Windsong Manor is a work of historical fiction that focuses on the early widowhood of a young mother and the life and path of a man estranged from his family and the paths he chooses to take once he leaves their protection. This book, while not groundbreaking in its premise, presents an interesting and enjoyable tale of love, family, betrayal, and forgiveness. The book’s heroine, Eleanora struggles with her newfound independence in ways that are as familiar to a historical heroine as they are to the modern woman of today. Her slow burn romance with Ridley is beautiful and heartbreaking. The ways in which the men in her life continue to control her from the grave both infuriates and strengthens her resolve to succeed in a world made for men. Ridley does not diminish, discourage, or save her, but instead acts as the man behind the woman. My only criticism is with some of the language used in the book. Some phrases are entirely too modern. Overall, a very engaging story that kept me on the end the of my seat and sighing for the romance of it all.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really liked the deviation of the typical Regency hero. Even though Ridley ended up being a Lord and heir to a Dukedom, for most of the book he was a stable hand. The majority of Regency books are focused on peerage without much regard to the working class (even though this still ended up being the case in this story, there was the illusion of a deviation). Ridley was calm and stable and supportive, just what the little trio of a family needed. As other reviewers have stated, however, there are some historical innacuracies that make the story unbelievable (yes, I realize this is a work of fiction).
I’m a fan of the author but this isn’t my favorite book of hers.

I was recently introduced to Julie Wright after reading "Lies Jane Austen Told Me" and "Love, Lies, and Breakfast at Tiffany's." After swooning over those books, I was thrilled to try one of her historical novels as well.

I wasn't sure what to expect while reading "Windsong Manor." I've read so many regency novels that you never know if one will feel repetitive or not. However, I loved "Windsong Manor." Elenora's relationship with her children was one of my favorite parts. It was heartbreaking at times and beautiful at others. As for Ridley, his mysterious past kept me curious and turning pages.

"Windsong Manor" is the story of Eleanora's attempts to navigate life after becoming a widow at twenty-seven. With the memory of her cruel husband weighing down her and her two children, Eleanora is desperate to keep her children in her custody and to prevent them from becoming callous and cold like her husband was.

In order to achieve these goals, she retires to her country estate, Windsong Manor. However, with her husband's steward threatening to take her children away from her if she doesn't prove to be a suitable caretaker, she can't afford any distractions. Especially not Ridley, the handsome stable hand. Even if seems to be the only person who really understands her.

Overall, I loved the story and it easily earned five stars for me. I would happily read it again, and can't wait to read more books by Julie Wright.

I hate leaving a bad reviews, but I’m struggling to find a single thing I enjoyed within this book. The issue for me is that it’s historically inaccurate- beyond just far-fetched. And as someone who has read lots of regency era romance, one flaw in particular really irked me. Our MC’s old dying husband, who is a Baron, decides on his death bed that he needs a spare heir, and so has legitimized his out-of-wedlock daughter, which apparently in this book makes the girl a Baroness once the old man died. Nope. That’s simply not how it worked. Aside from the fact that he wouldn’t need a spare because he has a male heir, the illegitimate daughter would never be legitimized legally-she maybe would have been a ward, and would be educated and respected as a member of the household but it’s unlikely she would be adopted into the family as such. Further, they are living in London at this time and need to establish this faux mother-daughter relationship prior to going to their country estate. What?! They would have immediately removed to the country and then set the girl up where they would be less seen and scrutinized by the peerage. Bizarre bizarre choices, But the girl simply would not have the title of Baroness.

The romance was weakened by how much attention is put on the children, mostly fighting. I felt exhausted for the MC. Ridley is a good broody character- and his twist was pretty dang obvious from page 1, but overall he added some redemption to the book.

