I know I'm not alone when mentioning Jane Austen among my favorite writers, as well as books like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights by the Bronte sisters. The mysterious moors and cliffs along the coast of England make intriguing settings for both romance and suspense. I just finished reading a book by Christian author Julie Klassen called The Tutor's Daughter that reminded me of those books. It takes place in the early 1800s on the Cornwall coast.
Although we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, yet again Bethany House has done a beautiful job with the artwork on this book. The foreboding gray sky, the cliffs, the manor house, and the swirling sea below the heroine all tell you what to expect from this book before you even open it.
This book really swept me away to another place and time. Julie Klassen has become a new favorite author for me. I was concerned that the language and speaking style might be stilted to reflect the location and time period, but that was not the case. It was not difficult to read because the author made it seem very natural.
If you enjoy historical fiction or the romantic suspense of the Brontes, you will enjoy The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen!
You can read more reviews at the Litfuse website.
About The Tutor's Daughter:
Filled with page-turning suspense, The Tutor's Daughter takes readers to the windswept Cornwall coast-a place infamous for shipwrecks and superstitions-where danger lurks, faith is tested, and romance awaits. Emma Smallwood, determined to help her widowed father when his boarding school fails, accompanies him to the cliff-top manor of a baronet and his four sons. But soon after they arrive and begin teaching the two younger boys, mysterious things begin to happen. Who does Emma hear playing the pianoforte at night, only to find the music room empty? And who begins sneaking into her bedchamber, leaving behind strange mementoes? The baronet's older sons, Phillip and Henry Weston, wrestle with problems-and secrets-of their own. They both remember the studious Miss Smallwood from their days at her father's academy. But now one of them finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her... When suspicious acts escalate, can Emma figure out which brother to blame and which to trust with her heart?
Meet Julie:
Julie Klassen loves all things Jane--Jane Eyre and Jane Austen. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years and now writes full time. She has won the Christy Award: Historical Romance for The Silent Governess (2010) and The Girl in the Gatehouse (2011) which also won the 2010 Midwest Book Award for Genre Fiction. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota. Find out more about Julie at http://www.julieklassen.com/.
Julie is celebrating by giving away one of the new Paperwhite Kindles, Downton Abbey (season 3) and hosting a fun Author Chat Party on Facebook. (January 31st)
One fortunate winner will receive:
- A Kindle Paperwhite
- Downton Abbey, Season 3
- A Julie Klassen library (The Tutor’s Daughter, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Silent Governess)
So grab your copy of The Tutor's Daughter and join Julie on the evening of the January 31st for a chance to connect with Julie and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)
I also reviewed this book and loved it!
ReplyDeleteI'm hosting 7 giveaways at my site this week if you want to stop on over and enter. hope you have a great weekend!
Diane :O)
www.dianeestrella.com