Raina Bretton is a rag woman in London’s east end when a handsome stranger appears in a dank alley and offers her a glittering smile and a chance for adventure. Rothburne Abbey has a unique position for her, one that will take her away from her hardscrabble life and give her a chance to be a lady. Things she could only dream of might be coming true. But some dreams turn out to be nightmares.… nightmares.
Though Raina has traded squalor for silk and satin, something about the abbey is deeply unsettling. As she wrestles with her true identity, the ruin, decay, and secrets she finds at the heart of the old mansion tear at her confidence and threaten to reveal her for who she really is. Only one man stands between her and the danger that lurks within–and only if he decides to keep her biggest secret hidden.
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I loved this book! Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano is wonderful! It is a rags to riches story with intrigue, secrets (there is also secret codes) and romance. It kept me up late at night reading to discover what would happen next.
When a handsome stranger offers Raina, who is a beautiful seller of rags, a chance to leave the slums of London to travel to Rothburne Abbey to take up a position there. She accepts, as everyone she loves is gone. Once there she lives a life of luxury and falsehoods. Now she must discover who she really is.
A wonderful book and a great cast of characters. I have read all of Ms. Politano’s stories and can’t wait to read more. I received this book from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.
Finding Lady Enderly is an amazing read! Joanna Davidson Politano is a master storyteller. She has a way with words and I especially enjoyed the rich Irish brogue of the hero. With her rich use of language, she brings to life the characters and you envision yourself in their presence. A true rags to riches tale of a rag peddler Raina, who is plucked from her life on the streets and taken to live in the Abby as Lady Enderly. It is only temporary until the real Lady Enderly arrives. She is promised to be paid handsomely for doing this. Since her lover has been captured at sea and cast into prison and not returning, what can she lose and much more to gain. Right from the start when she enters the Abby, she feels something is not right with the whole proposition. She struggles with her true identity, and at times becomes lost in becoming Lady Enderly. So much is going on at the Abby and who and where is the real Lady Enderly? This is a great read and as the mystery grows, so does your interest……… My thanks to the Revell Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
It’s another terrific read from Ms. Politano! Her books are terrific stories with vivid settings and wonderful characters. However, they are much more than that! The story the reader reads is a shadow of sorts of the true meaning of the words on paper. A type of allegory to get your mind thinking…what if this is me? Is this what I portray?
I love how this author can write the most fascinating tales with double meanings. This is another book by this author not to be missed. Don’t miss the deeper meaning either.
When I find an author that can capture my attention to where I am compelled to read a book in less than a couple days, that writer more often than not finds her way to my “keeper” shelf. Multiple titles by the same author are uncommon, but every book by a single author ending up on that list is very rare. So far, each of Joanna Davidson Politano’s novels have done just that, each for a different reason, but they all keep me eagerly watching for more!
One of the things that I really enjoy about Politano’s novels are the epigraphs for each chapter; those words not only give hints but also add depth and some additional meaning about what will follow in the next few pages. While it may sound silly, those simple sentences are some of my favorite in the book and increased my anticipation for the events of the chapter. Another really fun aspect of this story in particular is the literary code between the characters. I think I may have gotten as wrapped up in their various messages as they did!
This novel really resonated with me as it dealt with complex questions of identity, of who gets to determine who and what individuals are or are allowed to become, whether that is societal norms and expectations, a specific person or group’s opinion of a person’s capabilities, or even one’s own ideas of self. Sometimes uncomfortably so, this book caused me to examine my own sense of who I am, and what influences I allow to sway my thinking about that.
The spiritual content is solid and realistic, but the struggles are, too. Raina deals with guilt and feeling unworthy of asking for God’s intervention in the mess she’s made; Sully wonders who he is if he isn’t fulfilling his self-proclaimed purpose. Wrestling with what God intends and how we can know his thoughts on the matter is something many people have to face, and I appreciate how the author lets us journey with the characters without giving them an easy out to their problems.
Joanna Davidson Politano’s third book only increases my appreciation for her work. I absolutely love her prose and the way she weaves spiritual truths into her stories, letting the reader live and learn along with the characters. This book will appeal to fans of historical fiction, mystery/suspense, and classic literature, as well as those who enjoy a good love story. I highly recommend it!
I received a review copy of this book from the author and publisher but was under no obligation to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are both honest and my own.
