A collaboration between 3 highy acclaimed authors. I have read books by all authors before, and I really liked them.
I would call this a historical family saga, and that is my jam. But unfortunately this book did not grab my attention. Yes it had all the right elements, tragedie, hope, love. And the Main characters were very likeable. But the book lacked the oomph i needed. Yes.i know anlousy word to describe it. But that is my opinion.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

I was quite surprised to realize there were three different stories in this book, all connecting through family and time. But I didn’t realize is that it was written by three different authors until I got to the end it. Which makes this review a little easier because there was definitely, one story that stood out more than the others to me. The very first story about Charles and Beatrice held my attention from the beginning to the end. I thought it was interesting, suspenseful, with light romance. The family mystery connection throughout the book is intriguing. The first story takes place during the Regency, Victorian era which is one of my favorite to read. I thought the characters were enjoyable. The second story takes place around 1917. I struggled to fill in a connection through the beginning, but it didn’t take long to become more comfortable with the story, and the wild and free spirit of Elana. The third story I truly struggled with I just didn’t feel the connection. It was during the timeframe of around 1945. The three books are connected through generations of a family and a mysterious curse. I appreciate that all of the stories dealt with some tragedies of war. Be it physical and or mental anguish, the others did a great job of explaining how it was handled in the different time periods. I appreciate that the women were all strong and able to see past and to except any of those injuries. Overall, I thought the book was a good read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

One book containing three separate stories penned by three authors with a common thread of location and family can be very tricky to pull off, but Runyan, Ciesielski, and McMillan did a great job of it. Anything written by Runyan is an instant read for me, and as usual her section did not disappoint, but I had not heard of the other two authors before this, so I had no idea what they might be like. Ciesielski did a fabulous job with her section, and I really enjoyed reading about the masks for disfigured soldiers returned from war. McMillan's section was the only one I couldn't really connect with, as it felt very rushed and somewhat unrealistic. I suspect the length constrictions may have had something to do with it, which is a shame, as she appears to be a competent author if she had more space to weave her tale. Overall, an excellent story.

My thanks to Harper Muse, the authors, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book contains three novellas in one and I loved each of them for various reasons. Each centers around an English castle along with the history and family surrounding it. I love generational stories and these novellas lived up to that and more.
I adored the middle novella about the artist and the mask. She was such a different kind of character to read. I loved her from the moment she walked onto the page!! I think we need more stories featuring her. :)

I really enjoyed these 3 short stories. They were easy to read and very interesting. I enjoyed being able to see a sample of work from three different authors.

The first story was my favourite as it read like a better and less drawn out version of Bridgerton. The writing was great and really felt accurate to the time it was trying to portray.

The second and third story were also very good and well written. While they started to get predictable in terms of the live story, I enjoyed the characters and the opportunity to read intergenerational stories in 3 different times in history.

The Castle Keepers is an enjoyable story collection which shares story elements and a fascinating Northumberland family castle setting. Through three different generations all affected by war (the Bhutan War, WWI, & WWII), the men of the Alnwick family battle trauma and a family curse to find their way to happiness and love with three influential, strong heroines.

1870 – The Truth Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan

This story set on the cusp of the Gilded Age features an American heiress or “Dollar Princess” seeking position and personal solace on a new continent: England. It introduces the Alnwick family well and sets up a legacy which has great influence on the subsequent stories in the collection. I like the balance of practicality and independence Beatrice finds in a match with Charles, though their early challenges are tricky and full of intrigue.

1917 – The Memory Keepers by J’nell Ciesielski

The Memory Keepers has an artist of a heroine, Elena, trying to aid in the WWI aftermath with her skills in painting masks for disfigured soldiers. Sent on a mission to the north and to assist a reclusive heir to Leedswick Castle, she instead finds Tobias Alnwick to be her match in wits and camaraderie, offering him a compassion that draws him out of his dark place and into a vibrant world. Ciesielski’s voice shines in this situation, depicting a Downton Abbey-like era with aplomb and a bit of an adventure while Elena and Tobias banter AND contend with some foreboding visitors.

