Review of The Governess of Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky

The Governess of Highland Hall, A Novel

by Carrie Turansky

Synopsis:

Worlds lie between the marketplaces of India and the halls of a magnificent country estate like Highland Hall. Will Julia be able to find her place when a governess is neither upstairs family nor downstairs help?

Missionary Julia Foster loves working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India. But when the family must return to England due to illness, she readily accepts the burden for her parents’ financial support. Taking on a job at Highland Hall as governess, she quickly finds that teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges at a grand estate is more challenging than expected, and she isn’t sure what to make of the estate’s preoccupied master, Sir William Ramsey.

Widowed and left to care for his two young children and his deceased cousin Randolph’s two teenage girls, William is consumed with saving the estate from the financial ruin. The last thing he needs is any distraction coming from the kindhearted-yet-determined governess who seems to be quietly transforming his household with her persuasive personality, vibrant prayer life, and strong faith.

While both are tending past wounds and guarding fragile secrets, Julia and William are determined to do what it takes to save their families—common ground that proves fertile for unexpected feelings. But will William choose Julia’s steadfast heart and faith over the wealth and power he needs to secure Highland Hall’s future?

BOOK TITLE:The Governess of Highland Hall 

SUBTITLE:A Novel 

AUTHOR NAME(S):Carrie Turansky 

RELEASE DATE:October 15th, 2013 

PAGE COUNT:336 Pages 

PRICE:$14.99 ISBN:9781601424969 

FORMAT:Trade Paperback 

CATEGORY:Fiction - Christian - Historical 

My thoughts:

Missionary Julia Foster has relished working alongside her parents, ministering and caring for young girls in India for the past twelve years.  However, the family must leave India and return to England due to Julia's father's illness.  Necessity means that she must provide financial support for her parents so she takes the job of governess at Highland Hall.  Quickly, Julia finds teaching her four privileged, ill-mannered charges challenging further complicated by the estate's master, Sir William Ramsey.

Sir Ramsey has been widowed and left to care for not only his two young children, but also the children of his deceased cousin Randolph and at the same time trying to save his estate from financial ruin.  Julia warms to her role as governess and her kindhearted and determined nature seem to transform the household, especially with the influence of a vibrant prayer life and strong faith Julia brings. 

The novel, set in transitional Edwardian England when class lines are becoming blurred provides a wonderful setting to watch Julia try to negotiate the no man's land of not belonging upstairs or downstairs. This transitional setting also allows Turansky to illustrate that God sees all as equal even if the circumstances of their lives are far from that.  This point is most clearly evidenced in Sir Ramsey's journey back to his faith

A sweet story of full of Christian values that is a refreshing light read that I believe historical fiction fans will enjoy!  Especially the character of Julia, whose strong faith, enables her to not only be a role model for the children in her care, but also to remind the reader of the strength and grace if Christian character.  My only complaint about the novel, perhaps in comparison to my normal reads, was its laid back pace which at times made it feel slow but overall it was a delightful read. 

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for a fair and honest review.