Return to Cranford, part 1

Spoilers...

My intention to blog about the return of Masterpiece Classic in a timely fashion went up in smoke (obviously). Blame the long-awaited (and awesome) return of Chuck and 24 on the last two Sundays. But I do intend to catch up. :) Here's the brief synopsis of episode one of Return to Cranford from the Masterpiece website:

New life is charmingly apparent in Cranford as Matty Jenkyns enjoys sharing her home with Tilly, the daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem Hearne. Familiar faces including Miss Pole, Mrs. Forrester and Mrs. Jamieson surround Miss Matty in a loving community.

Some new faces have arrived as well — Mrs. Bell, her daughter Peggy and son Edward. Mr. Buxton and his son William have returned to town after years away. Young William eagerly aspires to be an engineer, while his father is grieving the loss of his wife.

The railway has crept closer to Cranford, but has been halted several miles outside the village. For it to move any further, Lady Ludlow would have to sell part of her land. Captain Brown is determined to make progress for the railway, but meets resistance from the village residents.

An unexpected and alarming shift signals yet more change in store for Cranford. Can Matty and the women of Cranford muster support for what inevitably awaits?

The original Cranford was a stand-out miniseries for the way in which it documented and relished the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life. Unlike many shows that keep characters around forever, for fear of losing an audience, no one is "safe" in Cranford, because changed, partings, and death are as much a constant of life as births, marriages, and the promise of new beginnings.

The heart of Cranford is Miss Matty Jenkyns, wonderfully played by Judi Dench, and her close circle of friends - Mrs. Jamieson (Barbara Flynn), Mrs. Forrester (Julia McKenzie), Miss Pole (Imelda Staunton), and Miss Tomkinson (Deborah Findlay). These women hold the traditions of village life near and dear to their hearts, but when Cranford is "threatened" by change - in the form of the highly contentious railway plans seen in the first series - they must decide if the bonds of friendship and the values forged in Cranford can survive the progress of industry that's changing the country.

This installment of Cranford contains a good balance of beloved, familiar characters (see above) and several new faces for the women of Cranford to interact with in their own special ways. I absolutely loved seeing Miss Matty play grandmother to her beloved maid Martha's (Claudie Blakley) first child. After all the heartbreak Miss Matty endured in the first series of Cranford, it's wonderful to see her so happy - for a while, anyway. Because it seems that in Cranford, happiness is all to often tempered with a healthy dose of heartbreak. The scene when Martha passes away giving birth to her stillborn second child absolutely broke my heart. And witnessing the women of the village come together to prepare her body for burial brought tears to my eyes. I was reminded of my grandmothers, and others, who over the course of their lives have lost so many who were near and dear to them - and I wonder and marvel at the strength they found to keep going. That's just one of the reasons I think Cranford is such a powerful little show, because it taps into the tried-and-true emotions and experiences of life that are timeless. Everything changes, yet some things stay the same, you know?

Another familiar face to Cranford fans is Lady Ludlow, played with an icy strength and dignity by the marvelous Francesca Annis. Can I just tell you, I had no idea Annis could play someone at death's door quite so well. The great tragedy of Lady Ludlow's character was always her refusal to see that her son, Septimus (Rory Kinnear) was such a freaking loser. All things considered, it's probably best she passed away before he returned to wreck her estate. Septimus's selfishness has grave ramifications for another favorite character - young Harry Gregson (Alex Etel), who benefited from the mentorship and generosity of Lady Ludlow's now-deceased estate manager. Harry's innocence and sense of responsibility towards Cranford and his inheritance makes him an easy mark for Septimus's machinations, and he stands to lose most of his promised inheritance unless his only advocate, Miss Galindo (Emma Fielding) can help. Whether or not they will be successful remains to be seen.

The romantic in me loved the Cinderella-esque romance that blooms between newcomers William Buxton, an aspiring engineer played by Tom Hiddleston, and Peggy Bell, played by Jodie Wittaker, who is constantly dumped on by her needy, controlling mother and pretentious brother. Hiddleston is a Masterpiece veteran, having played in Miss Austen Regrets and the Wallander mystery series, as the character Martinsson. I can't decide if I like him because he's a good actor, or because he's a dead ringer for an old favorite of mine - Sam West. *wink* I'm loving watching their romance play out.

