Ive never seen Downton Abbey and historical fiction is not my preferred genre, but I fell in love with Carries writing after reading Seeking His Love and I knew her latest book was not to be missed. I found Highland Hall to be a precious story filled with mischief, division, betrayal, sacrifice, family, beauty and the most noble of character from the most underestimated person in the story, Julia herself.

When Julia arrives at Highland Hall, everything is in disarray and despite her lack of experience for the governess position, shes determined to prove herself worthy of this job in order to help her beloved parents. No governess has been able to work with Mr. Ramseys children for an extended amount of time, his teen cousins are now in his responsibility and will be requiring someone to prepare them for coming out into the social season in London, and finances are at their limit when Julia is interviewed. However, shes willing to do every task entrusted to her with dignity and care no matter how nervous she is.

One of my favorite scenes is the very beginning when Julia meets Mr. Ramsey. They have a slight misunderstanding, but this first encounter on Highland Hall property gives the reader an idea of Julias merit and personality. Julia is not only determined to get the job, shes determined to do the right thing and keep the peace in the household.

References in the story are The Jungle Book and Pride and Prejudice.

Julia is definitely my favorite character in this story and I was amazed by her heart despite certain injustices that go on. Her influence is immediately felt in the household, she becomes the peacemaker, the maternal being for both children, she refuses to gossip, is discreet and humble, she is a diligent/supportive friend and she becomes confidant to many people in the story. She is devoted to Christ, her parents, and her charges while working for Mr. Ramsey. I understood how much she loved her family and it was a joy to see her close relationship with her parents. She puts herself last in all she undertakes and is a true heroine.

Mr. Ramsey is also a wonderful character and even though I considered him a perfect match for Julia, I had trouble having sympathy for him in his financial struggle and I was at times in disbelief that he misunderstood certain situations. I deeply admired how he made it his business to know all that went on in his household and how he kept up propriety among his staff, but it was a challenge to see how much bitterness he has towards his late wife. It was utterly refreshing to see how Turansky writes about his change of heart regarding his children as well as how protective he is of Sarah, his sister. Despite his flaws and misunderstandings he encounters, his compassion does show through as he desperately works at trying to save Highland Hall.

I highly recommend The Governess of Highland Hall for those who enjoyed Jane Eyre, Melanie Dickersons The Merchants Daughter and any book by Julie Klassen. Highland Hall is an elegant dwelling that turns into a real home with many secrets that get exposed, characters that find out whats really important in the midst of potential scandal, and marriages of convenience versus true love.

I want to thank Carrie for the ARC review copy provided and for the chance to be part of Carries Reading Friends. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions stated in the comments are my own.

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As soon as I saw the cover of The Governess of Highland Hall I figured it was going to be a book I enjoyed. I was definitely right about that!

The Governess of Highland Hall is the story of Julia, a young woman who has been serving several years in India with her parents as a missionary. When her father became ill, Julia and her parents returned to England and Julia now seeks employment in order to help ease her parents financial burden. Applying to be a governess, Julia is hired at Highland Hall to be the governess of Sir Williams two children, Andrew, age 9, and Millie, age 6. She has also come to oversee Sir Williams cousins, Katherine and Penelope, as they learn social skills and prepare for Katherines first season in London.
William has recently inherited Highland Hall and he finds himself in a financial bind as he struggles to fix up the estate. A widower, William finds it hard to trust others, but the new governess begins to change that.
As Julia settles into her role as governess, trouble brews among the servants and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

I found myself loving many of these characters though there were some that I greatly disliked as well! The author did a great job of transporting me back to 1911 and bringing the characters and setting to life. While this was my first book by Carrie Turansky, I look forward to reading more of her novels especially if theyre anything like this one!
If youre a fan of Downton Abbey, you will definitely want to pick this book up. I highly suggest it to anyone looking for a quick read that will keep you turning the pages. After all, I finished this book within 24 hours!

I received a free Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing through the program Blogging for Books. I received no compensation other than this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions stated are my own.

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"The Governess of Highland Hall" by Carrie Turansky, book review

When she returns from India to England to help her father recover from a lengthy illness, Julia must find a way to support her family. She gets a job as governess to the children of widowed Sir William Ramsey. While she quickly settles into the routine of caring for the children, Sir William is confronted with the large "Death Taxes" imposed his inheritance of Highland Hall, following the death of his cousin.

Both Julia and William have a strong will to do what is best for their family, even at the expense of their own happiness. And both have a strong faith in the Lord. During the months, Julia helps both the children and Sir William to heal following the death of their mother. And Julia helps other members of the family and staff to grow and change for the better.

I enjoyed this novel. While the general story was a bit predictable, the character developement was wonderful. The pace of the action was just right, fast enough to keep my interest, but not so fast that I got lost. I was humbled by the selflessness of both Julia and Sir William as they were willing to give up for others.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Random House. All opinions expressed are my own. Book available soon from Amazon and other retailers.

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