I was thrilled to be approved for this book. I have always been fascinated with the first great American historical mystery: the Lost Colonists of Roanoke. Brock does a good job of creatively explaining what happened to Eleanor and Virginia Dare. I have no ever heard of the Dare Stones.
Told mostly during the waning days of WWII, it’s a story about mothers and daughters and connecting with the past. I liked the parts about Eleanor Dare in the 16th century the best.
It’s an imaginative read about an unsolved mystery

I was expecting this to be a gripping tale of the mystery of the Lost Colony. Instead, it's a slow, meandering story about a town where old hurts bubble beneath uneventful, everyday lives. This book is not a good fit for me. DNF at 53%.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

“The fate of the world is often driven by the curiosity of a girl.”

I was so excited to come across this book - there is SO much to love about this story, and I’m not sure which aspect I love most 💕

* Gorgeous cover (and perfectly matched book surprises)
* Amazing tagline
* Mother-daughter relationships (with a bonus 15 generations of mother-daughter connections)
* Eleanor’s Commonplace Book and the amazing history included (Journal, scrapbook, recipe book, family tree…)
* Family legends
* The intensity of the desire to protect our daughters but also help them flourish in their own ways
* Dual timeline storyline
* Real-life historical elements that send me down the google rabbit hole 🕵🏼 The Lost Colony of Roanoke is such an interesting story!
* Slow reveal mystery

I wanted to hug this book and then proudly display it on my shelf.

While I appreciate the opportunity to read this, unfortunately this one will be a DNF for me. I struggled to get to the 25% mark and as a result, do not think this one is a good fit.

Thanks to Harper Muse, I was provided an ARC of The Lost Book of Elenor Dare by Kimberly Brock via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

*****Publishing April 12, 2022*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️A mother/daughter tale bonding over the discovery of their own family history of Elenor Dare, all the questions and mysteries surrounding Dare Stone, and their family home, the Evertell.

After Alice’s husband died in WWll , Alice takes her teenage daughter back to the family house, Evertell. Her hopes is it would help them cope with their grief. Penn and Alice each make their own discoveries with finding out the details of Evertell women who were heirs to Elenor Dare. What will they discover and will they get the answers they were looking for? Will they end up selling the home or will they fall in love with it?

A compelling read that is hard to put down! I loved how the book was from Alice and Penn’s viewpoints! It showed their struggles, and self discoveries. It was fun to see Penn discover who she is as a teenager and what she wants for her future, when trying to discover and uncover her family history. Great book for Historical Fiction lovers and book clubs!

To put it simply...I couldn't put this book down. Kimberly Brock weaves a delightful story about Alice Young and her daughter Penn who live in Georgia in the waning years of WWII. They make a journey to Alice's childhood home near Savannah where Alice grapples with her past and moves into the future. Both she and Penn are somewhat lost and the story is a journey about finding themselves. Eleanor Dare is an ancestor of Alice's and her story is held in a book handed down through generations of women. Through Alice and Penn's time in Savannah, Eleanor's book guides them to find their own truths in a timeless manner. I can't do this book justice with my words...just get a copy and learn about these amazing women.

I was obsessed with The Lost Colony as a kid. The idea of a book exploring its fate and the gorgeous cover is what drew me to the book. The premise held such promise but, sadly, it didn’t deliver in my opinion. It’s disjointed and confusing and The Lost Colony seems like an afterthought.

I’m well aware that this is an unedited advanced copy, but paragraphs like this one made it difficult to read and follow the story when I had to work so hard to decipher what was being said: Officials from Emory University Eleanor White Dare, daughter report that a California man of Roanoke’s colonial governor, traveling through coastal John White. White departed the North Carolina may have dis covered an important clue in the 350-year-old mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

This one is a DNF for me.