I was quite pleased to see the return of Miss Matty's dear friend Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon). Mary's now engaged to some guy who owns a button factory, apparently. What I love about her character is that she's a sort of bridge between the past, and the traditions Miss Matty and her generation hold dear, and the future. It's Mary's support that helps Miss Matty muster the courage to reconsider her point of view on the advisability of the railroad entering the idyllic Cranford. I also loved little touches like seeing the return of Mrs. Forrester's pajama-wearing cow (Julia McKenzie's humor in this role is wonderful to see all the way around). Imelda Staunton is also absolutely hilarious as the gossipy, somewhat pretentious Miss Pole, especially once she acquires a rather exotic pet. :) There are also a few other familiar faces that I won't go into detail about here. This show is quite literally bursting at the seams with wonderful characters and interwoven storylines.

My review of part two will be coming shortly. So, if you watched Return to Cranford, did you enjoy it? Do you prefer the previous miniseries to this one? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments! :)

Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1)
By: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Miramax Books
ISBN: 978-078683865-3

About the book:

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school…again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus’s stolen property and bring peace to warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Review:

Once upon a time, I used to love reading the myths detailing the adventures of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, and the exploits of heroes like Perseus and Theseus. Rick Riordan takes a unique approach to the old stories by updating the legends and placing them squarely in 21st-century America with his Percy Jackson & the Olympians series. The new Olympus (found by taking the elevator to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, no less) relocated to America because the gods and goddesses, birthed in ancient Greece, the “cradle of Western Civilization,” must follow those ideals and principles wherever they exist the strongest in the world.

The Lightning Thief is the closest book I’ve read that’s come to capturing the charm, humor, and unbridled creativity found within the Harry Potter series. Comparisons are inevitable, and Riordan’s hero, Percy Jackson, owes much to Harry Potter. Both story arcs involve a troubled orphan discovering his magical heritage (wizard/half-blood son of a god), who goes to a special school (Hogwarts/half-blood summer camp), acquires some friends (a brainy, plucky girl and a loyal, but somewhat goofy best friend), and must save his world from destruction. But what sets Percy’s adventures apart is his voice, replete with a wry sense of humor and a healthy dash of sarcasm, and the way Riordan has placed age-old figures like Zeus and Poseidon in the modern-day world. Seeing the way the mythology now functions in a world of television, cell phones, and all other modern conveniences is hilarious and wildly entertaining. Mortals are blinded to the activities of the gods around them, making for some alternately funny and dangerous misunderstandings. It’s wildly funny but appropriate that Ares, the god of war, would masquerade as a threatening biker in California, and that Cerberus, the threatening three-headed dog guarding the entrance to the Underworld, would respond so well to modern-day obedience school techniques, just to name a few of the modern and ancient world mash-ups. Touches like these set The Lightning Thief apart, because the total integration of the real and mythological worlds is so fully-realized.

The Lightning Thief is an excellent first chapter in Percy’s quest to become a hero worthy of his noble paternal heritage. I loved seeing the way Riordan made the mythological and modern-day worlds collide, like when one of the Furies masquerades as a math teacher or Percy’s sword is disguised as a ballpoint pen. Camp Half-Blood, where the children of the gods get their training (if they survive monster attacks to adolescence), is a fun little microcosm of what makes this story work. The modern attitudes of all the kids, and how they each express different traits inherited from their immortal parent (and constantly clash with each other) puts a really fun spin on the school/camp angle. Percy’s first quest is action-packed from start to finish, and the novel has this perfect balance of humor and intensity that makes it a real page-turner. There are some well-planted hints of the overall threat Percy will surely face by the end of the series, and like the Potter books I suspect each installment will take Percy one step closer to realizing his potential as a full-fledged hero. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in Percy’s adventures.

Robin Hood 3.13: Something Worth Fighting For, part two

Spoilers...

I honestly meant to get a post up on the Robin Hood finale Thursday or Friday, but I thought I was getting sick, and what with one thing or another it never happened. Where the first half of "Something Worth Fighting For" reminded me of many of the reasons I've been frustrated by the direction the show took in season 3, part two reminded me of everything I've ever loved about Robin Hood. It made me positively nostalgic, and I have to admit, I cried a bit at the end.

