About
The Hidden Side
a novel
Two women from different centuries become trapped in the depths of their secrets….
New York — 2016
Every day Natalie Abbott offers sage advice to hurting listeners on her popular radio program. But away from the comfort of the studio, she struggles to connect with her family; with an out-of-control daughter and an uncommunicative and isolated son, Natalie takes solace in the daily woes of others, turning a blind eye to the pressing issues mounting at her doorstep. Her carefully constructed world implodes when a member of the family commits an unspeakable act. Known as the woman with all the answers, for the first time Natalie questions her way forward.
New York — 1776
Mercy Howard watches in abject horror as the man she loves, her fiancé Nathan Hale, is arrested and hanged as a spy. When asked to join the revolutionary spy ring in Manhattan, Mercy sees an opportunity to avenge Nathan’s death. But keeping her true loyalties hidden grows increasingly challenging as the charming Major John Andre of the King’s Army becomes more to her than a target for intelligence.
Mercy’s journals offer comfort to Natalie from across the centuries as both women struggle with their own secrets and well-kept shame—and wonder how deep God’s mercy truly extends.
Endorsements
“Chiavaroli’s latest timeslip novel does not disappoint. Both storylines are fully developed with strong character development and they are seamlessly woven together. This is such an emotional tale, particularly the contemporary side, that it’s hard to put down the book without reading a few more chapters first. Relative topics are addressed in a sensitive, yet realistic way. The story unfolds via alternating POV’s (Natalie, Maelynn, and Mercy). It’s hard not to place yourself in the characters’ shoes and wonder what you would do in their situation. Yet through it all, the reader is able to see that God is still there in the midst of all the brokenness.”
—Romantic Times, Top Pick Review
“Filled with fascinating historical details, Chiavaroli’s second novel (after Freedom’s Ring) once again connects two women through an artifact in the past. This heartrending tale will engage aficionados of the American Revolution and historical fiction.”
—Library Journal
“The Hidden Side is a beautiful tale that captures the timeless struggles of the human heart. Exploring both contemporary and historical relationships, Chiavaroli has woven two worlds together seamlessly. With lyrical depth, she has delivered a story that is particularly relatable to parents who are struggling to guide teenagers through today’s tumultuous climate.”
— JULIE CANTRELL, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Perennials
“Heidi Chiavaroli has written another poignant novel that slips between a heart-wrenching present-day story and a tragic one set during the Revolutionary War. The Hidden Side explores the raw humanness of characters who are confronted with unimaginable sorrow and the secrets they keep to protect themselves and the people they love. Heidi does a remarkable job demonstrating how God’s love and mercy can break through the darkest shame while honoring the immense pain experienced by hurting victims. I couldn’t put this book down!”
— MELANIE DOBSON, award-winning author of Catching the Wind, Chateau of Secrets and Shadows of Ladenbrooke Manor
“Heidi Chiavaroli deftly weaves present and past together in The Hidden Side, giving greater significance to her story’s events than if they stood alone. Her engaging, honest tale unflinchingly faces grief and tragedy, finding redemption even in the darkest moments. Chiavaroli isn’t afraid of hard questions; her writing encourages readers to work out those questions for themselves.”
— CHRISTA PARRISH, Christy award-winning author
“Heart wrenching and real. Heidi Chiavaroli’s The Hidden Side draws two equally compelling timelines in one novel, their stories connected by conflicts and emotions steeped in our worst modern-day nightmare and our history’s painful birth. I could not stop reading this book—cannot stop thinking about the characters and the conflicts they faced. A novel not to be missed.”
— CATHY GOHLKE, Christy award-winning author of Until We Find Home and Secrets She Kept
“Natalie Abbott’s friend whispered in her ear, “You are a broken mess. Your family is a broken mess. But your God is not.” Have you ever felt like a broken mess? Or discovered yourself leading a double life, hiding behind masks and secrets—even for a good reason? Welcome to our complicated culture, so hauntingly portrayed by novelist Heidi Chiavaroli in The Hidden Side. When the Abbott family experience a living nightmare, they discover uncanny parallels found in the journals of patriot Mercy Howard, active in our nation’s liberation back in the 1780’s. This is the second Chiavaroli time-slip novel that I absolutely loved. Somehow the weaving of 18th century patriot spies and 21st century teen struggles works together to portray a story that is authentic to reality, yet hints at eventual redemption beyond shattering circumstances. A story reinforcing that while people have always struggled to find courage to make hard choices for those they love, God’s presence and mercy is always available. A much-needed commodity, no matter what the year. Pick up this book, you will not put it down until the final poignant (and true) poem…
— LUCINDA SECREST MCDOWELL, author of Ordinary Graces
Contact
Let’s Connect
I love hearing from my readers!