Friday, January 14, 2011

The Girl in the Gatehouse


KLASSEN, JULIE
THE GIRL IN THE GATEHOUSE

Mariah Aubrey lives in seclusion with her secrets. Will an ambitious captain uncover her identity...and her hidden past?

Banished from the only home she's ever known, Mariah Aubrey hides herself away in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative's estate. There she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how -- by writing novels in secret.

When Captain Matthew Bryant leases the estate, he is intrigued by the beautiful girl in the gatehouse. But there are many things he doesn't know about the beguiling outcast. Will he risk his plans -- and his heart -- for a woman shadowed by scandal?

Intriguing, mysterious, and romantic, The Girl in the Gatehouse takes readers inside the life of a secret authoress at a time when novel-writing was considered improper for ladies and the smallest hint of impropriety could change a woman's life forever.

EXQUISITELY WRITTEN, KLASSEN'S WORDS SEEP INTO YOUR SOUL. I WAS SO IMMERSED IN THE STORY THAT I FELT LIKE I HAD TRAVELED BACK IN TIME. HER FLAWLESS DESCRIPTIONS, BREATHTAKING SETTING AND MEMORABLE CHARACTERS ALL HAVE THE FEEL OF REGENCY ENGLAND. IN FACT IT WAS JARRING TO RE-ENTER THE REAL WORLD WHEN NECESSITY DICTATED THAT I DO SOMETHING OTHER THEN READ!

THE GIRL IN THE GATEHOUSE IS THE KIND OF BOOK YOU SETTLE INTO SO YOU CAN SAVOR EVERY WORD. NO SKIMMING ALLOWED. NO SKIPPING TO THE LAST PAGE FOR A QUICK PEEK. THIS BOOK HAS TO BE READ FROM COVER TO COVER, WORD FOR WORD EXACTLY THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN.

IT WAS A COMPULSIVE READ. I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN...EVEN WHEN THE GNARLY BITS CAME UP AND I WASN'T SURE I REALLY WANTED TO READ THE ANGST. BUT I COULDN'T STOP. I COULDN'T COME UP FOR BREATH. I JUST HAD TO KEEP READING, SAVORING, LIVING EVERY PAGE!

AND PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS! READ THE FIRST SENTENCE...THEN READ THE LAST. MARVEL AT THE WAY KLASSEN WEAVES A MYRIAD OF PLOTS INTO ONE COHESIVE INCREDIBLY SATISFYING CONCLUSION. THIS IS A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN BOOK! AN INCREDIBLE READ! DEFINITELY BELONGS ON EVERYONE'S KEEPER SHELF!!!!
REMINDER: IF YOU WOULD LIKE A CHANCE TO WIN YOUR OWN COPY OF THE GIRL IN THE GATEHOUSE LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW OR EMAIL ME AT kavluvstoread(AT)yahoo(DOT)ca. MAKE SURE TO WRITE 'GIVEAWAY' IN THE SUBJECT LINE. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS SEE THE JANUARY IS GIVEAWAY MONTH BLOG POSTED ON JANUARY 5TH OR CLICK ON 'GIVEAWAY' IN THE LABELS COLUMN.
THE DRAWS FOR THE BOOKS REVIEWED BETWEEN JAN. 6 AND JANUARY 15 WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY JANUARY 16. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED THE SAME DAY. THE DRAWS FOR THE BOOKS REVIEWED BETWEEN JANUARY 17 AND 29 WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 30.

10 comments:

  1. Kav, your posts are as exquisite as the books you review.

    I think this was my favorite of Julie Klassen's books. She really has a poetic way with description, doesn't she?

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  2. Kav,
    Beautiful review. Isn't it a GORGEOUS cover? It kind of steals my breath away everytime I see it : )

    I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy of this one. Checked at Borders yesterday and they don't have it. I don't know about anyone else, but our bookstores have really tiny Christian Fiction sections. I like a lot of the books they DO have, but can't find any of the ones I ever want!! LOL! Like the Love Finds You In...books, they don't carry them! So then I'd have to go through the hassle of ordering them, which means I can't use a coupon on them. It's annoying ; )

    I'm so glad you enjoyed this and thanks for another excellent review!
    Hannah
    hccelie(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. Thanks Brenda! I loved this book so much. I have to get my hands on a copy of The Silent Governess now. Somehow that one by Klassen slipped by me.

    Hannah, I know what you mean about the regular bookstores not having Christian Fiction. None of our independent bookstores carry it at all and Chapters has them on line but not as many in store. Not even sure if they have a section just for Christian fiction. I do, however, have an incredible Christian bookstore in town. They carry most everything...even if it comes in a bit later then in the states. And what they don't get in they'll order for me and the turn around time is around a week. Really good service, family owned. I LOVE supporting independent businesses.

    Maybe you'll get lucky, Hannah and win this one!

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  4. Well I am way behind, I just bought Apothecary's Daughter.....I have so many books to read right now, I wish my boss would quit calling me in to work...lol...A good source for books for me, is local thrift stores, I cant imagine getting rid of good books, but i am glad people do...Thanks for the reviews

    Betsy

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  5. Hey Betsy -- I have a hard time parting with books too. I need another bookshelf...sooner then soon! LOL. I haven't tried my local thrift stores or second hand bookstores for Christian Fiction, but I suppose that's something I should look into. And hey -- you can always win books on blogs too, right? Which leads me to say you're in on the draw. Good luck!

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  6. Julie's book sounds amazing!
    Ann_Lee_Miller@msn.com

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  7. Hi Ann Lee, it really is amazing. My favourite of hers so far. Good luck in the draw!

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  8. KAV!!! I LOVE Julie Klassen, both as an author and as a person -- she is delightful!! The Silent Governess was definitely my fav of all her books, but then I haven't read Gatehouse yet, but you have gotten me pumped for it, so DO enter me in the contest, please!! Thank you!!!

    Hugs,
    Julie

    gsus (at) charter (dot) net

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  9. Kav, I haven't read this one, but have read all of Julie's others. You are so right about her books being compulsive reads. One of my favorite parts of her books are the fascinating historical details.

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  10. JUST bought this one at my local christian bookstore and can't wait to dive into it. :)

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