I neglected to mention in my previous post that we saw the return of the Sheriff - the real Sheriff, the supposed-to-be-dead Sheriff that all fans of the show know and love (played by Keith Allen). It's tempting to complain about the fact that Sheriff Vaisey disappeared for six episodes, with no logical explanation for why he faked his death or how he's managed to raise an army, with no one around Nottingham getting wind of the fact that he was alive. Speaking of the army thing - how did no one notice Vaisey & crew hauling freaking trebuchets across the countryside? Seriously, I would think it would be kind of hard to sneak up on someone with that kind of weaponry in tow. Anyway, seeing Allen back on-screen was a good reminder of the fact that no matter how interesting (or not, depending on your point of view) Isabella's (Lara Pulver) presence shook up Guy and Robin, she pales in comparison to the real Sheriff as the show's central baddie.

Guy (Richard Armitage) and Robin (Jonas Armstrong) made this episode, and as far as endings go, and as wrenching as it was to witness, I have to admit that the two one-time enemies ended very well, all things considered. Let's talk about Guy first, shall we? :) My hope for Guy's character, from season 1, was that he'd discover his inner good guy and turn heroic (and when Armstrong announced he was leaving the show, I wanted Richard Armitage to take over the lead!). But considering my dearly hoped-for dream scenario was not meant to be, I've got to give Armitage credit for once again taking Guy's scenes to a whole new level of emotional insight. It would've been so easy for Guy to abandon the beseiged outlaws, but instead he recognizes the fight as his moment to work towards redeeming the direction his life had taken thus far. He even has a moment of twisted brotherly consideration for Isabella, providing her with poison so she can kill herself before those she's wronged would try to harm her (that doesn't work out so well). The final confrontation, resulting in Guy's brilliantly played death scene, was fantastic because it was so focused on the principle players, especially Guy, Robin, and the Sheriff, since they are three of the main reasons the show worked as well as it did. If Guy had to die during this show's run, I'm glad he died as he did - fighting whole-heartedly for Robin & the people. And his last words, about losing the love of his life, but dying a free man - very classy Guy, and well played as always, Richard. :)

This final hour was also a fantastic send-off for Robin. The show has really come full circle, from the first episode in the courtyard where Robin stood alone against the Sheriff, to this finale where he's once again fighting the Sheriff, only this time he's surrounded by the people he's sacrificed so much to protect. It's LONG past due, but Robin & crew finally, finally get to see some action out of the villagers. Thankfully, even before he was poisoned, Robin really backed off his interaction with Kate (Joanne Froggatt). Words cannot describe how glad I am that Armstrong's last episode as Robin wasn't too polluted by Kate's presence. Robin's final conversation with Guy provided a bit of a reset for his romantic life, a reminder that there was only one woman for Robin. Speaking of Marian (Lucy Griffiths), part of me can't believe that the showrunners went for the whole "vision-of-beloved-dead-character" returns angle, but after the whole Kate debacle I was just relieved to see Marian again. She's completely forgiven for all of her too stupid to live moments during season 2. Armstrong and Griffiths at least had actual chemistry and affection for each other in their scenes, and their last moment together is even more poignant considering the show was ultimately not renewed.


Little John (Gordon Kennedy) and Much (Sam Troughton) both get some nice scenes in this episode. Little John gets to show off his strength in the tunnels, which is more than Kennedy's gotten to do for much of this season. And Much finally shows that he can operate outside Robin's shadow. He acts like a warrior instead of a mouse for once, and we finally get to see that there's a reason he survived the Crusades - he can actually fight effectively. That type of scene was LONG overdue. I have a sneaking suspicion that Kate would've turned into a love interest for Archer (Clive Standen) in season 4, but the final look she exchanges with Much makes me hope that the showrunners would've developed the Much/Kate angle. I think I could've stood that. :)

As far as Archer goes, I really am rather sorry that we didn't get to see more of Clive Standen. He fits the swashbuckling nature of the role probably better than Armstrong and yes, even Armitage, could. Archer would have proven a charismatic and capable leader, methinks. With the deaths of much of the original cast, and a nod to the actual historical timeline (Richard has been captured by Leopold of Austria, leaving the outlaws on their own a bit longer), the show was perfectly prepped for a fresh beginning. As much a I hate to say it, the show could've had a decent future beyond the departures of Robin, Guy, the Sheriff, and Isabella. But at least it's not a completely depressing ending for the show - Robin's battle against the Sheriff and fantastic reconciliation with Guy were just one chapter in the outlaws' story. And this chapter, all things considered, gave the characters I've grown to love over the last three years an ending I'm pleased with. Long live the outlaws!

