Book Review - The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

My Review

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau is a Gothic novel told in three timelines.  In present day, Cleo Clemmons agrees to do a big job for cash payment because she is on the run.  She goes to Castle Moreau, an American castle in Wisconsin, to help a celebrity's grandmother declutter the items she has hoarded for many years. In 1870 Daisy Francois goes to work at Castle Moreau, but becomes concerned about all the rumors of women disappearing from the castle.  There are also flashbacks to 1801 when a young girl is living a rather frightening life at the castle, haunted by a woman with a crooked hand.

I wanted to read this novel because I love the Gothic tradition of novels like Jane Eyre and Rebecca.  I enjoy historical fiction and don't encounter a lot of new Gothic historical novels, so I was curious!

The author, Jaime Jo Wright, did a wonderful job with the atmospheric setting and mystery elements of this novel.  This evocative description is a good example of the storytelling in this book:

"The castle cast its hypnotic pull over any passerby who happened along to find it, tucked deep in the woods in a place where no one would build a castle, let alone live in one. It served no purpose there. No strategy of war, no boast of wealth, no respite for a tired soul. Instead, it simply existed. Tugging. Coercing. Entrapping. Its two turrets mimicked bookends, and if removed, one would fear the entire castle would collapse like a row of standing volumes. Windows covered the façade above a stone archway, which drew her eyes to the heavy wooden door with its iron hinges, the bushes along the foundation, and the stone steps leading to the mouth of the edifice. Beyond it was a small orchard of apple trees, their tiny pink blossoms serving as a delicate backdrop for the magnificent property" (eBook location 38).

I found the present day storyline of Cleo, with the added mystery of why she was on the run, the most compelling in the book.  She is cautious to make connections, but surprisingly finds herself drawn to Deacon, the grandson of the older woman she is helping.  Deacon was one of my favorite characters in the novel.  

The story takes several twists and turns, and I enjoyed the meandering road to the answer to the mystery of Castle Moreau.  I recommend this unique and intriguing novel for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone who enjoys Gothic fiction.

Book Synopsis

A haunting legend. An ominous curse. A search for a secret buried deep within the castle walls.  

In 1870, orphaned Daisy François takes a position as housemaid at a Wisconsin castle to escape the horrors of her past life. There she finds a reclusive and eccentric Gothic authoress who hides tales more harrowing than the ones in her novels. As women disappear from the area and the eerie circumstances seem to parallel a local legend, Daisy is thrust into a web that could ultimately steal her sanity, if not her life.

In the present day, Cleo Clemmons is hired by the grandson of an American aristocratic family to help his grandmother face her hoarding in the dilapidated Castle Moreau. But when Cleo uncovers more than just the woman's stash of collectibles, a century-old mystery and the dust of the old castle's curse threaten to rise again . . . this time to leave no one alive to tell the sordid tale.

Award-winning author Jaime Jo Wright seamlessly weaves a dual-time tale of two women who must do all they can to seek the light amid the darkness shrouding Castle Moreau.

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Author Bio

Jaime Jo Wright is the author of eight novels, including Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also the Publishers Weekly and ECPA bestselling author of two novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her cat named Foo; her husband, Cap'n Hook; and their two mini-adults, Peter Pan and CoCo.

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Book Review - To Win Her Hand by Jen Geigle Johnson

My Review

To Win Her Heart is the first book in the new series A Gentleman's Match. It is a historical novel set in Regency period England, about a matchmaker - Lord Featherstone - who falls in love with another matchmaker - Lady Loveluck. They both feel they need to make a wealthy match, but will they find a way to be together?

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction and especially enjoy the Regency period.

This book was a pure delight!  It is a fast paced, light historical romance with charming and witty repartee.  I really liked both Lord Featherstone and Lady Loveluck. Seeing them work as matchmakers was fascinating and then seeing them navigate their own romantic life was even more interesting!

There was a wonderful long sequence when Lord Featherstone was coaching a male client and Lady Loveluck was talking to a female client. Their advice was often at odds: 

"Lord Featherstone looked into Mr. Hartsworth’s spyglass. 'Vulnerable. But you must never lose control.' 

Lady Loveluck toyed with a feather behind Miss Anna’s head. 'We must get him to lose control. He has to want your heart more than his own breath.'" (eBook location 169)

The secondary characters (their clients and friends) were also interesting.  I especially liked the long section of the book set at a house party in the country.  So much was going on at once at that party!  All along I was pulling for our leads to find a way to get together.

I already look forward to reading the upcoming books in this series (I am wondering if they might center around Lord Featherstone's brothers?).  I enthusiastically recommend To Win Her Hand for fans of historical romance, and especially for anyone who likes a clever, well written Regency story.

