The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare is the perfect blend of true historical happenings and fictional mystery. In this story we are introduced to Alice Merely Young and her daughter Penn, the two living women of the Dare lineage. This remarkable line of women has passed down a powerful legacy from mother to daughter for centuries, unbroken until Alice.

After spending years trying to leave behind memories of tragedy and heartbreak, circumstances bring Alice and Penn back to Alice’s childhood home- a place she thought she would never see again. Alice is determined to sell and run, but Penn’s increasing attachment to the estate and curiosity about the truth of her lineage force Alice closer and closer to the secrets of her past.

This book is extremely well written and compelling- once I started I couldn’t put it down! The relationship between Alice and Penn perfectly encapsulates the love, drama and angst that often exists between teenage girls and their mothers. Kimberly Brock also does a great job of teasing us with glimpses and hints of the tragedy that prevented Alice from taking up the mantle of the Dare heirs, keeping us on the edge of our seat until she finally reveals what happened on that terrible day.

Would highly recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction and stories about strong women.

I love historical fiction, and living in NC I have always been fascinated by the mystery of the lost colony of Roanoke. I loved how this story imagined a possible history while weaving it with the story of a WWII widow and her family’s legacy. If you like historical fiction and mysteries, definitely check this one out!

This book first caught my eye because of the connection to the mystery of Roanoke. And then I saw it involved a commonplace book and I was hooked (I've kept one for years). It didn't start out as I expected, and you could feel the heaviness of the characters' lives and burdens. Kimberly Brock's skill at portraying strong, hurting, fearful, courageous women in a time period and location I'd never seen aligned before in any novel I've read....she kept me reading and kept me wondering where this all going to lead.

I enjoyed the multiple time layers and the layers in the relationship between the mother and daughter. I was hoping for more set in the time period of the Roanoke colony, but that's just personal preference.

Content caution: Sex outside marriage happens offstage and there's some language.

Thank you so much publishers for the opportunity to review this book! The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare is a historical fiction novel that fits my cup if tea exactly! I love a dual timeline, multi pov plot that really lets us explore the history AND how it effects the future and getting in the mind of more than one character so we are not so biased to one side of the story! There was mystery and strong characters and it was just well done!

I loved reading about the mother/daughter dynamic that is at the center of this book. It's not dealt with often enough and the awakening of both Alice and Penn ( I love her name) as they are both swimming in a sea of grief over the loss of their husband and father, came through in an achingly exquisite way. A wonderful read!

The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare by Kimberly Brock is a compelling Southern gothic set in 1944 that deals with hope, loss, forgiveness and embracing your true self. The story centers around Alice and her pre-teen daughter Penn, 20th century ancestors of Eleanor Dare from the lost colony of Roanoke. Alice is looking to forget her past, Penn's looking to embrace it. They both learn lessons about themselves.

This is not a fast-paced book. Rather, the plot unfolds like a hot summer day, slow and languid. Still, it keeps you hooked. I read the entire thing in two days. I recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4 1/2 out of 5

The subject of Roanoke seemed very interesting, but unfortunately not a lot of time was spent on the subject. The book was more contemporary fiction instead of historical fiction and that just isn't my thing. I also really didn't like Alice. The chapters from Penn's point of view were the best, but they were few and far between.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book! It is always fascinating when a writer can tell the history of a family and combine mystery and magic into the story as well. This book was hard to put down. This is a writer worth reading.

I received a free e-ARC of this book through Netgalley.
This book was a lot more than I expected it to be. It is multi-layered with a lot going on as the modern (1945) women of the family figure out who they are by going into their family's past. This would make an amazing mini-series. I got bogged down a little in all of the details, but I have a lot going on right now so make sure you have some time to devote when you sit down to read this book.

20th century history and 16th century history, and strong women connected to both.
I liked the characters, even if the main character seemed a little overwrought.

A good story, and I love the Dare stones, and that they (at least some) are most likely real! Amazing! As you probably know by now, if you've read many of my reviews, I don't read a lot of books with cursing in them, so I'll let you know that this one does have quite a bit of that. It also has some sex outside of marriage, which I don't condone, but it isn't at all graphic.
Thank you to Harper Muse, and NetGalley for the advance e-copy of this book. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for the advanced copy of this book.
I enjoyed the book and like the characters. I thought it got a bit slow but it was worth it in the end. I love the time period and the setting.

