“The Governess of Highland Hall” is one of those regency period novels that feature a romance between a governess and her titled and rich employer. However, it did not seem to me to be dull or formulaic at all but fresh and even whimsical at times.
The book’s heroine Julia has spent most of her life on the mission field with her parents but her father’s health has forced their return to England and their financial state has led Julia to take a position as governess to the children and wards of William Ramsey on a neighboring estate. As expected an attraction develops between Julia and William despite the fact that it just isn’t proper and would make the Ramsey family laughingstocks among the other gentry. Julia is a very principled and outspoken young woman who often crosses the lines set by her position in the Ramsey household. Her loving nature quickly endears her to the Ramsey children and most of the staff as well as William’s sister. In contrast William is a bit tedious and uninteresting at first with his dependence on the opinions of others and the burdens he carries from his recently inherited and formerly mismanaged estate.
The plot moves along at a steady pace and includes a few surprises along the way. The children are a fun and amusing addition to the story and the reader might even find more than one romance in progress before the end. I particularly liked the fact that both Julia and William spoke freely of their faith and that the Lord’s will was an important consideration in their lives. I enjoyed reading about both sides of the estate – both the staff and their employers.
“The Governess of Highland Hall” is a book to be savored and I recommend it to historical fiction buffs, especially those who are fans of the Regency era.
This book was provided for review by the Waterbrook Multnomah Blogging for Books program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will Julia be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help?
Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to illness, she readily accepts the burden for her parents’ financial support. Taking on a job at Highland Hall as governess, she quickly finds that teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges at a grand estate is more challenging than expected, and she isn’t sure what to make of the estate’s preoccupied master, Sir William Ramsey.
Widowed and left to care for his two young children and his deceased cousin Randolph’s two teenage girls, William is consumed with saving the estate from the financial ruin. The last thing he needs is any distraction coming from the kindhearted-yet-determined governess who seems to be quietly transforming his household with her persuasive personality, vibrant prayer life, and strong faith.
While both are tending past wounds and guarding fragile secrets, Julia and William are determined to do what it takes to save their families—common ground that proves fertile for unexpected feelings. But will William choose Julia’s steadfast heart and faith over the wealth and power he needs to secure Highland Hall’s future?
Click HERE to download chapter one of The Governess of Highland Hall.
Praise for The Governess of Highland Hall
“There is much to like about Carrie Turansky’s The Governess of Highland Hall: a sweet noble heroine, a proud yet vulnerable hero, and a Downton Abbey–inspired setting. Endearing supporting characters and two romances add to the pleasure. Fans of Christian fiction and Downton Abbey will enjoy this story!” —Julie Klassen, best-selling author of The Tutor’s Daughter
“I admit I’m a Downton Abbey junkie. Thankfully, I got my fix with Carrie Turansky’s delightful new novel. Everything about this book breathes upstairs-downstairs, and I was swept away into the world of Highland Hall—the language, the customs, the clothes, the drama, the romance, oh, the romance! Absolutely charming, if I do say so myself!” —Susan May Warren, RITA and Christy Award winner and best-selling novelist of Duchess
“Prim and wonderful, The Governess of Highland Hall is an exquisitely woven Downton Abbey tapestry, proper and perfectly of English nobility and their servants. With the utmost sensitivity and skill, Carrie Turansky has penned a breathless Edwardian love story not to be missed!” —Julie Lessman, award-winning author of the Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series
“In The Governess of Highland Hall, Carrie Turansky blends a compelling heroine standing on the precipice of class divide with a magnificent Edwardian country estate in danger of ruin. She mixes well with an unforgettable cast of characters. The result is a beautifully written, faith-filled romance—the first in a series not to be missed.” —Cathy Gohlke, Christy Award–winning author of Promise Me This and Band of Sisters
“Fans of sweet romance will delight in The Governess of Highland Hall, set on a majestic estate of old, where love blossoms both upstairs and down in Edwardian England. Author Carrie Turansky has woven a tender and uplifting tale with a heartwarming message.” —Joanne Bischof, award-winning author of the Cadence of Grace series
“With its engaging cast of characters, a setting reminiscent of Downton Abbey, and a storyline that celebrates faith, family, and friendship, The Governess of Highland Hall is more than a historical romance. It’s a book that’s sure to delight Carrie Turansky’s current fans and bring her many more.” —Amanda Cabot, best-selling author of Christmas Roses
“The Governess of Highland Hall is a deeply emotional story of learning to submit to God’s will. Fans of Downton Abbey will enjoy the Edwardian time period, the English traditions, and the upstairs-below-stairs intrigue. The characters are richly developed, Turansky’s prose lyrical. I enjoyed my stay at Highland Hall!” —Beth White, Carol Award–winning author of Controlling Interest and The Pelican Bride (coming in April 2014)
“The Governess of Highland Hall is a delightful journey to Edwardian England with a cast of colorful characters and plot twists at every turn. With a nice mix of upstairs-downstairs drama and a spunky heroine, Carrie Turansky weaves a tale that will enchant Downton Abbey aficionados. Lovely and heartfelt.” —Carla Stewart, award-winning author of Chasing Lilacs and Sweet Dreams
The Governess of Highland Hall is as delightful as an English high tea, replete with an endearing cast of characters living on a grand English estate and flavored with memories of India. Carrie Turansky lends a lovely, fresh voice to a fascinating era! —Laura Frantz, Author of Love’s Reckoning
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of nearly a dozen novels and novellas, including Snowflake Sweethearts and Along Came Love. She has won the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award and the International Digital Award. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, counselor and the author of several parenting books.
