TBR Challenge: Julie Klassen - The Secret of Pembrooke Park

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister.
When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .
The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled
with treasure.
Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

Comment: August is here and I, for one, can't wait for it to end. I'm not a fan of hot weather ( I was born in the wrong country for certain) and at work, this is the busy season, so.... anyway, the theme for this hot month at the TBR Challenge is "backlist banger" and I've picked an author whose work I have enjoyed and of whom I still have several books in the pile to read.

Abigail Foster and her family have had a terrible blow because some of her father's investments have proven to be disastrous and now they need to downsize and Abigail is in charge of dealing with the finances. They find a promising house away from London due to a specific connection but it seems the house and the family members who were there before hid some secrets in the propriety. However, Abigail enjoys this new challenge and even makes friendships with their neighbors, namely the young parson, and things seem to go well, until a new person shows up claiming to be a direct descendant from the house's owners. As things muddle up, Abigail's mother and more attractive younger sister arrive too, and Abigail sees herself in a confusing situation...

I have read several books by this author by now and I have liked many of them while others weren't as great for me, in the sense of comparing them all. The author writes Christian fiction but this isn't the element that makes me like a book less, although it did affect some reader's opinions. To me, the biggest flaw has been the focus on negative/sad aspects, probably to highlight the Christian content. Sometimes this doesn't bother me because the narrative is incredibly captivating. Other times, it only makes the story feel a little boring.

I think this book falls into that slot, as opposed to the ones I gave higher marks to, because it just drags. At some point the central plot point, related to the family who used to live at Pembrooke Park, simply drags and drags and I started thinking to myself "when will this be solved" which is not a good indication, because the same story could have had less 60 or 70 pages and we would loose nothing about it. Some more editing would have helped, I think.

The whole thing is related to a supposed treasure the previous owner hid or wanted to keep protected. Things get to a point I could see right away what treasure it was, but by then all the moves had been in play and the characters kept doing things that instead of looking consistent to what would be an obvious step, just delayed concluding something. I wanted to yell at them to hurry up, because I wanted to finish the book and start my next one.

Some situations related to the mystery of the treasure and to what happened to the previous owners seemed to become more confusing as things went along. At some point I confess I no longer cared for this, because I knew it would be easily solved, and the explanations in the end proved me right. I suppose that for books that mix different genres, some elements always seem to be presented better than others.

I liked the heroine and her sense of self, her awareness of why certain things didn't happen easily for her. I thought the obvious contrast to her more flirtatious sister would be used later on in a more effective manner, but nothing happened in the way I imagined. Still, I liked her for being quiet, considerate, thoughtful and for understanding her surroundings. I also liked the romance and the person she ends up with. The romance is certainly on the sweet and demure side but I think the author manage to portray their compatibility well.

The end of the story is not very surprising but I liked how some loose threads were put together and I liked knowing that the characters I wanted to find their happy end, did so. I place this book in the middle of the pack, in my personal list of what I've read by the author until now. I do appreciate the consistency and the ideas but sometimes I also wish the author would be more daring in what should happen, plot wise, and less keen on dragging gloomy stuff.

Grade: 6/10

Mini - Comments

My online life has been very limited lately but I hope the rest of the month might go more smoothly...

In January I'll likely be absent again if my work situation doesn't have a quick resolution, but so far there isn't much I can't "control" about it. I do feel the anxiety, without a doubt!

Anyway, here are two of the books I've read in the past weeks, which I haven't been able to properly post, as I devised for my "diary blog".

When Myriam, a French-Moroccan lawyer, decides to return to work after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect caretaker for their two young children. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite and devoted woman who sings to their children, cleans the family's chic apartment in Paris's upscale tenth arrondissement, stays late without complaint and is able to host enviable birthday parties.
The couple and nanny become more dependent on each other. But as jealousy, resentment and suspicions increase, Myriam and Paul's idyllic tableau is shattered...

Comment: This is a psychological novel about what it means to feel so isolated, alone and dismissed that one's mind my snap. Louise seems to be the perfect nanny but as we turn the pages, we discover that she, as probably everyone else, hides secret thoughts and pain no one understands or wants to. I can see why this book was considered for several prizes and why the critics liked its tone and content but in terms of reading experience, I've felt it was a bit vague. I use this word in the sense that there doesn't seem to exist any real goal here, except exposing the idea and the possible consequences of not helping people to have better social networks and support. Since it was my first book by the author, I'll try to check the library again, where I got this one, to see if others are available. The writing itself was engaging, I liked some choices the author did, but I also think the characters didn't have to feel as impersonal as I suppose the author intended for the book's full impact.

Grade: 6/10

-//-

Much has happened in idyllic Ivy Hill in recent months, and while several villagers have found new love and purpose, questions remain--and a few dearly held dreams have yet to be fulfilled.
Jane Bell is torn. Gabriel Locke is back and has made his intentions clear. But Jane is reluctant to give up her inn and destine another man to a childless marriage. Then someone she never expected to see again returns to Ivy Hill. . . .
Mercy Grove has lost her school and is resigned to life as a spinster, especially as the man she admires seems out of reach. Should she uproot herself from Ivy Cottage to become a governess for a former pupil? Her decision will change more lives than her own.
A secretive new dressmaker arrives in the village, but the ladies soon suspect she isn't who she claims to be. Will they oust the imposter, or help rescue her from a dangerous predicament?
In the meantime, everyone expects Miss Brockwell to marry a titled gentleman, even though her heart is drawn to another. While the people of Ivy Hill anticipate one wedding, an unexpected bride may surprise them all.

Comment: This is the third story in the Ivy Hill series (there is a fourth novella installment), and we keep on following the lives of several characters, right after the events of the previous story. Here, Mercy is now a governess to little Alice and her life has now more novelties than what she would expect, but she is still thinking about mr Kingston. Jane and Gabriel also seem to want to take the next step, but Jane is still worried... this might feel as if the book is too boring or slow since things take time to be presented and developed, but I did like the feeling of cozy village the covers seem to indicate. I've liked the characters and the situations for the most part and I still had a great time reading, but I will say this didn't grab me as strongly as the second story did. Probably because certain things have been in the works for a while now and it seemed as if there was still too much reluctance from some characters to act, to speak...understandable but a little frustrating. I will read the final novella some day...

