The Address: A Novel

Sara Smythe is working as a head housekeeper at a hotel in London when she meets Theodore Camden. This brash American offers her a job working at the apartment building he is designing in New York called The Dakota. Sara decides to take the job, since it’s 1884 and women don’t get a lot of opportunities to take jobs like the one she’s offered. One hundred years later, Bailey Camden is just getting out of rehab and having a hard time finding a job. Her cousin Melinda offers her a chance to renovate her apartment at The Dakota, and Bailey jumps at the chance to work on something so historic. Both women have to deal with the temptations of their time, and both will come to realize “not all that glitters is gold.” However, Sara and Bailey will discover that The Address at The Dakota is where they were meant to be all along.

This was a great example of historical fiction. The author did an amazing job weaving fact and fiction seamlessly. There are so many fascinating buildings out there, full of rich history. This particular building held many famous people as an artistic co-op and was even the site where John Lennon was shot. The author describes what went on behind the scenes during construction and how chaotic it was since there hadn’t been anything like this before. Sara and Bailey’s stories are just as intriguing, with Sara’s being a little more so. The narration bounces back and forth between the two as you slowly come to realize what their connection is. If you enjoy historical fiction, you should definitely add this book to your must-read list.