Around the 20% mark I had to stop reading and I picked up another book by Julie Wright, A Captain for Caroline Gray, just to read and have as a point of reference to writing style. Both felt easy, yet clunky and much too modern for the era in which the story takes place. It’s something that definitely wouldn’t have bothered me if there weren’t so many other errors that took me out of the book. This needs so major editing. The story idea is sweet, and could be really lovely.
2 ⭐️


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my unbiased review!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I know historical inaccuracies can plague a book…and I’m going to be honest, there are some. BUT. The romance in this book is really sweet and honestly, I can overlook everything else for the sake of Eleanora and Ridley.

Eleanora is trying to be the best single mum she can be to a rather bratty 10 year old son who thinks he’s the bees knees and a sweet little girl who was her husbands by-blow…but so, so loveable! Ridley has a HISTORY and wow, is that a twist in the tale…but he is honestly a cinnamon role and must be wrapped in cotton wool because they don’t be making men like that any more.

Yes, sometimes the kid is irritating to the point of me genuinely wanting to throw something at him…but even he gets a lovely redemption arc by the end. And I love that even though Eleanora gets her happy ending, it’s made clear that her children are the most important thing in her life.

Do it. There will be things that make you cringe, but the next page will fill you with so much warmth, it’ll be worth it.

Beautiful cover. This book had a decent plot, but I just couldn't connect with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Windsong Manor is a deeply emotional and engrossing historical romance set in England in 1820. This is the first book I’ve read by Julie Wright, and I am impressed. There were so many things to love about this book, from the themes of identity, love and acceptance to the well-developed characters.

The book opens as 26-year-old Baroness Eleanora (Nora) attends her husband’s deathbed. Any relief she may feel at the impending loss of this over-bearing, dismissive man who has routinely demeaned her, is lost when she learns that he’s devised a way to control her life after death. She must raise their son, Edward, to the role of baron in an “appropriate manner” which will be regularly assessed by his sycophantic solicitor, Mr. Ashby, AND she must raise the baron’s illegitimate and now orphaned young daughter, Amelia (Lia), as her own. Adding to her difficulties, Edward, who was taken from her at a young age and sent to Eton, returns after his father’s death a changed boy; he has the makings of being every bit as horrible and brutish as his father.

Ridley Ellis is a kind, hard-working stable hand (later promoted to stable master) at Windsong Manor, who is intensely private as he hides his real identity. There are hints to the reader that he hides very distressing secrets, as well. The two characters meet when Nora moves from London to Windsong Manor with her children, hoping to heal them and herself and to find some kind of happiness together. The story follows Nora’s search for her own identity, her struggles to mother two troubled children, and her attempt to hang on to custody of her son. She finds an unlikely ally in the similarly aged, Ridley, who has work-worn hands but the demeanour and speech of a gentleman (providing a bit of mystery to the plot). The two forge a bond based on compassion and commiseration that grows into a deepening mutual attraction.

Despite a few errors with the handling of titles and the frustration of not learning the children’s ages in the story (although we do eventually learn that Edward is 10 years-old), there is much to enjoy in this book. I like that the relationship between Nora and Ridley develops as the result of their growing knowledge of each other’s characters. They genuinely see each other and understand one another in a singular way. The emotional tension builds as the two become closer, and as the attraction grows between them, so do the risks, all making the novel hard to put down!

I particularly liked the way Wright portrays the struggles of motherhood in this book, especially Nora’s effort to make Edward a kinder more humane baron. Nora’s journey of self-discovery is sensitively handled and adds to the growing feelings she has for Ridley. There are well-rendered villains in the book that add to the tension. Mr. Daw, the indolent and odious stable master, who tries to knock Ridley down at every turn, becomes an increasingly malicious force as the story unfolds. Similarly, Mr. Ashby, the overbearing and insolent solicitor, adds a menacing tone to the story and makes Nora’s fears for Edward’s custody very real.

I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy “love outside of social class” and “secret identity” tropes, a clean romance (not my usual preference, but I loved this book), swoony kisses, well-written and developed plot and characters, a more serious and tense story, and a happy ending. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book and came in with no expectations. Nora is strong and independent but also is such a relatable character as she struggles to figure out who she is. Also who doesn't love a kind hero? I'm here for it.

