Harstairs House

by Amanda Grance and Amanda Grange

Book Overview

From the author of Mr. Knightley's Diary and Lord Deverill's Secret comes a sparkling tale of a woman, her inheritance, and the rake who could ruin everything. Inheriting a house from a stranger was shocking enough. Then Susannah Thorpe learns that in order to claim her inheritance, she must either wed in a month, or else spend the next thirty days in Harstairs House-a place purported to be haunted. Not about to marry, she makes the arduous journey...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425217736
• ISBN13: 9780425217733
• Release Date: December 2007
• Publisher: Berkley
• Length: 293 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.2" x 0.9" x 5.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 12 and higher

Customer Reviews

Sweet But Not her Best - 3-1/2*

After losing her family, plain and ordinary, Miss Susannah Thorpe had reconciled herself to life of servitude as a companion or governess. Unexpectedly, her life changed when she learned she had inherited a house from a man she'd never met before. Their were however, some odd conditions to comply with. In order to claim the inheritance she must either marry within a month, or spend a full 30 days in Harstairs House - a home alleged to be haunted. With the unlikelihood of marriage in her future, Susannah is escorted by the solicitor and dropped at the door of her new home. Unfortunately, she was not informed that a rather surly but handsome tenant, Oliver Bristow, was on the premises and wouldn't hear of leaving until his lease ran out. If neither would, or could leave - would they be able to live together harmoniously without Susannah falling hopelessly in love? *** The author set this romance in 1793 England on the Cornwall coast smack dab in the middle of the French Revolution and smuggling of brandy, ammunition and such on the English Channel. Building her plot around this historic time helped to make the story fast-paced and exciting, especially with this author's very well written prose and well done historical research. One thing I was just a tad somewhat let down with was the cover description mentioning the house as being haunted - okay "purported" to be haunted - and was disappointed that this seemed a bit misleading. Several things I enjoyed in this romance were the fact that our heroine was not a ravishing beauty, and the hero was not cast as a man who was out to ravish her. In fact if Oliver hadn't overheard Susannah commenting to her teasing companion, that she wouldn't "...marry Oliver if her life depended on it...", he very possibly wouldn't have bothered with her in the least. However, the romance was sweet and the author took pains to explain the reason's behind Oliver's broodiness. Oliver's real reason for wanting to stay at the house was kept secret for the better part of the story and this led to the very well done intrigue aspect, even though one knows, in reading romance it's a foregone conclusion that the hero is not going to end up being the villain. That would be a twist I've never seen done, but don't worry, you will find a few surprises the author slips in. The supporting secondary cast was adequate in shoring up both the romance and mystery, but I felt the ending to be a bit rushed. Bottom line is if you're an Austen fan, and NOT looking for steamy sex scenes in your historical romances, this is the perfect book for you. Marilyn Rondeau, www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com