Grade: 8/10

Julie Klassen - The Ladies of Ivy Cottage

Return to Ivy Hill in The Ladies of Ivy Cottage as friendships deepen, romances blossom, and mysteries unfold.
Living with the two Miss Groves in Ivy Cottage, impoverished gentlewoman Rachel Ashford is determined to earn her own livelihood . . . somehow. When the village women encourage her to open a subscription library with the many books she has inherited or acquired through donations, Rachel discovers two mysteries hidden among them. A man who once broke her heart helps her search for clues, but will both find more than they bargained for?
Rachel's friend and hostess, Mercy Grove, has given up thoughts of suitors and fills her days managing her girls' school. So when several men take an interest in Ivy Cottage, she assumes pretty Miss Ashford is the cause. Exactly what--or who--has captured each man's attention? The truth may surprise them all.
Meanwhile, life has improved at the coaching inn and Jane Bell is ready to put grief behind her. Now if only the man she misses would return--but where is he?
As the women of Ivy Hill search for answers about the past and hope for the future, might they find love along the way?

Comment: Last month I've read and was not amazed by the first book in the Tales from Ivy Hill trilogy (plus a novella), set in a quaint and charming fictional village. The story was very much the author's usual style but I felt it didn't met my expectations. I was less eager to start this second one but since I was determined to read the three books anyway...

In this second installment, life goes on for the inhabitants of Ivy Hill and new challenges and worries make the daily routines of everyone. Rachel Ashford, whose father's scandal brought her down in certain cicles, is now helping at her friend Mercy's school but she still feels adrift in her new circumstances. She knows a proposal might come her way and she isn't certain if she should accept but in the meantime the suggestion of a library helps filling up her days. Mercy, on the other hand, is used to her days and the girls at her school but her parents decide enough is enough and Mercy must make decisions about her future. At the inn, Jane is now more confident about her work and role but while she is also happy for the new marriage of her mother-in-law, she can't help thinking what if in regards to a certain someone... 

As the days go by and many new things happen, with people coming and going, will these friends be able to grasp their happy endings?

Thankfully, I preserved in wanting to keep up with this trilogy because I'm happy to say that, for me, this second installment was everything I wanted from the beginning and now I feel even more the difference, and the pity, that the first book was not as compelling as this one turned out to be.

In this second book, the story starts pretty much right after the events of the first, but this time the focus is more obviously divided between the three friends, more so on Mercy and Rachel, although we do have other POVs here and there. I can imagine how the pace might be too slow for some readers but I think things worked very well for the type of story the author planned, an that this time seemed to be so much better. I was really glad to keep turning the pages and knowing more about what was happening to the ladies and what they had to deal with.

Since the pace is slow and the situations the characters are facing require very repetitive actions, I can see how this might feel like not having a plot. But somehow, I was captivated by the charm of the village, by the small but important steps required to accomplish something and how even the apparently simplest things could be more meaningful than what one would think. These things seemed to enrich the story line because the characters were likable and this time around, the overall vibe I got was not one of bleakness, even when something less good was happening.

This time, the three main ladies - Jane, Rachel and Mercy - were all doing worthy actions, things that helped themselves having peace of mind, but also things which helped others and even when something wasn't immediately fixed, they seemed to have a good support system in one another and in close friends. I felt this made the whole difference, because what seemed to be too sad and too dramatic in the first book suddenly made more sense and gave me a different side of their personalities, making me like them more. I can't explain properly without spoiler examples, but I think the ladies' actions made them more assertive and, as a consequence, more likable without losing the notion this is the 19th century, with all the expected social and financial limitations.

I think there are plenty specific scenes with each lady and their closer circle of friends, and then with them interacting, to convince me of the charm and the friendship I wanted to have in the first book too, if this is meant to be a trilogy about a vast cast of characters living in a practically idyllic village. Things aren't that simple though, and each lady has a personal road to travel. Rachel has her fate solved but the other two ladies, despite some obvious clues in regards to what might come for them, still have decisions to make, which certainly will happen in the last book.

This book surprised me very positively, I had a great time with these characters and their struggles, and watching some of their conquests. I hope the next book is as fascinating to me as this one and that the trilogy can have a good ending.

Grade: 9/10

Julie Klassen - The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill

The lifeblood of the Wiltshire village of Ivy Hill is its coaching inn, The Bell. But when the innkeeper dies suddenly, his genteel wife, Jane Bell, becomes the reluctant owner. Jane has no notion of how to run a business. However, with the town's livelihood at stake and a large loan due, she must find a way to bring new life to the inn.
Despite their strained relationship, Jane turns to her resentful mother-in-law, Thora, for help. Formerly mistress of The Bell, Thora is struggling to find her place in the world. As she and Jane work together, they form a measure of trust, and Thora's wounded heart begins to heal. When she encounters two men from her past, she sees them--and her future--in a different light.
With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane employs innovative methods to turn the inn around, and puzzles over the intentions of several men who seem to have a vested interest in the place. Will her efforts be enough to save The Bell? And will Thora embrace the possibility of a second chance at love?

Comment: I've read enough books by this author to already have an idea about her style and tone but I still wish for a surprise, in the sense a story by her will have all the elements I want to see in an historical story with romance. Besides, the cover of this one is just gorgeous and immediately puts me in the mood for a cozy, charming story... even though the actual tone wasn't that sweet.

In this novel we meet several characters, they live in the village of Ivy Hill, and we will follow the lives of some them, namely Jane Bell, the current owner of the inn and Thora Bell, her mother in law, who went to live with her sister but decided to come back. These two are very different in background and personality but they will need to unite efforts to make the inn successful again, especially because someone wants to open a hotel in the village, betting on the royal mail travelers. At the same time the women think about what is to be done, we also follow some of their friends and how, after all, everyone's lives are closely connected in small villages...

I'd say this book is a bit out of the norm for the author because it is clearly the first of a series (which she had not done before) and the narrative does stretch to encompass the plot points of future installments. This means that, in my opinion, there is a lot of things which didn't have to be that important nor would they require such a long book to happen if the goal was to have this as a stand alone. Since the goal is to have a series, many things just get described for too long or in a way which I didn't always find very indispensable.

I can imagine the idea was to not only make the reader more invested in the characters but feel part of the coziness of the village. There was even a map of it in the edition I've read to help readers think about the characters' movements but all this was a bit lost on me for one simple reason: sadly, to me, this village was not the charming location the map and the cover suggested, and people were not really portrayed as living in a cozy atmosphere I like reading about in these small town/villages settings. The cover reminds me of those novels by Mary Balogh, which always induce in me some coziness emotion, but the content was more dire, heavier, sadder and with too many problems (whether they are overcome or not).

