A Beloved Austenesque Author Goes Gothic

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Source: Review Copy from Blog Tour

TYPE OF NOVEL: Victorian Romance, Gothic Suspense

SERIES: The Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire #1

THE PREMISE: Diana’s new governess post takes her to Cornwall, where she is tasked with two objectives: to teach the troublesome orphan Miss Fallbrook and to secretly discover the true cause of Sir Thomas’s death. Diana has always been good at solving little intrigues, and it is her godmother’s dying wish to learn the truth about what happened to her brother. Diana faces some struggles with her tasks though, especially since nearly everyone believes Sir Thomas died by his own hand because of the Mermaid Curse…

WHAT I LOVED:

• Jane Eyre Echoes: The story begins with a governess on a journey to her new post where she unknowingly encounters her new master on the road. She has just one charge to look after, and on her first night there she hears strange sounds in the middle of the night. Her master is an injured naval captain who is brusque and tends to brood. This story is full of some delightful and clever nods to Charlotte Brontë’s beloved novel Jane Eyre. I loved spotting them all – and I particularly loved the Jane Eyre connection with Diana that I didn’t put together on my own. Just brilliant!

• Diana Taylor: Like Jane Eyre, our heroine Diana Taylor is immediately likable. She has had a long tenure as a governess and a few disastrous heartbreaks. She is resolved and happy to do her work as a governess and no longer holds any romantic ambitions for herself. Diana is as curious as she is suspicious, and I loved seeing her bravery and determination to find answers. She has the fortitude to follow strange sounds in the middle of the night and the daring to go where she is forbidden. I also loved her obstinacy and endurance, she does not back down from a challenge, even if she faces some pushback or defeat.

• Emma and Diana: This was such a wonderful relationship. Emma Fallbrook is fifteen and apparently has worked through fifteen governesses before Diana Taylor came to the post. While Emma is intelligent and exceptionally gifted in the arts, she faces some serious challenges when it comes to reading. This has been a major source of frustration and disappointment, and Emma has become a bit indifferent and unwilling. Many expect that Diana will just be like all the others and only last a few weeks. But Diana is patient, caring, and creative, and her relationship with Emma grows and evolves in the most beautiful and satisfying of ways. I loved seeing their progress and success together.

• Being Wrong: I thought I was so clever! I felt I knew the culprit and their motive not once, not twice, but three times – and… I was still wrong! 🤭  And I’m not mad about it at all! I quite like being stumped, and I think Syrie James did a marvelous job creating a mystery that is so intriguing, compelling, and hard to solve! Definitely one of the best mysteries I’ve read in awhile.

• Burdening Guilt and Learning Forgiveness: The relationship between Diana and her employer is a unique one. They have some moments where they both need a friend and find some comfort with sharing traumas and the guilt they carry with each other. I loved the underlying message weaved into this relationship about carrying self-blame and the captivity one lives in when they don’t forgive themselves.

• Mermaid Myths, Cornwall, Family History: So many wonderful extra elements enhanced this mystery and romance – the mermaid myth was fascinating, the setting of craggy and dangerous Cornwall provided the perfect eerie atmosphere, and the family history with previous tragic deaths, tension amongst tenants, and questionable investments were additional intrigues where answers were later revealed.

WHAT COULD’VE BEEN BETTER: 

• Maybe just a little more about Captain Fallbrook’s journey to love could have been shared, he spent so much time alone that I wish we learned more about him.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

😮  Diana Taylor accepts a daunting governess position where both her heart and her life are placed in great peril!

📘  Syrie James once again shows an amazing talent for writing in any genre – her first gothic suspense novel is enthralling, efficiently well-rounded, and expertly executed.

🙌🏼  How elated I am there is more – more sisters, more gothic settings, and more suspenseful tales. Looking forward to discovering The Secrets of Thorndale Manor soon.

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My sincere gratitude to Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose PR for putting this lovely blog tour together and inviting me to take part!