1945 – The Dream Keepers by Rachel McMillan

I have two names for you: Alec and Brigitta! Alec Alnwick is just returning from WWII and dealing with all the mental strain that entails. His letters exchanged with Brigitta, a lovely, intelligent aspiring psychoanalyst, are the beginning of a relationship leading to a respite spent at his home, the castle. While Alec’s fellow soldiers gather in an effort to restore and adjust to civilian life, Brigitta’s presence is a balm to all as she offers her expertise in analysis to all — and a wonderfully deeper friendship and connection to Alec besides. In true McMillan style, this story checks all her boxes to include a friends-to-lovers romance that compliments and strengthens, music and waltzes, a Viennese element (Brigitta herself), a cat!, and a reference or two to churches :).

One of the things I love most about this whole collection is the inclusion and influence of a heroine with a different cultural background in each tale (the men of the British Alnwick family unite the stories). Beatrice is an American heiress, Elena an English citizen but her upbringing on the Continent has make her a product of a Bohemian lifestyle, and Brigitta a science-y Viennese psychoanalyst. I especially love the way each story weaves hope and romance together in a voice unique to each author. As a huge fan of J’nell and Rachel already, reading The Castle Keepers is a treat — and I now have a particularly soft spot for Sigmund the cat.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. This is my honest review.

3 predictable Hallmark stars

“Burgess sipped from his cup and made a face. ‘A bit stale.’”

Three historical romance novellas set in an English castle. The first one, (1870s) reminded me of Downton Abbey – with formal stilted dialog and everything centering around status, with each character playing a prescribed role. The romance is prim and proper, without even conjugating the marriage – because of love and protection. Ridiculous. Come on.

The second novella takes place during World War I. The vivid colors in this one with the red-haired painter made it the strongest of the three romances. “Perhaps it was the rain against the medieval stone, or the way the firelight danced in her hair, or the fierce pull to protect those who could not protect themselves, but he wanted nothing more than to slay dragons for her.” Over the top. Not my cup of tea.

The third section did not hold my interest. It might appeal to readers who cherish unsurprising romantic historical fiction more than I do.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A castle. A journal. A curse. A poison garden. The Castle Keepers is a collection of three novellas spanning several generations of the Alnwick heirs. It is gothic, romantic, intriguing, and best of all surprising.

Each story was wonderfully executed. The characters were endearing and relatable. I loved Beatrice’s fierce loyalty, Elena’s lightheartedness and how she embraced life and beauty that was more than skin deep, and Brigitta’s calm demeanor and insightfulness. Each woman was a strong, compassionate, and supportive. And of course, I’m a sucker for broody, grumpy physically and emotionally wounded veterans, so I adored each MMC. They have so many layers and vulnerabilities, broadening your scope of empathy and respect for the sacrifices they made. I was fascinated to learn about the Tin Noses Shop and the work they did in helping disfigured soldiers. A definite bonus was that I was always wrong in picking the villain in each instance. Not usually one to be fooled, so it was a treat to be surprised.

Great collection of stories, with sweet romances and surprising mysteries.

#thecastlekeepers #jnellciesielski #aimiekrunyan #rachelmcmillan #cleanromance #gothicromance

I absolutely loved The Castle Keepers. The story is written by three authors, each dealing with one period in the family history of the Alnwick family, starting with Charles in the 1870s, followed by Tobias in the last year of WWI, and finally Alec at the end of WWII.
The common thread through these stories is a supposed curse placed on the family after Charles returned from war in Bhutan but his batman Francis, beloved local villager, did not. Diaries written by Charles and his wife Beatrice help to link the stories.
The story is set almost exclusively at the family’s country estate, Leedswick Castle, in Northumberland. The castle itself is crumbling and in desperate need of funds for repairs and maintenance, but it is still intriguing and I enjoyed wandering its halls with the various characters.
In each storyline there is intrigue, whether murder or attempted murder. There is also love, which nicely balances things.
I couldn’t put this book down. The overarching plot drew me quickly through each storyline and on to the next. Definitely a gripping read!

