The Secret of Pembrooke Park

by Julie Klassen

Abigail Foster fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms and the one man she thought might marry her--a longtime friend--has fallen for her younger, prettier sister.
When financial problems force her family to sell their London home, a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .

The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem to know something about the manor's past, the only information they offer Abigail is a warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure.

Hoping to improve her family's financial situation, Abigail surreptitiously searches for the hidden room, but the arrival of anonymous letters addressed to her, with clues about the room and the past, bring discoveries even more startling. As secrets come to light, will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian Fiction, Mystery, Historical, Regency, Fiction

464 pages, Hardcover

First published November 25, 2014

About the author

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. Three of her books, The Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, and The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, have won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. She has also won the Midwest Book Award, the Minnesota Book Award, and Christian Retailing’s BEST Award, and been a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards and ACFW’s Carol Awards. She blogs at http://www.inspiredbylifeandfiction.com.
Julie and her husband have two sons and live in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota.

Reviews

[chan ☆]

oh noooo i didn't realize this was a christian regency mystery. no thanks <3

[Michelle Griep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: stock your freezer with frozen pizzas because you won’t be feeding your family until you’ve finished this book.

THE SECRET OF PEMBROOKE PARK is by far the finest to date of author Julie Klassen’s novels. Danger. Love. Intrigue. A mystery that will keep you guessing until the very end. You’ll find all the ingredients of a historical romance with a gothic flair in this latest release.

Heroine Abigail Foster struggles with feelings of self-worth, magnified by her younger sister’s beauty. When an opportunity presents itself for her to depart from family for awhile and prepare a country home for their residence, she jumps on it. In the process, she discovers a house full of mystery. . . and a very handsome curate to help the solve the puzzle.

William Chapman is everything a hero should be. Compassionate. Trustworthy. Big biceps. More than that, though, he truly cares about the souls of his parish, Abigail’s included.

Which makes it even harder for Abigail to choose when the former love of her life shows up. Don’t worry. I won’t give anything away. You’ll have to wonder like I did until nearly the end of the story.

PEMBROOKE PARK is a fantastic tale, sure to make you drop all your responsibilities and hole up on the couch for a few days. Plan ahead and have plenty of tea and scones available, because seriously, you will NOT put this one down.

[Lyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the setting, the nods to Jane Austen, and the mystery in general. The plot was very well done; I was very invested in unraveling it, and had no suspicions or theories as to true motives of any of the characters.

However, a lot of William's and Abigail's actions didn't sit well with me. I'm not an authority on 19th century propriety by any means, unless a solid love of Jane Austen's work and a tendency to immerse myself in regency period novels makes me an expert. But I just couldn't see a devoted man of the cloth or a well-bred lady doing the things that they did. I mean, Lydia Bennet would, but she brought shame down on anyone with a teaspoon's worth of sense. Frequently inviting a man into your bedchamber, being alone with said man in said bedchamber, coming upon a half naked man and then staying to chat, the super forward flirtatious remarks, the sensuous lingering touches- these are commonplace and accepted today, but 200 years ago? Not so much. Definitely not without consequences. I was frequently disappointed in both of them. How often William risked her reputation. If he really cared for her and/or if he had integrity, he wouldn't have trifled with her, but would have taken the utmost care to treat her like a lady and preserve her good name.

[Jaime Jo Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Ms. Klassen,

my family has suffered because of you. Dinners of under-cooked garlic potatoes, bedtimes with muttered "hurry-ups", daggers glared at a chatty husband, and a jumpy wife and mother every time a strange creak, howl, moan, or crash breaks the silence of our otherwise un-haunted house.

When I read The Secret of Pembrooke Park I was not expecting it to disrupt my world. I first read Jane Eyre when I was thirteen and I had the time to curl up in a chair and read it from cover to cover. But, you need to take a moment to comprehend that your readership is not comprised of thirteen-year-old youngsters with eons of time stretching before them, disguised in the costume of Growing Up. Nay. We are mothers, housekeepers, career oriented women, and pastors wives. To assume that we will be content reading this Gothic and haunting novel in snippets is highly presumptuous.

So I propose that you try to compose your following novel in far greater sections of boredom. Ones that droll on regarding the nonsensical happenings which drag the story like a horse pulls a plow. I recommend you make your heroines far less captivating and more...dreary. Your heroes with stringy black hair, or no hair, but definitely not the style of a debonair curate, of all things. It is also with much pleading that I request you deign your characters worthy of cottages infested by mice, not ghostly mirages, by a beetle or may-hap a cockroach instead of a family secret that chases your heroine into the depths of the night and sends shivers down her spine.

Dollhouses left as if the child were snatched from their play? Certainly an unfair addition to your prose. Plates and tea cups as if afternoon tea were interrupted by a murderous, scheming ghost? Highly uncouth.

These are the additions of an author seeking to dismantle a normally sane wife and mother. This is the matter I must confess to you, has weighed on my heart and yet I have been tempted beyond what I am able to overcome.

Ms. Klassen, you have joined hands with Charlotte Bronte who engaged a thirteen-year-old in an imaginary world of sinister story and romanticized lore. But again, I implore you, remember I am now beyond the age of thirty and seven. My family--my children--need me. Please remember this when you write again.