Loved it!
I was sold in the first sentence of the synopsis. A widow and her daughter came to inherence the mysterious house. The place where Alice grew up and associates with the mother who lost her mind, getting lost among other bitter-sweet memories. Through the eyes of her child, Penn she re-discovers the magic of her family inherence. The commonbook written by her ancestors started for one of the survivors of the Roanoke colony, Eleanor Dare.
I must admit that I started it with a lot of expectations, the synopsis got me from the first line. And even if at first the narration was a little slow. I loved it. The plot is built perfectly. The characters gain a place in your heart real fast and the story just catches you. The changes in the narration are perfectly done to mix the stories of the two main characters, and the chapters written by Eleonor. A book that could get almost anyone caught in the mystery and lives of its protagonists.

Who wouldn’t want to inherit a book passed down from woman to woman for 15 generations?! This story has every element I could ask for: an old mansion,
a mysterious ruggedly handsome man, a book of curious memories, recipes, and special concoctions, and a lost stone with engravings. This is a rich, character-driven novel, told in the alternating viewpoints of Alice and her daughter, Penn, with excerpts from the diary of Eleanor Dare woven throughout and leading to a dramatic conclusion! I loved the connection to a real mystery! Read this if you enjoy tales of family drama and unraveling mysteries.

I really didn't know much of the Roanoke history. I have heard some and because of books like this one, I have started reading more and more about it. It is an interesting mystery that may never be answered.
Eleanor Dare is Alice's (several) great grandmother. Not only did she inherit Evertell, there seems to be a curse on the women of the family. Alice returns to prepare to sell her family legacy before the curse can catch up with her daughter.
A very interesting story of motherhood, set with a backdrop of a widow from WWII. It has themes of family, forgiveness and racism.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be reading more of Kimberly Brock's books.

"The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare" is a beautiful story full of history, mystery and family. Alice and Penn were immediately likeable characters that I was quick to invest in and want to know how their lives were going to continue. The setting was detailed that I could envision walking through the estate and town. I love flashbacks and the ones that Kimberly Brock has put into the narrative were wonderful to read and offered an all around historical story! Thank you to Kimberly Brock and Kate Rock Book Tours for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Wonderful mother-daughter story that focuses on the legacy of strength and wisdom that is shared from one generation to another. Upon their return to Evertell, both Alice and Penn seek to discover the secrets of the past. It is through this understanding that they find the strength and hope to forge their own paths in a future full of promise.
I was hooked by the very first line, mesmerized by Brock's lyrical prose that brought to life the setting of Evertell, with its mystery and magic, and the heartache of loss that has followed Alice since she was a child. The author pens an intriguing twist to the story of Eleanor Dare's disappearance and the controversy surrounding the Dare stones. I found this to be a wonderful blend of historical mystery and romance, but most importantly as a story of the role that generations and events take in shaping us, but not in defining us.

Kimberly Brock is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/ publisher through Netgalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Eleanor, Agnes, Catarina. Marguerite, Francoise, Esme, Garnet Lee. Sally, Anagelique, Bernadette, Camille, Delaney. Flora, Callisto, Claire. A bunch of strong women through the ages, followed by Alice and now, Penn. Just mothers and their daughters.

After experiencing two massive losses, life for young war widow Alice Young and her teenage daughter Pennilyn has changed for the worse. When Alice inherits Evertell, the place where she grew up and also the place where she lost her mother, it opens up a door to her past that she has kept buried. Alice and Penn make their way to Evertell with the intention of fixing the place up and then selling it. But life has a way of working its own magic on our innocent unsuspecting selves, doesn’t it?

"Curses might be dismissed as superstitious, but consequences are very real.”

Once we get to Evertell, the history that Alice has kept hidden slowly unfurls and it takes us back to the 1500s to Eleanor’s Tale and the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony. Simultaneously, we also witness Penn’s quest to find herself and Alice making way for the future through her troubled past with everything coming together satisfyingly well at the end.

Mark your calendars for the 12th of April to meet the descendants of Eleanor Dare while I thank @netgalley, the publisher and the author for the approval of an ARC for me.

“We need not be content it with simply being part of the story. We may choose to be the storytellers."

P.S.: The Jewish tradition of leaving a pebble at a grave instead of flowers (because stones last forever) was an unexpected piece of knowledge gained from this book. The idea of a prayer to watch over departed souls exists in every religion, but this one feels amazingly thoughtful.

