June 3, 2011

Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen

Banished from the only home she's even known, Mariah Aubrey hides herself away in an abandoned gatehouse on a distant relative's estate. When Captain Matthew Bryan leases the estate to impress a girl, he has no idea what's in store for and neither did I.

Girl in the Gatehouse is a series of fun twists and turns as Mariah gets settled into her surroundings and tries to make the best of life in the gatehouse. She takes the time to work on her writing, plan theatrical performances for the orphanage next door, and rescue crazy ship captains from bondage. While the novel dwells on her past to give the reader a background of what happened to send her to the gatehouse, it really focuses on her life now and moving forward from her mishap. 

The author, Julie Klassen, was inspired by Jane Austen, and it shows in her writing. Unlikely romance, dashing adventure, big parties, and mysterious and comedic side characters that each have their own stories to tell all wrapped up into a story that really boils down to the relationship between a boy and a girl. I loved all of her characters and how she gave the reader a glimpse into each of their lives without taking away from the main plot too much. And I also loved how even though seemingly unrelated, she tied all of their stories together in a way that actually worked. One of the best parts about the book was going on the same journey as the characters as they step by step learned how they were all intertwined somehow. I've never read anything else by Julie Klassen but if given the opportunity would love to pick up another one of her novels.

**I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from Bethany House Publishers. 


1 comment:

  1. Since I'm a Jane Austen fan, this novel was a favorite. It had lots of twists and turns that kept me reading into the night. I especially liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and the way the author tied up all the loose ends.

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