Third book inThe Daughters of Bainbridge Houseseries, “A Reluctant Courtship” leaps right into action with the first sentence. My attention was captured immediately and was held until the very last word. Heroine Honore Bainbridge has a less than perfect reputation due to her somewhat naive association with two different men who to her surprise turned out to be a murderer and a traitor. Sent to the family country estate in order to distance her from the scandal, she becomes acquainted with Lord Ashmoor who has a reputation of his own to mend. Acknowledging that a match between them is impossible, Honore nevertheless offers to help Ashmoor clear his father’s name as well as discover who is responsible for helping French prisoners escape and possibly smuggling.
I loved both of the primary characters. Despite her penchant for trouble, Honore had a compassionate heart and the desire to do the right thing. Lord Ashmoor also had a good heart and chose time and again to stand up for Honore when doing so cost him the respect of the very people he needed on his side. The plot was suspenseful, humorous, and romantic with clever twists and surprises. A secondary romance was a welcome bonus. Honore and Lord Ashmoor find courage and peace as they seek to follow the leading of the Lord and their hearts.
“A Reluctant Courtship” is a fine end to the series and I recommend it and each of the previous novels in the series. All three can stand alone but what fun to read them all. I am looking forward to the next offering from this talented author.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
A woman without a prospect. A man without a homeland.
Can love give them a future?
Honore Bainbridge has been courted by two men, one of whom turned out to be a traitor, the other a murderer. Banished to her family’s country estate, where she will hopefully stay out of trouble, she finally meets the man she is sure is exactly right for her: Lord Ashmoor. Tall, dark, and handsome–what more could a girl ask for?
But he too is under suspicion because of his American upbringing and accusations that he has helped French prisoners escape from Dartmoor Prison. If he’s to keep out of a British prison himself and secure his place in British society, Lord Ashmoor needs a wife beyond reproach–something the vexingly beautiful Honore certainly is not. Though they find themselves drawn to each other, family obligations may conspire to keep them apart forever.
For the sake of her heart, Honore determines to prove Ashmoor’s innocence–even if doing so risks her own life.
From the first sentence, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes thrusts you into high drama amid the rocky cliffs of Devonshire, England, and keeps you suspended there until the final page.
For more information, please visit HERE.
Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,
a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: “Eakes has a charming way of making her novels come to life without being over the top,” writes Romantic times of bestselling, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes. Since she lay in bed as a child telling herself stories, she has fulfilled her dream of becoming a published author. To date, she has sixteen books in print with five more under contract for release over the next two years. Eight of her books have been published in large print editions, one as a Crossings Bookclub hardcover edition, and one book has been put into Braille.
A graduate of Asbury University with a degree in English and French, and Seton Hill University, with a masters degree in Writing Popular Fiction, she also writes articles in writers publications, teaches writing workshops, and gives inspirational talks.
>She lives in Texas with her husband, dogs, and cats. She enjoys long walks, all too rare rainy days, and knitting—rather badly—while watching movies or listening to music.
Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters! Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.
Kaye Dacus (KAY DAY-cuss) is an author and educator who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. A former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, Kaye enjoys being an active ACFW member and the fellowship and community of hundreds of other writers from across the country and around the world that she finds there. She currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers, which she co-founded in 2003 with three other writers. Each month, she teaches a two-hour workshop on an aspect of the craft of writing at the MTCW monthly meeting. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is an academic advisor and English Composition instructor for Bethel University.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Set during the Industrial Revolution and the Great Exhibition of 1851, An Honest Heart is a “sitting-room romance” with the feel of a Regency-era novel but the fashions and technological advances of the mid-Victorian age.