Book Synopsis

An expert at winning a woman's hand. A woman who cannot be won.

Lord Featherstone has the world on his shoulders. Or at least his world. With two brothers and a failing estate he must make funds somehow. But what happens when he falls for a woman? Will his tactics work when the situation is so close and personal?

Everyone thinks Lady Loveluck is a wealthy widow. What they don't know is that she is on the brink of hiring herself out as a Governess in order to pay for her next meal. The only thing keeping her from employment is a growing reputation as a matchmaker. As long as she never falls for another man, as long as she doesn't allow herself to be fooled into marrying, she will be just fine.

But she never counted on being caught up in the beguiling tactics of London's renowned and not so secret matchmaker for men.  

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Author Bio
Jen Geigle Johnson is an award-winning author, including the GOLD in Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards and LDSPMA Praiseworthy's top award for Romance, Jen has more stories circulating in her brain than can possibly be told. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. History is her main jam. Her literary heroes include the greats: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. But she has modern sensibilities as well.  

Six children and an inspiring husband keep her going and make certain she doesn't stay glued to a keyboard or lost in obscure fascinating details of old castles.  

Now, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.

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Book Review - All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes

My Review

In 1907 Daniel Goodman is living in an abandoned rail car in California, trying to save his mother's home, when he has an opportunity to travel to Venice to translate a mysterious book. This novel, told in dual storylines, flashes back to the story of Sebastien Trovato in 1807 Venice.

I wanted to read this novel because the storyline involving a rare book and Italy in two time periods was appealing.  I also love historical fiction.

This is a beautiful novel with the quality of a fairy tale. The author has a real gift with descriptions that set the scene, like this description of Daniel's makeshift neighborhood:

When the city began to switch from railcars to cable cars, it became a graveyard of railcars too. It seemed fitting that I take up residence in this land of the obsolete. Not to mention, the rent was low— or free, rather. As good as a palace, and I wasn’t the only one to think so. Others had moved in too. An odd grid of makeshift streets formed; paint and curtains went up as windows glowed, vanquishing the air of abandonment. “The Sunset,” they started to call the neighborhood, and even in that there was truth. For we, the ragtag band of outcasts that had landed here, were gripping the tailcoats of fast-fleeing life" (eBook position 187).

This is an intricate, complex story, dense with characters and settings - not a fast read but a richly rewarding one. Daniel was an especially sympathetic character as he worked so hard to overcome his past.

I recommend All the Lost Places for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in Venice.

Book Synopsis

When all of Venice is unmasked, one man’s identity remains a mystery . . .

1807
When a baby is discovered floating in a basket along the quiet canals of Venice, a guild of artisans takes him in and raises him as a son, skilled in each of their trades. Although the boy, Sebastien Trovato, has wrestled with questions of his origins, it isn’t until a woman washes ashore on his lagoon island that answers begin to emerge. In hunting down his story, Sebastien must make a choice that could alter not just his own future, but also that of the beloved floating city.

1904
Daniel Goodman is given a fresh start in life as the century turns. Hoping to redeem a past laden with regrets, he is sent on an assignment from California to Venice to procure and translate a rare book. There, he discovers a city of colliding hope and decay, much like his own life, and a mystery wrapped in the pages of that filigree-covered volume. With the help of Vittoria, a bookshop keeper, Daniel finds himself in a web of shadows, secrets, and discoveries carefully kept within the stones and canals of the ancient city . . . and in the mystery of the man whose story the book does not finish: Sebastien Trovato.

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Author Bio

Amanda Dykes’s debut novel, Whose Waves These Are, is the winner of the prestigious 2020 Christy Award Book of the Year, a Booklist 2019 Top Ten Romance debut, and the winner of an INSPY Award. She’s also the author of Yours Is the Night and Set the Stars Alight, a 2021 Christy Award finalist.

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Book Review - The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen

My Review

The Sisters of Sea View is the story of four sisters.  In 1819, the sisters find themselves in difficult financial straits after their father unexpectedly passed away. They settle with their mother, who also has weakened health, in their seaside residence and start to take in boarders.  Their lives are changed in the process.  There is Sarah, who organizes everything, and who is drawn to a handsome widower who is a single father. Emily is the creative sister.  Viola has a scar that makes her self conscious but finds some new perspective as she takes on a job reading to a wounded veteran.  And the youngest, Georgiana, is always looking for fun and an adventure.

I wanted to read this novel because the storyline sounded unique and appealing.  I had not read Julie Klassen before, although I love historical fiction and had heard very good things about her books.

This was a delightful read!  At first it seemed like the Sea View guest house would be a refuge for older invalids.  When it turned out to be a place that people of all ages (including handsome male guests!) visited, it became more interesting.