P.P.S.: 10+ reviews on NetGalley!! Such privilege to get to read a book before the world. Thank you, @netgalley

The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare was a beautiful story! I didn't know that this story was inspired by the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony & that Eleanor Dare was a real person who lived during that time! So it was interesting to learn something new. Following along as each character deals with her own time and own ups and downs I couldn't help but feel drawn to them. The writing in this book is absolutely wonderful! The author has a way of capturing you & bringing this history back to life right before your eyes! I loved the mystery & suspense! The pace, the characters, the setting all of it flowed well together! A wonderful story!

Thank you Kate Rock Book Tours & Kimberly Brock for sharing this beautiful story with me!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I’m an avid historical fiction reader and was super excited to read this book based on the synopsis. I have been fascinated by mysterious disappearance of The Lost Colony of Roanoke and had high hopes this would feature a more imaginative story about where Eleanor and the colony ended up while tying back to descendants many decades later. As I read the pages, I kept waiting for the story to take a different direction and was ultimately let down by the time I finished the book.

I did enjoy the mother-daughter character development between Alice and Penn. The struggles of woman were well depicted for the time of WWII, which is when a majority of this book takes place. It outlines the emotional toll of losing husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. I also enjoyed the incorporation of one character in particular that showcased woman stepping up for difficult jobs while the men were away fighting the war. The book was beautifully written throughout with exquisite detailed descriptions to the surrounding environments of the characters.

I was disappointed chapters featuring Eleanor’s perspective were not introduced until halfway through the book. From the book title, I was expecting to be introduced to her perspective more early on and for there to be a more mysterious element to the book. Overall, I wish the historical element of The Lost Colony of Roanoke was more prominent in storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and Kimberly Brock for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love the cover, love the premise, loved the book. I thought this was such a fun and interesting story. I have always been fascinated of this tale and loved the in-depth story the author unfolded. I definitely will be recommending this book!

I find I failed to be gripped by this story, and it feels really mismarketed. It follows the last in this mystical line of women, and while the connection is semi-established, it isn’t done in a way that felt cohesive.

I received a complimentary copy of The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare. Thanks NetGalley!

Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love mysteries and history, especially the one surrounding the Lost Colony of Roanoke, so I was pumped when my request was approved.

It's ironic the author mentions in the afterword how she was inspired to write about the Dare stone, when Eleanor Dare barely factors in the narrative.

This is really about a mother and daughter, Alice and Penn, struggling and grieving the loss of their husband and father, respectively, in WWII.

It's about connecting with your past, how we're tied to our homeland, our ancestors, and making amends with the choices you made and moving forward after tremendous loss.

The writing is great, especially when the author describes Evertell; I could smell the jasmine and herbs in the garden, picture Penn rowing across the lake, feel the heat and humidity on my skin.

But, the story itself is slow, plodding; I felt the author was really interested in writing about the aftermath of WWII, how the nation was struggling with the loss of fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers lost in a terrible war; the simmering racial tensions that never go away, not then and certainly not now.

The title is about Eleanor Dare but she makes up barely 5% of the story.

There's no magic, no spells, or mysticism; the narrative is about Alice and Penn's life and how they will start over after losing someone they loved dearly.

Overall I liked the story, however it felt slow and overly descriptive at times. I did struggle to 'get into it' although the second half was stronger I felt, but perhaps I was more invested in both Alice, Penn & Evertell by then.

The story primarily focuses on the hardships of war, losing a husband and father, and family - particularly exploring the strength of relationship between mother and daughter. I thought the story would be more 'magical' but the 'mystery' element really evaded me throughout.

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

This was such a good premise, and I'm really loving all the stories of Roanoke/Eleanor Dare lately! I love the cover, and I was super excited to read this. I thought the author did a great job of creating a mystical atmosphere, but the overall story didn't completely work for me. I was looking for more of a connection and Roanoke story. I would have liked that to be more incorporated into the overall story. The second half of the book was stronger than the first half. I would still look for more books by this author, so I don't think this was a bad book by any means, I was just looking for a bit more.