Manor of Secrets by Katherine Longshore

Manor of Secrets by Katherine Longshore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Manor of SecretsGoodreads Summary
The year is 1911. And at The Manor, nothing is as it seems . . .

Lady Charlotte Edmonds: Beautiful, wealthy, and sheltered, Charlotte feels suffocated by the strictures of upper-crust society. She longs to see the world beyond The Manor, to seek out high adventure. And most of all, romance.

Janie Seward: Fiery, hardworking, and clever, Janie knows she can be more than just a kitchen maid. But she isn't sure she possesses the courage -- or the means -- to break free and follow her passions.

Both Charlotte and Janie are ready for change. As their paths overlap in the gilded hallways and dark corridors of The Manor, rules are broken and secrets are revealed. Secrets that will alter the course of their lives. . . forever.


My Review
First of all, I love books that take place in Europe (and other countries), and in past centuries, so I was looking forward to reading Manor of Secrets. It definitely did not disappoint!

I loved how it showed that life was difficult in the early 1900's and earlier, especially for women. No matter whether you worked in the kitchen, cleaned houses, or lived in the upper part of the manor with lots of money, you still didn't necessarily have any freedom and choices in your life (though your problems may have been different,  everyone, no matter what social standing, had them).

This book is about two girls with completely different circumstances who are more alike than would first appear. Charlotte longs to write and see the world. She wants more from life than just the season and marriage, calling cards, and planning menus. Janie is the chef's daughter and works in the kitchen. She is happy with her place, but deep down she wants more. As these two girls meet in unlikely events, and get to know each other, they become like sisters as they break down the boundaries between mistress and servant. But will Janie get in trouble for "trying to rise above her station"? Will Charlotte be able to stand up for herself and what she wants, and will she ever stop feeling like she's a burden to her mother?

What about all of those secrets? There were quite a few secrets in this book and not just between Charlotte and Janie! Some were intriguing, some were life changing, they were all interesting and perfect for this book!

The descriptions in this book were very nicely done, and painted a lovely picture of the 20th century.

What's the deal with Andrew, Harry, and Lawrence!?

With great lessons of family, friendship, love, trust, adventure, and more, Manor of Secrets was a very entertaining read.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not effect my rating in any way.


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