The story is beautifully told.  I love the way the author paints pictures with her words.  The descriptions are so vivid that I could visualize Sea View, the sisters, and their guests as I read.

The dialogue is charming and natural and has a Jane Austen quality.  (Huge compliment!)

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sisters of Sea View and recommend it highly to other fans of historical fiction. This is the first book in a series, and I will be looking forward to future reads On Devonshire Shores.

Book Synopsis

Some guests have come for a holiday, others for hidden reasons of their own . . .

When their father’s death leaves them impoverished, Sarah Summers and her genteel sisters fear they will be forced to sell the house and separate to earn livelihoods as governesses or companions. Determined to stay together, Sarah convinces them to open their seaside home to guests to make ends meet and provide for their ailing mother. Instead of the elderly invalids they expect to receive, however, they find themselves hosting eligible gentlemen. Sarah is soon torn between a growing attraction to a mysterious Scottish widower and duty to her family.

Viola Summers wears a veil to cover her scar. When forced to choose between helping in her family’s new guest house and earning money to hire a maid to do her share, she chooses the latter. She reluctantly agrees to read to some of Sidmouth’s many invalids, preferring the company of a few elders with failing eyesight to the fashionable guests staying in their home. But when her first client turns out to be a wounded officer in his thirties, Viola soon wishes she had chosen differently. Her new situation exposes her scars–both visible and those hidden deep within–and her cloistered heart will never be the same.

Join the Summers sisters on the Devonshire coast, where they discover the power of friendship, loyalty, love, and new beginnings.

Author Bio

Julie Klassen loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. Her books have sold over a million copies, and she is a three-time recipient of the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Secret of Pembrooke Park was honored with the Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie has also won the Midwest Book Award and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award and has been a finalist in the RITA and Carol Awards. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

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Book Review - Beneath His Silence by Hannah Linder

My Review

Ella Pemberton travels to Wyckhorn Manor and presents herself as a governess so she can be part of the household and find out what happened to her beloved sister, who was married to Henry, Lord Sedgewick before she died mysteriously.

I wanted to read this novel because the setting and gothic overtones intrigued me.  This was a wonderfully gothic book with a manor that becomes almost a character in the story:

"Ella tugged the ribbons loose until the bonnet shifted to her back. She wasn’t certain what she had hoped to find, or what measure of comfort she might have gained from the mere sight of Wyckhorn Manor. But whatever she had longed for, she was rewarded with nothing. The sight only emptied her. Far in the distance , high upon the cliffside, the manor faced the open sea. It was tall and lofty, a likeness of Lord Sedgewick himself. A strange and rugged beauty, a pinnacle of power— yet dark and forlorn, as if death had made a home in both the house and the man"  (eBook location 325)

Ella becomes attached immediately to Peter, Lord Sedgewick's young son.  She finds herself suspicious of Henry (Lord Sedgewick) but also drawn to him. 

The mysteries of the house make her curious to learn more: a painting of a woman with a cold and distant expression, a bedroom with a presence that seems to move over the bedclothes as she watches.

Beneath His Silence is so well written, rich with period detail and layered characterizations.  It is surprising to me that this is a debut novel!  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to other fans of historical fiction, especially for anyone who enjoys a gothic setting with some suspense.  I look forward to future novels by Hannah Linder.

Book Synopsis

Will Seeking Justice Lead to Her Own Demise?
 
A Gothic-Style Regency Romance from a Promising Young Author
 
Second daughter of a baron—and a little on the mischievous side—Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretense is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wyckhorn Manor and attain the truth. Exposing the man who killed her sister is all that matters.
 
Lord Sedgewick knows there’s blood on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies, but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son—and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.
 
Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him—just as her dead sister?

Author Bio

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels. She is a double 2021 Selah Award winner, a 2022 Selah Award finalist, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Hannah is a Graphic Design Associates Degree graduate who specializes in professional book cover design. She designs for both traditional publishing houses and individual authors, including New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers. She is also a local photographer and a self-portrait photographer. When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, and ukulele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse.

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Book Review - Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby

My Review

Godmersham Park is a historical novel set in the early 1800's. It tells the story of Anne Sharp, a governess who went to work for the Austen family (Jane Austen's nieces and nephews) and became close to Jane Austen.

I wanted to read this novel because I love Jane Austen's books.  I had not heard of Anne Sharp before, and was fascinated to learn that she was a real person and this book is inspired by fact.

Anne Sharp is introduced as a woman who is suddenly in reduced financial circumstances and found herself seeking governess work.  She traveled from London to the countryside, to Godmersham Park, a beautiful estate. The estate is owned by Edward Austen (brother of Jane Austen) and his wife Elizabeth. They have a large family, and Anne is put in charge of the education of their eldest daughter, Fanny.

