A Wild and Heavenly Place

(Hardback, Large Print Edition)

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From the New York Times bestselling author of My Name is Mary Sutter comes a sweeping story of star-crossed lovers and the birth of Seattle.

How far would you go How much would you risk

Hailey MacIntyre seems conjured from the depths of Samuel Fiddes's loneliness. Caring for his young sister in the tenements of Glasgow, Scotland, Samuel has known only hunger, while Hailey has never known want. Yet, when Samuel saves Hailey's brother from a runaway carriage, their connection is undeniable.

Through secret meetings and stolen moments, their improbable love grows. But then the City of Glasgow Bank fails, and Hailey's bankrupt father impulsively moves their family across the globe to Seattle, a city rumored to have coal in its hills and easy money for anyone willing to work for it.

Samuel is haunted by Hailey's parting words: Remember, Washington Territory. Armed only with his wits, he determines to follow her, leaving behind everything he has ever known in search of Hailey and the chance of a better life for his sister. But the fledgling town barely cut out of the wilderness holds its own secrets and will test them all in ways unimaginable.

Poignant and lyrical, A Wild and Heavenly Place is an ode to the Pacific Northwest, to those courageous enough to chase the American Dream, and to a love so powerful it endures beyond distance, beyond hope.

Reviews

"A Wild and Heavenly Place tells a vivid story of the grit and the glory of early Seattle. Robin Oliveira brings to life the rugged living conditions, the stunning natural setting, and the determination, desperation, and ambition of its first settlers. All of it a backdrop for an epic story of star-crossed lovers that spans continents and classes." - Erica Bauermeister, New York Times bestselling author of No Two Persons

"In A Wild and Heavenly Place, Robin Oliveira tells the story of early Seattle and the immigrants who settled it. With a colorful cast of supporting characters, this gripping, epic love story between two valiant characters who meet as opposites in Scotland, but find their positions reversed in wild and woolly Seattle, pulls you in from the beginning and rewards you with an ending that is both triumphant and bittersweet." - Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife

"Meticulously researched, beautifully rendered, and immersively detailed, A Wild and Heavenly Place takes the reader from nineteenth-century Glasgow to fledging Seattle and a fascinating history too seldom told. Robin Oliveira's words have changed the way I see home, what came before, and what has been here all along."--Laurie Frankel, New York Times bestselling author of This Is How It Always Is

"Oliveira vividly captures both the wonder and the struggle of forging a life in a world full of unknowns. Set against a rich and evocative setting, here's a story to make you cheer for love's tenacity, despite all the forces that seek to crush it." -Susan Meissner, USA Today bestselling author of Only the Beautiful

"In the grand tradition of sweeping historical romance, A Wild and Heavenly Place captivated me, blending a suspense-filled love story with the true gripping drama of Seattle's rough-and-tumble beginnings. Through young Scottish lovers faced with the cruel obstacle of the wrong place and time, Robin Oliveira casts a fresh eye on the immigrant tale. She has crafted an emotional riches-to-rags novel that explores the courage it takes to surrender your expectations without giving up on your heart's desire." --Kim Fay, author of Love & Saffron

"A Wild and Heavenly Place is a sweeping epic of courage, perseverance, love, and family. In this vivid and passionate novel, told against the tenements of Glasgow, Scotland, the mud-laden streets of frontier Seattle, and the remarkable beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Robin Oliveira portrays the fear, bravery, and also the triumph of individuals attempting to build new lives in a place filled with challenges they could never have imagined when they began their journeys. Their stories continue to haunt me."--Lauren Belfer, New York Times bestselling author of Ashton Hall and City of Light

"The book is part love story, part history of place, part geography, part geology, and all excellent. Robin Oliveira weaves those elements seamlessly into a narrative that depicts the early days of Seattle and the people who struggled with the land, themselves, and each other to gain a foothold in a place both foreign and beautiful. I am all admiration for the author's impeccable research and dedication to getting every detail right at the same time as she spins a story of love, despair, jealousy, revenge, and hope in the lives of characters the reader won't soon forget."--Elizabeth George, author of Something to Hide

"Robin Oliveira has done it again--crafted a novel so immersive you'll feel like you're one of the characters. In A Wild and Heavenly Place you'll travel with two star-crossed young lovers as they emigrate from Scotland to the American northwest. It's a story of undying love and perseverance as they each confront the daunting challenges of making a life in the burgeoning frontier town of Seattle. Oliveira's vivid descriptions of the landscapes and harsh living conditions experienced by so many 19th century American immigrants will linger long after you've closed the book and you'll emerge with a richer understanding of the struggles they faced and the hopes and dreams that drove them."-- Amy Belding Brown, author of Flight of the Sparrow

"A Wild and Heavenly Place provides the perfect reading adventure. Robin Oliveira creates an unforgettable love story while simultaneously immersing us in the rough and tumble challenges of late nineteenth-century Seattle. We need more books brimming with this brand of optimism, kindness, and persistence in the face of adversity." - Elise Hooper, author of Angels of the Pacific

"Robin Oliveira has done it again, a passionate and beautiful story of people and place. This time she's in Seattle in the 1880s evoking the excitement and challenges of a young town and of young love trying to forge a better future. I thoroughly enjoyed how she wove history, landscape, love, and loss to bring to life the city and its people at a time of change." -David B. Williams, author of Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound

Author Bio

Robin Oliveira is the New York Times bestselling author of My Name Is Mary Sutter, I Always Loved You, and Winter Sisters. She holds a BA in Russian and studied at the Pushkin Language Institute in Moscow. She received an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a former registered nurse, specializing in critical care. She lives near Seattle, Washington.