A gentleman or a gentle man there is a difference . This is the premise of the Windsong Manor.

I Really enjoyed this book ! I couldn’t put it down.

Nora is wife to a dying baron who treats her poorly. Her young son is in boarding school and she finds out her husband had an affair and his daughter is to live with them.
Wow that’s a lot . Nora feels like finally she can live her life when her husband dies . Then her hands are more than full with a snobby mean young son and a new daughter who is bewildered by her new life .

Ridley then enters the story as a stable hand who takes her children in by teaching them how to ride horses and teaches them how o have character .
I loved that Nora had memories when she saw Ridley about when she was a child dancing with a boy who loved horses .

I enjoyed learning more about Nora. She found herself by listening to Ridley talk to her children and to her. She found that she could be much more than a wife to someone but someone .

I appreciated their love story. I appreciated that Nora fell in love with the gentle man not the gentleman. I think you will really enjoy this book.

I saw a couple people complained about titles in this book . It’s interesting I’ve read thousands of books and it didn’t bother me at all because it’s fiction . I just enjoyed immersing myself in a fabulous read !

Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow mountain publishing company for the download in exchange for my unbiased review.

Windsong Manor is a very enjoyable read. It's unputdownable.

Nora is a very inspiring heroine. She's no damsel in distress. She discovers herself slowly when she removes her family and herself from London. She has been living too long as a daughter, a wife, and a mother. In Windsong, she allows herself some moments to be just herself, just Nora. By being herself she learns to fall in love. Even so, she does not neglect her duties as a mother and also as the mistress of the house. The people who work for Nora love her and that speaks a lot about how well she treats them.

Ridley has some secrets that come as a surprise to me, it was one of the plot twists that I do not anticipate. Ridley is generally likeable, and the relationship between Nora and Ridley does seem complicated at first. I love seeing how their relationship is not all about themselves but also about caring for people who are dear to them, one of those people is Nora's children.

The story is very fresh, is very unlike any other historical romance that I've ever read. I highly recommend this to someone looking for sweet clean romance.

My only wish is to get more glimpses of their initial meeting at Devon. Can we have this as a bonus scene?

Lastly, many thanks to Julie Wright, Shadow Mountain Publishing , and NetGalley. I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A sweet and clean tale of two bruised souls searching for the something extra that always seems just beyond their grasp. Add in a touch of intrigue and you have Windsong Manor, a book that is as lovely as the place for which it is named. Ridley Ellis and Eleanora Coventry are both wonderful characters, though I was enamored of Ridley from start to finish. He is not the type of hero I would usually call a favorite, yet he is possessed of a calm quality (in addition to strength) that I found quite endearing. He is really quite easy to fall in love with, and it understandable what Eleanora sees in him, and he in her. The romance grows softly and sweetly, and stays true to the appropriateness of the characters in their time and setting.

There is more to the story than what the description offers, so the reader is in for a surprise or two.

A charming and enjoyable tale that kept me engaged, I'd recommend Windsong Manor to any reader who likes to escape to Regency England with a clean read.

What a lovely story that was a pleasure to read!

Eleonora's circumstances change when her husband dies. She decides to move to the countryside with her children as a way to rebuild herself and her relationship with them. At the country estate she meets Ridley who works at the stables and is excellent with horses.

I agree with other readers about the children's age (revealed too late) and the titles not being handled properly. I'd have liked for Ridley and Eleonora to have spent more time together, but it's understandable given their social status.

I liked that this Regency story was not spent in ballrooms, like so many are. The setting was refreshing.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I love Regency romances, this one is an empowering widow daring to make her way and fall in love again. So good!
I just reviewed Windsong Manor by Julie Wright. #WindsongManor #NetGalley
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Moving to her country home, Windsong Manor, is exactly what Nora and her two children need after the death of Nora’s husband. The country brings fresh air, a chance for her children to bond and grow, and a connection to the very handsome stable master, Ridley. Despite their differences in station Ridley and Nora quickly become friends. Can they find a way to be together or will a secret from Ridley’s come between them?