“Many people who go out looking for themselves will become lost, for they look outside themselves or inward, rather than up the the God we reflect. ~Diary of a Substitute Countess”
Politano draws the reader in with her achingly beautiful, poignant prose in “Finding Lady Enderly”. I found myself quickly involved in the life of Raina Bretton, seller of rags. When given the opportunity to trade rags for fine silks and want for nothing, I followed her to Rothburne Abbey. There she discovers the secrets within it’s walls and must untangle the mystery hidden within.
I loved this rags to riches story, and it goes deeper than just surface. Raina must face herself and know she is much more than a destitute woman. She is highly regarded by God who has loved her and calls her worthy. Her Cinderella fairy tale isn’t always what it seems, just as the Abbey isn’t always what it seems for it hides a truth that must eventually come to light. Definite Gothic undertones to this one and I loved it! It had a depth that surpassed my expectations and the spiritual truths overpowered like waves once they took hold in my heart, as well as Rainas.
“That’s what we all were, wasn’t it? Created beings who bore traces of their Creator, each with a different piece of his nature augmented in order to show the world who he was.”
A powerful story of restoration in all manner, a love story that spans the most difficult circumstances and an overall theme of knowing who we are in Christ!
“Being created in God’s image means we bear traces of him. He is our truest identity.”
*I received a complimentary copy from Revell publishers and was under no obligation to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
A very intriguing story! A rather unique plot with a captivating leading lady kept me reading steadily until the very end. Spitalfields in the East End of London is an extremely poor neighborhood from which Raina Bretton, a local rag woman, vividly imagines escaping someday but with no real hope. Spirited away on a train early one morning, she finds herself living an adventure she could not begin to imagine.
As she finds herself questioning who she really is, she must also figure out who she can trust. Filled with twists, turns, and definitely some romance, the story leaves the reader speculating until late in the story. Grab a book and venture along with Raina as she struggles to figure out who she is and what she wants out of life. Readers of historical fiction and historical mysteries will definitely enjoy this book!
This ARC copy was received from Revell and Netgalley.com. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.
#FindingLadyEnderly #NetGalley
How to describe this truly unique story? It’s refreshingly different. It’s by turns intriguing, suspenseful, and romantic. It’s not quite either gothic or Regency, but it does have overtones of both. For 90% of the book, there’s an overriding question: Who or where is the true Lady Enderly? Raina believes she’s found the opportunity of a lifetime to escape the slums of London as she is recruited to impersonate Lady Enderly. In the beginning, she’s convinced that there’s no harm in impersonating the countess for a short period of time, and that maybe it will help heal her broken heart over the supposed death of Sully, the man she has loved all her life. But all is definitely not as described to her, and Raina finds herself in a web of lies that keeps tightening around her. As things grow more desperate, Raina realizes that only God can help her escape the darkness that surrounds the estate. This is a story about realizing your true self-worth and purpose based on God’s love for us, rather than on our circumstances or appearance.
Raina is a wonderful character. Although, in desperation, she makes a serious mistake to agreeing to acting a part, her true character of love and care for others shines through as she interacts with all she comes in contact with on the estate. It’s also a different twist that when we first join this story, Raina and Sully have been a couple that have cared for each other for several years, but have been apart for a long time while Sully was at sea. When they are reunited, it was touching the lengths they would take to protect each other. And the way they communicated to each other through passages in books was one of the most romantic things I’ve read in a story. The ending to the story was not at all what I would have expected, but it was perfect.
Don’t be surprised if this book wins an award or two. It’s that good.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
“Just because it’s who we have always been, it does not mean it’s who we were created to be.”
What if we were given a chance to trade places with someone who has everything we don’t—great riches, silks and satins, servants, a huge mansion, and prestige? Such is the opportunity given to impoverished rag woman, Raina Bretton. Raina is a beautiful woman with a heart equally so. She totally earned my respect because even though she seeks to better herself, she also uses her new station to help others.
But she soon wrestles with her new identity…and as the dark secrets of her new mansion envelope her, will her dreams of bettering herself become nightmares? Will she lose the love of her life trying to be someone she isn’t?
I was totally ensnared from chapter one…held captive by the lovely poetic prose of the author and enraptured by this intriguing storyline. At times the romantic quotes taken from some of my favorite classic novels (and used by the hero for a purpose all his own), brought tears to my eyes and caused my heart to melt to my toes. Finding Lady Enderly is a beautifully written novel with an aura of gothic mystery and eerie foreboding, as well as a heartwarming romance and an ethereal almost fairytale ambience.
