I loved this book. With a rags to riches to rags story told in a first person narrative, Finding Lady Enderly is a treat to my Brontë-loving heart. The setting was a total win. Victorian England, on a country estate with a crumbling old abbey…it’s one of my favorite literary settings. Yet what made this story was the characters. While far from perfect, I loved Raina. Though she was a bit naïve and made her fair share of mistakes, I thought she was sweet and underneath the mask she wore, she had a good heart. Her flaws made her relatable and she’s someone I would love to befriend. And Sully! Definitely one of my favorite heroes in recent memory. His devotion to Raina and his courage made him the definition of a hero.

Yet while their romance is very much a part of the novel, I think this is also a story of Raina’s self-discovery. As a person in the world, yet also a being in Christ, her identity is questioned throughout and luminously answered.

I can’t write a review of this book without mentioning the secret correspondence between Raina and Sully. Reading about the messages passed between them through favorite passages in beloved books was a true delight and made me love this book that much more.

Finding Lady Enderly is a marvelous new tale from a very talented author. I can’t wait to read more from Joanna Davidson Politano!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

4.5 stars. I was absolutely fascinated by this book and I loved it even more than Politano's past couple of novels! It was atmospheric and packed with twists and turns I didn't see coming. Like, really great twists that kept me turning pages like crazy! If I had one teensy little struggle with the book, it's that we're told a lot about Raina's past - how adventurous she is, how much trouble she used to get into, her love for the hero. But I wish we could've seen a little bit more of that. Either through a prologue or flashback or something. In particular, I love watching a romance grow, but in this story, we didn't really get to see that...that'd already happened off the page. That said, there are some truly romantic moments in this book that I soooo enjoyed - the notes in books! *insert heart eyes* I'm excited to see what comes next from Politano!

Talented Politano delivers another engaging novel with a creative storyline. Readers that enjoy multiple twists and surprises will find Finding Lady Enderly delivers.

Raina finds herself with an opportunity to escape her life as a rag woman. This opportunity is presented by a gentleman she doesn't know. The love of her heart, Sully, was tragically killed at sea. She feels there is nothing to lose.

As time passes, Raina realizes there were things about her life in the lower class that were positive. How many of us long for a "better" life? Would it truly be better?

What I loved most about the novel is the creative storyline and the way Raina exchanged messages with her friend through novel passages.

How to describe this truly unique story? It’s refreshingly different. It’s by turns intriguing, suspenseful, and romantic. It’s not quite either gothic or Regency, but it does have overtones of both. For 90% of the book, there’s an overriding question: Who or where is the true Lady Enderly? Raina believes she’s found the opportunity of a lifetime to escape the slums of London as she is recruited to impersonate Lady Enderly. In the beginning, she’s convinced that there’s no harm in impersonating the countess for a short period of time, and that maybe it will help heal her broken heart over the death of Sully, the man she has loved all her life. But all is definitely not as described to her, and Raina finds herself in a web of lies that keeps tightening around her. As things grow more desperate, Raina realizes that only God can help her escape the darkness that surrounds the estate. This is a story about realizing your true self-worth and purpose based on God’s love for us, rather than on our circumstances or appearance.

Raina is a wonderful character. Although, in desperation, she makes a serious mistake to agreeing to acting a part, her true character of love and care for others shines through as she interacts with all she comes in contact with on the estate. It’s also a different twist that when we first join this story, Raina and Sully have been a couple that have cared for each other for several years, but have been apart for a long time while Sully was at sea. When they are reunited, it was touching the lengths they would take to protect each other. And the way they communicated to each other through passages in books was one of the most romantic things I’ve read in a story. The ending to the story was not at all what I would have expected, but it was perfect.

Don’t be surprised if this book wins an award or two. It’s that good.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

"Just because it's who we have always been, it does not mean it's who we were created to be."

What if we were given a chance to trade places with someone who has everything we don't—great riches, silks and satins, servants, a huge mansion, and prestige? Such is the opportunity given to impoverished rag woman, Raina Bretton. Raina is a beautiful woman with a heart equally so. She totally earned my respect because even though she seeks to better herself, she also uses her new station to help others.

But she soon wrestles with her new identity...and as the dark secrets of her new mansion envelope her, will her dreams of bettering herself become nightmares? Will she lose the love of her life trying to be someone she isn't?

