I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but the premise sounded intriguing. I really enjoyed the author's writing and development of characters. The individual stories and history were quite interesting as well, although I did not know much about Ireland's history so I did not really have previous context to follow the history presented here very well.

The three separate time periods/stories made the book feel rather disjointed to me for about the first half of the book. This was particularly so because I could not figure out how the three stories were related, for a good part of the first half as well. Having three time periods to alternate between may have been too much for me as a reader, but I did like how each story finally related to the others by the ending.

Speaking of the endings, they were satisfactory for the most part, but somehow also felt disjointed to me. The modern time period felt the most "wrapped up", but the other two felt like something was still missing. I liked the book, but it wasn't a five-star book for me.

Give me a castle and an Irish setting, and I'm already mostly sold. But then add in the writing of Kristy Cambron, and you will absolutely win me over. The three unique parts of this book completely immersed me into their worlds. From the present day all the way back to the 18th century, I was captivated by the way the author managed to make me feel a part of each woman's tale. While there was a bit more faith aspects than I personally enjoy, overall the stories wove together to leave me feeling both in awe and bereft once the book was finished.

If you love anything Irish and 🏰 and toe-tingling romance, you are going to love this book!

Always love anything by Kristy Cambron, and this one was no exception!

I do wish I'd been able to read the first book, but I found this one strong enough to make me want to read the other one! Inside the covers of this book is a TRIPLE timeline, and enough of Ireland to make me sigh. Romance, history, castles, strong characters - I'm well pleased. It's not a preachy book but instead focuses on choices and their outcomes as they echo through the ages.

It does hail to Scottish and Irish roots, with the pubs and drinks. I don't have a problem with this, as long as people aren't drunk. Even Christ turned water into wine for a wedding, and in many cultures "ale" is still an item that brings people together under one roof. I can see why this author is award-winning. I enjoyed being swept away by this novel.

My copy came from Celebrate Lit. My review is my own, left of my own free will.

Wonderful read! Really enjoyed this book and its beautiful storyline that draws you in and pulls you along

Castle on the Rise is the second book in a series, but also works really well stand. It's set in Ireland (I want to go so badly!) and the author has obviously done her historical research. She has crafted excellent, well developed characters and and a lovely plot, plus sprinkled in some romance. There are several storylines (time periods!) that she manages to keep wonderfully entwined and yet simple to keep track of.

This second book in a series also works as a stand alone even though the two books share a character. It's set in Ireland (swoon) and has all the history and romance one would expect. The three stories told on the pages are perfectly entwined and easy to keep track off. Three storylines, three time periods. She's a master at it!

Thanks to Thomas Nelson publishers and Netgalley for an Advance Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, I have to admit, from the reviews on Goodreads, I expected more from this novel. Although the descriptions were lovely and the writing evocative, the dialogue and the characters just didn't get me. I hadn't read the first book, so perhaps that was a hindrance, but being part of a large Irish family myself, I just didn't feel invested in the story like I usually am when I read books about and set in Ireland.

I think that was not something that I genuinely liked, ever since I got the chance to review this. I’ve tried to pick it up a couple of times. But it seems like I haven’t been able to get into this. So I finally gave up around the 30 percent mark.
It just didn’t seem to catch my attention, and I honestly forgot what I was reading the moment I put the book down. So I decided to part ways with thus book. I did receive this for free in exchange for an honest review. I want to thank the publisher and netgalley for giving me this opportunity

Fabulous novel of historic Ireland. The author miraculously balances three stand alone stories; Ireland in the late 1700’s, 1916 and present day. I thoroughly enjoyed each and was stunned by her ability to tie them together in unexpected ways. This author’s super power is storytelling and we her readers are truly blessed by her mastery. I’m thrilled to find a new favorite author. I received this ARC from Netgallery and Thomas Nelson the publisher for which I am truly grateful. I only wish I would have read this sooner!

Kristy Cambron is one of my favorite authors; I devour her books and they are usually feel life changing. That being said, this book was an exception and I still haven't gotten a handle on what the issue was for me. I enjoyed the first book in the series, but had a difficult time getting going with this one - I think I read the first two chapters about six separate times before I finally pressed on to finish it. I struggled with bouncing around between three timelines and ultimately found it challenging to fully engage with any one of them. (Although I generally like books with split time....this one felt like I was always missing something; whether it was context or connection, I am not sure.)

It even took me forever to write this review because I couldn't figure out how to articulate all of this. I truly think she is an excellent writer. And, I didn't know a lot about the Irish War of Independence and really appreciated learning more about that time in history. I very much appreciated the tie in towards the end for all three timelines and found it to be quite clever.

My final word is that this book should be one that you read it and decide for yourself. The author is generally great, and you may not suffer from the same frame of mind that I did - so get it and make your own decision!

I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

The second in a series and this is one of those series where most of the story is self contained from one book to another, but I would really suggest starting at the beginning. There are characters and things that have some backstory that take place in book one that you really need for this book.

To also reiterate what I said in my review of book one, this is one of those books with three storylines and you may want a piece of notebook paper to take some notes so you can keep each of the storylines straight with all of the characters.

I didn't love this book as much as book one. With a limited knowledge of the history of Ireland and its upheavals, I was lost a bit during this book and had a hard time following what was happening to the characters. I had to do a bit more google searching in this book more so than my usual for historical fiction reading. It halted my reading flow and just stunted my enjoyment.

I liked the characters in this story and of course the way the author described the setting was just magical. This book made me want to book a trip to Ireland real soon!

Cambron interweaves the three timelines with the skill of an experienced story weaver. Each story could stand alone as a novella, yet they are interconnected. The three stories are written to keep the readers engaged. However, this is not light reading, due to its complex storylines, and one might wonder if three timelines, even masterfully written, might be too many for the average reader.