*I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.*
This is definitely a five star book It is an absolutely awesome book. Raina or Ragna as she refers to herself, is a rag woman in the alley ways of East London. When an unknown man plucks her off the street to be a look alike stand-in for a Countess while she takes a rest from the crowds, then Ragna becomes Lady Enderly. There are so many twists and turns and some surprises as well in this book. Joanna Politano is a remarkable Author and she is one of a kind with her Regency Romances. I especially enjoy the verses or quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Such wisdom. I have enjoyed all of her books but I think this one is her best to date. Get it and you won’t be sorry. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
What an amazing read! Joanna Davidson Politano is a master storyteller. With her rich use of language, she offers a marvelous story, which I devoured. I almost felt like I was reading a classic fairytale as I began to meet different characters and watched them make decisions, which helped to reveal their true essence. While the intriguing suspense kept me guessing, the romance melted my heart. One of my favorites pieces of that romance was the classic literary references included that connected them. This tale is perfect for book club discussion. I would also highly recommend sharing this book with high school students, because the lessons weaved within this story were invaluable. This book was a true pleasure to read and I wouldn’t have changed a thing! I was given a copy of the book by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Oh my GOODNESS! Such a compelling, engaging pageturner with more twists than a roller coaster, more heart than Valentine’s Day, and a mystery (or ten) that will keep you reading until you can’t keep your eyes open
another second. All the characters were so real, and the theme of identity was woven through them, and the story, so expertly. Add redemption and you’ve got a book that will draw you in and not let you leave until the last page – and then compel you to read it again.
Raina is a rag woman on the streets in London in 1871 when a mysterious and well dressed stranger tells her he can take her away from this to a life of luxury at Rothburne Abbey. Dare she believe him? And with her dear Sully perished on a sunken ship, what has she here to keep her in London. So she heads out with the man. The Abbey is indeed large and beautiful, with servants to wait on her. But all is not as it seems. There is something very wrong at Rothburne Abbey. She must find a way out of this madness. If only she can trust one person, there might be hope.
Intrigue, danger, darkness mysterious happenings, a haunting Gothic tale reminiscent of the Bronte sisters. All these inhabit this interesting tale of a life that was ordinary and has turned into something quite odd and scary. Fans of the Brontes will love this, and also those who enjoy intrigue in this setting.
*My thanks to the Revell Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions stated here are entirely my own.
I know that when I pick up a Politano book that she’s going to leave me pondering something deeper and this book did not disappoint. There is such depth in Raina’s pursuit of Lady Enderly and so much that she (and therefore the reader) learns about what it means to find her/our identity. I also really dug into the idea that names matter when Raina considered the names that she has gone by. It left me pondering my own name and what I do to show I know my own name. As always, Politano writes beautifully. I loved her use of well known books within the story to allow the characters to say what they couldn’t say themselves. There were a couple of surprises along the way that I didn’t expect and the ending was both not what I expected and yet also very fitting. I would definitely recommend this one.
Is there truly a Lady Enderly? Inquiring minds want to know.
Readers you will just have to read this fascinating book with it’s twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.
I was waiting on pins and Needles to see if Netgalley would approve and yay!! They did!! I finished this delightful book in one day!! Today in fact. That’s just how good this story was well written.
I love this author’s writing because I can tell from this book that it comes from the heart and I really believe that God has guided her to write this.
One such verse is SOS:6 (Song of Solomon) took me a few mins to figure this out because that usually a ship’s distress signal.
I will say the hairs on the back of my neck kind of rose up a little cause I wasn’t sure where this was leading.
I enjoyed this story from beginning to end. It’s a sort of Cinderella tale from rags to riches and y’all know the rest.
Lady Enderly truly has a wonderful personality. I love it and I love her!! She’s strong in her Faith until the end!! And that’s a good thing! I felt like I could see a special glow whenever she was truly happy. I could sense her sorrow when she wasn’t.
The shady characters like Victor Pendergast is what makes this story interesting. It seems like he just appears out of nowhere.
I think the true mystery is Sully. Now he really mystified me. His part in this story is real interesting.
But what it all boils down to nothing is really as it seems.
The best part about this book is hope. There’s a wonderful messageat the end but I’ll let you readers figure it out! Let me know if you do!!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher with no compensations received. All opinions are my own!!
P. S. Be prepared to spend the whole day reading because you won’t want to put it down!