Hello dear Austenite friends! I'm really glad and honored to give the start to this great blog tour.
Award winning historical romance author Julie Klassen tours the blogosphere February 16 through March 2 to share her latest release, The Secret of Pembrooke Park. Twenty five popular book bloggers specializing in historical and Austenesque fiction will feature guest blogs, interviews, book reviews and excerpts of this acclaimed gothic Regency romance novel. A fabulous giveaway contest, including copies of all of Ms. Klassen’s eight books and other Jane Austen-themed items, is open to those who join the festivities.
Inspiration for The Secret of Pembrooke Park,
Guest post by Julie Klassen
People often ask me where I find the ideas
for my books. And the answer varies. Most ideas have come from
research—historical practices, professions, or events that spark the idea for a
situation or premise. Some ideas have been inspired by movies I’ve seen, or
books I’ve loved, especially those by Jane Austen or Charlotte Bronte. Others
have come from historic places I’ve visited in England—if only I could travel
there more often!
My latest book, The Secret of Pembrooke Park, is about a young woman who moves with
her family into a mysterious manor abandoned for eighteen years. With help from
a handsome neighbor, she searches the house, hoping to find its secret room and
rumored hidden treasure—but finds danger instead. The idea for this setting came from closer to home.
I grew up in rural Central Illinois. We
could only see one house from ours, and that was across a field. (I spent a lot
of time playing alone as a girl, which likely helped develop my imagination.) About
a half mile behind our house was a wood. I liked to walk there, all the while
making up stories in my head. In these woods, I stumbled upon an abandoned
house. The roof and most of the upper story was gone, but three walls still
stood. Through the gaped opening, you could see the entire ground floor, still
furnished. A moldering piano listed in one corner, a tattered blue dress hung
on the wall, a set of stairs lead upwards to nowhere… Behind the house I
discovered a root cellar—a hollowed out mound of earth with stairs leading down
into it. Inside there were still shelves filled with mason jars of home-canned
peaches and vegetables.
 |
| The Mysteries of Udolpho |
That abandoned house fascinated me. I loved
to sit on a stump and stare at it and try to imagine what had happened to the
people who once lived there. Why had they left so suddenly? And why had they
left behind their belongings? I don’t know if I ever heard the real story from
neighbors and have simply forgotten it (I was only in the 3rd or 4th grade at
the time). Or if, being a quirky, writerly kid, I didn’t even ask—preferring to
come up with my own scenarios. Whatever the case, I found it immensely
satisfying to weave in a bit of that real-life mystery into my new book.
The
Secret of Pembrooke Park is my most mysterious book
to date and has definite gothic undertones. Readers may notice a few
similarities to Jane Austen’s Northanger
Abbey. And my hero, a curate, bears some resemblance to clergyman Henry
Tilney of the same book.
Jane Austen wrote Northanger Abbey at a time when gothic novels like The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann
Radcliffe and Horace Walpole’s The Castle
of Otranto were enormously popular. They typically included elements of the
supernatural with atmospheric settings such as hidden chambers and ancient
castles. In Northanger Abbey, Austen both
uses and parodies these gothic themes. Her main character, Catherine Morland, looks
at normal situations and surroundings and, fueled by the gothic novels she
reads, sees mystery and the supernatural. She imagines dark deeds where there
are none.
 |
| Catherine Morland - Illustration for Northanger Abbey |
In The
Secret of Pembrooke Park, however, the strange sounds and sightings are not
a product of a girl’s overactive imagination, but are all too real. When Abigail
first begins hearing strange noises at night, finding footprints in the dust,
and seeing a hooded figure retreating in the shadows, she chalks it up to the
rumors she’s heard about treasure hunters, and the influence of the gothic
novel she’s reading. But soon danger escalates until she can explain it away no
longer.
Heart pounding, she gingerly leaned forward
and peered over the stair rail, her candle’s light barely penetrating the
darkness below. A hooded figure floated down the last few stairs. Stunned, she
blinked. But when she looked again, the stairs were empty. She had probably
only imagined the dark apparition.
With a shiver, she decided that was
the last time she would read gothic fiction. It was back to architecture books
for her.
As you can see, several sources converged
to inspire The Secret of Pembrooke Park.