This author certainly doesn't hide from the more difficult side of things and puts her characters through challenges in life which, while realistic, aren't always nice to read about and I wish she would focus more on positive things. Besides, in general, the characters - mainly the protagonists - are portrayed as being good people and doing good deeds or with good intentions and then to add problems they can't solve right away or without some compromise makes me feel annoyed on their behalf and I would prefer to focus on their feelings and emotions instead of the external conflicts/issues.

Jane and Thora and other ladies whose POV we follow - I assume they will also have key roles in the next installments - are all good and proper, as one would expect, but except for Thora, who is an older character and with different experiences, I've felt the others to be a little too bland and under developed. Again, I assume this is so because we will have more on them in the next books and, as a matter of fact, Thora is the only one whose arc has a resolution, we get to see her path in life having a definite way to go, and she does get happiness at the end of the book.

Still, Jane is kind of portrayed as being the main character and I have to be honest and say she was not someone I liked much most of the time. I think this is intentional, so that we can follow her path to happiness and self confidence and all those traits we want in heroines, but mixed up with the complicated things around her, I just felt annoyed at reading some things from her POV.

The plot revolves around the need to save the inn from ruin. This was done in what I'd describe as being realistic and detailed manner, and the solution wasn't obvious not easy nor quick and, in fact, is still not set in stone and I believe more issues will arise in the next book. I understand this is meant to lead the overall story on, but the tone is often gloomy and it seems as something bad could happen at any moment and it feels over the top melodrama. Let me say it this way, I don't think I'd want to live in that village, not much about how this setting is described makes me think good vibes.

Nevertheless, the author has used enough little hooks to make me interested in knowing how the other characters (Jane and her friends) will do and how their lives will be. Since this is labeled as inspirational or Christian, there is also some religious references and tone, so nothing out of the ordinary happens, but yes, the romances could be.. well, more obviously romantic even if no intimacy is portrayed.

I hope the next one will end up being more appealing to me.

Grade: 6/10

Julie Klassen - The Bridge to Belle Island

After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn't satisfied with Bow Street's efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect--a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her?
On Belle Island, Isabelle feels safe and leads a productive life, but fear keeps her trapped there. When Mr. Booker arrives with news of her trustee's murder in London, Isabelle is stunned. She has not left the island, yet she has a recurring dream about the man's death. Or is it a memory? She had been furious with him, but she never intended . . . this.
When a second person dies and evidence shockingly points to her, Isabelle doesn't know who to trust: the attractive lawyer or the admirer and friends who assemble on the island, each with grudges against the victim. Can she even trust her own mind? While they search for the truth, secrets come to light and danger comes calling.

Comment: I was interested in this book, not only because I've had read several books by the author, which I have liked as whole, even when certain things make me downgrade my rating a little, but also because it offered a premise with a slight mystery and I was quite eager to see how the author would include this element in one of her novels.

Lawyer Benjamin Booker travels to Belle Island, as part of an investigation into the affairs of Isabelle Wilder, niece of a recently deceased man, who had the trust of the island, but whose relationship with his family wasn't as polite as it should have been. Some might see Isabelle as a potential culprit but the longer time Ben spends in the island, the more he is captivated by her simplicity and character. However, he has been deceived before and this is certainty affecting his opinion... when strange things start happening on the island and Ben's boss arrives to help, will there be any explanation for the crime and what is happening now or is Isabelle as guilty as someone seems to want her to be despite the fact she has not left the island for ten years? What about the others who has reason to kill the trustee?

I liked this novel, as I tend to when it comes to this author's work, when I think about it as a whole. I feel the author's writing is superb and with a lot of eye for detail (the author does travel a lot for research and inspiration) but I feel that by being placed in the so called "christian fiction" label, limits her options a little. I don't mean to say the romance, for instance, should be explicit, no. It's not really necessary for the story, but sometimes certain emotions and situations could be taken a step further and I think the author does not go there because of what is expected of her work... oh well.

Anyway, I was positively surprised here because this was the first story by mrs Klassen I've read which includes a distinct mystery to be investigated, whereas in other books the drama elements were more character related. This isn't meant to be a true crime story so no complex theories or anything like that but I think the final resolution was done well enough because I was not expecting the author of the crime to be who we discover to be.

The protagonist's relationship is very underrated as one would think since this is "clean romance" but I think it follows the usual pattern for the author's work. Isabelle is a quiet and unassuming woman, she has this apparent weird fear of leaving the island over some superstition but in terms of character she is likable and  easy to relate to. Of course I liked how she wan't perfect, for instance, she does get riled over the fact she is 30 and still has to depend on trustee instead of being able to decide for herself.

Ben is good hero material and dedicated to law although his career choices have affected his relationship with his father and older brother; as expected, part of his redemption arc of sorts is to mend this by finally accepting no one is perfect and that his father isn't angry with him. Ben is initially suspicious of Isabelle, or this is somehow suggested to him, but in part we can see why he would think so, since he was deceived by a client whom he believed to be innocent and wasn't.

Mixing up the slow romance and the characters development as usual with the light crime investigation was interesting... it does seem clear this is one of the author's first attempts... the reasons for why this or that character to be a suspect are ticked off one by one as if we actually had a list in front of us, which made the process a bit too obvious and mechanic, but I think the remaining elements (the small tasks done at the island, who lives there, how they deal with one another, etc) made for a much busier plot than one could imagine. I also wasn't expecting a secret regarding Isabelle's friend, the island's doctor, who seems to be very practical and we discover how lacking patience he actually is...

All things considered, this was a rich novel to read, quiet too and for fans of the author, still at the same expected level. I liked it that it included more things, different elements and how captivating certain chapters were. I think the romance and the tension between them could have been done better and more strongly without losing its flavor, but it is what it is. 

Grade: 8/10

Julie Klassen - The Painter's Daughter

Sophie Dupont, daughter of a portrait painter, assists her father in his studio, keeping her own artwork out of sight. She often walks the cliffside path along the north Devon coast, popular with artists and poets. It's where she met the handsome Wesley Overtree, the first man to tell her she's beautiful.
Captain Stephen Overtree is accustomed to taking on his brother's neglected duties. Home on leave, he's sent to find Wesley. Knowing his brother rented a cottage from a fellow painter, he travels to Devonshire and meets Miss Dupont, the painter's daughter. He's startled to recognize her from a miniature portrait he carries with him--one of Wesley's discarded works. But his happiness plummets when he realizes Wesley has left her with child and sailed away to Italy in search of a new muse.
Wanting to do something worthwhile with his life, Stephen proposes to Sophie. He does not offer love, or even a future together, but he can save her from scandal. If he dies in battle, as he believes he will, she'll be a respectable widow with the protection of his family.
Desperate for a way to escape her predicament, Sophie agrees to marry a stranger and travel to his family's estate. But at Overtree Hall, her problems are just beginning. Will she regret marrying Captain Overtree when a repentant Wesley returns? Or will she find herself torn between the father of her child and her growing affection for the husband she barely knows?

