Books of the Year ~ Silver Medal Winner
By Julie Klassen
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?
MY REVIEW:
Warning: stock your freezer with frozen pizzas because you won’t be feeding your family until you’ve finished this book.
THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK is by far the finest to date of author Julie Klassen’s novels. Danger. Love. Intrigue. A mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. You’ll find all the ingredients of a historical romance with a gothic flair in this latest release.
Heroine Abigail Foster struggles with feelings of self-worth, magnified by her younger sister’s beauty. When an opportunity presents itself for her to depart from family for awhile and prepare a country home for their residence, she jumps on it. In the process, she discovers a house full of mystery. . . and a very handsome curate to help the solve the puzzle.
William Chapman is everything a hero should be. Compassionate. Trustworthy. Big biceps. More than that, though, he truly cares about the souls of his parish, Abigail’s included.
Which makes it even harder for Abigail to choose when the former love of her life shows up. Don’t worry. I won’t give anything away. You’ll have to wonder like I did until nearly the end of the story.
PEMBROOKE PARK is a fantastic tale, sure to make you drop all your responsibilities and hole up on the couch for a few days. Plan ahead and have plenty of tea and scones available, because seriously, you will NOT put this one down.