Welcome
to the very first ever Review Tuesday, although I will not actually be calling
it that. I just wanted to let all of my lovely readers know that I will be
(hopefully) posting a book review every Tuesday. And, for the time being, the
reviews will be a wonderful trip through my personal library as I share with
you many of the novels I have bought over the years. All of the pictures will
be photos that I will take of my actual books, and, once I finish, for the time
being of course (my library is constantly growing) I will possibly take a
picture of my shelves in their entirety. We shall see.
Another
thing before I get to the review: every book, movie, or song that I even so
much as mention on this blog will be added to my Amazon store, which you can
find on my pages bar at the top of the page. So, if you find after reading one
of my reviews that you must purchase the book, you can easily find it through
my store. There’s also quite a few of my favorites on there, so if you’re ever
looking for something good to read, you can always head on over to see what I would
suggest. Now, for the review!
Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She
fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry, and the
one man she thought might marry her seems to have fallen for her younger,
prettier sister.
Facing financial ruin, Abigail and
her father search for more affordable lodgings, until 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 acquainted with the manor’s past, the
only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers drawn by
rumors that Pembrooke Park contains a secret room filled with treasure.
This catches Abigail’s attention. Hoping
to restore her family’s finances—and her dowry—Abigail looks for this supposed
treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn’t
the only one secretly searching the house.
Then Abigail begins receiving
anonymous letters, containing clues about the hidden room and startling
discoveries about the past.
As old friends and new foes come
calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the
treasure and love she seeks, or very real danger?
I had
been anticipating reading this novel even before its release date (Dec. 2014)
and, although I had to wait this long to finally read it, it exceeded every one
of my expectations. So much so that I finished all 456 pages in one day, less
than six hours to be exact. And it was WONDERFUL. I give Julie Klassen a hearty
round of applause.
Abigail
Foster is a sensible, thoughtful woman who dreams of matrimony, only her visions
have recently been dashed. Finding her family facing financial ruin, she
carries a large measure of guilt as she knows it is mostly her fault. With much
determination, she attempts to repair what has been lost. Along the way, she
finds herself torn between rumors of treasure, mystery, and multiple men vying
for her attention. Will all be well in the end? You have to read to find out!
I
found Abigail often struggled with her worth, as she constantly compared
herself to her younger sister, and found herself lacking. I love how she finally
comes to realize how valuable she is, to God and to those who love her. I have
always said that a book isn’t really worth reading if the characters haven’t
changed for the better by the end of the story, and I am extremely glad to
report that in this novel, they do.
So,
without further ado, I give The Secret of
Pembrooke Park all five possible bookshelves (my ranking instead of stars)
because it kept me hooked through every page, is a novel I will absolutely be
reading again, and was well worth purchasing.
Happy
reading!
Purchase your own copy here.
All credit to the above italicized synopsis
goes to Julie Klassen and her publishers.