Whatever its genesis, I hope you will enjoy the final product. Readers and
reviewers are saying it’s my best yet.
What about you? Have you read any “gothic”
fiction? Do you like books with mystery or hints of the supernatural?
Julie Klassen
Book Blurb
In
the spring of 1818, twenty-four-year-old Abigail Foster fears she is destined
to become a spinster. Her family’s finances are in ruins and the one young man
she truly esteems has fallen for another woman — her younger, prettier sister
Louisa.
Forced
to retrench after the bank failure of Austen, Gray & Vincent, the Foster
family optimistically pool their resources for another London Season for her
sister in hopes of an advantageous alliance. While searching for more
affordable lodgings, a surprising offer is presented: the use of a country
manor house in Berkshire abandoned for eighteen years. The Fosters journey to the
imposing Pembrooke Park and are startled to find it entombed as it was abruptly
left, the tight-lipped locals offering only rumors of a secret room, hidden
treasure and a murder in its mysterious past.
Eager
to restore her family fortune, Abigail, with the help of the handsome local
curate William Chapman and his sister Leah, begins her search into the heavily
veiled past aided by unsigned journal pages from a previous resident and her
own spirited determination. 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?
EARLY PRAISE:
“Jane
Austen meets Victoria Holt in Christy Award–winning Klassen’s latest
deliciously spooky and sweetly romantic historical.” — Booklist
“Regency
romance with awesome castles, secrets, hidden rooms and, of course, romance . .
. . Julie Klassen has hit this one out of the ballpark.” — Romantic Times Book Reviews Top Pick
“If
you are looking for a book which combines the enticing elements of a Gothic
with the mannerly charm of a Regency, look no further, because this lovely
Inspirational is just your cup of tea.” — Heroes
and Heartbreakers
“While
there are plenty of Regency authors out there, the lovely Julie Klassen is by far
one of the top and a must read for fans of Austen/Brontë style and prose.
Klassen’s latest, The Secret of Pembrooke
Park has a touch of both – the mystery of Brontë and the fun of Austen.”— Books and Beverages
“The Secret of Pembrooke Park is perfectly packaged with
several threads of the gothic suspense, Regency romance and inspirational
themes while presenting a well plotted story with intriguing characters in an
amazing setting.” — Burton Book Review
AUTHOR BIO:
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 have won the Christy Award for
Historical Romance. She has also been a finalist in the Romance Writers of
America’s RITA Awards. Julie and her husband have two sons and live in St.
Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about Julie and her books at her website, follower her on Twitter, and visit her on Facebook and Goodreads.
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
Grand
Giveaway Contest
Win
One of Four Fabulous Prizes
In
celebration of the release of The Secret of Pembrooke Park, four chances to win
copies of Julie’s books and other Jane Austen-inspired items are being offered.
Three
lucky winners will receive one trade paperback or eBook copy of The Secret of
Pembrooke Park, and one grand prize winner will receive one copy of all eight
of Julie’s novels: Lady of Milkweed Manor, The Apothecary's Daughter, The
Silent Governess, The Girl in the Gatehouse, The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, The
Tutor’s Daughter, The Dancing Master, and The Secret of Pembrooke Park, one DVD
of Northanger Abbey (2007) and a Jane Austen Action Figure.
To
enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment on any or all of the blog
stops on The Secret of Pembrooke Park Blog Tour starting February 16, 2015
through 11:59 pm PT, March 9, 2015. Winners will be drawn at random from all of
the comments and announced on Julie Klassen’s website on March 16, 2015. Winners
have until March 22, 2015 to claim their prize. The giveaway contest is open to
residents of the US, UK, and Canada. Digital books will be sent through Amazon or
Barnes & Noble. Good luck to all!
Remember to visit the blogs in the list below and leave as many comments as you can in order to get the chance to win one of the fabulous prizes!