Sincerely,

Ms. Wright of Shady Lane

[Aerykah · Rating 5 out of 5]

460 pages? It's hard to believe that this book is really that long because I flew through it!

My love of Jane Austen and Jane Eyre made Julie Klassen a quick favorite of mine and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of her books (except for The Dancing Master, the only one of hers that I haven't read). This book, I understand, is her longest to date; and it is definitely one of her best!

I love how this author can take history, mystery, suspense, and romance... mix them together... and come out with a spectacular story such as this one!

I loved the characters! I thought they were very well written. Several of the characters frustrated me; and I pitied some and wished things had worked out better for them, but I can't say I truly disliked any of them -- other than Clive, of course (who could like him?!).

As for the mysteries, I did figure out some things before they were actually revealed, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment. Besides, can you ever be totally sure you know the truth before you read the last page? ;)

All in all, this book is amazing and I highly recommend it!!

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret of Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen is a Regency Christian mystery/suspense with some romance and a Gothic feel to it. Abigail's family has undergone a financial crisis, and she is taking the reigns of getting them newly settled at Pembrooke Park. Pembrooke Park is an impressive character in and of itself - an abandoned estate that her family is letting inexpensively in exchange for bringing it to life again.

The plot for the mystery was extremely well done, with layer after layer peeled back over time. I wasn't completely satisfied with the romance. I really liked the hero and the heroine, yet I wasn't eagerly anticipating the next time they were going to interact with each other. And romance is what I really look for!

What I liked:

*It was suspenseful at times, but not overly so.
*The characters were all well drawn, and some were unusual.

What I didn't like:

*The romance was there, but it didn't delight me.
*I had a hard time remembering who certain characters were. There was one person mentioned at the end that I couldn't remember at all.

I recommend The Secret of Pembrooke Park to Regency, suspense, and mystery fans. I wouldn't recommend it to middle school aged youth. High school and up, as long as the high-schooler can handle a bit of tragedy.

I would always recommend Julie Klassen. Always. She's one of my favorite authors.

[Maggie Boyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book rather confusing. The tale begins with a catastrophe. Abigail Foster, practical and intelligent, had encouraged her father's investment in her uncle's bank. She blames herself when the investment sours and the family is left virtually destitute. Adding to her pain is watching the man she had always been close friends with suddenly become enamored of her younger sister.

Fortunately, not everything falls to ruin. A solicitor approaches them with a mysterious offer - they can live in the country manor of a distant relation, fully furnished and complete with servants for the foreseeable future.

Abigail offers up her dowry so her mother and sister can stay in London and give her sister a season. Then she and her father head to Pembrooke Park. They are greeted at gun point at their new home, the man who had watched the place determined to protect it from vandals. Once they convince him of their legitimate right to be there, they find their entrance into the new home no more reassuring. The manor house itself is frightening, with dirty dishes left at the table as though the owners had bolted from the house, locking it behind them in haste. What had happened here? As Abigail cleans and prepares the house for habitation she attempts to learn from the servants the secrets of the manor but she is firmly rebuffed. The only rumor anyone is willing to speak of is the legend of the great treasure hidden in a secret room.

However, that room is not the only thing that engages Abigail's attention. There is also the handsome local curate who seems to find her quite intriguing as well. Hoping to restore the family finances Abigail begins a hunt for the treasure room, all the while growing closer to curate William Chapman. Then the letters begin to appear. Pages taken from a diary of a young girl who once lived at Pembrooke Park and who seems to have very disturbing memories of it indeed.

Here is where my confusion comes in: Just what rank is Abigail's family? Both the mother and father act as though they are be people of great wealth. Apparently they can take part in the Season, which I understood was for gentry only with the occasional well connected Cit allowed to take part. But this family had only the one home in London. They hung out with people who worked for a living - bankers and architects being chief among them. The daughters had a great deal of freedom - Abigail is left at the country estate alone with the servants for great stretches of time, she is escorted to a party by a single, male neighbor whom the family has only a passing acquaintance with, she chats happily with a man swimming in his pantaloons, allows the same man to admire her bare toes as she dips them in the river, and has said man alone in her room on several occasions because he is a minister and she trusts him. I simply couldn't place their social class based on their behaviors and I found that very vexing. Super annoying was that the flirtatious younger daughter was chastised for her behavior. So it's better to be quiet at parties and invite men to your room???

The mystery is interesting although it takes quite a long time for us to actually get involved with it. I didn't enjoy the romance in spite of a great deal of risky for the Regency behavior simply because I didn't understand everyone's behavior. Ultimately, I became so obsessed with placing the social standing of the characters and how they came to behave the way they did in the world they lived in that my enjoyment of the book was tempered by the questions it engendered.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhh that glorious feeling when you manage to escape from real life into a Julie Klassen novel...and subsequently end up lost there for days on end, unwilling to put the book down, sacrificing precious hours of sleep, letting all your homework accumulate in an alarming pile...Ah. So worth it.

The Secret of Pembrooke Park, another Klassen masterpiece, was a wonderful book which I enjoyed very much, as we all know that Julie Klassen writes CF Regency like no other. I was drawn into this story from the very first chapters, and it provided me with several hours of pleasant enjoyment.

