Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Review: Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (& Giveaway!)

Title: Blackmoore
Author: Julianne Donaldson
Genre: Regency Romance
Release Date: Sept 10 2013
ISBN: 13: 9781609074609
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Pages: 320

Add it: Goodreads | Shelfari

About the book (from Goodreads): Kate Worthington knows her heart and she knows she will never marry. Her plan is to travel to India instead—if only to find peace for her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. She makes a bargain with Kate: India, yes, but only after Kate has secured—and rejected—three marriage proposals. Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of love, bargains are meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive. Will the proposal she is determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free? Set in Northern England in 1820, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn how to follow her heart. It is Wuthering Heights meets Little Women with a delicious must-read twist.


My review:
This is easily one of my top 3 favorite books of the year (and to put that into perspective I just hit book 85 for 2013). Julianne writes fun descriptive characters that we get to see layers of as the story unfolds. I really enjoyed the quirky plot line and hauntingly beautiful scenery. Kate has a hard life at home, a family that just doesn't get her, appreciate her, or love her but she has good friends who she adores and helps her grow into the woman she is. Henry and his sister Sylvia provide a great duo for Kate.  And I just couldn't get enough of the sweet-natured man that Henry was!

I appreciated that each character stayed true to their personality and I loved that even though I tried to guess a step ahead I didn't ever quite get it all right. I found myself wanting to savor every interaction between Kate and Henry yet wanting to quickly read so I could find out how the story was going to leave me (but I savored it!).

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone I know. It's completely appropriate for the young girls I work with at church group but also adult women will get a total thrill from the well written romance.

There is much more I could tell you personally, about why I loved this book but I'm afraid if I wrote exactly why, it would contain too many spoilers, so if you get a chance to read it and want to gush I'm totally available!


Buy it here:
                      Paperback                            Kindle
                      


More about the author: Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her husband and four children.

Facebook: Julianne Donaldson
Website: The Official Site of Julianne Donaldson

FYI Julianne's first book Edenbrooke is just 1.99 on kindle right now!



Win it!

I LOVE being able to share delightful, wonderful, good books with my friends. So I'm going to do a giveaway of Blackmoore to all my lovely readers! One (1) winner will receive one copy, either paperback or kindle version, of Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson provided by Cranberryfries blog.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

35 comments:

Jana H. said...

I'm currently reading Tres Leches by Josi Kilpack. It's part of her food/murder mysteries and I enjoy the whole series.

Kami said...

I loved this one as well! I like how it was more gothic feeling than Edenbrooke, and I liked Kate better than Marianne.

Kristie said...

Two books I have read recently, House of Secrets by Jeffrey S. Savage. So good. I love mysteries, and totally didn't figure this out until the end.
The second is called The Italian Mission by Alan Champorcher. Just fiction. Pretty fun book, just had more language that I would have liked.

Tabetha Elliss said...

I loved this book as well!!! Such a great stay-up-all-night-book!

Kayla said...

You know I'm a sucker for a good regency romance!!

Kayla said...

From Julianna's blog, I learned that May is lambing season in Scotland.

the Smiths said...

I just reread Edenbrooke I Love it. And Grave Mercy.

Becky J. said...

I'm reading the Mitford series and it's really good! Took a little while to get into but completely wholesome and sweet and I am really enjoying it.

Heather and Thomas Mann said...

I am starting Along for the ride by Sarah Dessen. I just discovered her.

Heather and Thomas Mann said...

what a fun giveaway! I agree with Julianne Donaldson.... I fell in love with the song Beneath your Beautiful the first time I heard it too. I haven't read any of her work... but am excited to now!

Alysa Stewart said...

how was i not already following you on pinterest? well, that's solved now. i've heard good things about blackmoore!! :)

Alysa Stewart said...

A book i liked recently is A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson! Also, Adam Rex's Cold Cereal.

