"What we do behind closed doors reveals the naked truth of who we really are." 

Welcome to the White Room . . . The rules are simple: 
No real names. 
No commitment. 
Two hours. 

They’re put into place to protect us—exclusive clients lucky enough to afford the cost of playing. But everyone knows: some rules are made to be broken. 

When hearts and bodies collide, even the best intentions slip away . . . exposing the true reasons why we seek the room in the first place. 

Will the White Room set you free? Step inside and find yourself.

 

@DebbieReadsBook, @XpressoReads, #Adult, #Contemporary, #Romance, #Erotic, 5 out of 5 (exceptional)

A historical fiction and medical thriller that takes place in the early 1900's and deals with many difficult issues for women at this time.

Emeline Evans wants to do more with her life than be a housewife.  In college, she volunteered with the nursing group and decided she would like to continue in that field along with the other strong, independent women she met there.  Before she can ask her father for permission, he becomes ill and abruptly passes after a surgery.  The family becomes destitute with no one working for a living.  So, Emeline does the only thing she can think of to help her family's financial situation immediately- get married.  After a quick marriage to aspiring lawyer John Dorr, Emeline is moved to the small town of Labellum, Missouri into a strange house with even weirder furnishings.  Emeline feels that the house harbors all of her worst nightmares.  Now, stuck in an in-affectionate marriage, Emeline feels as if she is slowly being driven crazy in her own home and with nothing productive to do with herself.

This book touches upon many important topics for women in the 1900's and is done in a wonderful and believable way.  From Emeline's lack of options to further herself in life, to the belief that hysteria was the actual migrating of a women's uterus to her brain and the still present debate over abortion, author Stephanie Carroll outlines many struggles a women would have faced and how these issues could escalate very quickly.  I felt very attached to Emeline's story throughout; from her slip into insanity and digging herself out in the best way possible. I liked that the story was not only focused on Emeline's fall into hysteria and why no one would believe her, but Emeline's own determination to fight the battles raging in her head and in her house to come out on top.  I also appreciated the house, rooms and furnishings as characters themselves; the slow reveal of what Emeline is battling within her and the rooms is very interesting.  I wish Emeline and John Dorr's relationship was explored a little more in the end, I did feel that it wrapped up a little too quickly.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Come read a little teaser from the wonderful book, A White Room.

review to come

A White RoomStephanie CarrollA debut novel by Stephanie Carroll full of surprises. After the death of her father puts her family into poverty, Emma marries John Dorr. its the only thing she can do to help her mother and sisters. John moves them to Labellum, Missouri, where she knows no one and is not welcomed by the society women. Their gothic house has an unusual effect on Emma. She sees furniture moving and people and creatures staring at her from empty rooms. It is almost as if the house is alive. The house is down right creepy and Emeline needs to escape from it.I wasn't sure how I really felt about Emeline. Yes she was in a loveless marriage and struggles with many things. Was it admiration or pity that I was feeling for her? Stephanie made me think about how I really felt about abortion and assisted suicide. All in all, a good but difficult read about feminism and realistic historical fiction. Emeline sacrificed so much for her family and at times my heart broke for her and other times, I wanted to shake some sense into her.