I was totally ensnared from chapter one...held captive by the lovely poetic prose of the author and enraptured by this intriguing storyline. At times the romantic quotes taken from some of my favorite classic novels (and used by the hero for a purpose all his own), brought tears to my eyes and caused my heart to melt to my toes. Finding Lady Enderly is a beautifully written novel with an aura of gothic mystery and eerie foreboding, as well as a heartwarming romance and an ethereal almost fairytale ambience.

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Revell via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Wow! That was one wild ride.

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading Finding Lady Enderly. The plot was a bit confusing at first (and it remained twisty and mystery-filled throughout) and I found the story hard to get into. But once I really settled down and started reading large chunks of the book at a time, I found myself enjoying it more and more.

WHAT I LIKED

-Joanna Davidson Politano is a good writer. There were several descriptive passages in this book that really captured my imagination - I could picture the old abbey, Raina's gowns, and the different soirees and parties very easily. This book definitely fit the time period it's set in. (Which I believe in the late 1800's?)

-The use of classic books (though they're more 'modern' during the time period in which this book is set) to send secret messages between Raina and Sully. Very clever and appropriate and I loved all the quotes the author selected for the messages. There WAS one time when a quote was misattributed to Elizabeth Bennet when Captain Wentworth actually said it. (I was really surprised because that's two entirely different Jane Austen novels and it was the 'half agony, half hope' quote which is soooo famous for being written by Capt. Wentworth.) But this is an uncorrected proof copy so hopefully that'll be changed before publication. And it didn't mar my enjoyment of the book as a whole.

-Some of the characters. I eventually grew to like Raina, Sully, and Philip quite a bit. But it took a lot of time. (Something I'll talk about in a minute.)

-The plot. It kept me guessing and swiping pages on my Kindle app. Very unpredictable, which I like.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

-It actually took me a long time to like Raina at all, which is bad because she's the main character. But she seemed a bit too much of a cliched Christian fiction heroine for my tastes. That could definitely be different for other readers and I did end up liking her quite a bit by the end of the book. She just annoyed me at times. Sully was pretty great but I felt like he was too perfect a lot of the time. Still, at least I cared about the characters and what would happen to them!

-Spiritual ambiguity. I feel like Politano had a chance to really showcase Raina's struggles with her conscience and her relationship with God but it actually wasn't focused on too much. Raina would feel guilty for a few sentences and then not really think about God for the longest time. (There was also a lack of a personal salvation testimony/experience. So idk if she's even technically a Christian?) There was more focus on the spiritual side of things later in the book, so that was nice.

These criticisms make it sound like I didn't care for the book at all - but I did! It was well written, engaging, and definitely worth your time if you're a fan of romantic, faith-based historical fiction.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing through Interviews & Reviews.

What woman would go with a stranger on the promise that he could make her life better? A desperate one, perhaps? One who is pining for the only man she ever loved, who was lost at sea? Such is the case with Raina Bretton. She sees an opportunity for a life change and leaps into it without really thinking about the consequences. And oh, what consequences there will be!

Joanna Davidson Politano's latest offering will keep you guessing until the very end. When Raina accepts the role to step into the shoes of Lady Enderly, she does it believing the woman is taking a time out from society. But not all is as it seems at Rothburne Abbey and soon Raina starts to wonder what really happened to the missing Lady Enderly. This one will keep you guessing at every turn of the page.

The cast of characters are well fleshed out, and I was always wondering which ones were trustworthy. I adored the love letters and secret messages Raina and Sully used to communicate with each other. And the message that God can take difficult circumstances and use them for good was evident.

The mystery of what happened to Lady Enderly was such a surprise to me. I was not expecting that! Well, done! 

This is an excellent book for book clubs. I highly recommend it!

I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through NetGalley.