THE SECRET OF PEMBROOK PARK BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE:
February 16 My Jane Austen Book Club (Guest Blog)
February 16 vvb32 Reads (Excerpt)
February 17 Psychotic State Book Reviews (Review)
February 17 My Kids Led Me Back to Pride and Prejudice (Spotlight)
February 18 Addicted to Jane Austen (Review)
February 18 Peeking Between the Pages (Review)
February 19 Jane Austen in Vermont (Interview)
February 19 Living Read Girl (Review)
February 20 My Love for Jane Austen (Excerpt)
February 20 Truth, Beauty, Freedom & Books (Review)
February 20 Laura's Reviews (Guest Blog)
February 21 A Bookish Way of Life (Review)
February 22 Reflections of a Book Addict (Review)
February 23 Austenesque Reviews (Guest Blog)
February 23 Peace, Love, Books (Review)
February 24 vvb32 Reads (Review)
February 24 Poof Books (Excerpt)
February 25 Babblings of a Bookworm (Review)
February 25 Austenesque Reviews (Review)
February 25 Luxury Reading (Review)
February 26 So Little Time…So Much to Read (Review)
February 26 More Agreeably Engaged (Excerpt)
February 27 Psychotic State Book Reviews (Interview)
February 27 Booktalk & More (Review)
February 28 Laughing with Lizzie (Spotlight)
February 28 The Calico Critic (Review)
March 01 Leatherbound Reviews (Excerpt)
March 01 Delighted Reader (Review)
March 02 CozyNookBks (Review)
March 02 Laura's Reviews (Review)
I'm not a big Gothic fan, but I did love the element of mystery in The Secret of Pembrooke Park (and also Northanger Abbey!!). Kept me on my toes and made it hard to put the book down. :)
ReplyDeleteI do like mystery and intrigue especially in historical books. I haven't read Northanger Abbey, but it looks like I need to add that to my TBR list. Thanks for the interview and giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be fun! My daughter and I are both Jane Austin and Julie Klassen fans! I have been reading gothic novels since I was a teen. I am looking forward to visiting all of the blogs on this tour. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie's novels. She is my favorite author and her writing makes the Austen time period come alive for me!
ReplyDeleteI love Jane Austin and any of her books, this is a great contest
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the newest release Julie! I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteHow fun it must have been to have your own private little abandoned building in the woods!! I would have loved that as a child! Too bad you didn't have a friend to meet you for secret tea parties (;
ReplyDeleteI love Julie Klassen's books. I have read all of them and can't wait for more!
ReplyDeleteI love all of Julie Klassen books and I am anxious to read her new book! Reading the blog has me excited to revist Northanger Abbey as well. I do not have a copy of Klassen's new book yet, so hope I win one!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing stories that inspired your novel, Julie. I really enjoyed it. It was my first experience with your work and will definitely not be my last! I love Gothic stories like REBECCA and others by Daphne duMaurier, for example. The moody settings add so much to the overall mystery.
ReplyDeleteJust recently found these books, but I think I've read them all now!
ReplyDeleteJane Austen and Julie Klassen...two of my favorite authors!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie Klassen's books!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie Klassen's books...I can't wait for the next one!
ReplyDeleteJulie is a new-to-me author. Her books sound amazing. Blog tours are so much fun.
ReplyDeleteI am a new reader of your books.
ReplyDeleteI also grew up with an abandoned house on our property, which once belonged to neighbors - they left lots of stuff behind, so my brothers and I loved to treasure hunt and bring home moldy junk for our play house. I can't believe we always explored bare-foot with all that broken glass . . .
ReplyDeleteJulie writes such wonderful books. Can't wait to read this one!
ReplyDeleteI am a huge Jane Austen fan. Love her books. This is an awesome prize
ReplyDeletejwisley8@me.com
I absolutely Love your books! There is something in each story that I can relate to. I'm a janitor/housekeeper, so my favorite Is the maid of fairbourne hall, and the secret of pembrook park.
ReplyDeleteI love mysteries and your story of the house in the woods is fascinating. I will definitely be picking up The Secret of Pembrooke Parl. It sounds great.
ReplyDeleteI also just finished Northanger Abbey. The only 'Jane" I hadn't read, yet. I love Jane! And Julie :)!
Julie it looks as if you will be super busy with all the blogs to visit and your readers too. I read Victoria Holt when I was young and liked them. I like hearing the "Behind" of what gave you idea for the Pembrooke Place. I would have been scared to go into it. Reading is such a pleasure and I am thankful to the authors that give us this pleasure.
