GARDEN OF THE MIDNIGHTS, by Hannah Linder, Barbour Pub Inc, Sept. 30, 2023, Paperback, $15.99 (new adult/ adult fiction)
Author Hannah Linder drops readers into a gothic-style Regency romance in her new novel, Garden of the Midnights.
The accidents are not a matter of chance. They are deliberate. As English gentleman William Kensley becomes aware of the danger at Rosenleigh Manor, he pleads for the truth of his past from the only man he can trust—until that man is murdered.
As the secrets unfold into scandal, William’s world is tipped into destitution, leaving him penniless and alone. His only comfort is in the constant friendship and love of Isabella Gresham. If he does not have their nonsense at the seashore, their laughter, their reckless adventures, has he anything at all?
He should have known that would be ripped from him too. When a hidden foe arises from their acquaintances and imperils Isabella’s life, William may be the only one willing to risk his life to rescue her. But even if he frees Isabella from her captors, will he still have to forsake her heart?
Some sacrifice everything for love. Others sacrifice love for everything else. In this haunting tale of rigid social prejudices and heart-aching regrets, the greatest decision of their life will be determined in the garden of the midnights. —Synopsis provided by Barbour Pub Inc
Garden of the Midnights is Hannah Linder’s third novel — the other two are Beneath His Silence and When Tomorrow Came. Of the three, Beneath His Silence was my favorite, and I think that has everything to do with the characters.
It took me quite a while to really connect with William and Isabella, and because of that, the book didn’t move as quickly as I was expecting. However, things did pick up and I began to care more about the protagonists as the story moved forward.
Where Linder does excel, though, is setting a scene, creating a moody, darker read than you might expect from the cover.
Garden of the Midnights is published by Barbour Books — is “a leading Christian publisher of popular books” — and Christian elements can be found throughout. Linder does stay fairly true to her characters but you can expect some “modern” thoughts to pop up.
Garden of the Midnights is a fairly substantial read that should appeal to fans of Christian mystery/romance.
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