edenbrooke | Fire and Ice

Book Review- Edenbrooke

27 Jan, 2012 by Heather in regency, Shadow Mountain 3 comments

Edenbrooke
by Julianne Donaldson
Paperback, 240 pages
Expected publication: April 3rd 2012
by Deseret Book Company
ISBN 1609089464
Book Source: publisher
4.5 stars

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry. From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will she be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke

One of the first things I love about Edenbrooke is that the cover perfectly fits the story and is subtle but breathtaking. Marianne is living in Bath with her spinster grandma, separated form her twin sister after the death of their mother. Both are in the season of their life and while their father is off on his own grieving in another country Marianne is trying in vain to enjoy the quiet solitary life she’s been allotted. Between unwelcome advances from a much older man and hearing all of the adventures of her twin in London, she begins to wonder what is in store for her. So when sister Cecily sends invitation for the two of them to spend the summer on an estate called Edenbrooke Marianne is hopeful her luck may change. The two sisters couldn’t be more opposite in their demeanor and temperaments. Cecily is bound and determined to win the heart of the Lord of the estate with flirtation during her visit while Marianne is happy to learn in her quiet way how to become a proper Lady. But things turn unexpectedly when Marianne’s carriage is high jacked and a stranger steps in to help.

Edenbrooke pulled me out of a reading slump with its rich setting and slowly building clean romance. It had a surprise ending with a villain I never would have guessed and plenty of heart stopping moments between the pages. I would highly recommend it to all readers and especially fans of Regency romance. I think Julianne has a promising road ahead of her as an up and coming author who delights readers with vivid writing and well developed characters. Thanks so much to Shadow Mountain for the advanced reading copy!

Content: clean, minor violence

About the author: Julianne Donaldson was born in the wrong century. She tries to make up for that by enjoying old books, old music, and old places. She graduated magna cum laude from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. When she’s not dreaming of England, she enjoys baking, dancing with her kids, and staying up late with her husband and a good book. She lives with her husband and four children in Salt Lake City, Utah.