The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky

 Cover Art

The Legacy of Longdale Manor by Carrie Turansky is a split time novel set in 1912 and 2012. It has been awhile since I read a split-time novel and I felt this one was well done with smooth transitions. 

In 2012, Gwen Morris is working as an art appraiser for her grandfather's business when she is sent to England's Lake District to appraise the painting and antiques of an old family friend of her grandfather's. While she is there working, she meets David Bradford, the owner's grandson who is helping her keep her estate in good working order. Gwen also searches for her father, whom she has never met, with some interesting results.

In 1912, Charlotte Harper is struggling after her father passes away and she discovers he hid an affair from her mother and their family. What makes this even worse for Charlotte is that he was also a pastor. After she finds out, Charlotte struggles with both her faith and trusting in male relationships. After her father's death, Charlotte and her mother and siblings move in with her mother's good friend in the Lake District on a sheep farm as Charlotte's father also mismanaged their money and they had no where to go. Not long after, Charlotte starts writing in a journal to help sort out her feelings with their family struggles and relationships. That journal is then a source of encouragement years later when Gwen reads it.

I found The Legacy of Longdale Manor to be a novel that kept my interest from beginning to end. I thought the transitions between the two time periods flowed well. I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters. This is a novel that I believe is written for those who want a lot of Christian faith to be part of the book. Nearly every character is a Christian. Prayer is often a part of each character's life. There is a lot of talk of forgiveness and stories of redemption in both time periods. The book wraps up fairly neatly with HOA for both generations of time. I thought a lot of the book seemed realistic but in a couple of places, I wasn't so sure. All in all, though, I enjoyed The Legacy of Longdale Manor.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through JustRead Tours. All opinions within this review are my own.

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