Castle on the Rise is the second in the series. It is the story of three women in three different eras living in Ireland. I had a little bit of trouble following the three time lines but the stories were intriguing. Kristy paints a beautiful picture of Ireland and it;s country. It was a good story.

Title: Castle on the Rise

Author: Kristy Cambron

Series: 35 Plus Epilogue

Chapters: 35 plus Epilogue

Pages: 372

Genre: Christian Fiction, Christian Historical Fiction, Dual Time period

Rating: 5 stars

Castle on the Rise by Kristy Cambroon Is a book set in Ireland through two years ago. Told from the point of view of three different women. Maeve in the 1790s. Isabel during the Easter Rising and Laine in the present day. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would because I ended up DNFing the first book in the series but I may end going back and reading the first book. I didn't stop reading because of anything wrong with the book, it was just some of the family stuff the heroine was going through hit too close to home.
I enjoyed the three different time periods from the point of view of three very different heroines, whom of which are shaped by Ireland and her struggles. Maeve in the 1790s finds herself becoming more Irish and English as she understands and begins to see their cause as her own. Isabel during the Easter Rising who sides with the Irish over her own English family. I think many American's reading a fiction book about a country fighting for Independence view it though rose colored glasses, because of our own war for Independence. But the Easter Rising was more violent and bloody on both sides than was ours with fighting in the streets and bombs. Innocent people being killed it wasn't as clear cut to who was right or wrong as most might think.
Being in Ireland finally allows Laine to start finding her footing again. And maybe a fresh start. Most of the present day story takes place between a castle and an Irish pub. Which some may find offensive or take issue with that. Especially since a character and her daughter are staying about a pub. But in Ireland pubs are a way of life. From dinner with friend and family to a place to go and enjoy music. Pubs are pretty much the Irish equivalent to a family restaurant everyone's welcome.
After enjoying this one I plan on going back and reading the first book in the series, the one set in France. And the upcoming novel set in England. I know want to go back and read the rest of Kristy's books.
I would recommend this book to the readers who enjoy dual time period novels and history. As well as books set in Ireland.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Kristy Cambron's books are always bursting with so many emotions. Castle on the Rise is no different. While in the same series as The Lost Castle, with some of the same characters reappearing, there is a decidedly different tone to this story. With the focus of the historical threads around Irish uprisings and their fight for independence, there are several aspects of the present day thread that cause all the feels. (There are some things that could be triggers as well.)

Traveling through the different eras can seem a bit quick, but it definitely made me want to keep reading. Getting to know Laine on a deeper level and learning more about the history of Ireland was simply a fantastic combination. The hope and love and rebellion woven throughout this story captures the heart and imagination in a very real way. Cambron's ability to write raw, tangible faith has always blown me away.

Even though the setting is different from book one, I highly recommend starting this series with The Lost Castle. There is background information that I would consider crucial to the storyline in this book. And don't miss book three, The Painted Castle, arriving on shelves October 2019.

I received a complimentary copy of Castle on the Rise from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Cambron is a masterful story teller. I have yet to read a book of hers that I did not love, and this story was no exception. I do have to admit, at first I was a little overwhelmed by it. Three story lines to follow along? I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to keep up, no matter how good of a reader I am. It did take a few chapters of each story for me to get the gist of it all, and be able to allow my mind to wander between them, but I got it and it was so worth it!

I really can’t decide which story I liked the best. Each one had an element I could connect with, and had my complete attention. Like I said, Cambron is a master at story telling. Characters aside, I have to give kudos to her ability to transport me to Ireland in three different time periods. It was absolutely breathtaking, and has increased my desire to want to travel the world to see all these magnificent castles she has in her books! I imagine it’s probably a little intimidating to be writing about such beautiful places, but Cambron just does it with ease.

Readers will not be able to tear themselves away from this story! I highly recommend that you read this, and take your time doing so. I found myself trying to rush through it, but almost felt like I was missing out. Take the time to give each story the attention it deserves. You won’t regret it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Castle on the Rise is a beautiful story that makes me which I knew more of Irish history. It is the story of three women who must find the strength for battle, tied together by a castle in Ireland. Lanie is a modern woman who travels to Ireland with her best friend, but finds more than she ever imagined. In 1916 you will meet Issy, an Irish born woman who longs for more the life of a society lady. Finally you will be swept back farther in time to meet Maeve the Lady of the Castle in 1798.

I really enjoyed all three story-lines in this novel, each had it own heart aches, but the fighting spirit of women kept me turning the pages to see how things turned out. If you enjoy historical fiction this is a wonderful book that will leave you intrigued.


I received a copy of this novel from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own

It took me longer to finish this book compared to others I read. The book was jist fine, it had an intwresting plot and lives of three women though generations. Somehow I had a hard time to concentrate on the plot at times.
I would still recommend it because the story got really better 1/4 from beginning.

First, we would just like to say that we generally love Kristy Cambron's writing and really liked her novel, The Lost Castle. So we eagerly picked up Castle on the Rise, thinking it would captivate us just as well!

Unfortunately, it did not. We normally love a double/triple storyline to follow, but it seems just as we would get excited about one storyline, the next time we picked back up with it, a lot of time had passed, or the circumstances had changed and the thing we were excited about was over, or dealt with. Additionally, the Irish history was a bit hard to understand and follow, and some characters had similar names which thoroughly threw us off.

Kristy Cambron had her usual style of intelligent writing, historical depth and beautiful imagery, so we definitely look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

In the end, however - this is a shameful thing to admit! - we only made it through about 70% of the book and just couldn't waste any more time on it. It just didn't really grab us and draw us in.