Description
When Abigail Morgan, a naive pastor’s daughter with an overactive imagination, inherits a cottage in Australia, she never imagines the story it will unlock. Armed with a museum studies degree and a penchant for daydreams, Abigail heads to Hyacinth Cottage to unravel the truth of her grandmother’s past—an unknown world of adventure, deception, and love.
While sifting through letters, photographs, and hidden relics, Abigail meets Colter Wellesley, a charming local who helps her navigate the labyrinth of clues with a blend of wit and charm she struggles to resist. But Colter comes with secrets of his own. As their investigation and romance deepen, Abigail wonders if Colter is more tangled up in her grandmother’s mystery—and that of the princess who vanished more than sixty years ago—than she ever imagined.
In this modern reimagining of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, the line between imagination and reality blurs, and every clue discovered could be the key to unlocking a royal legacy.
Katie Slocum –
History, research, sports. Australia, New Zealand, islands. Books, authors, poetry. Stories, Jane Austen, literature. Sean Connery charcuterie board. Family, siblings, imagination. King, Prince, Princess. Royalty, palace, crowns. Adventure, high risk, trust. “Faith, service, leadership. Romans chapter 12.”
Interest piqued? How could it not be! It’s all here and more, in a well written, well researched debut novel told with lightness and humor that will capture your imagination and leave you wanting more. Northanger Abbey is my least favorite Jane Austen novel. But if I loved this modern retelling this much, I can’t imagine what others in the series will be like. I can’t wait.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book courtesy of WhiteCrown Publishing. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Heather –
“Northargyle Abbie” by Janelle Leonard is a Northanger Abbey Jane Austen retelling with a royal twist. I loved that this book brought the reader to Australia and a fictional monarchy island “located” near New Zealand called Northargyle. The setting was super unique since most fictional monarchies are set in Europe so I loved this new idea and setting.
The story just flowed together and was very hard to put down. Historian and pastor’s daughter Abbie wasn’t the perfect heroine with her real fears and insecurities right up front for the reader to get a first hand account of everything that runs through her mind. This never-been-kissed girl meets her prince when she least expects to and the cast of characters surrounding these two lead to a story with many twists and turns through sunshine and shadows in the story.
This is such a wonderful, modern re-imagining and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I look forward to see what Leonard writes next.
Thank you to White Crown Publishing for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Megan Schaulis –
I’m a sucker for a good retelling and I’m one of the few who loved Austen’s Northanger Abbey. But you don’t have to be an Austen fan or even familiar with the classic to appreciate this contemporary reimagining. Leonard re-spins the original with an imaginative museum-loving heroine, an fun Australian setting, and a hint of royalty.
Northargyle Abbie is clever and sweet and full of faith. I adored Abbie’s imagination and her heart. She grows over the course of the story into a woman you’re excited to root for. Her overachieving brothers and family traditions added so much fun. She isn’t coy or aloof about her feelings and I love it. Colter is hero perfection. His faith feels so genuine. The two talk about God as a natural part of their conversations. Aunt Vi’s quirky style and conquer-the-world attitude adds extra levity.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
M.S. –
Wow. I just loved this book. Abbie is such a.wonderful character. For her 24th birthday she is gifted a cottage by her late grandmother. You will go on a journey with her and her amazing Aunt Vi as they travel. You will get to meet her amazing family. While she is traveling Abbie meets Colter. Its so special watch how they get to know one another. This is beautiful story. I found my self laughing and crying at the end. I was given this book by the publisher. All thoughts are my own.
Lana Spelliscy –
Northargyle Abbie is a delight from start to finish. Brimming with humour, doubts, friendships, and romance there is no limit to the things to be discovered and learned. With a wonderful set of characters, unique settings, and mysteries to uncover; Janelle Leonard has a wonderful trip for every reader to experience.
When Abbie heads out to uncover her Grandmother’s past, no one could have guessed where the adventure would lead her. Colter wants to meet his favorite author and relax before heading back to work. Little does he know just who he will get to meet. Instant attraction and an unexpected link in their respective mysteries keep these two wonderful characters spending time together. I loved their interactions, a little quirky but honest in their emotions and intentions. Abbie’s love for history hunting and telling stories was so fun! The mystery twists kept the story entertaining and moving, never knowing for sure where they will all end.
Janelle Leonard has an amazing debut on her hands! I was engrossed from start to finish. The romance is sweet, the mysteries enough to keep the pages flipping throughout the book, and the ending was just perfect for the story. It hit all the right notes for this reader! I can not wait for the next book from Janelle Leonard. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Katie Fitzgerald –
Northargyle Abbie is an amazingly well-written and compelling contemporary retelling of Northanger Abbey set in Australia, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
Here’s why I loved this book:
The main character is relatable. Though she is a 20-something woman going through a time of transition, she’s not rebellious or poorly adjusted, she loves her family, and is devoted to her faith. She feels some pressure because her father is a pastor, but her motives are always positive and pure even when she makes mistakes. She felt so real to me, like she could have walked out of the book and been a friend to my own 20-something self back in the day.
The royal mystery is so intriguing, and Abbie’s grandmother’s involvement in it made me feel personally invested in finding out what actually happened all those years ago. The twists and turns Abbie uncovers on the way to the truth kept me guessing until almost the very end, and I loved seeing her figure things out.
The silly plaques that Abbie writes to accompany museum exhibits are hilarious. I think it can be difficult to write as a character, but this author definitely did a great job of infusing Abbie’s voice into those little snippets. The role of writing in general, throughout the book, appealed to my writerly soul, and I loved that Abbie and her aunt have that in common.
Colter was such a swoony hero. I really liked him from the outset, and only grew to like him more. I also loved the way the other supporting characters were written, even the ones that wound up being the villains of the book.
Finally, the romance, despite being unlikely in some ways, was grounded in wisdom. These characters didn’t rush into things, but really relied on God to point them in the right direction. I loved that modeling for a healthy approach to Christian dating and marriage.
If you like royalty romances set in fictional countries with a heavy dose of historical mystery and lots of references to Christian faith, you don’t want to miss Northargyle Abbie!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.