Alysa Stewart said...

her first book, "don't throw rocks at his window" looks cute!

Sylvia said...

I loved Edenbrooke and think those paper dolls on the website are the best. The book characters came alive. I am equally looking forward to Blackmoore!

Right now I'm reading a Regency novel by Elizabeth Mansfield called The Magnificent Masquerade. It's a light, clean read with some good humor. I'm also reading Gone With the Wind. Such beautiful writing.

Mickie and Matt said...

I just finished the second book, Sapphire Blue in the Ruby Red series. Emerald Green the final book of the trilogy comes out in a few days. I can't wait for that! BUT I would LOVE my very own copy of Blackmoore. I ADORED Edenbrooke, I think I almost read it in one sitting. I hope to get my hands on Blackmoore ASAP all my friends and family are all ready raving about it! :)

Rebecca Lamoreaux said...

This giveaway is awesome! I love Julianne Donaldson's book. Recently I found a new favorite book in Donna Hatch's "The Stranger She married" it's a clean regency romance as well and I've really enjoyed it.

Sarah said...

I just finished reading Les Miserables.

Unknown said...

Last book I read was Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas.

Alisha said...

I loved Edenbrooke and I also adored Blackmoore - they were such different books, but both amazing! Can't beat a clean romance! :)

Unknown said...

The last book I read was Gone Girl, which I loved.

Jackie said...

I've been reading a few of Kate Morton's books... Which I loved! The Forgotten Garden was my favorite!

Jackie said...

Stopped by her blog... loved reading about her trip to Scotland!

Alisha said...

I went to Julianne Donaldson's blog and followed her link to her Blackmoore pinterest board - so fun to see her inspirations for her characters!

Amanda Cook said...

I've been reading Georgiana Darcy's Diary by Anne Elliott. Pretty good so far..

Shelby said...

Edenbrooke was one of my very favorite books of all time, and I can't wait to read Blackmoore! Another great book that I just finished was "Just Ella" by Annette K. Larsen...loved it!

Debbie said...

I just read glimmer of hope by Sarah m. Eden. I love her books!

Debbie said...

From her blog, I learned the playlist Julianne listened to while writing Blackmoore.

Unknown said...

I am in love with Julianne Donaldson's work! Edenbrooke was pure brilliance-- I love that she can keep a gripping story and have immense tension with keeping it G rated. So excited to have a new blog to read, too!

Unknown said...

I so wish I lived in Utah or Arizona so I could go to a book signing!

Sarah said...

I love her post on FAQ about the book. Leave part of the book up to the readers imagination. :)

Nicole Illu said...

Actually the most recent book I've read is Blackmoore. This book is wonderfully amazing! I love kate and henry's story that it's heartbreaking! but also breathtaking by the way it ends! I also read a part that made me laugh cause I've done this before ha. It's when kate and henry are talking, I think it was the last proposal, but henry says he loves her or something along those lines, and kate thinks (well at least she thinks she does) I do, but really said it out loud, and I have done that so many times I can put myself in kate's shoes. Lovely book, I love juliannes books, and for bringing the world proper romances along with other authors :)

Nicole Illu said...

Ha I love the pictures she posts from her trips exploring the places she writes about (I love that she does this, it makes her books a bit more realistic knowing it actually exists, even if the characters don't)but I like the descriptions she put underneath one, it says, ''Blustery but beautiful''.

Nicole Illu said...

Ha I love the pictures she posts from her trips exploring the places she writes about (I love that she does this, it makes her books a bit more realistic knowing it actually exists, even if the characters don't)but I like the descriptions she put underneath one, it says, ''Blustery but beautiful''.

Anonymous said...

I loved Blackmoore. It was one of my favorite books this year as well. I also loved A Different Blue by Amy Harmon and For Nick by Taylor Dean.

Kim said...

Oooh! I loved Edenbrooke so much and I am excited to read Blackmoore. I hope I win! Love your blog.