A sweepingly beautiful collection of three novellas set in the shadow of the same castle - Leedswick Castle. The reader meets three generations of the Alnwick family at this castle, each experiencing a piece of history. I found myself enthralled in each story and learning more about the time periods, but truly connected and enjoyed the second in 1917.

The narrator breathed life into the Alnwick family; however, a cast of readers - or maybe just one more - could have transformed the story even further. Regardless, I was still able to connect.

Thank you NetGalley, Harper Muse, and authors Aimie K Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This delightful collection of novellas is centered around a beautiful castle that has imprisoned its inhabitants for decades. My favorite stories were those of American Dollar Princess Beatrice Holbrook and artist Elena Hamilton.
The three authors did an amazing job writing about three different generations of Alnwyck men and the women in their lives and drawing connections with those that came before.
The narrator did an excellent job bringing the stories to life.

I received a complimentary audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and the authors for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

What an excellent collection by these ladies! I've always been a fan of J'nell, but now I need to check out other books by these authors. The way connected each story was brilliant and each one of them captivated me. The narrator was outstanding!

3 Novellas, written by different authors, focusing on the same family, across generations, and the same Castle. Love this concept!

I also enjoyed that all 3 stories centered around the Castle Gardens, even the Poison Garden, in the stories. It was a nice continuous thread through each story.

Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t really drawn into any of the stories and didn’t really enjoy the characters from any of the stories. They were just ok for me. I found myself skipping through every now and then.

But it was an enjoyable way to be introduced to 3 new Historical Fiction writers.

The narration for this audiobook was very well done. It definitely kept me entertained.

Very enjoyable read. Will be easy to recommend to many different kinds of readers. I’d like to read more from this author.

Title: The Castle Keepers
By: Aimie K. Runyan, J’Nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan

Genre:
Historical Romance, Guilded Age,

Summary:
1870’s- Beatrice Holbrook comes for a wealthy family and has her moment of shame. Charles was injured in war, and is struggling to find happiness and love. In an attempt to save grace, Beatrice marries Charles Alnwick out of convenience. Their marriage is quickly tested when accusations of betrayal and Charles faces prison for actions at war. Beatrice fights for her husband through courage, determination, and grit.

1917- Elena Hamilton is a rare, and unique artist creating masks to cover the faces of wounded war soldiers. Tobias Alnwick sustained awful injuries during war and his parents commission Elena to create a new face, aka. a mask for Tobias. Elena is a very positive woman, who is full of sunshine and roses. Tobias is annoyed by Elena’s constant positivity and happiness, but through a process of intimacy while building the new face for Tobias, they both see each other in a new light. Elena’s past comes knocking on her door, and Tobias finds his softened heart open.

1945- Brigitta Mayr is a psychoanalyst hired by Alec Alnwick. He is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and is planning to change the history of his families crumbling castle. His family has a long history of curses as past generations have fought in war. Alec hopes to create a location where war veterans can come for therapy, to assist in bringing the castle back to life, all while working through the past experiences. Brigitta is the one Alec hopes to support his fellow comrades through this process.

Review:
A novella of three individual stories written by three different authors, weaved into a rich, cozy and entertaining multigenerational mystery. The Castle Keepers takes the reader back in history from marriage by convenience, to the knowledge of mask artistry, to the real effects of war on soldiers. All of their individual topics, while known, where rich in details and description which pulled the reader into the story. I came away from this with a greater knowledge and understanding of soldiers, all while enjoying the warmth and coziness of the characters.


Thank you to Aimie K. Runyan, J’Nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan, Harper Muse, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#Aimiekrunyan
#jnellciesielski
#rachelmcmillan
#harpermuse
#netgalley
#advancedreadereditions

The Castle Keepers was an interesting adventure about 3 generations of the Alnwick family who reside in the Leedswick Castle. The 3 talented writers take the reader through 3 intriguing timelines 1870, 1917 and 1945. Each timeline brought intrigue and romance! It was a great read! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the privilege of reviewing The Castle Keepers.

✨𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗧𝗢𝗨𝗥✨

Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family for generations. But the world around it is changing, and secrets that have long been buried will soon come to light.

1899: Beatrice, an American, seeks the legitimacy of a British title to add prestige to her fortune. She hopes for love in her marriage of convenience to Charles at Leedswick Castle, but she finds herself entangled in a generations-long family intrigue.

