignorant farm girl, was beneath him, and because he could read, he needed to rise up in the world and meet someone more classy. Jesus seemed to prefer farmers and fishermen. It says, "They were ignorant and unlearned men, but people knew they'd been with Jesus." And that was a compliment. In real time, if he'd spent years with Wanda, he probably would have taught her to read.

Gist completely enthralled and delighted me with her tale! I find all the history she plugged in about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair absolutely fascinating. I can enviously imagine what it would have been like to be there. Her characters were wonderful and heartwarming and I loved the sweetness of their relationship.

Be sure to add this to your reading list and be prepared to fly through it!

I just finished reading this book, and really liked it. I found it interesting, and it kept my attention to the very end. I didn't want to put it down. I think Deeanne is my new favorite author. I've read two of her other books, and have more on my wish list. I'm not writing any details about the book because I figure other reviewers have said enough about it. :-)

I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book, but was very disappointed in the 'Christian' aspect. The young man breaks a promise, emotionally cheating on his fiance, then uses a Bible verse to justify it. God doesn't want us lukewarm, but hot or cold? Wanda could have just as easily thrown back, "I have this against you, you have left your first love." Taking scripture out of context to suit our own wants is quite popular, but not wise. If this was true, one could break up a marriage under the same guise, that things have gotten lukewarm. I also feel that the unbuttoning and shirt scenes were silly and unrealistic. There was as well a sense that Wanda, being an ignorant farm girl, was beneath him, and because he could read, he needed to rise up in the world and meet someone more classy. Jesus seemed to prefer farmers and fishermen. It says, "They were ignorant and unlearned men, but people knew they'd been with Jesus." And that was a compliment. In real time, if he'd spent years with Wanda, he probably would have taught her to read.

Gist completely enthralled and delighted me with her tale! I find all the history she plugged in about the 1893 Chicago World's Fair absolutely fascinating. I can enviously imagine what it would have been like to be there. Her characters were wonderful and heartwarming and I loved the sweetness of their relationship.

Be sure to add this to your reading list and be prepared to fly through it!

This story could have been so much better had the author spent more time developing the romance. Unfortunately, there was no spark, no fun dialogue, and I really never got to care about the love story. The fair, on the other hand, was a very interesting event of which I knew nothing before reading this book. How thrilling it must have been to attend!

Another Gist classic! As usual, I enjoyed Mrs. Gist's writing. It was a wonderful story of lovable characters facing compelling problems, as well as just the right amount of romance. The setting of the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 was fascinating and the author truly brought history back to life on every page. Highly recommended!

To Deanne

What in the H___ where you thinking when you wrote this book? It is your most dry, boring, unconvincing book you have written.
With that being said, I love Deanne Gist! She is my top 3 authors. I can come back to her books again and again! However, "It happened at the fair" was bad. At the end of the story I was not convinced they were in love. I had to skim parts that were so boring I wondered if I should finish it. Characters were dry, very dry!
Come on Deanne I look forward to your books every year please don't disappoint again.......