The Castle Keepers was a trio of novellas covering the same aristocratic family over three generations, written by three different authors.

The 1st story occurs in 1870 and covers the courtship and marriage of Beatrice Holbrook an American Dollar Princess, who after a scandal in the US makes her way to Britain and a marriage to a poor but aristocratic Lord Alnwick, heir to the Marquess of Northridge. Beatrice knows that she has to marry well to please her social climbing mama and finds Charles, Lord Alnwick pleasing. Too bad his family is not. After marriage Beatrice and Charles go to his family home Leedswick and meet up with his family who seem to hold Charles in great contempt. Charles was injured in battle in India and his batman, a local boy from the village was killed. Charle’s jealous younger brother has been spreading ugly rumors that Charles sacrificed the boy to save himself. Then Charles’ father dies in mysterious circumstances and it appears that he and Beatrice will lose everything. Beatrice however should not be counted out and shows herself to be a true love and helpmate for Charles.

The 2nd story takes place in 1917, Tobias Alnwick, the grandson of Beatrice and Charles has been gravely wounded in WWI. Elena Hamilton a bohemian artist who assists in creating masks for the soldiers who have been tragically damaged by war comes to Leedswick to make a custom mask for Tobias, Elena is a free spirit who was raised by her single mother in Europe amongst the artists of the day, after Elena’s mother fled her abusive husband, Sadly Elena’s father is making himself a nuisance as he needs an heir for his business and wants to strong arm Elena into marrying his chosen heir. Meanwhile Tobias is learning that his life may not be as over as he thought as he works with Elena on his mask,

The 3rd story covers Alec Alnwick as he returns from WWII with PTSD and decides to turn Leedswick into a convalescent home for other soldiers with the help of Brigitta a psychoanalyst who assisted him. This story was probaby the least interesting to me, but more for the time period than the storyline

Each story had a thread that combined them. The house Leedswick and a poison garden that was created by the 5th Marchioness, Also each story had a villain or villains determined to destroy the couple and their happiness, Of all the stories, I loved Beatrice and Charles’ story the best, but that is mainly that I am a fan of the Gilded Age and the Americans who married into British aristocracy and saved so many families and homes. I did enjoy all three stories and thought that they flowed well.

Thank to Netgalley, the publisher Harper Muse and the authors for the chance to read and review this book.

Three favorite writers. Three timelines. Three gorgeous novellas linked by one British castle and a family cursed for generations, impacted by war and maybe, just maybe, the power of love to heal.

1870: Beatrice, an American Dollar Princess, marries Charles, a British Marquess with ailing Leedswick Castle, a poison garden, and an even more toxic family. Will the couple find love despite secrets, murder, and a village that hates them?

1917: Tobias is left with terrible facial scars during WWI. His parents hire Elena, a free-spirited artist with blazing red hair, to paint a mask to hide his injuries. Will she be able to release him from his self-imposed internal prison and equally imposing castle walls?

1945: Alec survives WWII but is crippled by shell-shock and seeks help from a famous Austrian psychoanalyst and his niece, Brigitta. He opens a convalescent center in the castle for those similarly afflicted, and hires Brigitta as a therapist. Will her treatments heal them, especially Alec, who may feel more than respect for her, as she might feel for him?

Highly recommended for lovers of historical romance and women's fiction that flow like honey and long stay with you.

Three generations of a family struggle to maintain their castle and the men deal with war injuries.
American Beatrice is taken to England to find a prominent, preferably highly ranked husband. She meets Charles Alnwick, future Marquess of Northridge, who was wounded in an Indian rebellion. Artist Elena is employed to paint a face mask for Tobias, the next Lord Alnwick, who suffered grievous facial injuries in World War I. The World War II marquess, Alec, marries an Austrian psychologist. He and Elisa open Leedswick Castle to soldiers suffering from shell shock.
These three novellas were written by three authors. The “Dollar Princess” features the ambitious mother who doesn’t care about her daughter’s feelings (think Consuelo Vanderbilt), but this has happier results. Tobias’ facial disfigurement is lightly handled; anyone unfamiliar with the horrific injuries might wonder about the need for a mask. All three couples find happiness.