I enjoyed this story very much. It was full of friendship, romance, secrets, and hard things that mothers often have to deal with. Nora is an excellent mother and I love the way she fights for her children throughout this book. And Ridley is the dashing hero who takes Nora and both of her children under his wing, helping each of them in their own way to discover their true potential and who they are. I loved watching that growth throughout the story.

The pacing was a little slow for me, but nothing that made me want to put the book down. Overall it was a very enjoyable book and I would recommend.

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for a ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book by Julie Wright, such a beautiful story with amazing characters. I would highly recommend!

I just reviewed Windsong Manor by Julie Wright. #WindsongManor #NetGalley
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What a beautiful tale of losing one’s identity and then finding one’s self through the love of another. Julie Wright is a brilliant! This story captured me from the very beginning. I was so wrapped up in the lives of Eleanor and her stable master, that I found myself reading into the wee hours of the morning!

I'm not someone who regularly cries about historical accuracy when there are little errors in books with an historical setting, but it was very hard to read this because of a preponderance of errors. If writing a book where inherited titles are the main factor in two of the storylines, you have to get the titles and language right. For example, the son and daughter of the main character, a widowed Baroness, are repeatedly said to be a Baron and Baroness. While the daughter could inherit that title if her brother was dead, she wouldn't have the Baroness title if her brother was still alive.

The son, the new Baron, is ten years old. His dialogue is that of an arrogant adult. His character truly tested the bounds of belief.

The premise was great. The writing was simple, which is perhaps what the audience for the book will want, but I wish there was some charm or wit here. With five months until publication, perhaps there is a chance to do some editing to smooth out the many rough points.

I was provided a free advanced copy via NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved this so much!!
I felt all the feels and was so invested! That scene when Nora walks into the storm-I got goosebumps and felt so many emotions!
Now I’ve got to go back and reread Julie Wright’s other books (specifically A Captain for Caroline Gray-also soooo good!,)

I LOVED this story! Julie Wright's writing is engaging and interesting. I didn't want to put it down!

Nora has always done what she was told. She even married the horrible man she was supposed to and bore a son. However, her obedience was not respected. Her baby boy was ripped from her arms to be raised to be a baron, like his horrible father. On her husband's death bed, she learns of an affair of her husband's and a child which, according to his will, she must now raise as her own. Finally able to get her son home from school, she runs to the country estate, hoping to return her bratty boy to the sweet boy she knows he is.

Ridley loves his job as a stablehand at Windsong Manor, he just hates the stable master, a man who does absolutely nothing but drink all day. However, Ridley has his own secrets and is desperate to outrun them. When the mistress and children arrive at the manor, he easily falls in love with her.

I enjoyed having a front row seat as Nora and Ridley discovered their happily ever after.

Oh my goodness I seriously loved this book so much! Everything from the plot, to the characters, to the perfectly swoony romance was absolute perfection.
Nora’s struggles were believable and made me like her more. She tries her hardest and makes the best of the circumstances she finds herself in. I also greatly admire her fierce love for her children, she’s a mom and I thought that was portrayed beautifully.
Ridley is the absolute perfect book boyfriend and his quiet, gentle manner just made him more endearing. Hiding from a hard past he makes the most of working and being a gentleman in his position. Plus he is absolutely adorable and so wise with the children.
These two characters were some of my favorite main characters I’ve ever read. The way they grow individually and together was endearing and probably my favorite part(s) of the whole book. They both come to find an inner strength and power from being true to themselves. Their love only makes them stronger as they become each other’s sounding board and friend.
I truly did love this book from beginning to end. A beautiful regency romance that sweeps you away into an engaging plot and heartwarming love story.