Finding Lady Enderly is a well written book. Reminiscent of the Gothic mysteries I devoured years ago. Really enjoyed this book. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

What an engaging and suspense filled story!!
I almost don't know where to start! The story is set in the Regency era, but is one of the most original plots I have ever read. The characters were well crafted and likable - (or unlikeable in referring to the villain!).
I absolutely loved the twists and turns this story took that kept me guessing till the very end.
Raina is a poor 'rag woman' who is wooed into filling in for an absent Countess. Her world is turned up side down, and inside out as this story plays out. She thinks she knows who she is, but learns about a whole different part of herself that she had neglected all along - and is Renewed.
I love her growing relationship and dependence on God. It felt real, and not forced, or overboard.
There were so many wonderful parts of this story that I could quote, but a few of my favorites are:
"Many people who go out looking for themselves will become lost, for they look outside themselves and then inward, rather than up to the God we reflect."
"By his grace, before I was even ready for it, I had been made a reflection of God, the ultimate restorer."

The story is wonderfully written and flows very well. The author does an amazing job of describing the characters, as well as the locations that this story takes place in.
There is mystery, suspense, danger, joy, and of course sweet and clean romance.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. I am not required to leave a review. All opinions expressed here are my own. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to more from this author!!
I highly recommend this book :-D

Raina Bretton, more commonly called "Ragna" in her position as a rag lady, is swept off the streets with a mysterious promise of high wages and a beautiful manor, and told she's under no obligation to stay. That promise, however, is a lie, and Raina finds herself impersonating Lady Enderly in a ruse she doesn't understand and isn't allowed to compromise. Complicating the trap is her best friend, and hopefully more, Sully, who has kept her safe and sane in her rough life thus far; Sully's life is in danger if Raina chooses to be less than compliant in this charade she willingly, yet naively, became a part of.

There were so many layers to this book, I hardly know where to begin! There was the mystery - who is the real Countess, and what happened to her? There's the dangerous element - what will Victor do if Raina slips? There's the moral dilemma - Raina knows it's wrong to deceive the people around her, but how else is she to protect Sully, and what if she can use this position for good? There are the characters whom Raina befriends, whether by choice - Lady Remington and Bradford the butler, or by necessity - Cousin Phillip and the Earl. There's also the softer side - the literary romantic communication between Sully and Raina through carefully collected book quotations coded in secret to slowly reveal their feelings towards each other.

The people and the mysteries in this story were woven so well together that this was a truly enjoyable read. Victor was despicable, yet time and again Raina managed to rise above the circumstances and bring joy and change to the people around her that would be longer lasting than the temporary control that Victor was attempting to wrangle. I loved that even wile trying to be the Countess, Raina couldn't help but see the best in those around her and to try to use her strange situation to help where she could. The power and position could have gotten a hold on her, and she could have fallen into the same traps as Victor, but she didn't. And no matter how conflicted she felt in her relationship to God due to the role she was playing, only He could have been working through her to bring such kindness and change.

In the end, I really liked how the book resolved not without consequence for bad choices, but by showing that God can even use those choices and consequences for good. I give this book 5 stars; this is the second Joanna Davidson Politano book I've read, and as long as she keeps writing, it won't be my last!

I received a digital copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Fantastic read! The mystery was well-paced and not over the top unrealistic. The plot of the story was unique and interesting. The romance was well played. Highly recommended!

"Finding Lady Enderly" is a Christian romance supposedly set in 1871 in England. Don't get this book expecting historical accuracy. There were so many errors that I stopped counting. An example: we're repeatedly told that Raina is a rag woman who collects donated clothing and resales it. Only, rag pickers actually bought rags (cloth too worn to be remade into other clothing or used as rags) to be reprocessed into paper. Raina sounds more like a second hand clothing dealer, except people were giving her their valuable clothing rather than selling it to her.

Anyway, we're introduced to Raina with her wearing fine clothing that she had impulsively just stolen. She wanted to dress up and feel pretty. She was walking along the streets where people knew her and that she was poor...did she not think that someone would turn her in?! Soon she was lying, passing herself off as a missing lady because she wanted the pretty clothes, admiration, and influence. She did a few nice things for others, but they were so she could justify all the lying. She selfishly keep her boyfriend in a position of danger so she could savor his love notes. If she loved him, she would have been thinking of a way for him (or both of them) to get away from there. She was selfish, insecure, impulsive, and foolish...until she suddenly realized how self-consumed she was at about 70% into the story. Her boyfriend was more in love with being her rescuer than with her. Realistic? Sure. Enjoyable reading? Not for me.

