Ellie Sawyer has always felt more comfortable with books than people, which explains why she’s a PhD history student neck deep in research and trying to complete her doctoral dissertation in time to graduate. But the final books she needs are half a world away in the tiny European kingdom of Lethersby, and the only time she can access the secretive Royal Castle Library is during the Christmas holiday.
Ellie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery that has eluded Lethersby scholars for more than 100 hundred years by figuring out what happened to their long-lost queen, a young royal who disappeared shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. With the help of Mark, a handsome castle staff member who shares her love of history, she might be able to unravel the queen’s story. But Mark is keeping his own secret from her, and what they discover together could change everything for Ellie—and the entire kingdom.
My Review:
Cover love immediately caught my attention and then all the bookish hype from trusted reader friends started and I knew I had to read ‘Christmas in the Castle Library’ BUT a postal strike and time commitments in the midst of the holidays sabotaged all my good intentions. I almost put this book aside for next Christmas but…well, I couldn’t resist the siren song of the book that everyone loved so I read it in January.
I mean, how could I not read a book with a castle library setting? Especially since it included romance! Eeeeppp!!! But, honestly, this story was so beyond my expectations I’m not sure I can even put what I’m feeling into words.
The ‘other world’ charm of a fictional European kingdom made such a lovely backdrop for Ellie’s coming of age story. I don’t quite know what else to call it — maybe coming into who she is in Jesus might be more accurate. What it means to be Chosen just because you are, not because of anything you do. Her faith journey makes for an exceptional story and brought me to the verge of tears a time or two. So, if you are looking for a Christian Fiction novel where faith is an intricately woven part of the plot — and an important one at that — then this is definitely the book for you!
She’s a scholar with a historical mystery to solve and only three weeks to do it in. Enter a captivating man who seems to be just as starstruck over books and libraries and research as she is and, as a native of Lethersby, he knows a lot of the secrets which he’s happy to share. With the exception of a very important one….
Their swoonalicious romance includes a Christmas Ball and some toe-curling kisses and the way they use books to communicate is so clever and sweet! Of course, there are obstacles to overcome not the least of which are Ellie’s struggles to realize her own worth. But through it all there’s such a wonderful sense of urgent hope that brought a bit of a fairy tale glow to the story .
And best news ever — there’s to be a sequel! A tantalizing sneak peek into the second book is included at the end of this one and now I’m hoping we won’t have to wait long for ‘Love in the Castle Library’s‘ release!
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy and is available to any reader, any where — so, yay, another International Giveaway!
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Christmas in the Castle Library, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 18 2025.
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