Comment: Another one of the books by this author which I wanted to read until the end of the year.

In this story we meet Sophie Dupont, she is the daughter of a modest but able painter and she likes painting herself. Due to her father's work, she has met several artists and the latest one was Wesley Overtree, a man she couldn't help but like and after a long persuasion, she agreed to be his muse. Their relationship became more intimate but Sophie didn't have the possibility to warn Wesley she was pregnant before he decided to accept a journey to Italy, to spend time with more artists, and the note he left her was certainly not the loving one she would have welcomed, thus leaving her in a terrible position. Then, Wesley's brother comes up to solve the last of his brother's affairs and by learning of this situation, decides to do the right thing and marry Sophie. It appears everyone will gain something from this, but what about when Wesley returns, sooner than expected, and with the intention of going back to his affair with Sophie?

This author always puts her characters through complicated situations and being this a Christian book, of course faith and prayer count a lot when it comes to help the characters follow the right choices. I don't mind this detail for to me, the best part of the books is the relationships developed between characters and the situations they must deal with. I'd say, though, that the author does stay away from some more...intense show of emotions to suit the preferences of her target audience, and what a pity... some things just needed some more passion - I don't mean sexual - in how everyone acts and reacts.

Sophie is a likable character in the sense she sees herself in a difficult situation. I think this must have happened a lot more than what one imagines when thinking about the 19th century society but as always, women weren't alone in getting into such a situation...in fact, lacking other ways of surviving, how often unfairness happened...anyway, Sophie has a chance encounter with Wesley's brother and finds a way to at least mitigate her worries. Of course it's a coincidence Wesley left her a note which never arrived, otherwise the plot might have been different but I think things played out well enough for the conflicts to be believable.

The big conflict is that both Wesley and his brother Stephen like Sophie. In slightly different ways - they met her in very opposite circumstances - but both want her to be with them and we must see if she should choose the man she married but with whom she didn't have prior emotional commitments, or the man she believed she was in love with but that she couldn't rely on when it was necessary. At some point, and here I applaud the author, I was doubtful how things would proceed, especially if one thinks that this is a Christian story and who knows how the redemption issue would be used?

Sophie is, like I said, a likable heroine but at times it felt as if she was a little too naive... I understand why this is so, she does embody some kind of innocence, but it made it more difficult to accept she wouldn't be angrier in some moments. Stephen is a good hero but, in my opinion, he wasn't as developed as other characters, perhaps because he spends part of the novel away from the core group of characters, but he lacked some more impact. Wesley is easier to read, even though there were scenes where I had my doubts on his reputation.

Another detail I wish the author had planned a little better was the pace and length of the story. Some situations dragged on too much, were described for too long and took forever to be solved. I suppose the aim was to allow tension, to create stress to better reason options the characters eventually take, but there were chapters I felt a little bored reading. There's also this sense, which I got in pretty much all books by the author I've read so far, that the plot could be taken to an even more pivotal degree but the author doesn't really make waves... perhaps in association with the "clean" label.

With this I mean the author could have different wording, different levels of intensity to every thing (even without any intimate or sexual scene, that's not the point) but it's as if the character never really reach the highest peak of their possibilities if one thinks about character study. I would say perhaps the stories would feel even more vivid with a few small changes or improvements.

All in all, this was an entertaining read, with enough elements which I tend to like in books but there was definitely something missing, which could have made this a stronger book.

Grade: 7/10

Julie Klassen - The Apothecary's Daughter

Lilly Haswell remembers everything--whether she wants to, or not...
As Lilly toils in her father's apothecary, preparing herbs and remedies by rote, she is haunted by memories of her mother's disappearance. Villagers whisper the tale, but her father refuses to discuss it. All the while, she dreams of the world beyond--of travel and adventure and romance.
When a relative offers to host her in London, Lilly discovers the pleasures and pitfalls of fashionable society and suitors, as well as clues about her mother. But will Lilly find what she is searching for--the truth of the past and a love for the future?

Comment: I have liked the majority of books by this author I've tried. Therefore, no wonder I decided to give this one a go, especially after a week where reading wasn't as easy as I wanted, mostly because of lack of time. However, apparently, I'm more appreciative of this author's later work, for this one (her second published book) wasn't as amazing as I hoped.

In this book we meet Lillian "Lilly" Haswell, a young woman who helps her apothecary father in his work, not only as his assistant but often as the person responsible for much of the work, for she has a good memory and can remember many necessary things to the trade. She is also devoted to her brother Charlie, who is known for his simple mind, and she is still hurt by how her mother left them without a word and she still hopes she can come back. One day, the visit of her aunt and uncle changes her life, for she is given the chance to see and live in London for a while...but what about her life as the apothecary's daughter, a role her new found friends in London would see as lowering? And what about her father and brother back home, how will they cope?

As expected, this was once again a very detailed story, like the author's other work I've tried. Lilly is a well developed character for her time, and I found it great she was so independent in her thinking and in how she was so interested in a subject ladies certainly weren't invited into enjoying. Of course, her liking something uncommon is one of the subjects addressed here, and how she deals with the opinion of others when they learn her origins is one part of the book. 

I liked the themes dealt here, Lilly's uncommon preference, life for apothecaries back then and how they were seen by doctors and the public in general...nowadays no one would expect a pharmacist to do more than what is prescribed by a doctor, perhaps giving advice, but back then before medicine got to the level we now have, it wasn't as generalized people would go to a doctor for help often couldn't afford it either), so apothecaries were great professionals but everything changes... this is quite a developed theme in this novel and much of the content was interesting to learn. 

However, I should say the way the plot happens makes things feel very slow. Not just in how the situations are presented and developed but in how things from one point to another, it does feel it takes too long for something truly necessary to happen. In the end, though, everything goes quite fast so... not the most steady balance in pace, for me. Added to the fact most of the decisions made only have an impact at the end makes the rest feel redundant at times.

