I was not able to finish this book because I found it to be sooooo dull. Sorry. This is such a shame because I felt like this would be right up my alley, but it lacked in every way possible.

This had all the makings of a Jane Eyre novel. A fiercely independent heroine of no means and a mysterious widowed Earl. I generally don’t like ghost stories but this worked into the story very well.
Could nothing discourage Prudence? She was delightful, with charm and respectability.
This had all the adventures of a good summer read. There were smugglers, masked men, death threats and despicable in-law‘s.
Thanks Kone Enterprises via Netgalley.

Prudence Wedderburn's always helped her father while he was vicar in Kent as well as learning to be a healer. When her father fell ill, Prudence was happy to read scripture and prayers in his stead when people needed them. After Prudence's father dies, the bishop is shocked that Prudence did this and asks her to leave her Kent home. Luckily, Prudence has been hired as a governess in Cornwall. Her independence, impetuousness, and curiosity will change her life. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. This book is a combination of gothic, mystery, suspense and romance. Prudence was definitely a strong independent woman that would fit more into modern times. As level headed as Prudence is described, it surprised me that she let her curiosity get so out of hand to check out a smuggler's cave. The ghost cat that only appeared to Prudence was an interesting touch. Even though I thought that Prudence was a little too modern to be so adored by the Cornwall staff, I enjoyed reading this book.

This was a bit of an unusual read. There's lots going on and I found myself reading on even though it all seemed a little chaotic and implausible.

I was initially deceived by a good job at capturing an old-timey writing tone but quite frankly this book is balls to the walls bonkers and I guess my reading experience improved once I accepted that. The sheer and absolute nuttiness of setting up Prudence as a pointedly independent, headstrong heroine and then having her agree with minimal resistance to marry a stranger because she sees a Ghost Cat which he claims only wives of his family line see can only be respected, surely. Not to mention the fact that she's supposed be a devout vicar's daughter, or that the entire household believes in the wife-choosing powers of the Ghost Cat and started preparing Prudence's wedding wardrobe months in advance, or (sorry, there's so much) the fact that the earl is introduced in absentia as a widower so grieved that he hasn't even looked at his daughter for five years because she reminds him of his dead wife. And this isn't even getting into the smuggling subplot or the church banishment drama or the multiple murder attempts that Prudence suffers. It's just so much, all the time. There's a scene where Prudence mulls over all the people who might want to try and murder her and the list is way too long for someone who just arrived in town. Enjoyable if you're in the mood for some chaos (as I frequently am) but otherwise eminently skippable. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book did not read as a romance. The ‘hero’ is a widowed angry peer who has neglected his daughter since her birth to the extent that she does not know who he is and he doesn’t wish to know who she is. Prudence, the heroine, is a 25 year old woman with many thoughts flying around in her head, someone who craves adventure; yet knows since all her family is deceased, she needs to curtail her naturally outspoken tongue in order to keep her current position as governess to an earl’s five year old daughter. There was no romance— Prudence seeing a ghost cat, servants gossiping about Prudence seeing a ghost cat to their employer who declares that the only people who can see said ghost cat are future wives of the earls of yore— does not a romance make! There were no real conversations between Prudence and the earl. There was no getting to know each other, or even genuine liking towards these two characters. Since the book was narrated only by Prudence, we only get her weird take on everything.

I also do not admire a man who ignored his daughter for her entire life and only suddenly comes out of his strange stupor because of what again? I have no idea because it’s never explained. Prudence is not reason enough to come out of a frozen, neglectful, downward spiral, as these two characters hardly ever interacted and when they did it was random and didn’t make sense for the novel’s pacing.

The book also read exactly like how the synopsis of the book listed— dead vicar father, smuggler’s galore on the shore, and ghosts, paired up with the governess spinster theme and you’ve got a whacked out version of Jane Eyre that I wished I hadn’t signed up for. I was hoping for an intrepid female empowerment story interspersed with a light washing of romance, but I thought the heroine was annoying, unrealistic and tiresomely emotional; the hero was a drunken coward who is neglectful and unworthy and irredeemable, and his 5 year old daughter Delen was overly adult-ish and childish at the same time and the interactions between her and Prudence were strange. They hardly spent time together in the book even though it was Prudence’s job to teach Delen.

Bronte sister vibes through and through, with distasteful characters I could not root for.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Will she a woman of too much freedom be endangered because of it ...

I first saw this book offered on Netgalley, but as I am often running after my arc-to-read list, I was a bit reluctant to put me a bit behind again. Then it was advertised in two different authors newsletter, so after pondering if I could read it or not, I made a beeline for it, eager to meet this ghost cat.
I am a quick reader, so I wrongly thought I would wipe it in a few hours, this one is no fast read if it must be enjoyed. Don’t misread me, I do not say it in the bad way, it is a dense book with a very unconventional heroine. You can’t skip a line, else you miss something in the plot.

So now imagine it is Halloween’s eve, it is raining outside, you’re cozy on the couch snuggled in a warm blanket, a cup of tea, a fur pet at close reach and now you are ready for this full of goosebumps story.

Prudence is quite the opposite of his name, she is more one to jump straight in any place she should not be than reflect and ponder what she must do.
She tries but her independent streak more than ever leads her to dive where she should not be found. Still she is a woman in advance for time why she finds herself shunned from all sides.
Her position as a woman is not an easy one, by taking on her vicar of a father’s mantle, she borders heresy, healing her fellows, she is close to witchcraft, her sharp tongue angers many people and so on.
She makes men uncomfortable, her self-determination and education threatening their short view of life.
Thus how, soon, in her new place she finds herself menaced. While she makes friends, she also makes enemies.
The whole story is told from her point of view with from time to time at some chapters’ opening a few insights of Trenholm’s thoughts, when he is in residence.
Trenholm is a conundrum, he plays hot and cold with Prudence. So where does his affection lie?
After his patience is quite tested with Prudence propensity to run into danger.

Mrs Bancroft crafted this tale like a treat for every historical fiction lover, its gothic side and the many twists and turns are the icing on the cake. This is a pastry to savor lengthily to sample every single flavor.
5 stars

I was granted an advance copy by the publisher, here is my true and unbiased opinion.

A woman ahead of their time is often accused of being to forward and a bluestocking, However, Prudence wasn’t only intelligent she also did healing and while her father the current Vicar’s health was failing she rendered sympathetic prayer aid. She was accused of overstepping the bounds of a woman and into a mans world and not only that, but the secular society! She could be condemned as a witch with her healing abilities if she were not careful. When her father passed, Prudence had to leave the area and went to Cornwall where this area was even steeped in even more superstitious beliefs. Poor Prudence was going to soon find herself between a rock and a hard place!
This author had a way of keeping you spinning from one twist to another and even though it started out slow the book picked up and became quite enjoyable. I just wish there were more interaction between Prudence and Gryffn.

Thank you to the authors and publishers who work diligently for us the readers.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.