Robin Hood 3.12: Something Worth Fighting For, part 1

(This picture isn't from episode 12, but it's a nice shot, don't ya think? *wink*)

Spoilers...

Well...I'm sure no one has noticed that I never got around to blogging about the conclusion - of season 3 and the show itself - of Robin Hood. However, because I am a COMPLETIST (*grin*) and the DVDs of season 3 just released on Tuesday, I thought I'd finally get around to checking this item off the blogging to-do list. This season was so hit-or-miss it was rather hard to get up the motivation, so it was extra easy for me to be distracted by the holidays.

Anyway - the last time I blogged about my favorite outlaws, Guy (Richard Armitage) and Robin (Jonas Armstrong) had reached a somewhat uneasy truce, bonded over the knowledge that Guy's mother and Robin's father had an affair that resulted in a heretofore unknown brother, the oh-so-conveniently named Archer (Clive Standen). Considering that the announcement of the show's cancellation was made after the season finished airing in the UK, but before it began on BBC America, it's even easier than it should be to recognize Archer as the heir apparent to the lead of the show, a cocky, self-assured mash-up of Robin and Guy's personalities. While I think the showrunners/scriptwriters completely killed this show due to lack of focus, lack of a plan, Clive Standen is enough of an Errol Flynn clone that I would've definitely continued to watch the show should it have produced a fourth season. Oh well, perhaps Clive will move on to more interesting roles (there was a rumor that he was in the running to star in the fourth Pirates film).

Let me back up for a second - so, the basic set up for this storyline is that King Richard (who was LAME, if you've seen the season 2 finale) is "supposedly" returning to England, and Prince John & his minions are planning a hostile takeover. Robin and Guy decide that they must take Nottingham Castle and imprison Sheriff Isabella (Lara Pulver). This is make it or break it time for Isabella, as she realizes if she doesn't deliver the men Prince John needs for his army he'll dispose of her as easily as he does all of his other enemies. In and of itself this isn't an awful set up for a climatic battle, (can you sense the "but" coming? LOL) BUT there's a few missed opportunties here in my view.

One: the return of Kate's (Joanne Froggatt) mother. Isabella blackmails her into tricking Kate that Robin still loves her. Kate, because she's an IDIOT, falls for it. And the fact that Kate's mother has suddenly, out of the blue lost all of her anti-Robin bias just adds insult to injury. I mean she hugged Robin in order to plant Isabella's evidence on him - and he didn't think that was freaky and insincere? Of course I should just acknowledge Robin's legendary stupidity about women, but this my friends is a new low. Also, for as much as I like Clive Standen because of his uncanny ability to channel Errol Flynn, his character arc here is quite dicey, even by this show's standards. Episode 11 did a fine job of establishing that Archer has a real mercenary streak, but since he's Robin's half brother, of course there's a heart of gold buried in there somewhere, right? :) So that makes his about-face in this episode a little puzzling. He goes from working for Isabella to turning outlaw as soon as he sees Kate willing to die for her principles (typing that last bit made me gag just a little, I can't lie). What is with the men on this show and KATE?! It's so WRONG!! Talking about Kate reminds me of another thing that bugged me about this episode - Tuck (David Harewood). How annoyingly sanctimonious can a character get, yeesh! His bright idea is having a sit-in with the men of the village to stop Isabella's supply train to Prince John from leaving the castle - a SIT-IN?! Seriously?! That was lame. Thankfully it only lasted for about three minutes.

One of my all-time favorite characters on the show bites the dust in this episode - Allan (Joe Armstrong), who was criminally under-used this season. There was a time, mind you, when Allan's death would've positively devastated me. But this season has been such a roller coaster of highs and lows that I really didn't care. The only thing that did bother me, though, is that he had to die all on his own, after Robin and his band of fickle men accept some rumor that he was working with Isabella, rather than pay attention to the fact that he'd been suffering through all of season 3 living in the woods with the gang. Would he do that if he was a double agent? I think not, just sayin'...Allan, you deserved a better end, methinks.

I realize this post is mostly a gripfest, but I figure the show's canceled, I might as well blow off some steam about how frustrating it's been to watch one of my all-time favorite shows just fizzle out. Not that this season has been all bad (see episode 9), but overall it's ended up more about missed opportunities than what I would've preferred. However, I'll end this episode commentary by reiterating what a dream come true it's been for Guy to finally, finally see the proverbial light and work with Robin instead of against him. Oh, what this show could've been if they'd made Richard Armitage the new lead. What a dream come true that would've been! *sigh* :)

Commentary on part 2 coming tomorrow...