Another thing I'd change a bit is how the romantic interests are displayed...the heroine Lilly has several suitors in different stages of the novel and I assume some are there to show us how things could be were she to do that choice and then how it would be with another one and so on, but truly, for me the choice was a little obvious when only one of them had a POV here and there. I appreciate the different sides of Lilly we could see and how they could come to life were she to choose this or that man but a lot of the plot was dedicated to showcase these possibilities and when the actual plot moves happened, they weren't as intense because my attention as distracted. Perhaps a little more editing could have helped...

When the story is getting to the end, one or two tragic things happen and what a drama! I thought to myself, was this really necessary? Or, better, was this necessary now? I think the allure of a dramatic end was too much to pass but for me, the final effect wasn't as well achieved as it could.

All things considered, this had good moments, some parts made me curious to keep reading but it wasn't as wonderful as I could have hoped to have found.

Grade: 6/10

Julie Klassen - The Dancing Master

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village. . .and to her mother's tattered heart?

Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.
Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

Comment: Another book by this author. Her books aren't always 100% great for me but the plots and the development of the characters usually have enough appeal to make me want to keep reading her backlist.

In this one we have the story of Alec Valcourt and his mother and sister and how they had to move in with his mother's brother who lives in the country. Their life in London ended and they couldn't afford to keep living there but Alec hoped he could return to his profession of dancing master wherever they ended. However, his uncle failed to mention the most influential family in the area isn't keen on dancing and amusements and those who need their money comply. Lady Amelia Midwinter is the responsible to enforce such a silent rule but her daughter Julia is bored and eager for some novelty and fun ans she would want to see Alec succeed. Why does this weird rule exist, why is all dance forbidden and why does it seem to exist too many secrets surrounding the whole thing?

I'll admit dancing masters in historical settings aren't exactly what I'd call "tempting" reading material but I'm determined to read all the books by this author, there's certainly something about her stories that makes me want to spend time reading. Therefore, I saw reading this one as one more item to complete my personal challenge - of course from time to time so I don't spend my will at once.

Anyway, I went into this book without high expectations except in the sense I hoped I could be positively surprised but to be honest, judging from the beginning, I wasn't too impressed. I thought this one started too slow and I admit I was a little bored at first. I preserved and as the plot moved on, things got more interesting. I saw some reviews where other readers said the same thing so I can't be the only one to have had these thoughts but I can also see how this would have led many to just give up.

To me, the weakest element in the whole book was Julia, the apparent main female character. Yes, yes, people see things in a very personal way, what works for you might nor work for me, Julia is only 19, Julia has unsolved issues, has a boring and too set on one structure life...all that can be taken int consideration but I just didn't like her, she was too different from myself and the way she was portrayed simply didn't convince me to appreciate her fo those same differences. I know in historical books, everything had a different tone but she kept on being too childish to me.

Her romance with Alec is pretty much what we would expect from a labeled "clean romance", meaning, nothing happens but for one kiss. We are supposed to see their connection by other ways but apart from a possible friendship, I was not convinced they would need to be a couple. I liked Alec better, he obviously had to take upon other responsibilities but except for physical attraction, nothing between them screamed love or chemistry.

What truly made me want to keep reading was Julia's mother's secrets. This is hinted at only, despite being quite an important part of the plot and the resolution to the big mystery we get to be more aware of as the pages go by is, as it seems to be the trend with the author, badly solved. It's a pity, actually... the plots tend to be so engaging and the idea of them often makes up for the flaws but then the end of the book is here and this is "clean" and too many things aren't solved as well as they could... I mean, the important parts are but I wished for more. In this case, I wanted not only to know more about Amelia's feelings - so superficially worked on by the author - but more interactions between her and a secondary character, important for the story. Ok, ok, I'll admit: Id rather have read Amelia's story than her daughter's, she did see to be much more compelling to me.

Thinking of this book as a whole, it wasn't too bad but it could have been so much more...perhaps this is my biggest critic to the author's style, she could go one step further with her elements, even if she wants to maintain the "clean" label. But some aspects always tend to be left a little unfinished.

Grade: 6/10

Julie Klassen - Lady Maybe

One final cry…“God almighty, help us!” and suddenly her world shifted violently, until a blinding collision scattered her mind and shook her bones. Then, the pain. The freezing water. And as all sensation drifted away, a hand reached for hers, before all faded into darkness…
Now she has awakened as though from some strange, suffocating dream in a warm and welcoming room she has never seen before, and tended to by kind, unfamiliar faces. But not all has been swept away. She recalls fragments of the accident. She remembers a baby. And a ring on her finger reminds her of a lie.
But most of all, there is a secret. And in this house of strangers she can trust no one but herself to keep it.

Comment: This is yet another title by author Julie Klassen, an author of inspirational historical romance I've come to appreciate, even if not all the stories I have read so far by her have been totally amazing. Nevertheless, in general, her stories are engaging and the plots she comes up with tend to be captivating, although the ends not always my preferred choice. I mean, not that they don't end well but not usually the way I'd prefer.

In this story we have the trope of the mistaken identity. Companion Hannah Rodgers had left the employ of lady Mayfield after a situation she could not avoid anymore but circumstances force her to return for the last wages she was owed and she finds lady and lord Mayfield about to travel. She decides to accept lady Mayfield's offer of employment again but during the journey they have an accident and lady Mayfield is seen to disappear underwater. 

However, somehow Hannah is rescued along lord Mayfield and she has the ring of lady Mayfield in her hand, perhaps when she tried to hold her hand before water dragged her down. After some recovery time filled with confusion and disorientation, Hannah realizes the kind people who rescued them near the Mayfields' estate think she is lady Mayfield.

How can Hannah continue deceiving them, though? Are her secrets that necessary to be kept?

I liked this story, it was really enjoyable and even more so because I think the end worked out pretty well for me.

This is labeled inspirational or christian fiction but usually those terms have a slight pejorative tone in the sense they could look as being preachy but this book, as others by the author, don't always have that feel to me. Often the religious content is more moderate and I, for one, prefer that.

Still, for those who also link inspirational to christian fiction with "clean", then perhaps some of this author's stories might not be what those people should look for.

As I've said, I liked this story. The heroine Hannah was someone I could very easily sympathize with because she was a woman with difficulties at a time women didn't have many options if they wanted to survive in life. She is estranged from her father and I suppose that was a path she could have taken at the limit of her ability but her attitudes and choices despite that possibility made perfect sense to me.

The story is quite simple in how it is developed, basically Hannah has to think and worry about her actions, about whether she is being unfair and opportunist after the accident that put her in an impossible situation, but while still thinking about her struggles and someone she needs to protect.