Though much slower than and less exciting than The Silent Governess or The Tutor's Daughter, this novel was more in the same vein as The Dancing Master. Slow, tranquil, detailed... It was beautifully crafted and the characters were interesting, but considering that the story features secret rooms and whispers of treasure, I was left a tad disappointed at the lack of adventure. The middle chapters became a bit too stagnant, and the characters seemed to be going around in circles.

The whole sub-plot with Mr. Miles Pembrooke was very implausible After ALL they hear about the Pembrooke's "past" and ALL the warnings they receive about the Pembrookes, no one bats an eyelid when Miles Pembrooke just comes to stay at the house???!!!!! Not buying it.
. Certain character revelations were incredibly dull after much excitement had been built up about them. The twists and turns weren't as twisty and turny as I know Klassen is capable of doing, and once again lacked excitement.

But you know what? It wasn't too bad. It was okay. I still really liked this book. Because it's so well-written that all I needed was simply to adjust to its pace to appreciate it more. It was still very slow, but it was soothingly slow.

And the romance. Oh my.

THE BIT WHEN THEY'RE UNDER WILLIAM'S UMBRELLA AND THEY EAT BERRIES. *dies*

Sweet, titillating, heart-pounding-worthy.

Not my favourite Klassen book, but it definitely had its moments.

[Marta Fernández · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es la tercera novela que leo de esta autora y creo que ya puedo afirmar con rotundidad que es una de mis escritoras favoritas, cuando empiezo uno de sus libros sé que voy a disfrutar como una enana.

He adivinado los pilares en los que se basa esta autora para hacer sus historias inolvidables, denominador común que tienen las tres novelas que he leído: personaje femenino delicado a la vez que fuerte, misterio y un estilo envidiable. Me dejo uno en el tintero para más adelante.

Abigail es una muchacha inusual para la época, sobre sus delicados hombros existe una gran carga como es organizar su familia. A pesar de que no es huérfana, sus padres gozan de buena salud, los primogénitos no dudan en consultar los temas más complejos con nuestra protagonista. Al comienzo del libro vemos cómo una desanimada Abigail busca desesperadamente remediar la situación de su familia, puesto que casi están en la ruina por una mala decisión de su padre -animado por ella-. La joven no puede evitar el sentimiento de culpa así que cuando una inesperada propuesta llega a su desahuciado hogar no duda en aceptar.

Las condiciones del acuerdo son muy extrañas: los Foster irán a vivir a una mansión abandonada, Pembrooke Park, con sirvientes pagados a cambio de una ridícula suma de dinero. No adquieren la propiedad pero sí podrán usar la vivienda y acomodarla a sus necesidades. Cuando Abigail llega en compañía de su padre encuentra una casa sellada a cal y canto, llena de polvo y telarañas, la muchacha no duda en trabajar duro para que su madre y hermana vean su nuevo hogar en las mejores condiciones. Para más inri, el padre acaba dejando sola a su hija para volver a la ciudad a resolver ciertas cuestiones.

Abigail se verá rodeada de extraños, viviendo en una casa maldita y rodeada de misterios. En el pueblo nadie habla de la familia que antes habitaba esa casa llena de entresijos, todos huyen atemorizados de las preguntas de la joven dama, solo pueden advertirle de una cosa: que tenga cuidado con los cazafortunas porque en Pembrooke Park hay un tesoro que muchos quieren.

Aprenderá a marchas forzadas a integrarse entre los huidizos vecinos, ganándose su confianza con sus buenas intenciones y mientras tanto recabando pistas para averiguar todo lo que quiere.

Me ha encantado esta protagonista porque es fuerte, a pesar de las restricciones de la época ella no duda en confiar en su instinto y luchar por lo que cree. Es bondadosa, sincera y humilde. Intenta que los comentarios maliciosos no el afecten, en el fondo tiene sus inseguridades, sobre todo con el tema de los hombres, ella siempre ha estado bajo la sombra de su hermana, su amor propio se ve tocado por culpa de cierto arquitecto.

En Pembrooke Park conocerá a la familia Chapman, el señor Chapman era el antiguo administrador de la mansión y sabe mucho sobre los misterios de la casa, pero es imposible sacarle prenda. El hijo (William), pastor de la zona, se acercará más a la joven y aunque al principio se niega a decirle nada de la maldición de esa casa al final ayuda a Abigail.

Leah y Kitty serán de gran ayuda en todo este puzzle, aunque la primera no se preste directamente ayudar por un miedo atroz que tiene a hablar de la mansión, Kitty a pesar de ser muy jovencita a través de sus juegos en Pembrooke Park ayudará a Abigail a reunir grandes pistas, muchas se esconden en una despampanante casa de muñecas.

Otro punto del que había hablado era la parte del misterio, tanto en esta novela como en las anteriores que he leído un pilar fundamental es ese velo lleno de intriga que siempre tiene como marco una mansión con extraños ruidos por las noches e incluso presencias fantasmagóricas. En este aspecto, me recordó mucho a «La hija del tutor» otro de sus títulos, publicado con otra editorial. No penséis que se trata de una lectura ligera porque hay que estar ojo avizor, la autora te va llevando por donde ella quiere llegando a tal punto que ya no sabes quién es bueno o quién malo. A este respecto me han confundido mucho tres personajes: Miles, William y Duncan, no diré nada más para no matar la historia.

