The Girls of Hillcrest Farm; Or, The Secret of the Rocks

"The Girls of Hillcrest Farm; Or, The Secret of the Rocks" by Amy Bell Marlowe is a tale of resilience and new beginnings, set in the early 1900s, wherein sisters Lyddy and 'Phemie Bray confront a series of hardships after losing their home in a fire. The story begins with Lyddy burdened by worries about her father's health and the struggles of urban tenement life following their mother's death. When a fire forces them out, they decide to relocate to their aunt's old farm, Hillcrest, hoping for a fresh start; with this decision, the stage is set for a journey of emotional and physical transformation, as the sisters prepare to leave the familiar city for rural life, where they encounter new acquaintances such as young Lucas Pritchett, whose family has deep ties to Hillcrest Farm.