It was a bit interesting, but i wish there was more character development, and it felt somewhat long. Unessesarily so.

What a great novel. Monarch Manor is captivating and the well-crafted characters make this a must-read novel.

Here we find Erin has just arrived at her late grandmother's home to prepare for an estate sale. As she's sifting through the house, she finds a collection of photos. Now the mystery begins and it will keep you interested until the very end - I promise.

Great story.

I was really taken with the setting--Lake Geneva in Wisconsin is and sounds beautiful. Special needs children aren't new to this century and the dual timelines and stories of two mothers was well done.

Love this author, love her books. The settings are always pristinely set so that it's easy to picture them at any moment but also, so easy to follow along that it feels like you're with them and not reading. Easy read as well.

This book has blown me into some kind of different planet. When I started to read it, I knew this will be different and wow! I was so correct!
Two areas, two different mothers, beautifully developed storyline and more.
I could not get enough of this book!!!!!

Thank you Kensington Publishing and netgalley for the arc of this amazing story. This review is my personal opinion. I was blown away by this story. It is a dual timeline story about two mothers from different eras who hav e"special needs" children. The writing is well thought out and the characters are well developed. The story flows and is so inspiring. If you have been touched by an Autisic child, you will love this story of the determination of two mothers to get help for their children. Prepare to be up reading well past your bedtime

Sometimes when you stumble upon a book which from the first chapter draws you in, speaks to you. It is not just the content itself but the manner in which it is conveyed to you. It is about the narrative style, and the characters being introduced to you. When you turn the last page, with tears in your eyes there is satisfaction in having read a good book that will stay with you a little longer than other recent reads. If it is not very clear, these emotions are those that I felt as I put this book away (or swiped at the kindle screen but the principle is the same)

I started this book at night not sure what I was expecting but as I turned in for the night (later than planned) I had only read a quarter of the book but vowed to get to it first thing in the morning. I did keep that promise to myself and was rewarded amply for the effort. It is not a big book and does not take long to read, it reads faster than the pages would have you believe.

Erin is helping her mother clean out her grandmother's place before they stage it for sale, this is when she stumbles on old photographs and strange parallels to her own current situation. This is just a slice of her life, the harder and bigger part of Erin's life is how she deals with the autism diagnosis for her son and is struggling with ideas on how to make his life happier. The story is bookended with and ultimately about mothers. The mother in the past is Amelia, who has a deaf son. and the time and her inlaws are not very forgiving of any form of disability, especially something this obvious. The social scene of 'moneyed' people is woven into the history part of the tale. The past is revealed in stages to us, every time it seems as if the story is done, another twist is revealed. Erin is struggling with the day-to-day. There is a very real relationship with her husband, something that was refreshing to see. Her mother is not the kind of person that Erin is completely comfortable with but their relationship was refreshing as well. The past was painful to read about since Amelia is bound by other restrictions than Erin but she has a family to lean on, and however hard it might be, they do lend a hand. 

The two women were so vivid and driven while at the same time wracked with self-doubt at the oddest of times but the way they work through the issues at hand and how the past seems to give new hope to the present was a treat to read. 

I went into this book blind, with no prior impressions of the author, but this is one author I will definitely keep my eye out for in the future.

I received an Advance Reviewer's copy thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but this review is completely based on my own reading experience.

A very sad story with dueling timelines about autistic children born to to different era's. Albeit a depressing unhappy subject it was a nicely written book for the subject. This will appeal to Mother's of autistic children.

Thank you for the ARC. My review opinion is my own.,

Thank you to Kensington Books and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book! I really enjoyed it!
Erin Marinelli has arrived at her deceased grandmother's house to clean it out and sell her belongings. While she is going through the house, she finds an envelope of old photos. One of the photos really catches her eye. It is the photo of a beautiful woman and a young boy who looks like Erin's son Will. Haunted by this photo, Erin starts looking into her family's history. She learns about another mother and son who lived a century ago-Amelia and John. I highly recommend this book because you will want to know how these two women are connected, even though they lived in different times. The author does a brilliant job of weaving these two stories together. You will love it!

An absolutely delightful story showcasing the lengths mothers will go to, to provide their children with what they truly need. Two women, generations apart both have special needs children. Their bravery and determination in securing the best possible future for their children is totally inspiring. the mothers of these two women also play a huge part in their success in their endeavors. An inspiring book and one that shoud be highly recommended..to any and all readers.

4,5 stars.

This is the second book by Maureen Leurck and my first by her. It's a beautiful, well written story with dual timelines, one set today and one in 1920 and forward.

The beginning of the book was great and I was intrigued where things were going but then in the middle I started to get annoyed with Erin, one of the two main characters. Luckily, she got hold of things and I could enjoy the story again

If you're an educator and/or have a child in your life with special needs, this is a necessary read. If you don't, you'll love this book anyway

I went in without knowing anything about it, I had only read a review and that was great, so I will not tell you the synopsis. Just read it!

