House of Shadows: A Novel by Nicola Cornick is a women’s historical fiction that is scheduled to be released on October 17, 2017 by Harlequin. I was drawn to this book because it is as a bit of history and romance. Plus, I have heard a lot of good things about the author, Nicola Cornick and I wanted to see for myself. This is a beautiful story that is set in three timescales that starts in the 1600’s, then the 1800’s and up to present day. Cornick as written a beautiful and truly atmospheric novel. I really enjoyed reading about the different characters in time and be transported in their different worlds. There is a lot of love that runs through out the book and shows how time effects the relationship outcomes depending on the time frame. I really enjoyed reading this novel. **I received an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.**
SYNOPSIS: The wooded hills of Oxfordshire conceal the remains of the aptly named Ashdown House—a wasted pile of cinders and regret. Once home to the daughter of a king, Ashdown and its secrets will unite three women across four centuries in a tangle of romance, deceit and destiny. In the winter of 1662, Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen, is on her deathbed. She entrusts an ancient pearl, rumored to have magic power, to her faithful cavalier William Craven for safekeeping. In his grief, William orders the construction of Ashdown Estate in her memory and places the pearl at its center. One hundred and fifty years later, notorious courtesan Lavinia Flyte hears the maids at Ashdown House whisper of a hidden treasure, and bears witness as her protector Lord Evershot—desperate to find it—burns the building to the ground. Now, a battered mirror and the diary of a Regency courtesan are the only clues Holly Ansell has to finding her brother, who has gone missing researching the mystery of Elizabeth Stuart and her alleged affair with Lord Craven. As she retraces his footsteps, Holly’s quest will soon reveal the truth about Lavinia and compel her to confront the stunning revelation about the legacy of the Winter Queen.
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