So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. This is the first novel by Donaldson and it’s only been out a month or so, so it’s new. It’s called Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson. The one I read over the weekend is my favorite so far this year. With all the sitting at orthodontists offices and waiting in carpool lines, I’ve had a lot of reading time, which I love. If you’ve read Edenbrooke, let me know what you thought in the comments below.Anyway, I haven’t blogged much in April, but I wanted to drop a note to let you know what I’ve been reading. If you enjoy Regency-era novels, romances, or simply a good historical fiction, you should read this. When I read this book, I was transported from my cramped seat on the commuter rail next to some guy snoring a tad too loudly to the English countryside, and that’s some of the highest praise that I can give. It was such a fun read, and it made my daily commute – dare I say – enjoyable. At the end of the book, she displays a nearly 180° shift in behavior that is hard to believe, as her actions run counter to every other depiction of her. At the novel’s beginning, I thought that he would play a much larger role in the story due to how at odds his personal interests were to those of Marianne’s, but he ended up being a fairly minor character with only a few scenes.Ĭecily, Marianne’s twin sister, was another disappointing character. Kellet, had a story that felt rather unfulfilled. Clumpett for her forthrightness and decision to buck traditional gender norms.

Clumpett’s frequent (and sometimes hilariously inappropriate) references to animals always made me smile, and I loved Mrs. With his awkwardness and at times cringe-worthy behavior, Mr.

The introduction of other potential romantic partners also created enough uncertainty that I kept eagerly turning the pages to see how everything would unfold.Īnother aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the cast of secondary characters.

I enjoyed his playful teasing at her expense, and it was equal parts funny and aggravating to see how clueless Marianne was when it came to Philip’s feelings toward her. His relationship with Marianne is sweet, as well as amusing. Marianne’s love interest, Philip, is certainly reminiscent of one of Austen’s leading men –he’s wealthy, handsome, and honorable. It felt like a modern-day version of a Jane Austen novel: Austenian at its core but simpler in prose. From grand estates and elegant balls to highwaymen and sword fights, this book had all the makings of a classic Regency romance. Edenbrooke hooked me from the very first page.

Summer in edenbrooke