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’m not even sure how to begin. I just loved this story so much! This was my first book by Joanna Politano. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I had high expectations from hearing others fan girl over her stories. And let me tell you, she surpassed even my expectations!
Joanna has such a unique writing style. I confess, at first it took me a minute to get into it, but before long you find yourself lost in a beautifully written story. The twists and turns… the surprises … the characters… I just loved everything about this book! I also enjoyed the little snippets from a diary at the beginning of each chapter, they were very thought provoking.
As you get further in you begin to think you have everything figured out, but let me tell you, you don’t! I can honestly say I’ve never read anything like this. I’m totally hooked on Miss Politano’s books now, and my mission is to go buy and read all she’s written! A must have author for everyone’s shelves!
I enjoyed this different kind of story. I sensed what was coming in the book, but was still left turning pages to see if I was right, or what I may have missed. Some bits were a bit repetitive, but not enough that I wanted the book to end. Interesting concept! I’d read it again.
Good story. Unexpected turns!
This was my first book by this author, and I hope to read more! It was intriguing and complex. I had no idea how it could end. Cinderella? Maybe. But could she escape?
Good read.
“Being created in God’s image means we bear traces of Him. He’s our truest identity.”
Joanna has, as always, skillfully woven a beautiful story around this wondrous truth. Engaging characters and a truly unique plot as well as loads of bookish references makes this a book you will not want to put down.
Very unique and definitely something you haven’t already read. I loved it.
I was utterly riveted by this unpredictable and beautiful story! The characters are very real and the plots deeply intricate. It was a delight in every way!
Joanna Politano’s mostly first-person narrative, dusky corridors, and mysterious characters put me in mind of the Victoria Holt and Daphne du Maurier I devoured as a teen. Finding Lady Enderly’s style is unique from the succinct deep POV common today, flowing like a profound river redolent of Regency times and quite certain of its course. At times, I found it wordy and the story repetitive; at others, profound. A couple of thematic quotes that particularly resonated with me …
“The woman had been right–I truly was the rightful Lady Enderly. This house with is neglected, derelict center so greatly resembled its mistress, and I was the only one it had. This house … this house was me.”
“*So this is what confidence feels like.* It did not make me proud or poised or beautiful, but deeply awed.”
I did have some trouble believing the hero and heroine were quite so polished as they were presented. While educated, they came from a rough and impoverished section of London. Hard to believe they would not have used correlating speech patterns. I also cringed that Raina would go off with a stranger as willingly as she did. And the theme of Sully as rescuer became a bit tired for me.
However, some deep and valuable material here, and some beautiful themes about integrity and redemption. I loved how the uncle mirrored the Savior and how the main character learned to embrace and embody her true name.
Raina Bretton’s curiosity impels her to take up a unique position: she is to pretend to be a countess while that lady takes a break from society. From rags to riches, Raina struggles with her own identity as she tries to be Lady Enderly. All is not as it seems in Rothbourne Abbey. Learning the truth might be more deadly than Raina could ever imagine.
This was an interesting concept. A woman plucked from the squalor of the street and clothed in silk. Raina’s conscience troubles her and she constantly questions the morality of what she is doing. Her determination to solve the mystery is constantly set side by other matters.
While the story is mostly told from Raina’s point of view, we do have some chapters from Sully. he is a vicar’s son and has loved Raina for quite awhile. He isn’t happy with the situation, and as he’s always seen himself as her rescuer, he struggles with not being able to help her.
I think this is supposed to be a Christian book, but those parts didn’t fit with the rest of the story. I also found myself annoyed with how often Raina switched which book she was reading. Maybe I just didn’t understand how much time had passed, but I didn’t think she had time to finish each book before she had a different one. The point of her passing messages to Sully using the books their shared a love for was fun and this is a nit-pick on my part.
An entertaining read I would recommend for readers of historical fiction.
I received this ARC from the publisher and all opinions expressed are my own.
It was a very delightful story.
Once again, Joanna Politano has deftly combined romance, strong and compelling characters with a touch of underlying mystery in a whole new setting. I love the way her characters mature throughout the story, struggling with their purpose in life, always, with a satisfying ending, and spiritual lessons to glean. Raina isn’t sure who she is, nor who Lady Enderly is meant to be. As her story unfolds, the veil over her heart is shed. I can’t wait for Joanna’s next novel!
“Did Abraham require the good Lord to give him a description of the place where he was being sent? You’d best go and find out.”
“No matter what else I lose, no one is capable of separating me from me from from my dignity-except on occasion myself.”
“People are often afraid to truly look into the heart of who they are, because those inner rooms echo so loudly with one lonely question: Am I enough?”
“We all bear little pieces of God’s nature in us. When I look at a person-any person-that’s what I think about. I cannot help but long to draw it out.”
These are just few of my favorite quotes from Finding Lady Enderly.
What girl hasn’t dreamed of living a different life. One where she wears beautiful gowns, lives in a glorious mansion, has servants ready to fulfill her every desire, where she can do some good in the world with her position? I for one would love to be a countess in a converted abbey in 1870’s England for a while.
Finding Lady Enderly is an amazing Christian Historical Mystery fiction book. I add mystery to the description because, as the name implies, the book partially revolves around finding an elusive character.
Joanna Davidson Paulitano has written one of the best books I have ever read. I had to force myself to stop reading each night so I could get some sleep. This book will keep you wondering and guessing. Who is Lady Enderly, where is she, what happened to her, who was involved, why is she missing?
