Regency Romance and Mystery from Bestselling Author Julie Klassen
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?
Brimming with romance and danger, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall takes readers inside the fascinating belowstairs world of a 19th-century English manor, where appearances can be deceiving.
My Review
Delightful - giving great pleasure or delight; highly pleasing: a delightful surprise.
That’s what The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is, delightful.
Margaret Macy has a choice. Marry her disgusting step-brother, under duress from her sorry excuse for a step father, or flee London. Choosing to flee, she disguises herself as a maid and escapes, only to end up being hired as an actual maid at Fairbourne Hall. There are some moments of nose wrinkling, like when Nora (Margaret’s alias name) has to empty the chamber pots. Ew! But it was fun to read and easy to visualize all the scenes, especially since watching Downton Abbey, even though that’s set in a different era.
Nathaniel Upchurch is described as not being as handsome as his brother, but from the moment he was introduced into the story, I thought he was better looking. Rugged and rough. I know. That’s real shallow of me but hey, it’s a Regency romance. What do you expect? Seriously though, he’s a second son, under a lot of pressure from his father, trying to right the family finances. Being a godly man, he conducts a devotional and prayer each morning with his staff, which I thought was just wonderful. I don’t think I’ve seen that depicted in any of the books I’ve read so far. So you see he is more handsome than that scoundrel older brother of his.
One of my favorite parts of the book is between Margaret and her former lady’s maid, Joan. Joan is dismissed from her employment at the same time that Margaret needs to flee, so they leave together. Joan has no respect for Margaret, which is understandable considering the way she was treated, but the relationship that develops between them over the next few months was heartwarming. They’re hired by different households but come into contact with each several times through various circumstances. To see Margaret come to the place where she respected Joan, and vise versa, was touching.
This book is beautifully written, with plenty of drama, intrigue, humor, romance and a steady spiritual thread woven throughout. As a Regency Era fan, I live for the moment a Julie Klassen novel hits the shelves. If you’re not already a fan, you will be!
Bethany House provided a copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive one, just my honest opinion, which I have done. No other compensation has been received.
You can purchase your copy today at any of the following, because I'm not giving away mine ;) There are just some books that are keepers. This is one I will definitely be reading again and again!
or you can check with your local retailer.
Price:$14.99
ISBN:978-0-7642-0709-9
ISBN-10:0-7642-0709-1
Dimensions:5.5 x 8.5
Number of pages:416
Carton Quantity:32
Publication Date:Jan. 12
Formats:Paperback
About Julie
I am so glad you loved this book. It was so good! I agree about not giving it away. Mine will always have a home on my bookcase!!!!! This is a book that everyone needs to read!
ReplyDeleteHey Jen! I knew always loved Julie's books but this one just went over the top for me. I think it's my new favorite :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it has! Yay! :-)
ReplyDeleteLoved your review! And I am testing to see if your word verification has been kicked to the curb. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie! That was a great article. I shared it on FB :)
ReplyDeleteI love the cover and the spectacles she's carrying!
ReplyDeleteHi Kate! Without the picture being large you almost don't see the spectacles! I think the roses are so beautiful and delicate :) Thanks for coming over and thanks for your advise!
ReplyDelete