Creo que en esta historia ha ido más allá y el misterio ha comido gran protagonismo a la historia romántica. Esto no desmerece la historia porque me ha encantado igualmente, pero dependiendo de qué queréis encontrar en esta historia igual alguien se ha sentido engañado. Cuando empecé el libro estaba buscando a la pareja protagonista, con quién se iba a quedar Abigail, a partir del tercer capítulo me daba igual a quién escogiera solo quería saber el condenado acertijo de las misteriosas cartas.

El tercer punto decía que era el estilo, Julie Klassen tiene tanta clase a la hora de escribir que solo puedo pensar «ojalá pudiera escribir a mitad de bien que ella», solo con la mitad ya sería feliz de por vida. Si nos ponemos a analizar fríamente la historia podéis pensar que es sencilla, que antes de llegar al final más o menos intuimos de qué va todo -muy al final porque antes estamos perdidos- pero si somos objetivos y sinceros hay que pensar: qué envidia más insana me da esta escritora, qué bien escribe.

Qué difícil es conseguir que el lector se meta de lleno en tu historia, por un par de días he sido Abigail Foster y he vivido en Pembrooke Park: he recorrido cada recoveco de la casa en busca de pistas, he ido a la iglesia, sospeché de todas las personas habidas y por haber, se me pusieron los pelos de punta con los ruidos nocturnos en la casa... A través de las letras de Julie Klassen he hecho un viaje en el tiempo a la Inglaterra de 1818. Esto es lo que marca la diferencia entre un libro entretenido a una joya que releeré más de una vez.

Me queda ese as que no mencioné al principio y tiene que ver con las relaciones que escribe esta protagonista. Aquí no hay sexo ni escenas explícitas, es novela blanca y podéis leer y leer y no encontrar nada más que miradas y sonrojos, más aún en este libro porque la autora robó protagonismo a la relación dejándola casi en un segundo plano. Todas se cuecen a fuego lento y tardan en surgir pero son tan bonitas...

Sí que es cierto que antes del epílogo eché en falta un capítulo más para terminar de cuajar esta relación, me es imposible no compararla con las otras novelas y quizás esta unión no ha sido mi favorita. Me ha gustado pero no llegó al punto de fascinación como con las otras («La institutriz silenciosa» o «La hija del tutor»). La autora pudo haberle sacado más chicha a esa especie de triángulo y a la condición/profesión de uno de ellos, otro punto a explorar interesante. Es inevitable hacer comparaciones (odiosas) entre los libros de una misma autora.

Para terminar la reseña solo quiero decir que si aún no conocéis a esta autora ya estáis tardando en conocerla, leáis lo que leáis, cuando alguien escribe tan bien como lo hace Julie Klassen da igual el género porque lo vais a disfrutar sí o sí. Estoy deseando que llegue febrero para poder devorar otro de sus libros, lástima que la paciencia no sea una de mis virtudes.

Ojalá más editoriales apostaran por la calidad y de paso por la novela romántica histórica.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quickie review! I loved it! Though this is her longest book to date, Julie Klassen kept me in the story the entire time. I enjoyed every moment. The characters are fleshed out, the mystery intriguing and the romance satisfying. One of my favorite Klassen novels for sure!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julie Klassen is such an excellent writer. I admire her imagination and her ability to 'whip up' a unique story that is so different and interesting. This book of hers was laced with mystery from all different directions not just one 'big mystery' -- it had many different facets to it which was so intriguing.
I really appreciate Julie Klassen's ability to involve a plethora of characters in her story. There are always main characters that you adore but the additional 'supporting' characters are so much fun to get to know as well and there were so many in this book.

This was not an absolute favorite book (simply as a matter of personal preference, it just didn't do much for me) but was definitely a good book! I really respect writers who are constantly able to write a completely original, new story without being the least bit predictable or repetitive or using 'easy' plots that are common. Julie always keeps you guessing about where the story is going and I love that!

[Lukuoli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quite slow. Quite boring. Not witty. The plot was good enough, but the uninspired writing took all the impact out of it. I found myself asking myself over and over when is this going to end.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars: A lovely historical fiction with a well-crafted mystery and characters easy to root for.

I loved most of the characters and traveling with them in and around Pembrooke Park (the house sounds beautiful)... the history of the place was tragic in parts and fascinating. Abigail and Leah were my favorites, I could see myself being friends with them if I had met them... like Abigail, I would have intrigued and tempted to look for the treasure as well.
Who doesn't love a good hidden treasure tale? :)

The romance between Abigail and William was sweet, it was cute how they danced around each other. I did feel though, that it was stretched out a bit too long... kept wishing that the miscommunication and misunderstandings wouldn't keep coming up. They were resolved fairly quickly but I found myself mentally tapping my foot.
Especially with Gilbert paying attention to Abigail and wanting to court her... it felt stiff and forced, to me. He seemed amiable guy but we don't get much a chance to know him

Also I loved that Leah/Eleanor and Andrew ended up together... they were adorable :).

The mystery of what happened to Clive Pembrooke... felt anti-climatic in a way. On one hand, that it was resolved and Lean/Eleanor didn't have to live in fear anymore was wonderful but on the other hand, it didn't have any emotional impact on me

Of course, a few things aren't what they seem and those were well done... most of them I didn't see coming.

