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Chautona Havig

Chautona Havig

Using story to connect YOU to the Master Storyteller

The Things That Change In 75 Years Will Capture Your Heart

by Chautona Havig · 11 Comments

12 Days at Bleakly Manor“Whatcha readin’?” (said with a perfect imitation of Isabella from Phineas and Ferb).

I passed the book across the table with great reluctance. “12 Days at Bleakly Manor.”

He gave it a cursory glance. “What’s it about?”

“The author gave Charles Dickens a bit of writer’s block and had him set up an elaborate scheme to watch how people handle things if they just stay in one house for twelve days at Christmas. There are allusions to characters in Bleak House, but I actually see other characters in it as well—Little Dorrit and Our Mutual Friend for instance.”

“Interesting. How’d you hear about it?” I explained about the blog tour company from which I request books to read and review. That prompted a nod and the light of understanding in his eyes. “Aah… so a favorite author, then.”

I shook my head and grinned as understanding shifted to surprise. There’s something a bit satisfying when one can trip someone up. “I’d never heard of her before, but she is a new favorite author. I guarantee if another of her books are offered, I’ll hit the request button faster than I can say, ‘Yes!’”

And I did.

Four more times so far. To read all the previous reviews you can here:

  • 12 Days at Bleakly Manor 
  • The Captured Bride 
  • The Innkeeper’s Daughter 
  • A Tale of Two Hearts 

And of course, you’re reading the fourth/fifth here. Ladies of Intrigue.

Oh, yeah. When Ladies of Intrigue popped up for review, I requested a copy without even bothering to read the synopsis. I mean, why would I? Michelle Griep has never steered me wrong—except perhaps in the pronunciation of her surname. Is it “Grape,” “Greep,” or “Gripe”? People with strangely-pronounced names wish to know.

When it arrived, with its stunningly beautiful cover, I flipped it over to read. Three books in one! Score! Yes, they were novellas. No, novellas are not my cuppa… usually. There are exceptions, and I suspected Ms. Griep would be one. Then I checked the dates. 1815-1890. The novels span seventy-five years! From Regency England, to Dakota Territory, to Minnesota (okay, those last two feel a little Laura Ingalls-ish, don’t they?).

I knew I’d love it—just knew it. I also knew that I’d get to see the changes in history and location play out on the page in a way I don’t even know if the author intended. That intrigued me!

Note: some links are affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

The Things That Change In 75 Years Will Capture Your Heart

Let’s start with locations. Cornish seaside? I couldn’t help but picture the little village of Port Isaac (called Portwenn in the Doc Martin series) as being “just around the bend” while I read. That’s one great thing about watching British shows—you get to see some of those places that you read about in other books.

Dakota Territory? The draw of my father’s ballads… rugged land, tensions between natives and military, the bitter cold of Laura Ingalls’ winters. I felt as though I walked with Emmy and saw the heartbreak and pain suffered there.

St. Paul, Minnesota? I’ve been there—sleek skyscrapers, traffic, airports… one-half of the “Twin Cities.” But in A House of Secrets, Ms. Griep showed me an older, seedier side of the town. No, I guess that part of it doesn’t “capture your heart,” but what happens there—what her Joseph does—definitely will.

There’s more, though.

As I’ve often said, I don’t usually care for novellas. They often feel rushed—incomplete. Usually, I want more, and not in a good way. When a reader wants more because they don’t want a story to end, that’s every author’s dream. However, when a reader wants more because they feel as though they’ve been left with an incomplete story… That’s how I usually feel about novellas.

Not these. While I’ve no doubt that Ms. Griep could have turned each one of these into a full-length novel, I didn’t once feel as though I was being dragged past the bullet points of a story. Instead, she wrote each one complete, even if snack-sized instead of a full meal.

Okay, so the characters in these books will capture your heart as well. Seriously, I loved all of them, which is pretty cool. With three books and three time periods—not to mention three locations, the chance that I wouldn’t like one of them was high. Didn’t happen. The only people I didn’t like were ones I wasn’t supposed to. And Ms. Griep did a great job of making me dislike them.

There’s something else about Ladies of Intrigue that you should know.

I said this was about things that did change. But things that didn’t were even more interesting. Each girl had similar attributes. They were all strong without being ridiculously so and each knew her own heart. That was such a nice thing after reading several recently where the girls couldn’t possibly guess what was happening in that important organ! Whatever could this be!?! Gag.

Ms. Griep didn’t do that to me. I’d plop down five stars for that right away. Just sayin’.

Still, with similar elements to their personalities, the girls didn’t feel like a more modern, carbon copy of the previous one(s). Each girl had her own unique story, her own personality, her own reactions to what happened to her. This takes a killer understanding of human nature, and the author showed that beautifully.

Another thing that didn’t change was her phenomenal writing.

Ms. Griep first intrigued me with her ability to take a scene and describe every bit of it that I need to know—and with as few words as possible. Unlike some authors who spend pages describing a single room, *cough, Dickens* she wields her word brush with delicate care. Turns of phrases capture your attention without slipping into personal prose.

