Rating: 4 stars
Headline: Moore’s debut novel blends historical fiction, romance and mystery effortlessly
Review:
The debut publication from Texan-based author Lille Moore, Keeping the Countess blends the best of multiple writing genres, Historical Fiction, Romance with a strong thread of Mystery weaving the story altogether.
Set in Cumbria (England) in 1878, the story is very reminiscent to that of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, with a switch in gender for the leading roles. When the Rochford estate faces financial jeopardy on account of the vices of Lord Rochford, Lady Faith Rochford steps in to try and save the future of the estate by securing tuition for the Lord’s sole legitimate son, Adam. The seemingly pious Reverend Jonah Sinclair was not her first choice of teacher, but with money in limited supply and a child who is intended for the hights of higher education, Jonah will have to do.
It is not just the human owners who have their cracks. Despite first appearances Jonah’s new home, the once grand Ravenglass Hall, is harbouring many secrets of its own. While teaching the young heir, Jonah is also embarking on a secret quest of his own, to track down the person who murdered his father and bring them to justice. As Faith and Jonah find themselves drifting closer and closer together, it would seem their forbidden love is not the only secret at risk of breaking free.
This 331 page novel centres around its two protagonists, their blossoming relationship and Jonah’s quest to find answers to his father’s murder. This hits all the beats of a classic nineteenth century gothic novel, complete with its characters who all have their faults and chips on their shoulder. This sits nicely along the dramatic scene setting and the moody climate of Cumbria.
As far as storylines go, Keeping the Countess personally feels a bit too close to Jane Eyre. The idea of forbidden love between an upper-class Lady and a lower-class figure being brought in to educate the child of said faulted aristocracy (who also live in a crumbling estate) is not a particularly new idea, be it a gender-switch. While the mystery subplot provides interest and intrigue, the originally can feel a little overshadowed at times.
As a piece of historical romance, Keeping the Countess ticks many boxes of a successful publication. The writing is of a strong standard and the cover attractively designed for the story and audience it is targeting. Given this is currently listed online as book 1 of the “Damsels in Disguise” series, it will be very interesting to see where Moore goes next with her writing career.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Keeping the Countess” by Lille Moore
Purchase Link: “Keeping the Countess” by Lille Moore (Amazon)
Author Website: https://lillemoore.com/
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