North Carolina's Cullen McNamara is off the World's Fair in Chicago of 1893 to show his latest invention not by his own choice but by the decision and money of his father to show it off in hope that it will take him away from the life of farming in which Cullen has suffered immensely from his allergies to cotton seed. After trying to sell his invention with no luck because he has to sell it in a noisy machinery hall, he decides to take lip-reading lessons from a young lady who works in a building at the fair teaching deaf children. Cullen has a fiancée back home but gradually feels an attractions for his teacher.I am a fan of historical romantic fiction; it is my favorite genre, so of course I enjoyed this book. The author does a respectable job in creating the story within an amazing and fascinating time period. I was intrigued and interested the whole time but it didn't have the "Wow factor" to me to give it more than 3 stars. An excellent read, with excellent characters, set in a specific place and time I had never contemplated or even imagined: the Chicago World's Fair. It was a celebration of innovation and invention, as exemplified by our hero Cullen's creation of an automatic fire-sprinkler system and our heroine Della's work as a lip-reading teacher for deaf children in a society that still locked up the handicapped in asylums.Both of them are likeable and goodhearted, and neither of them are stock romance characters, which is a definite plus. Still, I found myself drawn more to Cullen, as his plight was more desperate, with his family's fortunes and his own physical wellbeing dependent on his success at the fair. My main concern for Della was that she play her part in making Cullen's life happier and better overall.My only quibble was that I had to look in the Q&A section at the back of the book to discover that the author chose to write some of the dialogue directed at Cullen in a sort of shorthand, that it wasn't an attempt to present a regional accent or even a typographic or editing error. Finding that it was a representation of the way Cullen, with his hearing failing, heard some words was a relief. I wish the author had indicated this early in the novel somewhere, so that every encounter with it didn't yank me out of the story and make me question the author's intent.Overall, I recommend this book to lovers of historical romantic fiction.Note: I received a free copy of this book for review/judging purposes.
What do You think about It Happened At The Fair (2013)?
I liked this book. It kept me engaged and wanting to keep reading. Couldn't put it down.
—Jh44
Wonderful, clean romance full of great historical detail about the 1893 World's Fair.
—asha
this was a fun romance. lots of good info about worlds fair too
—venessa
Good historical novel set at the Chicago World's Fair.
—Kat