This is my 3rd inspirational fiction this year, and my favorite of the bunch... not perfect but an enjoyable read. The religious parts go hand in hand with the plot and flow nicely and fit the people well.

Would I read it again? Probably not but if a movie was ever made of it I would watch it.
Recommended? Yes, it's a good read to take you out of the real world for awhile.

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute delight! I enjoyed the characters, multilayered plot & trying to figure out the mysteries. A well done regency read as I’ve come to expect from Klassen. Her writing is truly next level good. I’m hard pressed to find many comparable regency writers.

[Ana Lopes Miura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Choosing and throughly enjoying a Christian romance was not in this atheist’s 2023 Bingo Card. 😂

[Meredith (Austenesque Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

TYPE OF NOVEL: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Gothic Suspense, Inspirational Fiction (lite)

SETTING: 1817, Pembrooke Park, Berkshire, England

MAIN CHARACTERS:

Mr. and Mrs. Foster and their two daughters – Abigail (23) and Louisa (19)
Kate and Mac Chapman and their four children – Leah (28), William (24), Jacob (15), and Kitty (12)
Miles Pembrooke
Gilbert Scott

SYNOPSIS:

Due to a bad investment, the Foster family is forced to retrench and sell their London town-home. By chance they are offered an opportunity to lease an abandoned manor house from one of their distant relations on some very generous and convenient terms. The ever-practical and responsible daughter, Abigail, offers to set up the new home with her father, while her sister and mother enjoy one more season in London. At Pembrooke Park Abigail finds the house embroiled with secrets from the past…What happened to the original owners? Why was Pembrooke Park left abandoned for 18 years? Is there indeed treasure hidden somewhere in the house? Abigail Foster is desperate to learn the answers to these questions…

WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS NOVEL:

- I love Julie Klassen novels! I’ve now read 6 titles* by Julie Klassen!

- As a fan of Jane Austen, Julie Klassen always includes plenty of allusions and echoes to Jane Austen in her novels, and I love spotting them! This novel had nods to both Northanger Abbey and Sense and Sensibility.

WHAT I LOVED:

- Abigail Foster: I adored our heroine! She has the dependableness of Elinor Dashwood, the compassionate heart of Anne Elliot, and the insatiable curiosity of Catherine Moreland. Her selflessness, gentleness, modesty, and sharp mind make her truly an admirable and praiseworthy heroine. I loved witnessing Abigail discover her own self-worth and seeing others recognize and appreciate her value (like Anne Elliot, she is often forgotten, pushed over, and under-appreciated.)

- Family and Friendships: In this tale we learn a lot about family history and relationships – ones that are inspiring and ones that are heart-wrenchingly sad. There was a touching message intertwined in this plot about families and how we should treasure our loved ones. Moreover, the making of friends (both public and private) seemed to be a highlighted theme. I greatly enjoyed witnessing several characters make overtures of friendship throughout the book, especially the one we learn about in the end!

- Mysteries, Secrets, and Intrigue: Oh! The Pembrooke family is so mysterious and puzzling! And everyone is so tight-lipped about them! How frustrating! ;) (Just kidding!) As is her usual style, Julie Klassen loves to leave readers guessing and doesn’t reveal all until the very end! I loved the many family secrets in this story, I had a suspicion or two, but more often than not, I was completely surprised by the unpredictable twists and turns. This story has double the mystery, double the secrets, and double the intrigue for sure!

- Beautifully Blended and Balance: There are so many components combined in these novels by Julie Klassen – well-researched histories full of facts about the time period, a tender-hearted romance, a bit of mystery and intrigue, and an inspiring faith-filled message. All of these components are interwoven very seamlessly and naturally – without anything feeling disjointed or overpowering.

- Old Flames: I loved the budding relationship between Abigail and William (he was such a likable and earnest character), but I also loved how they both have prior love interests – Abigail’s childhood friend, Gilbert Scott and the girl who previously broke William’s heart, Rebekah. Learning about these past relationships and seeing these love interests return again to the forefront definitely enhanced the tension a little in this romance! I loved it!

WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:

*cricket chirp* *cricket chirp* Nothing! :)

CONCLUSION:

In another arrestingly beautiful tale, Julie Klassen takes readers to an abandoned yet picturesque English manor filled with history and mystery. The Secret of Pembrooke Park is a stellar and magnetizing read, and I am all eager anticipation for the next two novels Julie Klassen plans to publish later this year – Lady Maybe and The Painter’s Daughter! Happy thought, indeed!

[Bibiana In Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realmente le doy más, 4,5⭐️.
Una novela que lo tiene todo; misterio, romance, amistad, secretos, pasados,... y todo ello ambientado en una casa de campo de época con grandes personajes. Me ha atrapado bastante, desde la mitad del libro quería saber más y más, y también tiene escenas que me han puesto la piel de gallina, pues conseguían darme miedo con dos o tres grades (mira que soy miedica...)😝. En breve hablaré de este libro en el canal!

[Amy]

Nearly halfway through and I find I rather can't stomach how perfect the two main leads are. They have no flaws. And as much as I'm mildly curious about the mystery, I'm not curious enough to put up with two flawless people mooning after one another.