I liked how she slowly got to become more and more concerned about the fact her secret might be discovered because this proved she was aware she made a bad choice by not revealing her identity. However, she couldn't just leave, she had responsibilities to other people and in a way, to the husband of her employer, who got more hurt than she did. I was eager to keep reading and to see if things could turn out happy at the end.

There is, of course, a romance although I think the fact we have a love triangle sort of diminished the fun for me. I'm not usually a fan of love triangles and in this case both men who showed interest in Hannah were good guys (even considering their faults) and it always turns up as being unfair to one of them how things happen.

I liked Hannah's choice, though, because of three or four reasons - some spoilerish - but mostly because I think they both deserved happiness more than were Hannah to end with the other man. I mean, he was a nice man too but I could see he would not be as deserving as Hannah's choice. The last scene was romantic, in my point of view.

The resolution of the novel isn't without its drama and there are two things in the end that surprised me, one more than the other. The big one might feel as an easy way out of a complicated problem but this is fiction and I think things worked well enough.

The complexity of this novel is at the personality of the characters and their motivations. Some characters are easy to like, others to dislike immensely but the main ones have many layers and that is key to make this a compelling read.

All in all, I liked this book, it's currently up to the other one by her I liked the most and after six books read, despite the more negative aspects, I still find curiosity and eagerness to read another so that has to count for something.

I'm very glad this was a good one, for me.

Grade: 8/10

Julie Klassen - Lady of Milkweed Manor

Even a proper vicar's daughter can make a mistake—and now Charlotte Lamb must pay a high price for her fall. To avoid the prying eyes of all who know her, she hides herself away in London's forbidding "Milkweed Manor," a place of mystery and lore, of old secrets and new birth.
But once there, she comes face to face with a suitor from her past—a man who now hides secrets of his own. Both are determined, with God's help, to protect those they love. But neither can imagine the depth of sacrifice that will be required.
Sprinkled with fascinating details about the lives of women in Regency England, Lady of Milkweed Manor is a moving romantic drama about the redemption of past failings and the beauty of sacrificial love. 

Comment: This was my first read of November. I have read other books by the author so I already knew what to expect in terms of style and usual plot devices. I was curious about this one, though, because it was the author's first book and I wanted to see how it would compare with the other stories I have read by her.

In this book we have the story of Charlotte Lamb, a young woman who has gotten pregnant and not being married, she is going away to have her baby but she knows she won't be received again in her her father's house. She doesn't share who the father of her child is but she plans on keeping her baby anyway, even though he doesn't know what she will do alone.

Charlotte is then, admitted to a house that specifically welcomes women in her condition and there she gets to learn a lot of the new stage of her life and, more importantly, about hat it means to be a wet nurse. As a way to provide security and health for the new mothers, there are doctors who regularly check on the expectant and new mothers, among them dr Taylor, a man who used to be sweet on Charlotte and who she wouldn't want to meet in her current circumstances but with time she gets to learn a lot about babies with him and it seems they rekindle their friendship but he is married and Charlotte is in no position to think of being more than just a mother to her child...

This author, I've come to realize, likes to create complicated situations that aren't that easy to solve, were one to be in the same shoes as the protagonists. The biggest problem though, is that she seems to get things into such a point - I wouldn't say extreme - that when the time for the HEA finally arrives, the problems don't seem to have been solved properly. I think this was my biggest problem with the book, how the amount and intensity of the dramas playing around the characters felt too harsh to be surpassed and then, almost as if not much had been happening, the story ends.

I think the theme is interesting, this is not an high aristocracy section of the society, the characters have perfectly normal lives in their corner of the world but the female protagonist not only doesn't have it easy in life but is being punished by something she was not the single responsible for. Although, considering the time and place, how this protagonist got to be so trusting to be intimate with the man who got her pregnant also felt so... silly and annoying. Had she been persuaded or passionate I could more easily feel empathy but since she was so  oblivious despite her upbringing, I mean...

That detail aside, I actually felt for Charlotte and her difficulties, I was very sorry she had to be dealing with how others dismissed her, it felt very unfair. At the house for unwed mothers, she faced a situation not often found in historical romances, pertaining the poor side of things, where characters have to deal wit realistic issues and poverty situations. It was good to learn something about the way things were done at the time but it's very difficult not to compare with our own contemporary life, where things are easier despite the fact it's still not easy for single mothers who are cast out of their houses for being pregnant to be able to have a life.

The plot does feel a little unbalanced at times. I liked the atmosphere, the situations created, the little things Charlotte had to learn about what it means to be a wet nurse and until a certain situation, the drama and the slight negative feel of everything felt claustrophobic and impossible to be solved. Then Charlotte has to make a decision which is hard but understandable at the time somehow. However, that means her situation and position at the house where she birthed her baby has to change and that happened in a very over the top manner. Closer to the end of the story more unlikely scenarios developed to suit the path of the main story and that is why I think the author got herself in a corner not easy to get out of.

The romance was very poor and not just because this is labeled inspirational so nothing obvious happens. I think the supposed connection between the main couple just wasn't there. Romance and love aren't only expressed by how good a couple is in bed together. I missed more or better signs that Charlotte and her love interest were actually a good match and could be happy one day. We are told so in the HEA/epilogue but sincerely, that was so badly done I prefer to ignore.

Overall, there are positive details about this story which I liked but the biggest sense I got when I finished is that there's such a build up of drama and problems that I expected a good solution and pace to how things were to be solved but after leaving the reader wondering what kid of Charlotte could do at the end, we are transported to the epilogue where we have information about what happened years later. I mean....

Nevertheless, I still enjoy the writing style, the ideas the author beings to highlight and I'll read more by her.

Grade: 6/10

Julie Klassen - The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

To escape a scheme to marry her off to a dishonorable man, Margaret Macy flees London disguised as a housemaid. If she can remain unwed until her next birthday, she will receive an inheritance, and with it, sweet independence. But she never planned on actually working as a servant. And certainly not in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch--both former suitors.
As she fumbles through the first real work of her life, Margaret struggles to keep her identity secret when suspicions arise and prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall. Can she avoid a trap meant to force her from hiding?

Comment: This is the fourth book by Julie Klassen that I try. Despite some things I liked more than others, her books have been impressive enough to make me want to keep reading so here is another attempt.

In this story we meet Margaret Macy, a young woman whose stepfather wants to see her married to his nephew so that they take charge of the inheritance Margaret will receive in her next birthday.

To avoid this fate, she decides to run away with her maid, recently discharged for a mistake she didn't commit. 

