From the day she arrives at the Biltmore, Tillie Reese is dazzled - by the riches of the Vanderbilts and by Mack Danvers, a mountain man turned footman. When Tillie is enlisted to help tame Mack's rugged behavior by tutoring him in the ways of refined society, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie's efforts to be chosen as Edith Vanderbilt's lady's maid. But the stakes rise even higher when Mack and Tillie become entangled in a cover-up at the town...

"1890, Atlanta. By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel Caroline Payne, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for 'the genteel Southern lady'"--Provided by publisher.

"In 1908, sixteen-year-old Bridey runs away from her small town in Ireland with her sweetheart Thom. But Thom dies of ship fever, leaving Bridey alone and pregnant in a strange new world. The Latecomers spans a century of American life and reminds us that we can never truly leave the past behind"--From the publisher's web site.

A literal-minded housekeeper causes chaos in the Rogers household when she attempts to make sense of some instructions.

"It's hard to find an employer who doesn't ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want. It's almost perfect. But I still haven't met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I'm sure I hear her crying. I...

"When Gwendolyn Brinley accepted a paid companion position for the Newport season, she never imagined she'd be expected to take over responsibilities as an assistant matchmaker. Tasked with finding the season's catch, Walter Townsend, a wife, her assignment becomes increasingly difficult when she realizes his perfect match might be . . . her"--

Readers guide includes historical notes, questions for discussion, and recommended books for further reading. "Massachusetts, 1869. Margaret Maher has never been one to settle down. At twenty-seven, she's never met a man who has tempted her enough to relinquish her independence to a matrimonial fate, and she hasn't stayed in one place for long since her family fled the potato famine a decade ago. When Maggie accepts a temporary position at the illustrious...