Leap Year

I went to see Leap Year with my friend Leah this afternoon, and I absolutely loved it. It doesn't break any new ground as far as romantic comedies go, but sometimes you need a touch of the familiar, right? :)

I knew I had to see this movie when I saw the trailer and recognized Matthew Goode (isn't he ADORABLE?!). Goode doesn't have an incredibly long filmography (yet), but he's appeared in several noticable roles, including Chasing Liberty, Match Point, and Watchmen. However, since so much of my blogging focuses on British film, I've got to point out the more interesting credits (to me, anyway) - Marple: A Murder is Announced, My Family and Other Animals, and Brideshead Revisited, the latter of which is a pretty abysmal film, can't even recommend it unless you just want to listen to Matthew talk. :) Goode's portrayal of Declan in this movie leaves me determined to seek out my own handsome, surly, angst-ridden Irish pub owner. Seriously, how hard can that be? ;-)

As far as Amy Adams goes, this kind of role is tailor-made for her - a bit moreso than her turn in Julie & Julia IMO. She ended up getting on my ever-loving last nerve by the end of J&J, but here she's straight up completely believable and likable as Anna, the frazzled, desperate to be engaged apartment "stager." She's got the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend (Jeremy, played by Adam Scott), and you just know it's all going to fall apart because Jeremy has this freakishly perfect, Kennedy-esque hair, and mad dedication to his work that spells disaster in rom-com relationships. Since the next step in making the perfect life involves marriage, Anna decides to follow Jeremy to his cardiology convention in Dublin (how convenient & random) and propose on February 29th, since that's some sort of Irish leap year tradition. Of course her plane is diverted, and she happens to show up in Declan's pub, and since he has money trouble of course he's going to take the job of seeing Anna to Dublin.

Adams and Goode are so stinking cute together, and the scenery is gorgeous. I wanted to be in this movie in the worst way. The little road trip they take, complete with disaster after disaster, reminded me just a bit of the Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert classic, It Happened One Night. The whole pacing and tone of the movie does have a rather old-fashioned, throwback feel to it. It keeps a snappy pace, and does an excellent job showcasing the Irish scenery. Everything is so wonderfully green, and has such a fantastic, fairy-tale feel to it, I loved every second. Randy Edelman also did a nice job with the score by incorporating some great little Irish-flavored flourishes into the instrumental cues. All of the songs used in the movie are great as well - you can read the list here.

Leap Year is a really, really cute film. Loved Adams and Goode's on-screen chemistry, loved every second Goode was on-screen, loved the scenery and music, and LOVED the end of the movie. Such a great payoff!! :) It's a fun little movie, definitely worth checking out if your in the mood for some Irish-themed escapism.

Masterpiece Classic returns!

After what seems like an interminable wait, the new season of Masterpiece Classic begins this Sunday with part one of Return to Cranford, the sequel series to the fabulous Cranford miniseries, based on the works of Elizabeth Gaskell. Here's just a bit about what's in store:

This Sunday, January 10, revisit Cranford — the sleepy English village that captured the hearts of MASTERPIECE viewers in 2008. In Return to Cranford, the distinguished cast is back, including Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie and Francesca Annis, as Cranford continues to come to terms with wrenching social change against the backdrop of a close-knit community. Return to Cranford is based on the works of Victorian-era writer Elizabeth Gaskell.

Isn't this cast fantastic? Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, and Francesca Annis are just a few of the familiar faces due to appear in this production. I don't know about you all, but I for one am very excited about Masterpiece Classics posts returning to the blog. :)

Review: Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

Silent on the Moor (A Lady Julia Grey Novel #3)
By: Deanna Raybourn
Publisher: MIRA
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2614-4

About the book:

Despite his admonitions to stay away, Lady Julia arrives in Yorkshire to find Brisbane as remote and maddeningly attractive as ever. Cloistered together, they share the moldering house with the proud but impoverished remnants of an ancient family: the sort that keeps their bloodline pure and their secrets close. Lady Allenby and her daughters, dependent upon Brisbane and devastated by their fall in society, seem adrift on the moor winds, powerless to change their fortunes. But poison does not discriminate between the classes…

A mystery unfolds from the rotten heart of Grimsgrave, one Lady Julia may have to solve alone, as Brisbane appears inextricably tangled in its heinous twists and turns. But blood will out, and before spring touches the craggy northern landscape, Lady Julia will have uncovered a long-buried legacy of malevolence and evil.