ReplyDeletePaula O
I love historical fiction! Can't wait for a new book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie's books! Can't wait to read this one!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this latest book!
ReplyDeleteJulie Kalssen is such a fantastic author. I have several of her other books at my home. I have read gothic fiction in V.C. Andrews for years. I do enjoy reading paranormal books as well. I would love to have an opportunity to read her latest book. I have been wanting to read it for quite awhile !
ReplyDeleteJulie, I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding Penbrooke Park. It was a great read. I eagerly await your next offering. I did think a bit about Catherine Morland, as Abigail wondered through the halls. However, I would not have envisioned the truth of that great manner without your assistance.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading this book and adding it to my collection.
ReplyDeleteWould love to have all of Julie's books in my collection!
ReplyDeleteI loved the Dancing Master and look forward to reading this Penbrooke Park. Historical fiction, mystery ala Northanger Abbey? What could be better.
ReplyDeleteJulie Klassen is one of my favorite authors, and I loved reading about the inspiration behind her newest book. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway!
ReplyDeleteJane Austen is one of my favorite authors, and I love this book as well. I am so excited about this giveaway!!!
ReplyDeleteHave read several of Julie's books and loved them!
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like a good book! Beth
I've never followed a blog tour before but I am planning to comment on all of the blog stops! I love this book. It is my favorite out of all of Julie's books I have read so far! I have never read Northanger Abbey by Austin but I am going to soon because it sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this! I love Julie Klassen's books!
ReplyDeleteSo many comments already! Thanks, everyone, for joining us from the get-go on this amazing tour. I'm enjoying reading all of your comments.
ReplyDeleteHey Julie, I absolutely LOVE your books!! I have read all of them!! Everytime I hear your coming out with a new one I get super excited and start counting down the days! I have read Secret of Pembroke Park and I believe it is your best yet! I loved it! You are a very favorite author! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Alysa and Susan Cornwell for planning to follow the tour to all its stops. I'll look forward to "seeing you" along the way!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited to read this new book. I have heard nothing but good things about it! Thanks for the giveaway!!
ReplyDeleteA very interesting blog! Victoria Holt was my very favorite author for years on top of years until I found out that there was such a thing as Christian Fiction! I read Grace Livingston Hill & Eugenia Price but still didn't know that you could buy such a thing called "Christian Fiction"! So thankful when I discovered what I so enjoy today! Can't wait to read your book! I hope to win some of them!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a wonderful read!
ReplyDeleteI love books by Julie Klassen! So I am really excited about the giveaway and would love to enter!
ReplyDeleteJulie Klassen is simply awesome! Her books are always so fabulous! I've recently read a few more gothic novels than I have in the past and I gotta say, I love them!
ReplyDeleteDoes Jane Eyre count as gothic? ;)
ReplyDeleteA house like that would have fascinated me, too. Deep in the woods near the church where I grew up, there was a small group of graves from an old wagon-train kindly buried by the local settlers, one assumes? I also had similar thoughts - who were they, where were they going, what were their dreams...
I'm a lover of Julie Klassen books. I've read them all and was bummed to find Pembroke Park was not in my possession on Friday when it was due back at the library. I was first in the queue and thought when someone had it on hold, one couldn't renew it; guess I was wrong! Now we have a snow day off from school and at home frustrated I'm not reading it... :-(
ReplyDeleteI have heard such great reviews about The Secret of Pembrooke Park - what fun it would be to win a copy!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an excellent book Julie!
ReplyDeleteSo want to read it!
Although I have not read many graphic novels, I absolutely LOVE Julie Klassen and am sure I will enjoy The Secret of Pembrooke Park. I have read every one of Julie's other books and was barely able to out them down!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie Klassen and look forward to reading this series. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm intrigued. I've never heard of a blog tour. I'm interested to learn more. Julie Klassen is a great writer. What a great giveaway opportunity!
ReplyDeleteI have loved reading all of Julie Klassen's books. I eagerly await the next one. The characters are so vivid they stay in my mind long after I have finished the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the inspiration for your novel. I love all your books and this on was fantastic! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of gothic novels but I do love "Jane Eyre". Can't wait to read Jule Klassen's latest book!
