Whispers of Shadowbrook House (Proper Romance Victorian)
1880 Hertfordshire. Pearl is working as a governess in Shadowbrook House, where she has been for six years. Her duties revolve around young Maxwell, the grandson of the current, aging heir, Arthur Ravenscroft. Maxwell is not in good health, and Pearl is charged to not only care for him, but be his friend. She has done so since he was two years old, and they are indeed very close. When Oliver, the nephew of the heir, arrives with plans to sell the house, they do not hit it off well at all, although Pearl acknowledges to herself an attraction to the handsome young man. But his plans for the house and his willingness to take Maxwell’s home away from him cause a situation between Pearl and Oliver that seemingly cannot be resolved since Oliver’s uncle, Pearl, and even the house itself do not seem to like him. Then a flamboyant fortune teller and her little dog come to visit, and things will never be the same.
This book is engaging from the start and a fun read. I like how the house takes on a personality of its own and almost becomes a character in the story. The relationship between Pearl and the orphaned Maxwell is endearing. The arrival of the fortune teller has a dramatic effect, as change starts to happen soon afterward. Although this is set in 19th-century England, we do not hear very much about events outside the house. The dynamic between upstairs aristocracy and downstairs staff is interesting, especially where Pearl is concerned, because a governess does not seem at first to fit in either world. This is an enjoyable and compelling historical romance.