In fact, the only thing about the writing that tripped me up was both the second and the third characters, about thirty years apart, used the exclamation, “La!” It jarred me out of the second story a bit. I don’t know if it’s just something incredibly popular among young ladies of the latter half of the 19th century, or if she got into that habit and didn’t realize she’d done it twice in a row.

Seriously, though, if that’s all I have to complain about, well… I’ll take it. I’m so glad I requested a review copy, and I’ll be looking forward to her next book.

Recommended for lovers of historical fiction, books about plucky girls who aren’t determined to prove their superiority to men, and novellas! Three in one, folks!

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Comments

  1. Dianna says

    March 9, 2019 at 1:48 pm

    It’s the cover that makes me want to read this book. Then, after seeing your review — it’s definitely on the list. (Loved the Phineas & Ferb reference. I used to like watching that cartoon with my kids.)

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 10, 2019 at 1:01 am

      Such a fun show. I love it. 😀

      Reply
  2. Pam K. says

    March 5, 2019 at 8:34 pm

    I really enjoy Michelle Griep’s books, especially the Bow Street Runners series. This novella collection looks like one I will really like too.

    Reply
  3. Michelle Griep says

    March 3, 2019 at 11:50 am

    Your reviews always give me the biggest smile! Thanks so much, my friend. I am honored to be amongst you favorite authors 🙂 Oh yeah, and it’s “Greep” but trust me, I’ve heard them all.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 3, 2019 at 2:52 pm

      YAY!!! I guessed right. Just as I was typing that out, I thought. “Hey, it could be ‘grape,’ too. Hmmm…” But I’ve been calling you “Greep” in my head, and I’m so happy I was right. (I get the “heard ’em all. Even my mother’s side of the family doesn’t say/spell my name right. They add an N and make me sound like “Shan-TONE-uh” *blinks*

      Reply
  4. Becky D. says

    March 3, 2019 at 11:45 am

    Such a great review! I love Michelle’s writing as well, and am looking forward to reading this collection.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 3, 2019 at 2:53 pm

      It’s really a lovely collection.

      Reply
  5. Amelia says

    March 3, 2019 at 11:13 am

    I always enjoy your reviews. Thanks for the giveaway!

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 3, 2019 at 2:53 pm

      Aw, thanks!

      Reply
  6. Emma says

    March 3, 2019 at 10:05 am

    Bleakly Manor was quite the book! It kept me guessing all the way through. I enjoyed The Innkeeper’s Daughter, too, but haven’t yet read any of her other books. These sound interesting.

    Reply
    • Chautona Havig says

      March 3, 2019 at 2:54 pm

      These are a nice, quick read. So, if you need something that you can read on a day when you have a bit of time but not a lot, it’s perfect. Just read one and go.

      Reply

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The Because Fiction Podcast

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Taking the pulse of Christian fiction

Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
byChautona Havig

Finally getting a chance to chat with Sarah Monzon was a total delight, and learning all about her latest release, All’s Fair in Love and Christmas was equally awesome.  My copy is here and waiting for me to dive into the battle of the celebrations!  EEEP! Listen in to see what that even means!

Note: I sound like I’m underwater. We heard it during our interview, but I couldn’t make it behave and couldn’t fix it. Sorry!

Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

How Does an Intense Christmas Competition Lead to Love?

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas has so much going for it that I don’t know where to start! Fun mom who made our heroine’s childhood Christmases an international delight without ever leaving home?  Check!  Social anxiety adding to the stress of competing for a promotion?  Check?  Romcom hilarity?  Check, check?  And add to all that Sarah’s wonderful writing and delightful characterization?  I’m all in.

We also chatted about why she chose to write about a woman with social anxiety, her preferred reading methods, and some of my favorite books by her. For a refresher, those are The Isaac Project, 12 Days of Snowmen, and Book Nerds & Boyfriends (a collection of three novellas).

All’s Fair in Love and Christmas by Sarah Monzon

Two workplace rivals. One festive competition. And a romance that upends it all.

Every December two things are guaranteed for graphic designer Mackenzie Graham–Christmas celebrations and the annual promotion at her workplace. Those two things are by no means mutually exclusive. In fact, the better an employee is at harnessing the Christmas spirit, the more likely they’ll win the new job. With her social anxiety, Mackenzie never thought she’d be a contender in her company’s holiday competition, so how exactly has she found herself dueling her workplace crush with wrapping paper tubes and using tinsel as her weapon of choice for a much-needed raise?

Jeremy Fletcher’s life is meticulously planned out, including how to win this year’s promotion at work. Not only will the new position fulfill some of his career goals, but as a single guardian to his twin niece and nephew, he needs the salary increase to support his family. Jeremy has barely noticed Mackenzie Graham around the office, but now that she’s his rival, he can’t stop thinking about her. Her quirkiness intrigues him, and he’s afraid that if he can’t get his head on straight, the promotion isn’t the only thing he’ll end up losing to Mackenzie.

“Inspirational rom-com readers are going to love this one.”–BETHANY TURNER, bestselling author of The Do-Over

You can learn more about Sarah on her WEBSITE.  Also follow her on BookBub and GoodReads.

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Episode 264: A Chat with Romance Author, Sarah Monzon
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Episode 261: Chatting with Christian Youth Fiction Author, Candice Yamnitz
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