Tag: Swindell Ann

Love in the Castle Library + Giveaway

Predictability and efficiency have marked Delphine DuVert’s orderly life as Castle Stewardess in the small European country of Lethersby—until she is tasked by the monarchy to hire a British researcher. Lethersby needs help solving the 100-year-old mystery of their Lost Queen, a young royal who disappeared into the night during World War I.

Delphine’s split-second decision to hire Jack Worthington, a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, has long-lasting consequences when he steps in to protect her from an angry colleague determined to ruin her life. The only catch? That protection looks like Jack posing as her beau.

Jack Worthington believes that his instinct to protect Delphine was the right one, but he’s determined to stay focused on his research for Lethersby—and keep his emotional distance after reeling from a broken heart. Yet as the clues to discovering the Lost Queen’s story unravel and the Delphine’s future hangs in the balance, both Jack and Delphine must step out in faith, choosing to trust that what God has ahead for them is worth any risk.

My Review:

Not just a five star read but an all the stars in the sky read! And it’s impossible for me to even begin to express how incredible this book is. Immersive and emotional and so, so, sooooooo very swoonable! Jack! Be. Still. My. Heart. Not to mention the incredible inspirational threads that are seamlessly woven throughout the entire story. It’s all…just…bibliophile perfection.

I was so moved by Delphine’s story. Her struggles were so relatable to me and I ached for her. I’d love to do a deep dive into all the emotional triggers but I don’t want to spoil the reading experience for others. This would make an awesome book club read though, for the numerous talking points ‘Love in the Castle Library’ provides. This is not a simple romance by any means, though it is an epic one (I cried at the end.)

I appreciate the strength of the faith content in this novel. There’s no mistaking this Christian Fiction and I love the way characters support one another in their different stages of understanding. Even the secondary characters — oh my, Jack’s father! What an incredible source of steadfast wisdom! So many wonderful takeaways for readers seeking encouragement and comfort.

I listened to the audio edition of ‘Love in the Castle Library’ but there are so many quotable quotes in this book that I’m going to get a print copy as well. Marni Penning did a wonderful job narrating the book and it’s one that I will definitely listen to again, but I need to annotate a paperback too. It’s that good!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

US – paperback or ebook – winner’s choice

Canada – paperback, ebook or audible — winner’s choice

International – ebook copy if you have a US Kindle account.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Love 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 24 2026.

Christmas in the Castle Library + Giveaway

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.