This is a sweet and entertaining collection of 3 novellas. Rather than interspersed narratives, the 3 novellas are presented in sequential order. I really liked this fresh approach.

Much of the focus is on romance. While it wasn't necessarily what I was looking for, the love stories are nicely done.

I also appreciate the theme of finding your purpose and finding joy in dark times. The characters do a wonderful job of seeing the best in others and making the best of trying situations. Their resilience is also admirable.

Recommended for fans of historical romance.

Before people automatically write this one off, kvetching about how they hate multiple timeline novels, let me assure you that this is one that works well, and where each timeline has equal importance. Actually, if you think about it, this isn’t really a multiple timeline book at all. That’s because the three eras were split up, and the separate authors got to write one self-contained novella for that era. Obviously, to make this work, you need a connection, and in this case the major thread here was the same location – the castle (which, by the way, may look familiar to you from shows such as Downton Abbey and the Harry Potter films). The authors also all used a woman who comes to the castle from the outside, and becomes involved with the family in one way or another. Obviously, because these women get involved with the heir to the title, each of these three stories involve some level of romance. Thankfully, the romantic bits aren’t the be-all and end-all in these stories, and each one has something else with which to deal.

Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve read a book with multiple authors. Most famously, are the “Team-W” books by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White. But this book is more like “Ribbons of Scarlet” where each author took a different personality involved in the French Revolution, and fit them into a mostly chronological, connected, single story. Where this book differs from that one is that here we jump from one generation to another. Since these stories are all about a castle belonging to one family, we do get bits from the first story seeping into the second and third parts, which adds to the feeling of a whole novel, except that they’re each written by three different authors.

This is where I comment on the consistency of the writing, which was one of the problems I had with “Ribbons of Scarlet.” When writers come together to collaborate on a single work, I’m sure there are several methods at their disposal. In this case, I’m guessing that the collaboration was more on the details about the castle itself, and things that overlapped from one generation to another, more than anything else. Since each of the stories have their own plots, each of the authors could develop their own intrigues and conflicts, to suit their own styles of writing. I must say that I found each of these stories to be very compelling reads, and were almost equally well written. Mind you, I did find the first story a bit slow to begin with, but that’s to be expected to a certain extent, since that’s the one that had to set everything else up. I should admit that there was a plot element (well, more an unseen character) in the last story that didn’t work for me completely. On the other hand, this was the first work I’d read by Ciesielski, and now I’d like to read more of her work.

All told, for a debut collaboration, I think these three did a very good job of telling us about this castle and the people who both came to it, and those born to inherit. I liked how there were small mysteries added into each of the stories (and yes, even murder – actual and attempted), which I believe was one way to keep the romance from getting saccharine. However, as much as I liked all three of the female protagonists, the male ones weren’t as strong, and none of these tales made me overly emotional when they came to an end. That said, I can still very warmly recommend this novel… er… connected set of novellas, and I think it deserves a very healthy rating of four out of five stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harper Collins and authors Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan for the chance to read an ARC of The Castle Keepers. This is my unpaid and honest review of the book. This was such a nice read. I love the short stories about different generations of the same family and they way they intertwine to the castle's history. Each story was unique but there was a continuity in setting that helped the book flow together as though it was written by one author. I really enjoyed this and hope these authors will write together again!

"The Castle Keepers" is an amazing collaboration of three authors, Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciessielski, and Rachel McMillan describing three time periods 1870, 1917, and 1945 at Leedswick Castle, in England, where the Ainwick family resided.

I am a fan of Aimie K. Runyan's novels, and I loved her novella taking place in 1870. Both J'nell Ciessielski and Rachel Mcmillan are new authors for me to read, and I also enjoyed their novellas. Besides the family name, the common thread is the curse of war and the belief that the castle is cursed because of the family. Three different women from three timelines have to show their bravery and courage.