Featuring dual romance stories, the main plot involves seamstress Caddy Bainbridge and the choice she must make between two men: one from the aristocracy, the other from the working class. Award-nominated author Kaye Dacus pinpoints the theme of honesty—both men in this love triangle have deep secrets to hide, and Caddy’s choice will be based on which of them can be honest with her.
Courtship . . . cunning . . . candor. Who possesses an honest heart?
“Moonlight Masquerade” is sure to appeal to fans of Regency era romance novels. Its heroine is Celine, a young French widow of an English earl. Bored with her privileged lifestyle, Celine agrees to a bit of “innocent” espionage for the French. In turn, Rees Phillips is sent into her household as a butler to spy on her just in case she is passing along sensitive information to the French. Yet another group of French men are also watching Celine to make sure she does nothing to interfere with their own plans. All these spies spying on each other result in danger for Celine and Rees finds himself torn between proving that she is a spy or finding a way to protect her.
Overall “Moonlight Masquerade” was a good story but at times I became confused about exactly who Celine was working with and the difference in objectives between the two French groups. I really liked Rees and his integrity and would have enjoyed a bit more interaction between him and Celine. I also liked Celine and her lack of arrogance toward those who were in service to her. For my personal preferences, there was just a bit too much thinking going on and not enough action or real danger to keep things moving along.
This book was provided for review by
Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
In this new Regency Romance, Ruth Axtell deftly creates a world where black and white burst into a confusion of colors and no one is who they seem. Axtell’s expert storytelling and attention to historical detail bring the Regency era alive with intrigue and romance.
Lady Celine Wexham seems the model British subject. French by birth but enjoying life in 1813 as a widowed English countess, she is in the unique position of being able to help those in need–or to spy for the notorious Napoleon Bonaparte. When Rees Phillips of the British Foreign Office is sent to pose as the countess’s butler and discover where her true loyalties lie, he is confident he will uncover the truth. But the longer he is in her fashionable townhouse in London’s West End, the more his staunch loyalty to the Crown begins to waver as he falls under Lady Wexham’s spell.
Endorsements for Moonlight Masquerade
“Intrigue, romance, a clandestine kiss . . . all cast in a Regency setting so magnificently detailed I could see the fabrics and feel the glow of another era. Secrets and past disappointments keep Céline and Rees apart, not to mention the largest chasm of all—class. A wonderfully romantic and memorable read!”—Maureen Lang, author of Bees in the Butterfly Garden
“The first paragraph drew me into the story, and the next twist held me there to the end.”—Laurie Alice Eakes, author of A Flight of Fancy
“Moonlight Masquerade is a wonderful romance, graced with expert detail of the Regency period, as well as with Ruth Axtell’s usual flair for intensely romantic situations between characters so real I couldn’t stop thinking about them. Moonlight Masquerade is an exciting romantic adventure of spies, forbidden love, and happily-ever-after that I thoroughly enjoyed.”—Melanie Dickerson, two-time Christy Award finalist and author of The Healer’s Apprentice and The Merchant’s Daughter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ruth Axtell is the author of thirteen novels, including Wild Rose, one of Booklist‘s Top Ten in Christian Fiction. Currently a resident of Downeast Maine, Axtell has lived in the Canary Islands, Miami, and the Netherlands.
Murray Pura was born and raised in Manitoba, just north of Minnesota and the Dakotas. He has published several novels and short story collections in Canada, and has been short-listed for a number of awards. His first books to be published in the United States are the inspirational works Rooted and Streams (both by Zondervan in 2010). His first novel to debut in the USA is A Bride’s Flight from Virginia City, Montana (Barbour), which was released January 2012. The second, The Wings of Morning, will be published by Harvest House on February 1. Both of these novels center around the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
For fans of the hugely popular Downton Abbey series, comes this equally enthralling story of the Danforth family of Ashton Park. Among the green hills and trees of Lancashire, only a few miles from the sea, lies the beautiful and ancient estate of Ashton Park. The year is 1916. The First World War has engulfed Europe and Sir William’s and Lady Elizabeth’s three sons are all in uniform–and their four daughters are involved in various pursuits of the heart and soul.
As the head of a strong Church of England family for generations, Sir William insists the Danforth estate hold morning devotions that include both family and staff. However, he is also an MP and away at Westminster in London whenever Parliament is sitting. During his long absences, Lady Elizabeth discreetly spends time in the company of the head cook of the manor, Mrs. Longstaff, who is her best friend and confidante. This friendship includes visits to a small Baptist church in Liverpool that exposes Lady Elizabeth to a less formal approach to Christian worship and preaching than she is used to and which she comes to enjoy.
If you would like to read the first chapter of Ashton Park, go HERE.