ReplyDeleteJust finished The Silent Governess and I'm starting The Girl in the Gatehouse! Looking forward to reading this book too!
ReplyDeleteE.Kate
Would love to be part of the Secret of Pembrooke Park book owner. I love a good secret with historial value!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved The Secret of Pembrooke Park! And it was so interesting to read about some of the inspiration behind the story. Love Julie Klassen and Jane Austen!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited about the blog tour! Julie Klassen is one of my all-time favorites!
ReplyDeleteJust got this book from the library. And surprise the next day a blog tour
ReplyDeleteLooking super forward to reading this newest book of Julie's!
ReplyDeleteI love her books. I'm very excited about the blog tour! I'd love to win the package.
ReplyDeleteJulie’s novels inspire in me a regency-wanna-be. The respectful dress, polite manors, ardent chivalry- It’s a fantasy world I adore spending time in.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite authors, I would love to have this set of books :)
ReplyDeleteI love Julie Klassen's books and have read them all multiple times! She has a wonderful way of using her words to sound just like a Jane Austen novel. I look forward to her next novel debut with barely constrained excitement.
ReplyDeleteAbby
I love Julie Klassen's writing. This new book sounds like it will not disappoint. Gothic literature is some of my favorite. The Bronte sisters, in particular, are my favorites and this book sounds like it fits well in that tradition.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I REALLY enjoyed this book and love the look behind the story! What a cool thing to dream up what happened to the people from the old house as a kid! One of the things I loved about The Secret of Pembrooke Park was the GREAT descriptions and now I know where some of them came from! ;)
ReplyDeleteHugs, Amada (pronounced: a.m.a.th.a)
amada_chavezATyahooDOTcom
Such a neat post! I love how Julie Klassen was inspired by Northhanger Abbey and her childhood escapades for The Secret of Pembrooke Park! :)
ReplyDeleteI love that book by the way!! Gothic and that hint of mystery and intrigue is superb. So good.
Thanks!
(shantelle@truevine.net)
Thanks for sharing your gift of writing!
ReplyDeleteThanks Julie for another outstanding work of literature!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie's novels! I'd love to win the set of her books or just this new one!
ReplyDeleteI love all of Julie Klassen's books; thanks for the chance to add them to my home library!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading your childhood memories I felt it rang so true for myself. Growing up in eastern Iowa myself we had a hickory wood not far from our house that fascinated me, then down an old dirt road there was an abandoned house with a root cellar and .... it still had preserves in it. Remembering the nostalgia it even evoked in my childhood shows how much my love of the past was something I was born with.
ReplyDeleteDue to my love of Northanger Abbey, I actually read Anne Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho. What a book! It was completely ridiculous and melodramatic but still strangely enjoyable, although at 700 pages it definitely could have been shorter. :)
ReplyDeleteI wondered if this book was based on Northanger. I must confess that one was one of my least favorites compared to P&P, Persuasion and Emma. But that said, Northanger also reminds me of Secret Garden, Jane Eyre, novels where there's a seeming mystery involved in the back story of characters.
ReplyDeleteHayden, I read of The Mysteries of Udolpho, but hats off to you for finishing it!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love your books. I have been a Jane Austen fan for as long as I can remember. In fact my daughters name is Lizzie after my favorite character. Your books are classics to me just like Austens.
ReplyDeleteI do love Julie Klassen's work - she is my favourite current author!
ReplyDeleteI try to stay away from anything gothic but tend to lean toward inspirational fiction!
ReplyDeletejennydtipton at gmail dot com
I have not had the privilege of reading your books. Would so love to win one and get started on a new author. juanitawickey@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited for this Blog Tour. Just looking through the first couple of blogs I have found so many things to either watch or put on my reading list.
ReplyDeleteI am new to the world of Julie Klassen but absolutely fell in love with The Secret of Pembrooke Park. What a beautiful twist of mystery, heartbreak and love. It currently tops me list of favorites...thus far!