*Note, I won a copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The quest to find Lady Enderly is not one to be missed!
If you had the opportunity to improve your life and all you had to do was pretend to be someone else, would you do it? The book, Finding Lady Enderly, written by Joanna Davidson Politano, asks this question of both the heroine and readers.
The year is 1871. Raina Bretton, a young woman living in London’s East End, is just scraping by. Paucity and pain are pervasive in Raina’s home of Spitalfields. Despite the poverty, Raina survives and thrives because of the support of her longtime love, Sullivan McKenna.
For the complete review, go to http://kindredconnection.wordpress.com/2020/02/16/finding-lady-enderly/
This book was everything I imagined it would be and more. The characters were perfect. The plot was intriguing. The story was so good I wanted to stay at home and read instead of going to work. Looking forward to more of her books.
If you are looking for a unique, intriguing read then look no farther. I was taken into the world of mystery and an unlikely heroine in Raina. You will be swept away into an old mansion that contains many secrets and a hero that doesn’t let anything stop him from his true love and protecting her, as she seeks to protect him. I was engrossed from the beginning and was surprised at the ending. If you have ever had an identity crisis then you will understand Raina struggle until she grasps our identity is not in others opinions, but in Christ. I love how this author pens words that speaks to my heart. A must read.
I won a copy of this book from the author on Facebook. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
“Finding Lady Enderly” by award-winning author, Joanna Davidson Politano is
a splendid, endearing tale of whimsy, intrigue, danger and love, that cleverly captures the colorful, exquisite details in ordinary, humdrum, day-to-day lives, highlighting random acts of kindness, compassion and care.
The beautiful heroine, Raina, is a true vision of loveliness, with a vein of gold coursing through her veins, born with a lively, spirited imagination, noble and respectable in character though in dire financial straits. Raina wrestles with two identities – Lady Enderly’s and her own. It leads us all to ponder our own identities and who we really are at heart.
This is a classic novel of the romantic mystery of a misplaced heroine, on a compelling, spellbound journey into the world of ancestral inheritance. It explores the innocent, heartfelt loyalty of love. In a deeply-moving, dramatic story-within-a-story, full of puzzling Victorian intrigue, Joanna Davidson Politano skillfully combines the elements of romance and mystery to create a melodramatic plot twist to keep you captivated and spellbound until the loose ends of the mystery are all wrapped up. I highly recommend this awesome book by an extremely gifted and talented author.
I am officially smitten with Joanna Davidson Politano’s books. I loved her first two books, so I was quite sure this one would be no exception, and I was right. Politano is a master at creating a beautifully and carefully layered story. The surface story is fantastic, but if you dig a little deeper and see the submerged meanings and messages, the experience is amazing. With richly painted settings from the slums of London to Rothburne Abbey, and a Cinderella story of a rag woman to a countess, Politano’s exquisite prose took me on an emotionally charged journey with lots of twists and turns. The colorful, brilliantly drawn characters kept me guessing as to their secrets and motives.
I enjoyed the epigraphs at the beginning of the chapters that gave a glimpse into what could be ahead. “Just because it’s who we have always been, it does not mean it’s who we were created to be—Diary of a Substitute Countess.”
Woven through the story is a message that we can change some external things about us and our circumstances, but we can’t change who we are. There are also tender messages of love, grace, and mercy that give added depth and dimension. If you look beyond the surface story, it’s interesting to reflect on some of the allegories that the author gives, one of which is Uncle Wells as a God figure.
“I always had the ability to help you, you know. I was merely waiting for you to ask. It is as I said—your enemy has power, but I have more.”
Several quotes stood out to me:
“Man’s feeble work was destined for decay, but God’s starry skies reminded them of the eternity they had before them, just beyond the reach of this earth.”
“Never judge a man’s identity by the outside. That can all be changed in an instant.”
“You are who God made you and nothing can change that. Not even you.”
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical fiction that stays with you long after you finish the book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Revell. All opinions are my own.
Joanna Davidson Politano fills my heart with warmth with another beautiful novel. The great mystery of Finding Lady Enderly twisted with tender romance had me hooked to the end.
I love that identity is addressed in this book. It’s easy to feel lost in this world, especially when the unexpected happens. More than once, I’ve wondered about my value or self-identity. And it’s lovely to watch Raina evolve into her strongest self-version as she finds her identity in God.
She faces consequences for poor choices made during her quest to find herself. But like a true repented soul, she takes her punishment with stride and allows God to make use of the circumstances she’s in.
Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano is a great Christian fiction historical mystery. Like Cinderella, Raina rises from rags to riches. Rothbourne Abbey would be a reporter’s paradise, as the questions «Why? Who? Where? When? » and « How? » would, when answered, bring either a great treasure or a terrible calamity.
Once the action started, I was swept away to another time and another land. Were events glorious or were they tragic? Through it all, Raina ponders who she was, who she is, and who she will be in the future.
I found it interesting and true to life that Raina couldn’t read her Bible and pray while involved in deception.
Great twists and turns throughout until the climax is reached. Also, some great Biblical answers for Raina (which makes the book so much richer). Unfortunately, once the denouement is reached, the wrap-up seems a little weak compared to the incredible action that precedes it.
Great secondary characters. If this were a movie, some would have won an Oscar for best supporting character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.