MY REVIEW:
I have heard this book recommended for fans of the currently popular Downton Abbey television series but since I have yet to watch it I am unable to make a comparison. Ashton Park chronicles the lives of the Danforth family which includes Sir William and Lady Elizabeth and their three sons and four daughters as well as the lives of their servants. Set primarily in England during World War 1, the tale jumps from character to character and place to place so often that I found it a bit difficult to keep up with who was who and what exactly was going on. With one son in the Navy aboard ship, another son in Ireland dealing with the rebellion there, another son a fighter pilot, and daughters with ideas and troubles of their own, there are plenty of interesting historical details as well as some intriguing personal stories. Interaction between the Danforth family and their servants is detailed including more than one forbidden romance.
Personally, I prefer a novel that does not have quite as much going on in it. I like to read about fewer primary characters and get to know them a bit better so that I become somewhat invested in their story. I know that different authors have different styles and that I have probably gotten used to series that feature one hero and one heroine with perhaps a side story or two that lead up to the next installment of a series. There are just so many interesting characters in Ashton Park that I would have liked to spend more time with each of them in stories of their own.
By all means, do not let my personal preferences stop you from reading Ashton Park. I may very well be the only person who found it a bit too busy for their taste.
Jillian Kent is a busy writer and the alter ego of Jill Nutter, a full-time counselor.
Jill spent the first semester of her senior year of college at Oxford studying British Literature, where she fell in love with England. During this season, she came to appreciate the written word, the rich imagery of romantic poetry like The Highwayman, and historical novels of many types, including Jane Austen and all things Regency.
Jill received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Bethany College in West Virginia, and her Masters Degree in Social Work from WVU, and she brings her fascination with different cultures and societies into her writing.
Jill has always been a romantic at heart, so readers will find a good dose of romance woven through each of her novels. Jill, her husband Randy, and children Katie and Meghan are animal lovers. They currently own two dogs, Boo-Boo and Bandit and a menagerie of cats, Lucky, Yuma, Snow, and Holden. Critters of all assortments make their appearance in her stories.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lord Eden is intrigued when he discovers Lady Mercy Grayson’s secret, but how can he hope to gain her heart when he is forced to betray her?
Lady Mercy Grayson longs be a physician like her big brother, Devlin, Lord Ravensmoore. However, society would never tolerate a female physician, let alone one who is a noblewoman. So Mercy takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a man to get through medical school. But then a male colleague discovers her secret, which is only the beginning of Mercy’s problems that could destroy her dreams forever.
The Prince Regent is awaiting the return of Vincent St. Lyons, Lord Eden, whom he sent on a secret voyage to locate and bring back a relic that some believe possesses the power to heal. St. Lyons discovers Mercy washed up on England’s shore upon his return and agrees to give her safe passage to London aboard a ship of men practicing African Vodun. Both must face treacherous circumstances, difficult decisions, and a growing attraction to one another that could forever change the course of their lives.
As the final installment in the series, the theme of this book is God’s plans for our lives. “Whatever the hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might” (Eccles. 9:10).
Mystery of the Heart is a romantic mystery/suspense with a setting in Regency era England. In some ways it reminded me of the gothic romance novels I used to read in my younger days when good clean fiction was a bit easier to find outside the Christian genre. Although there was no brooding hero, or someone locked in the attic, or a dark and scary mansion, there was still an element of the dark mystery that made those old novels so intriguing.
Many elements worked together to make this novel a page-turner for me. With an ancient relic that changed hands several times under violent circumstances before it finally found its way into the king’s hands, a group of African Vodun (voodoo) practitioners who were an additional threat, and Mercy’s mysterious stalker, the stage was set for plenty of suspense. Then there was the handsome Lord Eden who rescued her from certain death at the beginning of the story and remained a part of her life due to other circumstances. The attraction between them was obvious but each of them had other plans for their lives that did not involve romance or marriage.
Mystery of the Heart was a great book with a captivating plot and wonderful characters. It was fun to touch base again with characters from the first two novels of The Ravensmoore Chronicles. I enjoyed the entire series so much that I hate to see it end.
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Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will Julia be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help? 
Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of nearly a dozen novels and novellas, including Snowflake Sweethearts and Along Came Love. She has won the ACFW Carol Award, the Crystal Globe Award and the International Digital Award. She lives in central New Jersey with her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, counselor and the author of several parenting books.
A woman without a prospect. A man without a homeland.
“Eakes has a charming way of making her novels come to life without being over the top,” writes Romantic times of bestselling, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes. Since she lay in bed as a child telling herself stories, she has fulfilled her dream of becoming a published author. To date, she has sixteen books in print with five more under contract for release over the next two years. Eight of her books have been published in large print editions, one as a Crossings Bookclub hardcover edition, and one book has been put into Braille.