In order to hide and not being forced to marry against her will but knowing her younger siblings might be in jeopardy if she can't wait, she decides to travel disguised as a maid but without nay help whatsoever, she has no other choice but to actually work as a maid at a mansion. This proves to be quite the task for Margaret, previously used to have others do things for her instead. To top it off, she finds work at the house of a man she had arrogantly refused, not caring for his feelings. 

Will Margaret succeed in avoiding a situation she wouldn't be able to change? Will she be able to pretend she is a real maid?

If one wanted to simplify, this book's plot is basically about a woman pretending to be someone she's not and when caught, the climax of the whole thing is to see how she reacts to others discovering her identity. The thing is, usually it's the other way around and often is the maid pretending to be an aristocrat. In this case, Margaret has good reasons to avoid people who might know her or being in a place those more familiar with her would recognize her.

The beauty of things is, of course, how the author makes Margaret go though an inner change, meaning, during her experience as a maid, she is able to understand the other side, she is able to see a a side of things she didn't imagine not had she contemplated it before having to actually live it.

I'll be honest, this was the aspect that made me so eager to keep reading and after a not so special first chapter, the idea of having someone putting herself in a position where she had to be humble, she had to make do, she had to "suffer" the treatment she would often impose on those working for her family... I was quite eager to see how the author would "redeem" a very arrogant and somewhat conceited Margaret into someone we could care about.

Most of the book was focused on this. I really liked the lessons Margaret had to learn and how she slowly but steadily lived the experience of what it was like to be powerless and defenseless against certain situations.

The plot follows the usual parts of hide and seek, sometimes Margaret would be almost found, sometimes it would be too silly how she was not, then some characters learned her secret but kept it, through her eyes secondary characters would flourish in their roles...

The romance, obviously, was not quick. It took time for both main characters to simply accept their feelings and since this is labeled inspirational, nothing really happens on the page. I must say the romance was sweet on its own way.

This was moving towards - I felt then - a very good read, it was engaging, interesting to follow... but then, a secondary plot started to have more focus. I thought it would help with a certain detail but no... it actually ended up in noting that would be important for the main story, which had been the focus so far. Many pages centered in this followed and, to be honest, besides being pointless to me, they sort of stole the show from what had been an amazing story.

Sadly for me, the time it took for this secondary plot to be solved (quite quickly, it turned out) meant that the amazing story ended up rushed, with situations not well explained and things solved so easily it almost mocks the time it took to set it up.

Then, the parts I loved about Margaret's experience were not as well used in the end, she went back to her "real" identity and I felt what she went through was not that important anymore, nor were those she had befriended while working as a maid. I mean, talk about disappointment!

I graded this well because for the most part, this was a very engrossing tale. What a pity things didn't hold on as well towards the end.

Grade: 7/10

Julie Klassen - The Silent Governess

Believing herself guilty of a crime, Olivia Keene flees her home, eventually stumbling upon a grand estate where an elaborate celebration is in progress. But all is not as joyous as it seems.
Lord Bradley has just learned a terrible secret, which, if exposed, will change his life forever. When he glimpses a figure on the grounds, he fears a spy or thief has overheard his devastating news. He is stunned to discover the intruder is a scrap of a woman with her throat badly injured. Fearing she will spread his secret, he gives the girl a post and confines her to his estate. As Olivia and Lord Bradley's secrets catch up with them, will their hidden pasts ruin their hope of finding love? 

Comment: I've been interested in this book for a long time. This past September, I was given this as a birthday present and I was quite happy to finally have a book that probably would be one of those I'd never hurry to get but eventually would. I'm glad to have gotten it much sooner than I expected!

This book is focused on Olivia Keene, a young woman who is traveling to find a post as a teacher. The problem is that Olivia is actually running away from a situation that makes her both fearful and regretful and she only knows she needs to arrive at her destination so her mother can reach her later on.

On the way, Olivia stumbles upon a place that offers her a bit of help when she needs and before moving along, she decides to visit the grounds of a property setting things up for a party. Everything is beautiful but Olivia inadvertently hears a conversation she shouldn't. Before escaping the property fully, Olivia is captured and attacked and later on, saved. The responsible for the house then offers Olivia a post so she can keep quiet about the secret she heard but as the time goes by and new things happen, Olivia starts to be fond of everyone and even the lord of the house starts to become someone she cares about. But Olivia is running from a secret as well...

This is not the first book I read by the author but I think it became the one I liked best so far.

I really appreciated how rich and detailed this story seemed to be and how interested I felt through it all. 

The plot isn't that unlikely to have been close to reality even if some details could be seen as a bit too imaginative.

What I liked best was how sweet and captivating the stay of Olivia at the new house looked like. She was only the help but she provided a very good aid to everyone. Her interactions with most characters were always interesting and each chapter seemed to have useful content.

I liked Olivia as well. As a child she would impress others with her math skill, encouraged by her father but one day things changed and Olivia has always had a different perspective on her relationship with her father because of that. How interesting it is to realize we can't truly rely in our childhood memories when it comes to what others feel as well, things change with time...

The relationship between Olivia and lord Bradley, her love interest, is cute. Nothing really happens except a kiss at the end, since this is an inspirational story. Obviously, however, we are supposed to focus on the rightness or the credibility of their feelings and the fact they don't embark on something before they have the certainty they are taking the right step. I liked their interactions and how small scenes and gestures implied a huge meaning every time they talked or thought about the other.

Lord Bradley has a complicated situation going on and I did feel for him, for the fact he was worried and wanted to do the right thing. The plot devices around him and his personality (because he was fair and wanted to make things right if needed) provided interesting conflicts and problems from being too easily solved or ignored. I liked the emotional aspect of this, and how the male protagonist had as much issues to solve as the heroine but he wasn't an "alpha type" trying to do things his own way. Again, an inspirational where the hero is meant to think about his attitude and so on, but the romance/emotional content was well balanced, I'd say.

There are some twists, I wouldn't say out of this world, but they were suitable for the plot. Other things not as much but nothing is ever perfect anyway. I particularly didn't appreciate how a certain issue ended up being explained but...

All in all, this was very good, entertaining, I had a great time reading. This makes me more eager to read the other titles by the author too, even those I wasn't thinking about getting.