[Srta Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

En realidad un 4,5/5 porque hubo un tramo que se me hizo largo, pero por lo demás me ha encantado 😍

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 3 out of 5]

About this book:

“Abigail Foster is the practical daughter. She fears she will end up a spinster, especially as she has little dowry to improve her charms, and the one man she thought might marry her has fallen for her younger, prettier sister.
Facing financial ruins, Abigail and her father search for more affordable lodgings, until a strange solicitor arrives with an astounding offer: the use of a distant manor house abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly left: tea cups encrusted with dry tea, moth-eaten clothes in wardrobes, a doll's house left mid-play . . .
The handsome local curate welcomes them, but though he and his family seem acquainted with the manor's past, the only information they offer is a stern warning: Beware trespassers who may be drawn by rumors that Pembrooke contains a secret room filled with treasure.
This catches Abigail’s attention. Hoping to restore her family's financial situation—and her dowry—Abigail looks for this supposed treasure. But eerie sounds at night and footprints in the dust reveal she isn’t the only one secretly searching the house.
Then Abigail begins receiving anonymous letters, containing clues about the hidden room startling discoveries about the past.
As old friends and new foes come calling at Pembrooke Park, secrets come to light. Will Abigail find the treasure and love she seeks...or very real danger?”


Series: As of now, no.


Spiritual Content- Luke 8:17 at the beginning; Church going; Hymns are sung; Very good (but short) sermons; Many Scriptures are quoted; Scriptures are read and discussed; William Chapman is a Parson; Many Prayers.
*Note: a “what the devil”, a “h*ll-bent” and different people are called the devil.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘biddy’; Drinking wine at parties; Some people think Pembrooke Park is haunted, so there’s mentions of that, ghosts, skeletons, etc; Mentions of stabbing & blood (not-detailed); Mentions of murder & almost killing someone (boarder-line barely-above-not-detailed to semi-detailed).


Sexual Content- a 'wanton'; Two semi-detailed kisses; Wishing & Wanting to kiss; Hand kisses; Crushes; Noticing & Staring; a child born out of wedlock; Lousia is a flirt; Love, falling in love and the emotions.
*Note: Mr. Chapman (the local curate) asks Abigail “Should I make passionate love to you to make him jealous?” this causes heat to the face and him apologizing to which she adds “I admit the notion is not within appeal, but I shouldn’t like to use you in such a manner.”
Chapman: “I promise you, Miss Foster, it would take very little acting ability on my part.”
Abigail: “Thank you, Mr. Chapman. You are very kind to restore my fragile feminine ego.” {This conversion takes place on pages 183 & 184. But I’m now being told that “making love” does not mean what it is now, but flirting back in the 1800s. It’s up to the parents to decide if they want their daughter reading these lines and the possible discussion.}

-Abigail Foster
-William Chapman
P.O.V. switches between them.
Set in 1818 (Prologue set in 1817)
456 pages (!!)

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Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{Lower all ratings half a star for girls who have active imaginations.}
{Lower all ratings half a star for girls who are frighten easily}

I’ve been so excited about this novel! I would read the back cover and sigh over how intriguing it sounded! I read this book in a little less than four hours—very, very late at night. Which probably wasn’t a good idea for a scaredy cat like me! “The Secret of Pembrooke Park” had an in-depth plot and some greats sermons by William but I had to lower ratings because of the comment in the Sexual Content and the mentions of ghosts and such. Imagine this, it’s really late at night (or really early morning—-doesn’t matter, the sun isn’t up and it’s super quiet) and right when a chase scene happens your poster in your room falls! Scares the living-daylights out of you! This is what happened to me near the end of reading this book. ;)



Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...


*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher for this review.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abigail Foster wants to help her family by making the right decision, after a bad advice she gave her father which caused the loss of almost all of their money. So when a weird solicitor proposes them to move to Pembrooke Park, an abandoned estate that needs some repairs, she sees a new hope for her family’s future. Unfortunately, she does not imagine that besides a grand and beautiful (though disused) manor, she will have to face many secrets and mysteries that seem dangerous as well. Is it true that there is a treasure in the house? And why is the former steward, Mac Chapman, so reluctant to talk about the past?

Here we go again! Every time I have to review a book by Julie Klassen, I always feel I cannot do it. Probably I have already said that, but it is very difficult to convey my feelings when I love something so much. Saying that I loved this story would be a huge understatement, and also not an original one. Though it would definitely be the truth. So, what should I write? Well... exactly that!

“The Secret of Pembrooke Park” is absolutely a wonderful read. One of those books you know that you will enjoy even before opening it. Just watching the cover is a fulfilling sensation! I mean, the look of the girl tells anything, and that “anything” is what you will find inside the book. Love, friendship, secrets, mysteries. All of this and more.

The real protagonist is Pembrooke Park. The manor, which is both scary and fascinating with its many rooms (one of those very special), its inhabitants and their secrets. The parsonage, the cottage where the Chapman family lives and the gardens, which are the perfect setting for some of my favourite scenes. As for the characters, I am always glad that Ms. Klassen picks the most normal girls and turns them into charming and fantastic heroines. Abigail Foster is a great girl, she reminds me of some Austen heroines. She is practical like Elinor Dashwood, curious like Catherine Morland and sweet like Anne Elliot. The hero (I will not tell his name because I do not like to give too much away, there are three possible matches for Abigail!) is the sweetest among Klassen heroes! He loves Abigail but knows that he does not have any chance to marry her. In spite of this, he cannot stay away from her and is always willing to help her.

