Description
When Abigail Morgan, a naive pastor’s daughter with an overactive imagination, inherits a cottage in Australia, she never imagines the story it will unlock. Armed with a museum studies degree and a penchant for daydreams, Abigail heads to Hyacinth Cottage to unravel the truth of her grandmother’s past—an unknown world of adventure, deception, and love.
While sifting through letters, photographs, and hidden relics, Abigail meets Colter Wellesley, a charming local who helps her navigate the labyrinth of clues with a blend of wit and charm she struggles to resist. But Colter comes with secrets of his own. As their investigation and romance deepen, Abigail wonders if Colter is more tangled up in her grandmother’s mystery—and that of the princess who vanished more than sixty years ago—than she ever imagined.
In this modern reimagining of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, the line between imagination and reality blurs, and every clue discovered could be the key to unlocking a royal legacy.
kmbslocum –
History, research, sports. Australia, New Zealand, islands. Books, authors, poetry. Stories, Jane Austen, literature. Sean Connery charcuterie board. Family, siblings, imagination. King, Prince, Princess. Royalty, palace, crowns. Adventure, high risk, trust. “Faith, service, leadership. Romans chapter 12.”
Interest piqued? How could it not be! It’s all here and more, in a well written, well researched debut novel told with lightness and humor that will capture your imagination and leave you wanting more. Northanger Abbey is my least favorite Jane Austen novel. But if I loved this modern retelling this much, I can’t imagine what others in the series will be like. I can’t wait.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book courtesy of WhiteCrown Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
mgtnelson –
I absolutely loved this book! It’s the first book in a new Royally Austen series. This one is a modern reimagining of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. However, you don’t have to know anything about Jane Austen and Northanger Abbey to enjoy this book! (In a side note, it has been YEARS since I’d read Northanger Abbey, so decided to get reacquainted with the book. I didn’t re-read the whole thing, but after what I did read, I am totally amazed at Leonard’s modern reimagining! She has done a fabulous job in keeping the bones of Austen’s book, but making it a vibrant, enticing story of its own!)
I loved the characters. The pace of revealing new clues in the mystery to be unraveled is just perfect. The plot twists really kept up my interest (I stayed up way later than planned to get past certain tense points). As Abbie matures and grows in finding her own identity, there’s lots of good insights a reader can apply to his/her own life.
All in all, it was great, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!!
I received a complimentary copy this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
laknermegan (verified owner) –
From the moment I saw the cover for this book I knew it was going to be good. I’m happy to say I was so right! This was such a fun debut and after finishing the book I’m really excited for the next one. And very happy that there will be more books from this author.
Abbie was such a fun, quirky character. I loved that even though she’s a pastors kid she still struggles with knowing where she fits and feeling like she has to act a certain way for people to like her. I really enjoyed seeing her grow throughout the story, and the romance between her and Coulter was so sweet. The author did a fabulous job writing a romance that can appeal to not only young adults but older adults as well.
I loved getting to “visit” Australia and New Zealand via this book. Especially the island of Northargyle. The support characters were also a hit with me, I particularly enjoyed Aunt Vi’s outlook on life. The mystery of Abbie’s Gran kept me guessing. I was so sure I’d figured out how it was going to go, but the author surprised me with a couple twists.
This book is the perfect escape and will leave you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page. You’ll want nothing more than to be able to return to visit these wonderful characters and the charming world the author has crafted.
*I read an early ARC of this book from the Author/publisher. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
candideweekes –
Northargyle Abbie by Janelle Leonard was a great discovery.
It was the first book I read by this author and I will look for others now that I saw how well she writes.
I really enjoyed the theme of the whole book (a Jane Austen retelling) and even thought it wasn’t my favourite Jane Austen book, I enjoyed the retelling
The characters are well developped and not just the main ones. I also enjoyed the story and how the author developped it through the book.
I really liked the fact that the story takes place in Australia and New Zealand. Those are amazing countries that I love and would like to visit (I have been to Australia but not New Zealand).
— I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. —
katie.r.fitzgerald –
Northargyle Abbie is an amazingly well-written and compelling contemporary retelling of Northanger Abbey set in Australia, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Here’s why I loved this book:
The main character is relatable. Though she is a 20-something woman going through a time of transition, she’s not rebellious or poorly adjusted, she loves her family, and is devoted to her faith. She feels some pressure because her father is a pastor, but her motives are always positive and pure even when she makes mistakes. She felt so real to me, like she could have walked out of the book and been a friend to my own 20-something self back in the day.
The royal mystery is so intriguing, and Abbie’s grandmother’s involvement in it made me feel personally invested in finding out what actually happened all those years ago. The twists and turns Abbie uncovers on the way to the truth kept me guessing until almost the very end, and I loved seeing her figure things out.
The silly plaques that Abbie writes to accompany museum exhibits are hilarious. I think it can be difficult to write as a character, but this author definitely did a great job of infusing Abbie’s voice into those little snippets. The role of writing in general, throughout the book, appealed to my writerly soul, and I loved that Abbie and her aunt have that in common.
Colter was such a swoony hero. I really liked him from the outset, and only grew to like him more. I also loved the way the other supporting characters were written, even the ones that wound up being the villains of the book.
Finally, the romance, despite being unlikely in some ways, was grounded in wisdom. These characters didn’t rush into things, but really relied on God to point them in the right direction. I loved that modeling for a healthy approach to Christian dating and marriage.
If you like royalty romances set in fictional countries with a heavy dose of historical mystery and lots of references to Christian faith, you don’t want to miss Northargyle Abbie!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Talita Adendorff –
What a delightful story.
This is Janelle’s debut novel and the first book in the Royally Austen series. I’ve never read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, but I truly enjoyed Northargyle Abbie. I was a bit surprised by the first two pages, which were written in a “silly” manner, but as I continued, I realised that they were almost like diary entries and not the actual first chapter.
The story is wonderful and I had a hard time putting it down. I wanted to know what happens next. It is a mixture of romance and mystery with some great family dynamics thrown in. The characters are interesting and you can picture them in your mind’s eye. If you are looking for a fun and engaging read with royalty, then I recommend you add Northargyle Abbie to your TBR.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.