Anne struggles with her place in this new life - not part of the family or society, but also not a servant.  She is somewhere between, and that is an uncomfortable place. She has a bright, lively mind and loves to read and write (plays).  She also has frail health, with frequent, debilitating headaches.

As Anne settles in, growing attached to her young charge Fanny, her life changes when she meets two more Austens.  Henry is the charming young brother of the family. He has an immediate spark with Anne, but his attentions are unwanted because she feels they will damage her position with the family.  She eventually (later in the book) meets Jane Austen, and they become immediate friends.  Her attachment to both Henry and Jane effect her life - and her position as governess.

The story started a bit slowly for me but as Anne settled in at Godmersham Park, I found myself reading more quickly because I was eager to see what would happen next.  It became even more interesting as Henry, and especially as Jane, were introduced. 

I loved the depiction of Jane Austen in this book - bright and sensitive, but also lively and full of good humor. The scenes between Jane and Anne were the highlight of the novel for me.

Godmersham Park was a fascinating read, and I recommend it highly for fans of historical fiction -- and especially for anyone interested in the life of Jane Austen.

Book Synopsis

A richly imagined novel inspired by the true story of Anne Sharp, a governess who became very close with Jane Austen and her family by the #1 International bestselling-author of Miss Austen.

On January 21, 1804, Anne Sharpe arrives at Godmersham Park in Kent to take up the position of governess. At thirty-one years old, she has no previous experience of either teaching or fine country houses. Her mother has died, and she has nowhere else to go. Anne is left with no choice. For her new charge—twelve-year-old Fanny Austen—Anne's arrival is all novelty and excitement.

The governess role is a uniquely awkward one. Anne is neither one of the servants, nor one of the family, and to balance a position between the "upstairs" and "downstairs" members of the household is a diplomatic chess game. One wrong move may result in instant dismissal. Anne knows that she must never let down her guard.

When Mr. Edward Austen's family comes to stay, Anne forms an immediate attachment to Jane. They write plays together and enjoy long discussions. However, in the process, Anne reveals herself as not merely pretty, charming, and competent; she is clever too. Even her sleepy, complacent, mistress can hardly fail to notice.

Meanwhile Jane's brother, Henry, begins to take an unusually strong interest in the lovely young governess. And from now on, Anne's days at Godmersham Park are numbered.

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Author Bio 

Gill Hornby is the author of the novels Miss Austen, The Hive, and All Together Now, as well as The Story of Jane Austen, a biography of Austen for young readers. She lives in Kintbury, England, with her husband and their four children. 

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Book Review and Giveaway - The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

My Review

The Belle of Belgrave Square is set in 1862 England. Julia Wychwood is considered to be nearing spinsterhood at 23 and unmarried.  Captain Jasper Blunt is seeking a wife with a fortune to help restore his ramshackle estate and take care of his three children.  He is magnetic but brooding, with a dangerous reputation. Julia and Jasper meet and sparks fly. Her father, a controlling invalid, intervenes. Julia decides to take matters into her own hands and make her own decisions.  Then the adventure truly begins, with a mysterious estate, a locked room in a tower, and mysteries and secrets abounding!

I wanted to read this novel because I have loved all the Mimi Matthews books I've read. I love her amazing attention to period detail, down to the language of the storytelling. (It often requires looking up some arcane older words - but I love that!)

I am glad that I finished this novel today -- because it was taking up all my waking hours! I could not put it down. I stayed up late reading, I read every time I had a break in the day ... it is such a wonderfully engrossing story.

There is a lot of Beauty and the Beast in this novel. Julia is a renowed beauty and Jasper is brooding, with a scar across his mouth from a battle in the Crimean War. Their relationship is initially a marriage of convenience, but their love story unfolds slowly after that, as Jasper courts Julia and secrets are revealed in surprising ways.  In the Author's Notes, Mimi Matthews also references inspiration from The Law and the Lady (Wilkie Collins) and The Blue Castle (Lucy Maud Montgomery, so I now want to read those novels too.

I loved the mysterious setting of this novel;  Goldfinch Hall is almost another character in the book. I also loved the mystery storyline that is intertwined with the romance.

And the romance! Jasper is the most swoonworthy romantic lead I've enountered in ages. I absolutely loved the love story in this book.

This is a novel for true book lovers -- there is so much about a love of reading (considered dangerous for young ladies in this time period), the writing process, and a fabulous old library.

I have already started recommending The Belle of Belgrave Square to my friends. It's sure to be high on my top 10 list this year, and it is a must read for fans of historical fiction -- especially for anyone who loves Victorian settings.  Five stars - highest rating from me.

Book Synopsis

A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.

For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.

In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes… 

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Author Bio

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

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