Thrilling, engrossing, with a Gothic atmosphere that will make it impossible to put it down, “The Secret of Pembrooke Park” is a must read for all the readers who enjoy good stories set in Regency England and are eager to meet endearing characters.

[Bren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este es el segundo libro que leo de esta autora y tengo que decir que estoy feliz de haber dado con ella, si el primer libro me había gustado por su gran calidad que tenía en cuanto a trabajo de investigación y el gran entretenimiento que entregó, este libro ha superado al primero con creces.

Está catalogado como un libro romántico, y sí tiene romance, eso no lo vamos a negar, pero la historia no está centrada en ese romance, sino más bien en el misterio que rodea a una gran casa señorial de la campiña inglesa.

Ha sido magnífico recorrer cada página de este libro e ir desvelando cada misterio encerrado y conocer a sus preciosos personajes.

La narración es sencilla, simple en su estilo, pero con una gran calidad, entrega lo que debe entregar un libro de estas características, que es entretenimiento puro y duro, con buenos personajes, unas descripciones fantásticas puesto que sin ser exagerada, la autora nos ha descrito tan bien el lugar, que era muy fácil ver la casa, los jardines, el lago, la iglesia y demás.

Los personajes son geniales, los protagonistas son lo que deben ser, dos personajes que son fáciles de querer, vamos viendo como poco a poco se empiezan a enamorar, pero como he dicho, la parte romántica no es el centro de la historia y por lo tanto para nada se trata de un romance pasteloso.

He notado que en ambos libros, la autora considera mucho la fe en Dios, en ambos libros realza las creencias religiosas, me llamó la atención en el primer libro, pero ya en este me he dado cuenta que es un sello de la escritora, no es molesto, pero creo que es la primera novela que leo donde se considera tanto este aspecto.

Por lo demás para quienes gustan de este tipo de libros, lo recomiendo muchísimo.

[Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her one chance with a childhood friend who she thought to marry, her would be suitor turns his eye to her younger sister and Abigail Foster is afraid she will remain a unmarried woman.
When the family's fiances turn upside down, she prays for a miracle, which comes in the form of a letter granting her and her family access to the Pembrooke castle.
Abigail's family are distant relatives of the Pembrooke family and when Abigail arrives, she realises there is a lot of work to be done in order to make the castle liveable.
But as there is no where else for them to go, she agrees with her father they will have to make do with what they need to make this work.
When mysterious letters start to arrive, Abigail starts searching for the treasure everyone knows about, but a treasure no one wants to talk about.
Will this treasure be what Abigail is hoping for?
Or will a decades old rumour be just that..only a rumor?
This is one Inspirational author I always enjoy reading from.
Her books are never boring or over preachy.
There is always a plot to keep you turning the pages, wonderful characters and always a heroine with spirit.
In The Secret of Pembrooke Park, she delivers a sweet Regency romance with awesome castles, secrets, hidden rooms and of course her characters with charmers and rogues-and ones that diffidently will do anything to get their hands on the treasure!
Well done!

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal! The latest novel by Julie Klassen is not one to miss!! This lengthy release (465 print pages) is well worth the time and truly I savored the entire story.

Heroine Abigail is one easy to relate to and admire. There is both mystery and romance in this novel set in 1800 England.

After the just ok release of The Dancing Master, I was pleasantly surprised by The Secret of Pembrooke Park. It is not one to miss for lovers of Regency novels.

[Mon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 estrellas
Se me hizo lento, demasiado misterio y poco romance pero me gusta como escribe esta escritora y la continuare leyendo

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 re-read
My rating stands. 3.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery but I found the heroine and hero to be too perfect, while at the same time lacking. Abigail is supposed to be extremely practical and smart, yet she constantly makes naive decisions. I almost gasped when she goes to William’s house clothed in naught but a nightgown and robe! She and William constantly engage in behavior that is very un-Regency-like. William was very scandalous for a curate, which I talk about below in my old review. It made him seem less believable in his role. I think the biggest pet peeve I had while reading this was still the odd jump from Abigail’s hesitancy to attend church in the beginning, to passionately proclaiming the gospel to Mrs. Webb. Other than continuing to attend church and having a fondness for William, there isn’t any spiritual growth to speak of. It’s a jarring development. I also found the side plot with Gilbert to be unnecessary. The book is enjoyable without the love triangle. All in all, any Julie Klassen book is an enjoyable read that I still find worth my time. Leah and Mac were still my favorite characters, and I really liked the role that the dollhouse played.

2021:
3.5 stars....almost 4!
I love a good mystery, and this one really did keep me guessing until the end.
There were just a few holes in the character development that I couldn't overlook.
I liked our heroine well enough. Abigail is even- tempered, clever, and logical. She clearly cares for her family and friends, and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and do hard work. Here's why I felt disconnected from her. She is apparently an amazing head for numbers and business, and her father used to depend on her greatly for investment advice. Then the family went bankrupt, based on an investment Abigail advised her father to take. But we never see these skills of Abigail's pop up again. I understand that she was afraid of messing up again, but it seems that such a talent would have been utilized somewhere else in the story. Then, she apparently has a talent for architecture from all her sketching with Gilbert during childhood. We do see this skill highlighted in the plot, and it really should have been her only featured talent. Next, we find out she has a beautiful singing voice. She's begged to sing for the children during Sunday school. This talent comes out of left field, and we never see it come into play again.
Finally, in the beginning we see Abigail hesitant to even attend church. She seems distant from God and faith. Then, she seemingly flips a switch to a passionate believer who quite bravely shares the gospel with her friend Mrs. Webb. I didn't ever see the character arc where she grew stronger in her faith, other than a certain attraction to a certain curate. All of these things combined left me a little confused as to who Abby really was as a person, even though I liked her.

