The Castle Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, Rachel McMillan ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history.

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May 2023; Harper Muse; 978-0785265320
audio, ebook, print (384 pages); historical fiction

The Castle Keepers is three novellas written by three fantastic authors about a curse on a family during three different time periods.   All three stories have strong women who work hard to help the family heal from its past.

1870 - Socialite Beatrice has failed to be accepted into society in New York City and moves with her parents to London to find a husband.  It was very popular during this time period for rich women to marry someone in London - it was a win-win - she got a title and a place in society and he got money from her dowry to help their dwindling family fortunes.  She met and married Lord Alnwick, heir to the Marquess of Northridge.  He had been injured in the war and when she arrived at his home, she found that he was not treated well by his parents and younger brother.  His mother felt that the younger brother should be the heir and she spread rumors about him to try to diminish his standing.  When the father died, under mysterious circumstances, the mom and younger brother made sure that he was arrested for the murder.  It was only through Beatrice's strength and love that the real truth came out.

1917 - Elena, an artist arrives at the castle to make a real-life mask to cover the damage done to Tobias's face during World War I.  She is a free spirit and he wants to hide behind his wounded face and not see other people.  People from her past begin to make problems for Elena so she has two battles to fight - one against people in her past and the other in trying to convince Tobias that his life is not over and there is still a lot to be thankful for.

1945 - World War II has just ended and Alec returns to the family castle.  He has what we would refer to today as PTSD and is still suffering from the destruction of the war.  With the help of Brigetta, a psychoanalyst whom he corresponded with during the war, they turn the castle into a rehabilitation center for soldiers who are unable to get back into the real world due to mental trauma from the war.  Will he be able to end the curse that has affected this castle and family for years?

I enjoyed all three stories and liked the way that they were tied together.  All three had men who were harmed by the wars that they fought in and women who were brave and strong and able to help their man achieve peace in their lives.

 

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Susan Roberts grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west.  She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction

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