1917: Tobias, eventual heir of Beatrice and Charles, finds himself convalescing at Leedswick from the battlefields of World War I with a scarred face. Elena is the young artist tasked with painting a realistic mask for the isolated hero, and they both learn to find beauty and love in unexpected places—but disaster lurks just outside the castle walls.

1945: Alec finds himself the heir to Leedswick, but he carries the burden of shell shock from his time in World War II. He seeks to make the castle into a refuge for those who are similarly troubled, calling upon a renowned psychologist and the doctor’s niece, Elisa, to help him.

𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨!
What a fascinating book, three stories about love, family curses, war, scandals, beautifully written and impossible to put down.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @harpermusebooks for this tour invite.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 by @bookishaimie @jnellciesielski and @rachkmc released May 2, 2023.

𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆!

#thecastlekeepers #AimieKRunyan #JnellCiesielski #RachelMcMillan #suzyapprovedbooktours #history #historicalfiction #booksandcoffeemx

Very cute Historical romance about three different generations protecting their family home.

Each story was very cute and I really loved seeing each couple connect and their stories.

Thank you so much Netgalley for the audiobook version of this arc.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, Brilliance Audio, and the authors for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Castle Keepers is a historical fiction novel set in an estate home in northern England. It focuses on a single family over about 70 years, each is after a particular war. 1870 is about an American heiress who marries into the Alnwick family to the son returning from the Indian rebellion. She resents the role she has in society and becomes free during a family crisis. 1917 is a love story between a physically and mentally inured man who served in WWI and an artist who loves him for all of himself. 1945 jumps to a story between a man returning from WWII and a female psychologist. Together they change the family legacy.

Having three stories but all related to the same family was a good set-up for a historical novel. Collaboration between three different authors added a uniqueness with novellas. The audiobook is a single narrator and her voice is very engaging and expressive with various characters. I enjoyed how the stories intertwined not only with the same family but also with the setting, especially the gardens. Perfect for someone looking to read more historical fiction but wants to avoid what can often feel like a long slog. Each novella can stand alone but they mesh together so well it's worth reading them one after the other.

I do enjoy a good anthology and The Castle Keepers was excellent. Three of my favourite historical fiction authors each wrote a novella about someone from the Alnwick family, the owners of Leedswick Castle in the English Countryside. The family has been cursed based on a story from the Indian wars that was not true. No one in the village will have anything to do with the family.

The first story is set in 1870 when American heiress, Beatrice Holbrook flees New York after a disastrous dinner at the Astor Mansion. Her mother plans on marrying her off to a titled Englishman. When Charles Alnwick, the future Marchioness of Northridge, proposes, Beatrice accepts and her parents are thrilled. After a quick marriage, they head to Leedswick and Beatrice gets an unwelcome greeting. When the Marchioness dies suddenly, Beatrice needs to stand up to Charles' family. Next up is Charles and Beatrice's grandson, Tobias, in 1917. He has been disfigured in the Great War and his parents hire artist Elena Hamilton to make lifelike mask so he can go out in public and return to his former life. Elena doesn't see a man who needs to hide, and they fall in love. Secrets from both of their pasts threaten their relationship and possibly their future. The final story is set in 1945 after the end of WWII. Alec Alnwick returns home from the war with what we now would call PTSD. He has been communicating with Brigitta Mayr, a brilliant young psychoanalyst and her uncle. He opens Leedswick as a hospital to assist others who are similarly "injured". There are some problems and some soldiers they can't help, but might they finally be able to break the curse on the Alnwick family.

The three novellas focus is on the lives and brides of the heirs of Leedswick castle. Each story has a survivor of a war, and deals with their life after that event. There are also beautiful gardens that also have a poison plant section and part of each story centers around the gardens. It is not until the end when we finally learn what caused the scandal and curse on the family. Although these are novellas, these authors did a good job developing the characters and using the setting. Once again, I enjoyed each of the stories, but really would have liked more. Overall, this was an enjoyable read.The narrator, Ann Marie Gideon does an excellent job with these novellas. There are a variety of characters of different ages, genders and nationalities. She does a nice job with their voices so I could identify who was speaking. I enjoyed the audiobook and if you like to listen to your books, I recommend this one on audio.

I enjoyed this book. It contained 3 short stories about a castle and an account of 3 different generations and their experience with recovering from war and the hardships they faced and how finding love helped them find peace again. While I did enjoy these stories and especially how they tied together I would have loved them even more if they did not end quite so quickly but if you want short easy reads you'll find it here.

