Mariah Aubrey is The Girl in the Gatehouse in Klassen's newest novel.
Mariah has been sent from her home in disgrace. An aunt offers lodging in an abandoned gatehouse on her English country estate. Forced to support herself, Mariah finds she can earn a small living by writing novels--as long as she conceals her identity as the author.
When her aunt dies, the estate is leased to a ship's captain who has his own secrets and ambitions. In addition to the captain, The Girl in the Gatehouse is filled with memorable characters, all of whom add richness and color to Mariah's life.
I'm a Julie Klassen fan. The Girl in the Gatehouse is her most Austen-like novel to date. Abounding with romance, secrets, and misunderstandings, it is a delicious read.
Be sure you have some time set aside when you sit down with The Girl in the Gatehouse. You won't want to stop reading until you've turned the last page.
Posts
The Girl in the Gatehouse is the first of Julie Klassen's novels that I have read and I intend to read them all now. Set in Regency era England, the book tells the tale of young Mariah Aubrey who is banished from her home and sent to live in the gatehouse of her wealthy aunt because of a scandal. When her Aunt dies soon after, Mariah is left at the mercy of her Aunt's retched step-son and the mysterious new naval Captain that has come to lease the mansion. At the same time, she begins writing and publishing novels under a pen-name to make ends meet, all the while growing closer to the dashing Captain Bryant, solving an intriguing mystery, and coming to terms with her part in the scandal that sent her to the gatehouse. Written in a voice reminiscent of Jane Austen, The Girl in the Gatehouse is an absorbing read and one that I highly recommend.
ReplyDelete