William was a decent hero. I like when men of the cloth play the leading man. He had a great sense of humor, although a little scandalous for a parson. For some reason it's just a pet peeve of mine to meet a William or an Edward. I get tired of those names.

Mac was one of the best characters.
I liked Leah a lot too. I found myself wishing that she were the main character. Her story was so mysterious.

Another small pet peeve: the maids being named Polly and Molly. I kept thinking there was a typo in my ebook until I finally realized they were two different people.

All in all though, this was a fun mystery with a satisfying ending. I still recommend it as a good read, I just couldn't get over some of the disconnects.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well...I seem to have somehow read a different book than my friends did. And my first Klassen dud, sad to say.
Yes, the story drew me in and kept my attention the whole time. The mystery was good, but there could have been so much more.
For one thing, Abigail is the practical one in her family...always taking care of things, even advising her father's investments. (?!) However, her one goal seems to be the getting of a husband, and her one prospect seems to have just fallen rather quickly for her sister. And then... she goes to the country and suddenly finds herself with three in pursuit? Despite her family suddenly being in reduced circumstances and her dowry being gone? Then, the lengths she goes to would certainly ruin her reputation in minutes...no matter who's judging. Supposedly-practical Abigail exits not just her room, but the house in nothing but nightgown and shawl in the middle of the night and goes to the home of a single man (seriously, she couldn't even throw on a dress?). She also is alone with him repeatedly. And she tops it all off by staying several days in the house without a chaperone with a distant relative who may or may not be dangerous and is definitely a suitor. This stretches reality in nineteenth-century English society way past the breaking point.
Then the hero. William starts out as a likable young fellow...and then falls for Abigail way too fast. And promptly proceeds to forget he is first a man of the cloth and second a man of honor. He is so enthralled with her that he forgets half his sermon after looking into her face, and then has the gall to be offended when an older woman in the congregation complains to him about the brevity of his four-paragraph message. Yes, all of four paragraphs. He cannot keep his mind off her ripe red lips and the contours of her face and body, nor off his desire for her (which from the text is at least as much a physical desire as anything else). We aren't treated to any private thoughts of a draw of friendship; only mostly for his desire for her body...a kiss or a hug at least. It's bad enough when she feeds him mulberries in the rain...it gets much worse when she is out walking and stumbles across him fresh from a swim, wearing only his breeches. And not only does he speak to her, but he comes near and provocatively towels himself off, teasing her meanwhile, only barely stopping short of outright seducing her. Not that she would mind, I suppose. This scene in particular was highly offensive and something that I would not like in a secular book, much less in a "Christian" book coming from a preacher. And later he tells her, in another scantily-clad moment (at least this time he's got on a shirt), that sorry, he's drawn to her, but he's not able to marry. Seriously?? And she responds to that by kissing him??
The mystery bits were interesting, but it kept getting put to the side by William and Abigail and sometimes Gilbert having dalliances. And the POV changes between William and Abigail were often abrupt and confusing, even in the middle of paragraphs.
Content warning (my, never thought I'd have to do this with a Klassen book!): 18+ for excessive and frequent sensuality.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret of Pembrooke Park was a very good historical romance! While it didn't surpass The Maid of Fairbourn Hall as my favorite Julie Klassen novel, I did love it and found the story fascinating.

I kept trying to figure out what was going on, where the secret room might be hidden, and what the treasure was. I got to say, the ending did not disappoint and everything wrapped up really well.

All in all, I recommend The Secret of Pembrooke Park if you enjoy this genre. I am excited to read The Painter's Daughter (Klassen's newest novel) soon.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I certainly enjoyed this. I've longed to read a Julie Klassen book for awhile now but, for whatever reason, I've put it off. I won't be from now on. This story had me fully engaged the whole time. It had that gothic feel to it that I've come to love. The atmosphere was described wonderfully. I could imagine myself walking through Pembrooke Park and the parsonage. The characters were just as wonderful. I liked the sweet little romance blooming throughout. It was a very clean romance, which I appreciated. The mystery was well done, also. I kept wanting to know all the secrets! Klassen wrote a wonderful gothic mystery/historical romance! I look forward to reading more by her.

[Albagar90 · Rating 4 out of 5]

terminado! y que buen sabor de boca deja, es una historia con un secreto oculto, te deja en suspense hasta casi el final, con una historia de amor que va transcurriendo poco a poco a medida que transcurre la novela, lo que lo hace tan creible, unos personajes muy bien definidos tanto protagonistas como secundarios, ya que todos forman parte de la trama. Creo que es de los pocos libros que he notado que utilizaban el tema de la religion tal cual era en aquella epoca haciendo el relato bastante real. Volvere a leer esta autora promete.