From my endorsement:


For readers of Patti Callahan and Kate Morton, this harrowing exposition on history and loss is a juxtaposition of love, hope and the wisdom that binds women across centuries.

The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare’s plea that we learn from each other, grow from each other and empower each other is wrapped in an arresting, urgent voice that reads as much a rallying cry as a tract on the burden of women to suture the cracks of history. A magnanimous undertaking steeped in impeccable research, Brock offers a feast of a narrative that crackles with a resonant, binding echo of sisterhood across the centuries.

I adore historical fiction, and this is such an interesting premise. I recommend because of the story itself, writing style, and its ability to transport you into a different world/time period.

My thanks to Kimberly Brock, Harper Muse and Net Galley for the ARC of THE LOST BOOK OF ELEANOR DARE.
The title of this novel drew me in, but I realised quite early on that the book wasn't actually lost, but easy to find on the lectern in the church. The timelines were intrinsic to the story, but in truth, I found them rather confusing and the mystery did not reveal until much later. The writing is certainly beautiful and the setting haunting. I would have given five stars, but because of the confusion I felt within the structure of the story, I have given four.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Not my normal read but I was compelled but the blurb and just wow I might have to read more about this amazing woman.

It’s been a long time since a book ​has ​swept me up and folded me within the pages of its story​.

​"​Before she even opened her eyes Penn knew she was in love. Not with a boy but with a place. All night she dreamed of the Sea. Never before had she truly imagine​d​ the seashore would have stretched so long and wide. Or how the water would sparkling crashed in the little white fits that felt like the reward for everything good she had ever done, and forgiveness for all the rest​."​

There is so much magic and mystery in The Lost Book of Eleanor Day that I had to stay up late at night to finish reading it, I couldn't put the book down. ​This is a story that I will be thinking about for a long time, with its blend of history and family folklore. The amount of research done for this story is incredible and it compliments the journey of the characters both good and bad while drawing you deeper into each well written element of the book.

There​ were​ times in the book when the description or narrative seem​ed​ to run long and maybe ​felt ​unnecessary but then I realized that every paragraph, every sentence, every word held within it nuggets of valuable information and touching emotions that could not be left out or overlooked.​ ​I don't want to write any spoilers because this book should be on everyone's must read list for 2022.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital ARC of this fantastic book. I can't wait to share it as one of my book club titles this year.

I really loved the conceit of this novel. There were so many layers to The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare and -- after reading the author's note -- I see there were various layers to this story coming to be as the author herself grew, learned, and experienced. I'll admit I struggled with Alice's character a bit, even understanding where her hard edges originated from, but Penn was such a refreshing and hopeful character. I really enjoyed her and her discover of the Dare heirs. The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare is a novel you can lose yourself in, which is exactly what I'm looking for in a book!

Note: Thank you to Netgalley & publishers for allowing me access to this arc in exchange for an honest review! Please note that all opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The synopsis for this book is intriguing, and as a lover of historical fiction, I was pretty excited to read it.
For the most part, it was a good read. I found myself entranced by the beautiful mystery of Evertell that Brock paints a picture of.

“The unknown was powerful. It was the monster in the dark, the secret in the box, the poison in the wine.”

The Good Things
1. The story, overall, is a fantastic concept. It is fitting for historical fiction (at least the second half) and is a fast read, despite the merging storylines and multi-generational aspects.
2. The main character's sense of loss is profound, and reflective of
3. The dual timelines were written really well! I've read books where it takes away from the overall story, and that was definitely not the case with The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare.
4. The family's homestead is described exceptionally well. I find myself wanting to go there and see it for myself.
5. The writing is beautiful and seems heartfelt. It is clear that the author was passionate about the story and (most of) her characters. 


The Bad Things
1. The history aspects that I was looking forward to (Roanoke history) took way too long to get around to, and I'm still a tiny bit disappointed.
2. This is the first time in a while that I've read a book where one of the main characters is not exceptionally likable, despite the fact that she is clearly supposed to be.

This was a really enjoyable book, made all the more so when I found out from the author's note at the end that Eleanor Dare was a real person and the stones mentioned in the story were actually found. The characters were well-drawn, complex, and sympathetic, and the plot kept me engaged to the end.

"A story matters not because it is true but because it has been shared" - this I will carry with me.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read this in advance.