By Kelly Bridgewater
Tressa Harlowe's father did not trust banks, but neither
did he trust his greedy extended family. He kept his vast fortune hidden
somewhere on his estate in the south of England and died suddenly, without
telling anyone where he had concealed it. Tressa and her ailing mother are left
with a mansion and an immense vineyard and no money to run it. It doesn't take
long for a bevy of opportunists to flock to the estate under the guise of
offering condolences. Tressa knows what they're really up to. She'll have to
work with the rough and rusticated vineyard manager to keep the laborers
content without pay and discover the key to finding her father's
fortune--before someone else finds it first.
Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget.
Award-winning author Joanna Davidson Politano welcomes readers to Trevelyan Castle, home of the poorest heiress in Victorian England, for a treasure hunt they'll not soon forget.
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| From Amazon |
My Thoughts:
I have read Joanna Davidson Politano's first novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, and it was like
nothing I ever read before. Chalked full of mystery and a unique Victorian
voice. So of course, when I read the synopsis on her second novel, A Rumored Fortune, I couldn't wait to
dive into a treasure hunt in a castle in the Victorian era. Unfortunately the
book fell flat for me.
Politano does a fabulous job at creating the setting and
allowing me to experience the world of Trevelyan Castle. The house and the
surrounding city sparkled on the page. Politano dives into the characters'
emotions at the right time and the right place. Sometimes a little too much.
She does write the main character of Tressa Harlowe in first point of view, but
the hero, Mr. Vance, in third point of view.
I enjoy the ability of Tressa to see past the outward
appearance of all the other characters. She looks for the best in others and
wants to settle everything up right, either with the employees who work for her
families vineyard or the debts her father has accumulated. Meanwhile when Mr.
Vance enters the story, he is on the hunt for treasure to right the wrongs done
to his small hometown. By the end of the novel, he realizes he doesn't have to
hurt someone else to accomplish these little tasks.
What is better than a hunt for treasure during the Victorian
era in a castle? I really couldn't wait to see how the story develop. But for
me, it was slow going. The way the story is written, the story focuses more on
the emotions of Tressa than the treasure hunt. Every time, it seemed, she came
on the scene, she was more focused on Mr. Vance and her budding relationship
with him or what she should do with Andrew than worried about hunting for the
rumored fortune. She did focus on the treasure hunt at times, but I think she
should be doing more to find the treasure than she did.
At the beginning of the novel, Tressa seemed immature in her
reasonings for a relationship, but by the end of the novel, she finally
realized what makes a man a man. Someone who is willing to help someone without
any known reward. Tressa leaned on God more to fulfill her purpose in life.
Overall, A Rumored
Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano is a neat idea with the race for the
treasure and the mysteries behind the house, but it fell flat for me. The plot
didn't move fast enough, and most of the story focused on the romance of Tressa
than the treasure left by her father. If you like historical romances like The Secret of
Pembrooke Park by Julie Klassen, then this might be the book for you.
I received a complimentary copy of A Rumored Fortune by Joanna Davidson Politano from Revell
Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
About the Author:
Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, releases October 3 from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.(Taken from Amazon)
 |
| From Amazon |
Joanna Davidson Politano freelances for a small nonfiction publisher but spends much of her time spinning tales that capture the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary lives. Her debut novel, Lady Jayne Disappears, releases October 3 from Revell. She lives with her husband and their two babies in a house in the woods and shares stories that move her at www.jdpstories.com.(Taken from Amazon)
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