Review:

How is it possible that Deanna Raybourn’s third Julia Grey novel is even better and more thoroughly enjoyable than the first two in the series? The mind boggles at the possibility, but it’s true – in my book Raybourn has achieved the rare feat of crafting characters and stories so engaging that each installment is more enthralling and satisfying than the last. Where the second book in the series, Silent in the Sanctuary, gave readers a more self-assured Lady Julia, now more than ever she wants and isn’t afraid to flout every convention society holds dear in order to live life on her own terms. Having reached the tipping point in her maddening on again, off again romance with Nicholas Brisbane, Julia decides to take matters into her own hands and force a resolution or walk away from him forever. Accompanied by siblings Portia and Valerius, she descends on Brisbane’s newly-acquired estate, appalled to find Grimsgrave in disrepair, the house occupied by the mysterious Allenby ladies with ties to Brisbane’s past, and Brisbane himself shockingly cold towards her. Never one to take no for an answer, Julia settles in for the duration, determined to break through the barriers Brisbane’s installed around his heart. What she doesn’t bargain on is the revelation of Nicholas's painful past, coupled with the discovery of horrifying secrets Grimsgrave manor has sheltered for years.

The biggest draw of this series isn’t the mysteries themselves (though I do think those have improved with each successive book), but Raybourn’s unique and engaging characters. It’s been so much fun to watch Julia embrace her unorthodox March family heritage, and grow into an independent, unconventional, wickedly funny and sarcastic heroine. That would perhaps be enough, but Julia’s wonderfully realized family of eccentrics and rebels tips the scales in the character development department from excellent to brilliant. Julia’s relationships with the various members of the March clan play a big role in what makes visiting her world so much fun, and such a sheer joy to read about. Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this third Julia Grey novel is that finally, at long last, Raybourn gives us some answers regarding the frustrating yet ever-appealing Nicholas Brisbane’s past. Brisbane's past has always been closely guarded, shrouded in secrecy, but with Julia more determined than ever to break down his defenses we finally get to learn the man's secrets. It's a mark of just how much I love these characters that learning their secrets doesn't make them any less interesting - rather, all the revelations about Nicholas's character make me love him and his relationship with Julia all the more.

The atmosphere of the moor is the perfect setting for a story where long buried family secrets come to light and isolation fosters insane schemes for revenge. The setting seems to owe much inspiration to stories like The Hound of the Baskervilles and most especially, Wuthering Heights (some villagers are even named Earnshaw – loved that!). The mood and the long-festering revenge schemes all put one in mind of Ms. Bronte, only with Raybourn’s own unique and colorful spin. Her books have proven to be highly addictive; the only downside to this is that one tends to read them far too quickly. I find myself wanting to savor my time with Julia and Nicholas and the friends that people their world – but I fly through the pages of Raybourn’s novels at lightspeed (there’s worse problems, right? *wink*). Nicholas and Julia's story has been one of the best romances I've read in recent memory, each scene positively crackling with romantic tension. I only hope this isn't the end of Nicholas and Julia's adventures, as they're one of the most fascinating - and fun - pair of detectives you'd ever hope to come across. Ms. Raybourn's next book release can't come soon enough to suit me!

Click to read my reviews of the first two Julia Grey novels: Silent in the Grave and Silent in the Sanctuary. Oh, and in case you were wondering – after reading this installment of Nicholas and Julia’s romance, the verdict is in – Toby Stephens IS Brisbane in my book, hands down. Now we just need to get the BBC behind the idea of adapting these wonderfully entertaining books... :)

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Silent Governess
Bethany House; Original edition (January 1, 2010)
by
Julie Klassen


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie says: My background is in advertising and marketing, but I am blessed with a dream job—working as an editor of Christian fiction. I have been writing since childhood, but Lady of Milkweed Manor was my first novel. It was a finalist for a Christy Award and won second place in the Inspirational Reader's Choice Awards. My second novel, The Apothecary's Daughter, was a finalist in the ACFW Book of the Year awards. I am currently writing one novel a year.

I graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoy travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends.

My husband and I have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything--his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter of The Silent Governess, go HERE. You can also sign up as a Follower when you get to that page, and get announcements of the first chapters for all the great books we tour!