The genres for this book are Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, and Romance. The location for this story is mostly in England, at Leedswick Castle. Do you believe that a castle can be cursed? The authors, in their own way, vividly describe their colorful and dramatic characters as complex and complicated. Some are brave and courageous. Some are greedy and ruthless. There is loyalty, betrayal, danger, and death. All wars are tragic and devasting and cause the devastation of the people and their properties.

I love that there are three different storylines and timetables in this novel. I highly recommend this intriguing, memorable, and thought-provoking book to others.

The Castle Keepers is made up of a trio of novellas written by historical fiction authors Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan. It follows three generations of the Alnwick family, they own crumbling Leedswick castle and it’s near the English village of Birchwick in Northumberland.

In 1870: American socialite Beatrice Holbrook has a disastrous season in New York looking for a husband, her rich parents take her to England and here she meets Charles Alnwick. The quiet and dignified man with a limp, she and Charles marry and become the future Marquess and Marchioness of Northridge. English aristocrats married wealthy American heiresses, it topped up their families dwindling fortunes and the women were given the nickname" dollar princesses."

1917: Elena Hamilton is an artist and she uses her skills to paint masks for men who have been disfigured in The Great War and she’s asked to travel to Leedswick castle for a private commission. Tobias Alnwick lost an eye and left side of his face was severely damaged in the war, he’s extremely self-conscious and he’s the grandson of Charles and Beatrice.

1914: Alec Alnwick has returned from the Second World War, he's Tobias and Elena's son and is plagued by horrific nightmares. Doctor Brigitta Mayr, is a Viennese psychoanalyst, she visits Leedswick castle and here she and Alec create a rehabilitation center for men suffering from physiological issues. The men help in the castles gardens and do woodwork and the hope is one day they will be able to return to their families.

The three novellas focus is on the lives and brides of the heirs of Leedswick castle, the strained relationships they all had with the people living in Birchwick and the truth behind scandal that caused this? The castle gardens are a main feature of each story, one section is both beautiful and deadly. I really enjoyed the first two novellas, I was starting to lose interest while reading the third and it's a shame. I have really liked previous historical fiction books by Aimie K. Runyan, J’nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan, I will stick to reading their single compositions in the future and three and a half stars from me. Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for my digital copy of The Castle Keepers and in exchange for an honest review. Please read the book yourself and makeup your own mind,

"These walls were not meant to be a prison but a refuge."⠀
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The Castle Keepers⠀
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The Castle Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan; J'nell Ciesielski; and Rachel McMillan is a set of three historical fiction romances that revolve around the grand and mysterious Leedswick Castle in Northridge, England. The tales follow the women and men of the castle as they navigate love, loss, trauma, and hope. ⠀
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My favorite of the three stories was that of Elena Hamilton and Tobias Alnwick. Set in 1917, artist Elena is hired to provide a mask for veteran and heir to the Leedswick Castle Tobias, to disguise his facial disfigurement from a war injury. Elena is a likeable character with an artist's eye that makes her dialogue almost poetic. Tobias is a strong, kind man who is fascinated with the enigmatic woman who has entered his life. Their search to unravel the mysteries of the castle and it's poison garden brings a nice bit of action to the romance and everything comes to an exciting end as they discover a devious plan that threatens to ruin both of their lives. ⠀
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All of the stories have sweet period romances intertwined with the difficulties of war and the pressures of society. The couples find solace in each other as they attempt to maintain the their home and bring it's mysteries to light. I enjoyed all of the historical aspects of the book and the fade to black romance was beautiful and inspiring. I'd recommend The Castle Keepers to anyone who loves cozy historical fiction and period dramas! ⠀

This book is made up of three novellas all taking place in the same castle. Three timelines spanning several generations of one family. All three stories were good but I ended up liking two of them more. It’s a great chance to read three different authors too.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

I genuinely enjoyed the first two novellas in this collection. I was bored with the third one. The writing was good, and the idea of a cursed castle as the conjoining theme in these stories would probably work except by the third one, the love story element was repetitive and dull.

Three stars from me because I really did like the first 2 novellas.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced ebook copy.