The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky: Book Review

  *Book received for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

Two women--a century apart--embark on a journey to healing, faith, forgiveness, and romance.

In 2012, art historian Gwen Morris travels to England's Lake District to appraise the paintings and antiques of an old family friend, hoping to prove herself to her prestigious grandfather. While at Longdale Manor, she meets David Bradford--the owner's handsome grandson--who is desperate to save the crumbling estate by turning it into a luxury hotel. When Gwen stumbles upon a one-hundred-year-old journal and an intricately carved shepherd's staff similar to one in a photo of her parents, she's left searching for answers.

In 1912, after her father's death, Charlotte Harper uncovers a painful family secret she can only confess to her journal. She and her family travel to the Lake District to stay on a sheep farm, hoping eventually to find a home with Charlotte's grandfather at Longdale Manor, but old wounds and bitter regrets make it a difficult challenge. As Charlotte grows closer to shepherd Ian Storey and rebuilds her shattered faith, she must decide whether she will ever trust in love again.

Carrie Turansky is the award-winning author of twenty-one inspirational novels and novellas and a winner of the Carol Award, the International Digital Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She loves traveling to England to research her Edwardian novels, including No Journey Too Far, No Ocean Too Wide, Across the Blue, and the Edwardian Brides series. Her novels have been translated into several languages and have received starred reviews from Christianbook.com and Library Journal. Learn more at carrieturansky.com.

The Legacy of Longdale Manor is a dual timeline novel following the story of two women whose paths have brought them to Longdale Manor 100 years apart (1912 & 2012). This type of story always takes me a little more time to get into the story-- remembering who is who and figuring out how the stories will tie together and so on. There's a lot to wrap my brain around at times. Once I got everything straight, I found this was a really beautifully written story. Both Gwen and Charlotte have been hurt by their fathers. In 2012, Gwen never knew her father. In 1912, Charlotte's father has died, and she has discovered that he wasn't the man that she had always believed him to be. Despite the century between them, their stories are intertwined through this place and the hurts they have experienced from their earthly father. Throughout the story, we get to join them as they learn the truth and how to forgive. I found the message that while earthly fathers are human and may disappoint us, God never well is a lesson that is so very relevant to so many people- past, present and future too. Charlotte and Gwen's story showcased that beautifully. 

If you enjoy dual timelines with a great message of faith, this is definitely one to check out.