Finally, when Raina was offered a well-paying job if she'd travel (alone) with a man she didn't know to a remote area, she said no because she realized it would be dangerous. When she told an older woman whom she roomed with about the offer, that woman immediately advised her that this was a literally God-given opportunity that she shouldn't refuse. As modern human trafficking uses similar lures, I felt sick to my stomach that this book had someone telling a young woman to trust a stranger with a too-good-to-be-true offer because it's God's will.

The underlying theme was that your worth does not depend on how people treat you but because you reflect some aspects of God and his power is within you. This managed to come across as both Christian and New Age at the same time. There was no sex or bad language.

Everyone knows the story of Cinderella - from ashes to riches. And, in a way, Finding Lady Enderly is about that. But also not.

A name is something powerful, and for Raina Bretton, her given name is weak compared to her hallmark name, Ragna. And to rags and poverty, she attaches her identity, as well to the kind son of a vicar who stood up from her when she most needed and has saved her from her many perilous situations.

Nevertheless, what girl doesn`t dream of beauty. Though beauty can have many forms, who doesn`t identify it to charming places and manicured persona? And so, with some hesitation at first, but with also a vulnerable heart severed from its source of light, Raina accepts an exquisite proposal from a cunning benefactor to pose as a Countess.

When Raina arrives at Rothburne Abbey, not everything is as glamorous as she expected. She actually finds contempt, hostility, and abandonment. Threats pull her from one decision to the other and with each passing hour more is at stake than she first thought... and with each passing hour, her identity as Raina or Ragna or Lady Enderly becomes murkier, unfamiliar. Notwithstanding, there is a comfortable spot where she finds space to blossom. Her dreams of sparkle might have ended up being a reality full of emptiness at heart and pocket, but at least an empty pocket Raina knows how to deal with.

Joanna Politano deals shrewdly with the dark side of life and human personality. There are parts when the characters are frustratingly human, and therefore humblingly relatable. And so, through their journeys, the author carefully and diligently brings light into their lives and hearts, while also being realistic to the consequences we deal with because of our actions. As each page turned, more and more questions aroused within me - who is this Countess the servants seem comfortable to suddenly open up to? how are the characters ever going to get themselves out of the hole becoming deeper and deeper? will truth be able to set them free?

I'll let you discover for yourself the answers to these questions and much more ;-)
Though there were parts of the book I found a bit slow and though it took me a while to warm up to the romance, I have to say there is no doubt Joanna Politano can capture our hearts with a character and can deftly pen a mystery novel. One thing is for sure: I did not have this book figured out!

In the end, the powerful message that wrapped around my heart and brought that well-known sigh of satisfaction was that, though something might have been intended for evil and with discouragement, there's One who cares too much to throw away any opportunity for good.

Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano is a mixture of My Fair Lady and Jane Eyre. With a hint of mystery and a transformation, Politano takes a character completely out of her element and allows her good qualities to shine on the page. Politano knows how to capture a setting and a use of language to tell a wonderful story. The plot definitely kept me flipping the pages. I couldn't wait to see when the real Lady Enderly would grace the pages and what she had to say for herself. I really wanted to know why she was missing and why they had to hire Raina to fulfill her duties. The heroine, Raina doesn't really change. Even though the outward appearance changes with her trying to become a countess, her good natured character of taking care of the downtrodden didn't really change. It was there in the beginning of the story and stayed there to the very end. Overall, Finding Lady Enderly was a wonderful way to spend a couple of days. I believe fans of the women literary classics might enjoy this novel. If you enjoyed Politano's other two novels than you might enjoy this one too.

I received a complimentary copy of Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Finding Lady Enderly is a very mysterious story that I couldn't put down until the end! Raina is taken from her world of poverty and transformed into a Duchess, because she looks identical to the real duchess. But where is the real duchess? What happened to her? Meanwhile, Raina's best friend, the man she loves, finds work at the same abbey. She had thought he died on a ship, only to find him working as a footman. Beautiful and enticing story, I'm almost sad it ended!

Raina is a rag woman on the streets in London in 1871 when a mysterious and well dressed stranger tells her he can take her away from this to a life of luxury at Rothburne Abbey. Dare she believe him? And with her dear Sully perished on a sunken ship, what has she here to keep her in London. So she heads out with the man. The Abbey is indeed large and beautiful, with servants to wait on her. But all is not as it seems. There is something very wrong at Rothburne Abbey. She must find a way out of this madness. If only she can trust one person, there might be hope.