It will be published on Tuesday, July 30th, so pre-order today

Thank you @kensingtonbooks and @netgalley for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fabulous, feel-good story with its jumps between the present-day and the 1920s, with richly-developed characters coloring up this marvelously-crafted story. I loved the detailed settings, of the luxury houses and the gardens that transport us as we read - there's such a level of detail here that you can almost smell the air in each type of setting. I'm a fan of sensory details in novels, and this book provides them well. This will remain one of my favorite books of the summer, and I expect you'll see this one in your fall book club wishlists. It's time well-spent.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing a review copy.

Lovely story of two women- Erin in present day and Amelia in the 1920s -both of whom are the mother of a child with special needs. Erin's son Will is autistic; Amelia's son John was deaf. Erin's been coping not only with Will but also his twin Charlotte (twins are a challenge no matter what!) While cleaning out her grandmother's home on Lake Geneva, she chances on a letter and then follows the path to Amelia. Did Amelia drown herself and her son out of grief at the the death of her husband or for some other reason? Her in-laws wanted to institutionalize John (thank goodness times have changed!). This moves nicely between the two narratives. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's sensitive and thoughtful- a very good read.

This is the second Maureen Leurck book I have read and this one was just as lovely as her the first one 'Cicada Summer'. I really like her way of writing.

The story flips back and forth between the present day and the 1920s. Erin is in the present day, married with twin 5-year old children, one of whom (Will) is autistic. She is struggling to find the best way forward for him as mainstream school just isn't working out, but they feel that they have to continue and not give up. Erin's grandmother has recently passed away and whilst her Mother and her empty the house ready for sale they come across some old photos, one of which is of Amelia and her son John (who bears a striking resemblance to Will) who was deaf, which was much more of a stigma at that time.

Erin starts looking into the family history and the story goes back in time to the struggles Amelia was having with her late husband's mother wanting to ship John off to a Deaf & Dumb School and focuses on the lengths Amelia went to to try and protect him.

Really interesting how times have changed, and progress has been made. There was also the mystery of what finally happened to Amelia and John, who supposedly drowned together in Lake Geneva. Really lovely story of the sacrifices parents make for the love of their children and written in such a way that you have to read 'just one more page' to find out how it all ends. Highly recommended.

Sometimes some stories are just downright enjoyable, with a tinge of sadness and touch of "feel-good". Monarch Manor by Maureen Leurck is one of those stories.

Erin is a mother of five-year old twins Charlotte and Will. Erin is perpetually exhausted - not only does she have twins but Will has special needs with a diagnosis of autism. Her focus is on ensuring he receives the best treatment and therapy in order to improve his functioning.

The story begins with Erin helping her mother sort through the trappings of her grandmother Emily's life. They are preparing to sell her home. Erin finds a letter which points to a possible mystery involving a distant relative Amelia and her young son John. Amelia was thought to have drowned herself and John following a family wedding at the family's home on Lake Geneva called Monarch Manor in the early 1920's. Erin feels and instant connection with Amelia, as John was profoundly deaf. Erin learns Amelia was also raising John on her own following her own husband's death against the wishes of her vicious mother-in-law.

The story alternates between Erin and Amelia's points of view. The reader learns so much about their individual struggles in dealing with the challenges and prejudices of their time in raising a unique child, their relationships, and the the depth of the love that each woman felt for their children. The reader questions, as Erin and Amelia did, what lengths would a mother go to to protect her child?

This story is rich in the history of society in the 1920s, has a little mystery and intrigue with Erin and her mother engaging the assistance of some history buffs/librarians to assist them, some tragedy, and some joy. The reader learns what became of Amelia and John, and grows with Erin as she examines the real priorities in her life on solving the mystery of the past.

This story will appeal to lovers of historical fiction and those who enjoy a little of the sentimental. It's a gentle, easy read and it pulls at the heartstrings..

This book is published on 30 July 2019.

Thank you to Marueen Leurck, Kensington Books and Netgalley for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This review also appears on my instagram page, @aplace_inthesun.

Having been to Lake Geneva several years ago, I was anxious to read this book.. Did not disappoint, I love when an author delves into hidden family histories and what we can learn from the past.

I know several of my patrons who will love this book!

This is the first book I've read by this author and wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a very well written book that held your attention from beginning till end. The author's words made the book come to life. You can feel all the emotions and see all the scenery. I will be looking for more books by this author. If you like time slip books, you will love this one. Thank you Kensington Books via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Wonderful storyline,liked the way it moved from the past to the present.
Really enjoyable book,loved all the character's and the struggles they had to face.
Can't wait to read more books from this author.