ReplyDeleteI'm so delighted to have discovered author Julie Klassen!!! What an amazingingly talented author. I am definitely in love with her books. When you start one of her novels, you just can't put it down until its completed. Recently just read "The Secret of Pembrooke Park" and loved it. Introduced my daughter to this author through this book, (she finished it in a couple of days)!!! We definitely are looking forward to some more great works from the desk of this great author!!! 😊. Thanks, Phyllis tea_thyme@yahoodotcom
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Julie Klassen's books!! I would love to see every one of these sitting on my shelf & sharing them with my friends. It was very fascinating reading where the research took place for "The Secret of Pembrooke Park". This book is on my to-read list. Thank you for a chance to win some great prizes...I'm going to enjoy each blog post in this contest. Blessings Julie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. I put TSPP on hold at our library and am looking forward to reading it. Of course, winning my own copy would be even better. :)
ReplyDeleteI love Northanger Abbey and Julie Klassen
ReplyDeletetoo, so I must read this book!
My favorite books are mysteries, and I have read many gothic novels through the years. Julie's new book sounds intriguing!
ReplyDeleteLove all of Julie's books. I had a hard time choosing a favorite until her latest. The Secret of Pembrooke Park had me hooked from the beginning. I can't wait until her next two v ome out later this year. - Elaine Panfil
ReplyDeleteI like books with a hint of supernatural
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this book! Hannah Leggett
ReplyDeleteI am so glad your childhood fostered an active imagination. It is a true pleasure to read your books. I learn something new about the Regency period every time, and I have read many, many books set in this timeframe.
ReplyDeleteI used to read a lot of books by Victoria Holt, Daphne DuMaurier, and Phyllis Whitney, the old gothic romances. I've read several of Julie's other books so am quite looking forward to reading The Secret of Pembrooke Park. I would be absolutely thrilled to win the grand prize! Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeletepmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com
So excited to be able to join this blog!!!!!! I love books from this time period!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. The books look wonderful and I love reading this type of book!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great giveaway. The books look wonderful and I love reading this type of book!
ReplyDeleteThis would make a great addition to our church library! librarybooks at religious dot com
ReplyDeleteGothic is not my usual genre, but from time to time, I do like to branch out.
ReplyDeleteI love the element of mystery in all of Julie's novels. There's always a question of who's done something and/or why did they do it? That mystery combined with humor and romance always makes for a book that's hard to put down!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read much Gothic fiction... I am a fan of Jane Austen & Jane Eyre, though, and love seeing bits of both in Julie's writing! She's such a great author! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I've read any Gothic fiction (yet), but I did find one whose author Jane Austen mentioned in Northanger Abbey. I have not gotten to read it at present, but it's called Evelina and can be found on Amazon...still free for kindle.Yes!!! I love them! Northanger Abbey was the first of Jane Austen's books that I read. Thank you for sharing with us and for writing such wonderful books, Julie. I must confess that yours are the ones that I constantly go back and reread. My favorite, so far, is the Tutor's Daughter. Thank you for the lovely giveaway! Blessings, Juli
ReplyDeleteemeraldelena@hotmail.com
I absolutely loved the book! I have several friends I'd like to give the book to :) I enjoyed Northanger Abbey with a hit of gothic romance and some humor as well, but heavy gothic mystery isn't my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to be the first stop on the blog tour. Best wishes for your travels and the success of your book. I have a few of these on my Kindle, but would love to have a print copy in my hot little hands (not that my hands are particularly little, of course).
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
A blog tour! What a fun idea. :)
ReplyDeleteI took a "which Jane Austen movie are you" quiz recently, and got Northanger Abbey - I've never read it, but knowing The Secret of Pembrooke Park has similarities makes me more likely to look it up! :)
Oh, Julie, thank you for the background behind The Secret of Pembrooke Park. The book is one of my favorites you've written. Yes, I love the mysterious features of it, but it also holds that sweet innocence I've come to expect from you. Keep writing 'em, and I'll keep reading 'em.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Andrea
Proofreader/Editor/Writer
writingtoinspire.blogspot.com
I thoroughly enjoyed this guest post! I look forward to reading Julie's book.
ReplyDeletebrookeb811 at gmail dot com
Hello. Another tour. They are such fun. I haven't read Gothic that I know of, but I do love mysteries and this sounds like a very interesting book. I would love to win but haven't been very lucky on tours. You must been a brave little girl to go in that cellar. We used to have one for tornadoes. It would have been fun to investigate that house. Not so sure by myself. Please put my name in the drawing.
ReplyDeleteMaxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
Northanger Abbey is the only Gothic novel I have read ;-)
ReplyDeleteLoved to read your story about the abandoned house :-)
I always look forward to Julie's books. I always learn new and interesting details about Regency history.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I really love about your writing, Julie, is the detail you provide. Not so much as to be boring but enough that we can picture exactly what you're describing. I can picture perfectly the abandoned home that served as your muse :) thanks for the chance to win.
ReplyDeleteVery awesome! I love Jane Austen! Excited about the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be fun and looking forward to this new book.Pam
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great read -
ReplyDeleteSome great looking books in this giveaway!! Heard a lot of good things baout Secret of Pembrooke park!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Julie Klassen's novels. Excited for this book tour.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win a copy of Julie Klassen's book. I love all of her books. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great book! thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteLove to win a copy. I love historical romance novels and of course Julie's books are at the top.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read Julie Klassen's latest - love her other books!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy reading a Julie Klassen novel. Am looking forward to reading this one!
ReplyDeleteI have read all of your books so far Julie and am anxious to read this one. The gothic air of mystery appeals to me. Your abandoned house story made me think of when I was 12 and we had just moved into our new house - it was only the third house on the street of a new development. At the end of the road were woods that ran down to the river. While exploring one day, my brother and I found an old family graveyard dating to the 1700's. We often took walks to 'the graveyard' where we could let our imaginations run wild. This was a place of mystery to us until more people built homes in the area, but we were the first to discover the graveyard. Looking forward to this tour.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love all Julie's books! I've read them all and have even finished The Secret at Pembrook Park (I think I was the very first to put it on hold at the library months ago :) Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteDezi A
sethdezAThotmailDOTcom
This is an excellent review!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I missed getting in on this tour, I LOVE Julie's books! Oh well, hope I win! ;)
ReplyDeleteI've already put this on my TBR. Hope I win!
ReplyDeleteI'm really excited about this book. I can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteSo excited to read this! Have loved every single other book!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read! The handsome curate is intriguing ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous giveaway as well!
Just finished "The Secret of Pembrooke Park". Loved trying to figure out the mystery and very happy with the ending. Another great Julie Klassen book!
ReplyDeleteJust recently finished reading "The Secret of Pembroke Park" and I absolutely loved it! Also, how you came to make the plot is really interesting, I wish I had an abandoned house nearby!
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and can't wait to read your new book. :)
ReplyDeletegreat giveaway. Love all the books and the figure too.
ReplyDeleteJulie Klassen is one of my favorite authors! She paints colorful pictures in her books, God has really gifted her!!
ReplyDeleteJulie Klassen is one of my favorite authors! She paints colorful pictures, characters, scenes... God has really gifted her!! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this book.... for free would be even better!
ReplyDeleteI have actually read this book and loved it. thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteI love all of your books and I can't wait to read the newest one!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fun read. Please count me in!
ReplyDeletei would love to win!
ReplyDeleteI am new to your books. Came by way of Faith Hope and Cherry Tea. Would love to read one of your books!
ReplyDeletesounds like a wonderful book and I love the cover
ReplyDeleteI've loved all of Julie Klassen's books that I've read, and I look forward to reading this one! :)
ReplyDeleteAlways a fan of Julie's books - can't wait to read it! truckredford(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI don't read a whole lot of gothic, but I do like mystery aspects added to romance (I blame Nancy Drew). =)
ReplyDeleteI love this story behind the book! There was an old abandoned house near my Great-Grandparents in Indiana that still had the belongings in it that we used to peer into as kids. It was always a mystery to me on what happened to the family!
ReplyDeleteI love all of Julie's books and I'm sure this one will not disappoint! Northanger Abbey is a favourite of mine so I can't wait to read The Secret Of Pembrooke Park!
ReplyDeleteI love Julie and historical fiction. They make my giddy!
DeleteI like to learn about authors I enjoy and what inspires their work, so I loved reading this! I am also looking forward to reading The Secret Of Pembrooke Park!
ReplyDeleteI so love Julie's story about exploring the abandoned house in the wood and how this real life experience influenced The Secret of Pembrooke Park!
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