Intrigue, danger, darkness mysterious happenings, a haunting Gothic tale reminiscent of the Bronte sisters. All these inhabit this interesting tale of a life that was ordinary and has turned into something quite odd and scary. Fans of the Brontes will love this, and also those who enjoy intrigue in this setting.

*My thanks to the Revell Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.

(4.5 stars) – This has the flavor of a Gothic fairytale with a thought-provoking, allegorical message about identity & what’s in a name

I initially assumed this was a historical romance because of the setting, & started getting sidetracked by aspects of accuracy, until I went back & checked the description. It’s actually a Christian story that is a reflection on our identity – who we are & how we name ourselves & what makes us who we are.

It employs the Fall in Genesis as a cautionary, yet still encouraging, allegory for discerning & being true to God’s purpose for our lives:

Victor is the snake with his clever use of the truth to lie & who deals out death.

Raina is naive, but to some extent, willingly so. She sees the fruit, knows she probably shouldn’t, but it does look good, & allows herself to be persuaded to partake.

Sully is the voice of reality, truth, reason – but he gives in to Raina by joining her, in a way like Adam gave in to Eve, ostensibly he wants to protect her but, but alas, Sully is vulnerable & mortal, and cannot.

Mr Wells is the God-figure “If only you had trusted me and come to me” – who saves them from their eternal fate, though they are still cast out of paradise, so to speak

What we do is not who we are. Our place in society, circumstances, environment, etc – none of these make up who we are. We can change all those external things, but we will still be ourselves – that is who God made us to be, designed for His purpose. As Uncle Wells tells Raina, “Never judge a man’s identity by the outside. That can all be changed in an instant.”

Raina realizes who she is & the truth sets her free, along with Sully, in an unexpected way.

This was a really well done story, but it’s important to focus on the essence of the tale rather than sidetracking onto material details or you might lose its beautiful message in the tall weeds, so to speak.

*Clean romance level: sweet kisses

*Religion: generically Christian

[Blog Review will post to Goodreads, Amazon, BN, ChristianBook.com, BookBub, and social media on publication date]

Another intriguing read from the author.

It starts with Raina and an irrefutable offer. She'd been waiting for a dear friend to return from the sea, but knowing the ship he was in sunk, she's lost hope of that. So she accepts and off she goes to Rothburne Abbey and a life so different from what she knows.

Although it seems simple enough, it soon shows there's so much more to it and the longer she spends there, the more complicated it gets.

Around Raina, there are several men with whom she has to deal with (Victor, Sully, Mitchell and even Bradford) and her identity is put in question several times. There's also a mystery about Lady Enderly and her identity.

Impossible to put down.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I know that when I pick up a Politano book that she's going to leave me pondering something deeper and this book did not disappoint. There is such depth in Raina's pursuit of Lady Enderly and so much that she (and therefore the reader) learns about what it means to find her/our identity. I also really dug into the idea that names matter when Raina considered the names that she has gone by. It left me pondering my own name and what I do to show I know my own name. As always, Politano writes beautifully. I loved her use of well known books within the story to allow the characters to say what they couldn't say themselves. There were a couple of surprises along the way that I didn't expect and the ending was both not what I expected and yet also very fitting.

Joanna Davidson Politano is making a name for herself in the Christian market. This is her third book and she continues to write excellent stories. Finding Lady Enderly is a mix of My Fair Lady, Jane Eyre, and her own unique regency mystery. I enjoyed the book very much and kept wondering the entire time, "What happened to the real Lady Enderly?"

Raina Bretton is barely making a life for herself as a rag woman. She cleans and mends castoff rags and resells them. One day she is offered the chance of a lifetime; leave her rags behind and embrace the silks of a countess so that the real Lady Enderly may enjoy a peaceful respite away from society. Since the love of her life died at sea, Raina accepts the offer and moves to the beautiful Rothburne Abbey.

She quickly realizes that replacing an ailing countess is not that simple. Something more sinister must be at work. Raina resolves to find out what happened to the original Lady Enderly before something tragic happens to herself.