Review: Lady Of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen

Title: Lady Of Milkweed Manor
Author: Julie Klassen

Publisher: Bethany House
Date released: January 1st 2008
ISBN-10: 0764204793

Stars(out of 5): ****3/4

Age rating: PG-14

There are a few themes in this book such as: wet nursing, postpartum depression and sex outside of marriage (although, those scene are not very descriptive and are handled very tastefully) that tweens (11-13) probably wouldn't find too interesting and a little hard to understand.

Back cover:

As Charlotte drew closer to the looming grey edifice that was to become her temporary home, she could not help but notice the secretive shuttered windows. Then she noticed the milkweeds....
Even a proper vicar's daughter can make a mistake--and now Charlotte Lamb must pay a high price for her fall. To avoid the prying eyes of all who know her, she hides herself away in London's forbidding "Milkweed Manor," a place of mystery and lore, of old secrets and new birth.
But once there, she comes face to face with a suitor from her past--a man who now hides secrets of his own. Both are determined, with God's help, to protect those they love. But neither can imagine the depth of sacrifice that will be required.
Sprinkled with fascinating details about the lives of women in Regency England, Lady of Milkweed Manor is a moving romantic drama about the redemption of past failings and the beauty of sacrificial love.


My Thoughts:

Coming from a reader who never liked Jane Austin or Emily Bronte *dives for cover from angry Austin fans* , I LOVED it! The story was beautiful and intriguing. Julie Klassen's writing, makes you feel as if your right there, stand among the milkweeds. And, if the wind was just right, perhaps a monarch butterfly perhaps. :) The characters are rich and full of details that almost had me believing they could walk right out of the book. LMM deals with issues that even 200 yrs later, we still deal with. Every character, from Charlotte to Charles, go through a transformation and teach lessons, that will stay with the reader long after "The End". The ending was perfect and not at all what I thought was going to happen. Which was nice, since what I had in mind for the end, was way, more depressing. I read this book in just 4 days, it was that good. I'd say, this is definitely a book you don't want waiting (for long, at least) on your TBR shelf. :)

To learn more about Julie klassen and her books go to:

HER WEBSITE

Love Ya,

Ashley