Grade: 8/10

Julie Klassen - The Tutor's Daughter

Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father regain his spirits when his academy fails, agrees to travel with him to the distant Cornwall coast, to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But after they arrive and begin teaching the younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen and danger mounts. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte, only to find the music room empty? Who sneaks into her room at night? Who rips a page from her journal, only to return it with a chilling illustration?
The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry, wrestle with problems--and secrets--of their own. They both remember Emma Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. She had been an awkward, studious girl. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her.
When the suspicious acts escalate, can the clever tutor's daughter figure out which brother to blame... and which brother to trust with her heart?

Comment: After having read another book by the author five years ago, I found myself intrigued by this book's blurb and I added it to my TBR list. Months after that, I finally decided to read it. In terms of writing there aren't many differences but I can say I sort of enjoyed reading this one a bit more.

In this book we meet and follow father and daughter to a manor in Cornwall so that the father, a teacher, can go and tutor the younger sons of a family who has sent their older boys years ago to the teacher's academy. The teacher has found it weird the younger boys weren't sent but after a letter exchanging, he is invited to tutor them and Emma, his daughter goes as well.

When they arrive at the house, however, it seems they were not being expected and from then on, there is an aura of weirdness and secrets Emma can't seem to put behind. At the same time, she is confronted with the older boys, now men, who were part of her childhood and growing up and how she feels about both of them: Phillip, the friend she always trusted on and Henry, the boy who mocked her and who made pranks...

I liked the overall idea of this book and there is certainly an atmosphere of secrecy that makes this book feel almost gothic and dark. But it never gets to that despite one or two elements that clearly are present to give us that impression.

The plot intrigued at me first and although this is a book also labeled as "christian fiction", meaning no explicit sex nor any sort of intimacy scenes, I think it provided enough interest and situations that one can easily overlook the lack os obvious romance scenes.

I think the author did an interesting job in depicting every character. The main characters are solid and in every scene they appear it's obvious how much integrity they really have and why they can be trustworthy. This is something one would expect of course, them being protagonists.

It's the secondary characters that really make the story move along. Those are the ones with the secrets, the hidden motivations... it's interesting that we are led to believe somethings and after all the explanation is simple. Some secrets aren't difficult to find out but others can be trickier, not because it's such a complex plot but (in my opinion at least) some of the secrets just arise from situations I think were used to add some drama. I'm thinking, for instance, on the reason why a certain character was found so often near the house when apparently he had no business being there. The explanation is good but well, he didn't really have to be there, you know...

As for Emma, as a protagonist, I liked her, I liked how she acts through the book and I think the love interest is too obvious for it to not simply be part of the blurb. Emma also puts herself in some situations which seem rather pointless but I suppose something would have to happen for the story to move along... the fact the POV isn't just Emma's is interesting but she is the biggest "narrator" if one can say so when the narrative is in the third person. I'd liked to have others' POV more often. Of course, this allowed the story to keep that sort of secretive aura.

I just think that Emma wasn't always as strongly present both in the story and in terms of personality as she could but well..she was just a guest at the house anyway, so...

At the end of things I believe the author has managed to keep the story simple for the most part, which makes it look better structured too. Some themes used were interesting but they were not explored to the maximum and in one hand I guess this was a good thing, it didn't become too boring to read. The Christian fiction part was also not too obvious nor preaching and that is also good; one can interpret at their own will.

All in all, I think the plot and the execution feel a little more interesting and solid than int he other book I've read. Even the romance feels better done, when comparing. I'll try another book to see if this is a matter of choosing the right book or if the author is a hit and miss for me. This one I liked best and any reader who likes historicals would find good reasons to appreciate it too.

Grade: 7/10

Julie Klassen - The Girl in the Gatehouse

Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion with her secrets. Will an ambitious captain uncover her identity...and her hidden past?
Banished from the only home she's ever known, Mariah Aubrey hides herself away in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative's estate. There she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how by writing novels in secret.
When Captain Matthew Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. But there are many things he doesn't know about this beguiling outcast. Will he risk his plans and his heart for a woman shadowed by scandal?
Intriguing, mysterious, and romantic, The Girl in the Gatehouse takes readers inside the life of a secret authoress at a time when novel-writing was considered improper for ladies and the smallest hint of impropriety could change a woman's life forever.

Comment: I've had this book in my TBR list since last year. I don't even want to know how long many others have been there...
Hum, so this is an historical story labeled Christian fiction, which means it's all about the romance and the character's personalities and not the physical part of things.
I loved the blurb the minute I read it. But I confess I thought it would be much more emotional, I mean, it has emotion, but I wish it would be more passionate too..we can have passionate books without sex, this was what I hoped for.
The story is about Mariah, we first meet her when she's leaving her home, for some unknown reason at the time, to go live alone with a companion because her family doesn't want her there. We get the feeling she's done something bad. Mariah goes to live in a gatehouse in her aunt's estate, near the poorhouse, where many people live, including some that are key to the plot. Then, a man leases the estate in hopes to win another woman's affection, but there's a relationship happening and developing between Mariah and him, but Mariah is still afraid her past might ruin their friendship.
Captain Bryant wants public recognition of his value so he can be worthy of the lady he wants to marry and for his father to be proud of him. What he didn't count on was the mysterious girl in the gatehouse and how, with time, she would mean so much to him.
Well, in terms of plot, the story is very appealing. We want to see what happens next, there's a certain eagerness to find out some secrets and to see if some characters found out about Mariah or about other mysteries in the story. But considering the type of story, I think it's very obvious what happened to Mariah and how the book will end. The beauty of it it's in the descriptions, the way the author has written the story in such a way it becomes beautiful.
But like I mentioned, I feel it lacks some passion..it's all so...tidy, so organized. Beautiful and sweet, but too sweet. I would like to see the main couple express a bit more of feeling, of passion and not only in their inner thoughts. I get why is so, but it would make tis book more intense, which I think would benefit it.
Some scenes in the book are memorable for me, tough. Like when a group of people make fun of Mariah, I felt for her and having been mocked myself, the way she reacted felt real and emotional, for once. Also when young Maggie asks old Jeremiah why he has a hook instead of a hand, his answer touched me. So, in the small things many details bring life to the story, it's just the overall feeling that feels lacking.
In the end of the book more than one subplot is solved. To be honest, some things were a little bit exaggerated, I don't think coincidences happen like that although the explanations are very well presented. But everything together feels a bit over the top.
There's a HEA of course and I was glad to see it, to see the protagonists talk and defend themselves and even ask for forgiveness. It was a sweet touch to the story.

I'm not sure I'll read another book by the author so soon. There's another one, very well reviewed by some blogers and I'm curious, but my idea of lack of passion might not be the same as anyone else's so...thoughts to consider...