Edenbrooke

by Julianne Donaldson

Overview

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she'll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will Marianne be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609089467
Publisher:	Shadow Mountain Publishing
Publication date:	03/27/2012
Series:	A Proper Romance
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	114,998
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	15 - 18 Years

About the Author

Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her husband and children. You can find her online at www.juliannedonaldson.com.

Read an Excerpt

Grandmother gestured at the pile of letters on the table. “There is a letter for you there. From London. Read it and leave me alone for a few minutes.”

I picked up the letter and walked to the window, letting the sunlight fall on the familiar handwriting. When Papa had brought me to Bath, he had found an even more suitable situation for my twin sister, Cecily. She had been staying with our cousin Edith in London for the past fourteen months and seemed to have enjoyed every moment of it.

For being twins, Cecily and I were remarkably different. She excelled me in every womanly art. She was much more beautiful and refined. She played the pianoforte and sang like an angel. She flirted easily with gentlemen. She liked town life and had dreams of marrying a man with a title. She was ambitious.

My ambitions were quite different from hers. I wanted to live in the country, to ride my horse, to sit in an orchard and paint, to take care of my father, to feel that I belonged, to do something useful and good with my time. But most of all, I wanted to be loved for who I was. 

Editorial Reviews

Inspirational publisher Shadow Mountain launches the G-rated Proper Romance line (romance “at its very best—and at its cleanest,” the introduction promises) with this delightful and completely engrossing Heyeresque Regency debut. The newly widowed Mr. Daventry sends his beautiful, elegant daughter Cecily to have a season in London and ships her “quiet and dull” twin, Marianne, to her grandmother’s home in Bath. When Marianne is allowed to visit the beautiful Edenbrooke estate and reunite with Cecily, she is overjoyed, despite her anxiety about the social niceties she abhors. But her journey turns tumultuous and she unexpectedly meets Philip, a devastatingly handsome man with an irresistible sense of humor and a great many secrets. When Philip’s true identity is revealed, Marianne must confront her fears as well as her growing affection for him. This beautiful love story will warm (only) the reader’s heart. Agent: Laurie McLean, Larsen/Pomada Literary Agents. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Shadow Mountain Publishing debuted its new spin on the Romance novel recently...and its enchanting debut title Edenbrooke...has proven itself to be a winner right out of the gate."—The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post

"Delightfully witty dialogue is engaging... our heroine operates slightly outside the expectations of a “genteel” lady of her time. And unlike many romances which drag the characters through conflict, prolonging their joy until the finale, this refreshingly straightforward tale provides tender interludes throughout. This debut novel captures all the charm of the Regency period — while offering plenty of romance for readers who crave a bit more than the tight-lipped love scenes written by 19th century writers."—The Horn Book

The Horn Book

"Ms. Donaldson shows great promise. As a debut novel Edenbrooke was delightful and diverting. She particularly excelled at the witty repartee between the main characters and developed the second string beautifully to support the narrative."—Austenprose.com

Austenprose.com