I love books about castles and this was no exception. Three novellas and I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed each one. The narrator was wonderful with just the right accent.
I loved how the authors brought all three books together and how it was the same castle in all three stories. Some loved the castle and a some did not love the castle. Each couple had different views and wanted to live different lives.
This story has real life issues that happens all the time. Soldiers that have been to war, some wounded in body and some in mind and spirit. I loved that someone wanted to help these soldiers.
Each book was intriguing with a little mystery, romance and inspirational. I would recommend each novella to my friends but you will want to read them one after the other, at least I did.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from NetGalley but was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoy this audiobook on a road trip and it did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed the stories and the narration was very well done. The character's voices were unique and very enjoyable.

This is a great list for historical lovers who enjoy a wide-range of time periods.

I would recommend to add this to you audiobook collection.

Three generations of the Alnwick family, a crumbling castle in Northumberland, and a family curse! I was so excited to listen to the audiobook version of this novella collection by three amazing authors. I loved the way the stories were all connected. Each generation of the Alnwick men has to deal with injuries and the aftermath of war. The women who love them are brought to Leeds castle for various reasons, but each must help the men overcome their pasts, and solve a mystery.

In 1870, New York socialite Beatrice Holbrook is trying to save face after a disastrous debut. Her family takes her to England hoping their wealth will snag them a British title. She meets Charles Alnwick, future Marquess of Northridge who suffers from wounds sustained in India, and rumors about him abound. They become fast friends and she agrees to a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience. When Charles is accused of a heinous crime, Beatrice must gather her courage to defend her husband.

In 1917, Tobias Alnwick sustained life altering injuries in WWI. His parents have commissioned artist Elena Hamilton to create a life like face mask to cover his disfigured face. Elena is the sunshine to Tobias’ grumpiness and she brings him much needed laughter and enjoyment. But when her past comes back in a threatening way, it will take all of Tobias’ courage to save her.

In 1945, Alec Alnwick is suffering from PTSD. He calls on the beautiful, intelligent Brigitta Mayr, a psychoanalyst, to help him turn his crumbling family castle into a rehabilitation center for those who similarly suffer. As Alec tries to break the curse from the past, it seems his health is in jeopardy and distinguishing truth from reality becomes more difficult. Can Brigitta help him solve the mystery before it’s too late?

I loved all three of these stories and how they each revolved around the mysterious Leeds castle. Each of the romances was so well done and they all tied together brilliantly. I loved the gardens, even the deadly one and how they featured in each story. The mysteries in each time period added a suspenseful element, as well as the supposed curse that bound them all.

The audiobook version was fantastic! The narrator distinguished each story and character in a unique way. I enjoyed how she voiced both male and female characters. She injected just the right amount of emotion and made it an easy to listen to audiobook.

Highly recommend this intriguing, enjoyable, historical novella collection! I received an advanced complimentary listener copy from the publisher. All opinions are completely my own and voluntarily given.

The Castle Keepers is a story to be told to different audiences.

I loved how the stories were weaved together, to create something new but still very profound for the readers and listeners alike. The realities of war and the horrors one faced was depicted in such a manner, where our hearts throbbed for the pain they've had experienced.

The audiobook version was beautifully made and being able to listen to it was a wonderful experience. I am thankful to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me an opportunity to listen to this gem.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved how all three of these stories related together in different time periods. I really enjoyed the first story but never really liked the second two stories so that is why I am only giving the book 3 stars.

Delightful book with enlightening historical practices. I loved the castle setting and creativity with possible historical uses of a castle.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel!! It is so well written. I felt like I was there with the characters in the castle and the gardens.
It’s a three part story that ties several generations of one family. A curse on the castle keeps each generation inside the walls, and away from angry nearby townspeople.
What I loved most about this novel, were the love stories of each generation, and the strong women, each ahead of their time.
I give this novel 5 stars! I definitely recommend it if you are a fan of historical romance!

The Castle Keepers comprises three novellas, each focusing on one of three generations of the elite British Alnwick family in 1870, 1917, and 1945. Each generation is faced with growing costs of upkeep on maintaining the ancient ancestral Leedswick castle that is slowly crumbling. The castle, it’s rumored curse, and it’s poison garden are central threads woven in each novella. Each part of the book has some romantic plot, but in their own way focus on main events of the time.

I enjoyed this, but found the last third of the book a bit slow. The structure of the story in three novellas is unique and clever. Also, it’s pretty neat how the three authors worked together during lockdown to write this. This would be a good recommendation for readers that enjoy Downton, or British fiction set in WWI and WWII.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.